Anywhere You Wanna Go

For once, I was glad I was underage. Even if Kalen, the owner of The Smoke Wagon, never bothered to card any of us when we went in there, America didn't have to know it. "Not twenty-one yet."

She shook her head. "That's right. Oh my God, you're so damn big." She stopped to bite her lip and lowered her voice. "In every way. I keep forgetting you're not twenty-one yet."

Momentarily distracted by her hand sliding upward over my cock, I closed my eyes for a second. She began saying something about us heading to her room while the girl she was rooming with was at the bar with the rest of the girls, when I noticed Nolan walk away toward where Madeline's group was earlier. It reminded me suddenly how I'd once again let my guard down about Madeline. It was insanity and I knew it. I'd had one conversation with the girl, and I already felt a sense of responsibility toward her, as if I needed to be watching my girl.

The thought hadn't even completely registered in my head when I caught the tail end of Madeline having eyed me and America but turned away quickly when I saw her. Nolan was there now talking to Maggie, as was Mason with Shelby. One glance around and I saw it. Shane was already headed their way too.

It appeared the truck the girls arrived there in, had left. I could see Madeline tapping away at her phone, and I pulled mine out. "Give me a sec," I said, pulling away from America's touch.

Looking back and forth from my phone screen to Madeline, I tapped away at my screen and read my text to Nolan before sending it.

What's up? Did those girls get stranded here?

I hit send then looked up to where Shane was now standing with the group of girls. Two other girls joined them, and they all seemed to look around as if wondering where their ride went.

"Something wrong?" America asked.

It wasn't until that moment that I realized my brows were as furrowed as when something was really wrong. I started to shake my head until I saw Madeline smile but shake her head at Shane, then glance my way where America was fucking snuggling up against me again.

Madeline very noticeably took her eyes off me to take in America among all the other girls Xavier and I and a few other guys were surrounded by now. She then turned back to Shane, glanced at his car, and shrugged.

"Maybe? Was that a maybe?"

"Maybe what?" America asked, glancing around.

Feeling the unreasonable heat race up my spine, I hadn't even realized nor did I care that I had said that out loud. My phone dinged and I glanced down to read the text message on the screen. It was Nolan's response.

Yeah, but we got this. At least I do. Maggie just said yes to a ride back to town on my bike. Mason and Shane are still working on the other girls.

To my utter annoyance, I glanced up to see not just Maggie getting on Nolan's bike, but from the looks of it, Mason had convinced Shelby. The girls turned to say something to Madeline, who was smiling at Shane now.

"Fuck that shit," I muttered again, not caring that America heard. "I gotta go."

"Are you coming back?"

"I don't know."

I knew it was rude. I knew I should have at least given her some kind of explanation, but truth was I didn't owe her shit. Heads turned from all directions when I revved my bike up. The only one I cared about glanced over as well. Her eyes went from me to America then back to me.

"No," I said under my breath, staring straight at her. "She's not who I'm leaving with, and you're not getting in that fucking car with him."

I rolled up to where Shane and Madeline were standing and stopped. "You need a ride back to town?"

She stared at me, jaw slightly dropping, but nodded. "She's got one," Shane said before she could answer.

"Do you?" I asked her, not even acknowledging Shane.

As fired up as I felt, I almost hoped Shane said something else. Nothing would have loosened up my tense muscles more than landing a fist into his fucking throat.

"I do," she said with a nod, but before I could argue, she took a few steps toward my bike and proceeded to climb on behind me. "Thanks, Shane, but—" I pulled away before she could finish explaining anything to the undeserving douche.

As unexpected as my pulling away was, it had her clutching her arms around me tightly. The warmth of her soft body pressed against my back was amazing. I'd had plenty of girls on the back of my bike, but this was Madeline. I breathed in deeply as I was hit with a mixture of excitement and utter alarm at what her touch alone did to me. The heavenly smell of her citrusy perfume, or maybe it was her shampoo as I turned slightly to where her head was against my back, was something my senses wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon—if ever.

I stopped when we were far enough from the crowd and pulled off my helmet.

"I'm supposed to meet my sister back where Shelby left her car."

I nodded, getting off the bike. "I'll take you anywhere you wanna go."

Tightening the strap on the helmet, I lifted it over her head. Madeline jerked her head back in reaction. "What about you? What'll you wear?"

"I'll be fine, but I won't have you on my bike without it."

She lifted a stubborn little brow, holding up a hand. "I've seen other girls on your bike without it."

This was true. But it was only because I didn't care to argue when any of them balked at the helmet. Most didn't want to mess up their hair, which was stupid because, by the time we got anywhere, it was always a windblown mess. But having Madeline on my bike without a helmet wasn't happening.

"None of them wanted to wear it," I explained as I tried again to lift the helmet over her head again.

"Well, I don't either." She pulled away again. "If something happens, how's it fair that I'm wearing one and you're not?"

"Only reason I let you on without it was so I could get you away from that asshole sooner than later."

Those lips parted again as her bottom lip dropped open just as it had when I first approached her and Shane. The temptation to lean in and kiss them was a fucking living thing, but I managed to refrain. Instead, I brought my eyes up to meet hers again and lifted my own stubborn brow. "But you're not staying on without it, and you're not leaving here with anyone else."

That last part slipped, and my stomach tightened in reaction. I braced myself for her response. Just then Nolan and Maggie drove by, only to stop for a moment so Nolan could say something to Xavier. We both glanced at them, taking in the fact that, unlike Maddie, her sister had complied with wearing Nolan's helmet.

To my surprise, Madeline's delicate shoulders dropped in defeat as she sighed. "Fine. I'll wear the stupid helmet."

"Good girl," I said with a smile as I placed it on her head. "The latch is a tricky one."

I carefully snapped the latch together, mindful not to pinch her skin. Our eyes met as I finished snapping it, and I was caught in those beautiful eyes for one long moment. "Gads," she said, breaking the silence and inhaling deeply. "No one's ever made me as nervous as you do."

"Nervous?" I asked, even as my own insides were going nuts. "Why do I make you nervous?"

Her anxious expression eased up, making her look even more adorable in my helmet. "It's a good kind of nervous," she explained. "Like when you're getting ready to board a rollercoaster. Maggie's been known to back out last minute." She shook her head, staring into my eyes as hers nearly twinkled with excitement. "Not me. I love the thrill, even when my insides feel ready to burst."

"The thrill, huh?" I said as I climbed back on the motorcycle, heart thumping wildly as she wrapped her arms around my waist again. "Talk about no pressure."

Even as I chuckled nervously, my heart continued to pound against my ribs. While I was half kidding, it was partly true. Madeline had pretty much made it clear she'd be a willing participant in any kind of thrill ride this might be the start of. As dense as I was to catch on to her game, I was fairly certain she wasn't being literal.

Having her on my bike alone was already a huge risk. Getting any ideas about anything more would have been playing with fire, and I knew it. But God help me because fighting this now that she'd made it clear this was as thrilling for her as it was for me, was going to be infinitely harder.

The feel of her against my back again was pure heaven—something I already knew I'd never get enough of. As I slowed before jumping onto the highway and my motor idled so it was a little less thunderous, Madeline's warm breath against my neck when she spoke made me tremble. "All those girls in that bus," she said, leaning in even closer. "I didn't recognize any of them. Are they from Huntsville?"

I shook my head. It was as much as I'd offer unless she pushed. "But you and your brothers know them?"