Looks even better on my floor. His words distracted her until the engine revved again.
With no bathrobe in sight, she wrapped the sheet around her and climbed out of bed to investigate. A pair of French doors led to a small balcony, and when she opened them she discovered Hudson sitting on the driveway below her. On a Harley. Wearing leather.
Allie’s mouth went dry. Up until then she’d only seen him dressed like a CEO in custom suits or cashmere sweaters. But now he looked like a bad boy from the wrong side of town. Her skin warmed at the sight of him; from his motorcycle boots to his faded jeans to his black leather jacket. She knew she was gawking, but she couldn’t help it. Below her, straddling that sleek black and chrome machine, was the boy she once knew. Only now he was powerful, in control, and if possible, ten times hotter. It was like Hudson Chase 2.0.
He cut the engine and smiled up at her. “Good morning, sleepy head.”
“Good morning.” Allie dropped her chin and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. For some reason, she found herself feeling incredibly shy. Perhaps it was being outside in her current state of undress, or perhaps it was their night of raw, uninhibited sex. She felt her face flush just thinking about the things he’d done to her the night before; things she’d like him to do again. She cleared her throat and tried her best to keep her voice level. “So that’s the bike I keep hearing about?”
“The very one.” He shifted the motorcycle back to engage the kickstand and climbed off. “Get dressed. We’re going for a ride.”
A thrill shot through her. “Be right down.”
Allie hurried back into the house, quickly changing into jeans and a lightweight sweater. She brushed her teeth and pulled her hair into a haphazard ponytail before grabbing her leather jacket and flying down the stairs. She was going for a ride on Hudson Chase’s Harley! When she reached the gravel drive she found Hudson leaning against the bike seat with a helmet in his hands. “I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up.”
“Must be all the fresh air.”
He raised a brow as he straightened and stepped away from the bike.
“Well, I would have been up earlier if you hadn’t kept me up all night.”
“I clearly remember being given specific instructions.” He drew her against him and let his hand glide over the curve of her ass, holding her tight as his hips rolled against hers. “Don’t stop, Hudson. Oh God, don’t stop.”
Heat pooled between her legs as her traitorous body responded to his words over her wanton behavior. Placing both hands on his chest, she gave him a playful shove. “Well, you can stop now.”
Hudson chuckled. “Here,” he said, handing Allie the helmet. “Put this on.”
Allie took the helmet from him and eyed it skeptically. “I don’t think it will fit over my ponytail.”
“It’s not up for debate. But you might be more comfortable with your hair down.” He reached up and gently tugged the hair tie loose, letting her long blond curls cascade around her shoulders. His knuckles brushed her cheek. “You look beautiful.”
His touch ignited her skin. She looked up at him from beneath her lashes and began to wonder if they’d make it back in the house, let alone on a bike ride. If he wanted to take her right there on the gravel, she’d probably let him.
“So how does this thing work?” she asked, breaking the connection. Her hand trembled as she lifted the helmet in the air.
“Let me.” He carefully lowered the helmet and buckled the chinstrap. When he deemed it sufficiently secure he reached for her jacket, yanking the zipper up to her chin. “It can get cold on the bike.”
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. One moment he was reducing her to a puddle on his driveway, and the next he was fussing over her as if she were a child.
“So where are we headed?” she asked.
“Thought we’d ride north, grab a bite to eat, and maybe hit one of the wineries. There’s one in a restored mill that looks interesting, and it’s not too far.” Hudson mounted the Harley, strapped on his own helmet, and then started the bike. The engine roared to life. “Get on, baby.”
Allie took his offered hand and climbed onto the seat behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, her body molding against his, and inhaled deeply. Fresh pine mixed with the scent of his body and the rich smell of leather. She couldn’t think of anything sexier.
Hudson turned the bike toward the driveway. Once on the road, they took off like a shot. Allie squealed with delight. The power of the engine rumbled through her body and she pressed her thighs tight against his hips. God, this was a turn-on. Why did anyone ever drive a regular car when they could ride a motorcycle instead? She giggled as her naughty thoughts answered her own question. Because they’d end up having roadside sex, that’s why.
The bike hugged the north side of the lake for a few miles before veering off into a more wooded area. Brightly colored trees lined both sides of the small lane, but the sun still managed to peak through every so often. Allie closed her eyes, tilting her face toward the warm rays. Her hands slipped inside Hudson’s leather jacket and splayed across the fabric of his black T-shirt. She loved the feel of his muscles flexing beneath her hand. She loved the fresh country air and the winding open road. But most of all she loved that Hudson was sharing something with her that obviously meant so much to him.
They stopped for lunch at a diner, eating greasy food out of paper baskets, and then rode to the winery Hudson had mentioned back at the house. Covered with ivy and trimmed in Wedgewood blue, Stone Creek Winery exuded an old-world charm that made it look as though it had been plucked straight from the French countryside. Hudson pulled the Harley to the front of the limestone building, turned off the bike’s ignition, and rocked it back onto its kickstand. Allie held his arm as she climbed off the bike, and had just unstrapped her helmet when she heard his cell phone ring.
Hudson fished the phone out of his pocket and frowned at the screen. “I need to take this.”
“Nick?” she asked. For a moment she was hopeful, but he shook his head.
“Chase,” he said into the phone. He turned his back to her and wandered a few paces away. “Time isn’t going to improve the offer. Their financial projections are horseshit. They’re out of moves.” He glanced briefly at Allie, who stood by the bike watching him. “Now’s not a good time. Deal with it,” he said, ending the call.
“Everything all right?”
“Fine.” He offered nothing more as he took Allie’s hand in his. “Ready to taste some wine?”
“Lead the way.”
Hudson led her to the entrance of the winery where he purchased two tickets for the tour and tasting. It turned out he’d been right about the building being a restored mill. Built in the 1860s, it had once housed looms and knitting machines, but in later years the cool underground cellars had proved the perfect environment for fermenting and aging wine.
After explaining the modern-day process—everything from stemming the grapes to corking the bottles—the guide led their group down a narrow staircase to a cellar full of oak barrels standing over six-feet tall. Small doors sat at the bottom of each barrel and the guide explained how these were once used as a means for winemakers to climb in and clean out the sediment. He opened one, asking if anyone wanted to try squeezing through the tiny hole and offering advice to the takers. “You’ll need to get in a side-plank position, slide in feetfirst, then one arm . . .”
“No way am I getting in there,” Allie whispered.
Hudson cocked a brow at the miniature door. “Good, because I wouldn’t be able to come in after you.”
“It might be fun if you did. Just the two of us, alone in the dark.” The words popped out without much thought, but she went with it and flashed him a devious smile. “Think they’d realize we fell behind the rest of the tour?”