the city of London?
âJust observant. Have you worked up the courage to take a ride with me yet?â
Unfortunately, he was right. She could stay here and freeze or she could take her chances with public transport. But hadnât she been lectured on the dangers of taking life too seriously? Shouldnât she at least consider the bikerâs offer?
Absolutely not.
She turned her back, only to find herself checking the road for black ice. The mystery biker might be the most infuriating, the most arrogant, overbearing and impossible man sheâd ever met, but the thought of finding him mashed up in a gutter made her heart race with fear for him. âTake careâitâs slippery,â she mumbled and, putting her head down, she marched towards the exit.
Wheeling his bike in front of her, he stopped dead.
âWhat are you doing?â Magenta demanded.
âI donât take no for an answer.â His eyes glinted with laughter.
âI can see that. Does everything amuse you?â she demanded, stepping round his bike.
âYou make me smile.â
She kept on walking, but as she dragged her jacket a little closer it occurred to Magenta that she was perhaps being a little ungracious. âIf youâre looking for someoneâ¦â
The bikerâs eyes glinted.
âIâm just trying to say, if I can help you in any wayâ¦â
âGet on the bike.â
No! Yes. What should she do? She had been fascinated by the beacon of freedom women lit in the sixties and talked a good battle when it came to championing the causeâbut did she ever seize the moment and take action? Or did she always play it safe?
Too damn safe. âHelmet?â
The biker produced a spare and then patted the seat behind him.
âYouâre very sure of yourself, arenât you?â she commented as she buckled it on.
âSure of you. You canât resist a challenge, can you?â
âAnd how do you know that?â
He shrugged.
âThe helmet seems like it might fitââ
âThen climb on board.â
The husky voice suggested a chastity belt might be a useful piece of kit too.
âBefore I change my mindâ¦â He revved the engine.
âAre you always so forceful?â
âYes.â
The master of the one word answer drowned out the demented timpanist in charge of her heart by taking the revs up to danger level. And now she took a proper look at his monster machine she wasnât even sure she could climb on board, as the biker put it. Did her legs even stretch that wide?
âChicken?â The smile was masculine and mocking.
âI am not.â She played for time. âThatâs a Royal Enfield, isnât it?â
âYou know motorbikes?â
Her attention flew to a very sexy mouth. âI know the brand, thanks to my research into the sixties,â she said primly. She might have known someone as cool as the biker wouldnât ride a pimped-up, over-hyped modern machine. The Enfield was a serious motorbike for serious riders. Big and black, it was vibrating insistently between his leather-clad thighs.
And would soon be vibrating between hers.
No way was she climbing on board.
And she was getting homeâ¦how?
Call a cab , the sensible side of her brain suggested. There had to be an empty cab somewhere in the whole of London.
âYou are chicken,â the biker insisted, slanting an amused glance Magentaâs way.
She laughed dismissively, longing for a way out. But sheâd done âsensibleâ all her life, and look where that had got her.
âWell?â
âForbidden fruitâ sprang to mind when she looked at himâfruit that was so close, so ripe and so dangerously delicious, she could practically taste it on her tongue. âHow do I know Iâll be safe with you?â
âYou donât.â
Her pulse raced. But then, she reasoned, it was only a lift homeâwhy the fuss?