Chapter 4

4

TYLER

I am not a good liar.

When Erika asked why I was taking a day off for the first time since opening the studio eight years ago, I couldn't not tell her that the reason was the girl she met last night. Erika didn't say anything. She didn't tease me or drop sarcastic comments like she usually did.

She did worse.

Erika smiled softly at me and said, "About damn time."

I don't even know what the hell that means. All I know is I have never looked forward to mornings like this.

I didn't get much sleep last night. I tossed and turned and thought about why I didn't find it unpleasant when Maura touched me—from the handshake to the accidental touches to the way she wrapped her arms around me.

It felt good, and touching never felt good to me. Touching reminded me not only of my father's beatings but of all the times I was bullied in school and came home bloody and bruised. Back then, I was the smallest boy in class and an easy target at that. I did have a growth spurt in high school and learned how to fight, but those early years stayed with me.

I still instinctively flinch when someone touches me—intentionally or accidentally. It's the kind of prison I can't get away from, no matter how hard I try.

Until Maura.

I don't just welcome her touch. I crave it. I yearn for it.

To think I just met her twenty-four hours ago. Now, here I wait for the little fairy whom I can't stop thinking about.

My body registers Maura's presence before my eyes do.

"Hello, stranger." Her voice is soft and friendly, with no hint of seduction whatsoever, but she might as well drag her tongue along my cock with how my muscles tense at hearing her.

Hearing her. Jesus. We haven't done anything more than exchange pleasantries, and here I am, burning with need for her already.

I'm standing outside her building, leaning against my bike. She walks toward me in a matching skirt and polo shirt, which is more suitable for tennis club lunches, and white velcro sneakers. She has a thick headband over her pixie hair, the red hue catching the sunlight and making it look like her hair's on fire.

Goddamn. She brings light with her. She's a vision of beauty, beauty that demands appreciation.

My heart skips a beat, my breath catching in my throat. How is she real? I was convinced last night was a dream, and seeing her in broad daylight makes me wonder if I still haven't woken up.

"You look beautiful, but that's not really something you wear for a ride."

Maura folds her arms over her chest and shrugs. "Why? It's comfortable."

"And guaranteed to get me in a fight."

She tosses her head back and laughs, making me smile. "You look like you can hold your own in a fight, though."

Ah. That unexpected praise spreads warmth throughout my chest. "That's true." I unfold my arms and straighten my back. "Let's go, then. I have a little fairy to teach and a bed-rot to collect later."

At the reminder of what she promised, Maura's tongue pokes from the corner of her mouth before she bites down on her bottom lip. Holy fuck. Before I realize what I'm doing, I reach my hand to cup her face and release her lip. I can't help but graze my thumb across it.

"We need to go before I forget what we're supposed to do today." My voice comes out as a cross between a groan and a growl. It doesn't escape her notice, and she gives me a smug look.

Brat.

"Are you ready, Maura?"

Maura nods repeatedly, her face serious and focused. It's been hours since we started, and the sun is dipping low in the sky. We're in an empty park half an hour from the city center. So far, Maura's been an exceptional student.

She does drop some sexual innuendo here and there, but she's mostly been a good girl.

Maura takes a deep breath and closes her eyes briefly. The determination in her gaze makes my heart swell with pride. This is a woman you don't cage, and the guy she left last night fumbled with how he treated her.

His loss. My gain.

"Safety gear on," I tell her and watch as she double-checks the helmet's fit, fastening the strap securely under her chin.

I take her hand and help her mount the bike, smiling to myself at the way she swings one leg over the seat like a pro. The teasing and seductive Maura is gone and replaced by someone who looks like she's about to race with everything she's got.

She grips the handlebars tightly, her posture tense.

"Relax your shoulders, little fairy, and keep your back straight." Maura doesn't acknowledge me anymore, so I stand in front of the bike, my hands over hers on the handlebars. She has no choice but to lift her gaze to me. "Balance is key. Use your legs to steady yourself."

"Got it."

"Good. Now start the engine."

Maura turns the key, and the bike roars to life, the deep rumble vibrating through the ground and echoing around the empty space. She twists the throttle, and the bike responds with a growl.

The bike rolls slowly, and she begins to move forward. I walk alongside her, ready to step in in case something happens.

She rides in a straight line, her initial apprehension melting away and her confidence growing. Her scowl transforms into a grin, and she starts speeding a little.

For the next five minutes, she rides at the speed we agreed on. She returns to me and brings the bike to a stop. I rush to her side and hold the bike as she puts her feet down to the ground. She's so small that she has to stand on her toes.

I swing the stand with my foot in a downward arc, and it clicks into place with a satisfying thunk. Once it's secure, Maura jumps off and launches herself into my arms.

"I did it! I rode a bike! Did you see that turn?"

"I did! It's amazing, especially for a first-timer."

Maura laughs as she throws her arms around me, burying her face into my chest. Something has shifted in me, and it becomes natural to hug her tightly and lift her off the ground before settling her back down again.

We stand there, staring at each other for what feels like hours until we're no longer laughing. Electricity zaps through the air, and my body moves on its own accord. One minute, we're apart, and the next, I'm kissing her with a passion I didn't know I was capable of.

And by God, Maura's lips taste so damn sweet, it fries my brain. The kiss is enough to rearrange my DNA and turn my world upside down.

I spent most of my life floating past other people, their faces nothing but a blur, and I barely registered their presence. Ignoring them was fairly easy since I genuinely didn't care about their business.

But Maura…

What is it about her that makes me want to know everything about her? What makes her laugh, what makes her tick, what angers and upsets her. Everything.

It feels like eons later when we finally break the kiss, both of us breathing hard. Her lips are red and swollen, her pupils blown wide. That's when I notice that shadows are starting to lengthen around us, the sun turning to deep orange.

"It's getting dark. We should go," I say.

Maura nods and runs her hands to fix her hair and clothes.

I ride the bike first and help her mount it. This time, however, I guide her in front instead of behind me. She throws me a quizzical look over her shoulder, and I respond by biting lightly on her earlobe.

After sliding the key in and firing up the bike, I roll the throttle. The engine's growl deepens, sending vibrations through the frame and towards my body.

Maura jerks in front of me and stiffens, her fingers digging into my thigh.

Well, I guess someone does enjoy riding my bike.

With one hand on the throttle, I slide the other from her knee and skim it across the smooth skin of her thigh until it rests near her crotch.

"You like this, little fairy?" I ask Maura as I twist the throttle, and she jerks again.

She responds with a whimper that makes my cock twitch.

"No, Maura. Say the word. Do you like this?" Throttle again, and she leans her back against my chest, her face tilted to the sky.

"Y-yes."

With a growl, I lift her and turn her around so she's facing me, her pussy pressing against the gas tank. My hand cups her jaw, and I pull her to me, whispering, "My naughty little fairy, about to come on my bike."

She sucks in a sharp breath, and I slam my mouth to hers. She clutches my face and slips her tongue in my mouth, and fuck, I almost forget my own name.

My other hand remains on the throttle, and I keep twisting it. Each time, Maura gasps and moans against my mouth. I pull back and watch her because her nails dig into my arms while she shamelessly grinds on my bike. Fuck, she looks glorious.

I can't sit here and do nothing.

So I lift her shirt and slide her bra upwards, revealing a pair of beautiful milky globes. While she rotates her hips with every throttle, I drag a tongue along her taut bud, nipping it and sucking.

I'm as hard as a crowbar, but I ignore it. I need her to come for me.

"Ty!" Her voice is ragged, and when her mouth parts in a silent scream as she comes, I cannot look away. I want to file this picture of her coming in front of me on my bike. I want to remember this moment forever.

By the time Maura comes back to Earth, she slumps on the handlebars and gives me a soft smile, her eyes still at half-mast. "Quick question. How are you in a suit?"

The question throws me off-guard. "I'm okay. I can pull one off. Why?"

"You're my date for my twenty-ninth birthday party this Saturday."