Riding with the Beast (an MC Fairy Tale)

15 - Sonja

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I updated & thank you all for being patient. I got swamed with work and school. Thank you all for your reads & votes! I can't believe how many people are reading and enjoying the book right now. It means so much to me.The next few chapters are slightly longer/more wandery than the ones before. I'm going to go back over them when I edit the book and streamline them a bit, but right now they are what they are. 

I also want to give a shoutout to R. Diamond's AMAZING "Anastasia" (http://www.wattpad.com/43776955-anastasia-new-adult-11-three-beautiful-words) The second I'm done uploading I'm going over there and seeing if there are any new chapters. It is my Wattpad obsession and just as a warning to everyone, if you click that link it will be your obsession too :) R. Diamond is AMAZING and I am honored she read part of my book.

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Sonja

We snaked up the arid canyons of Eastern Oregon, passing cows, pick-up trucks and hamlets the rest of the world had forgotten. I no longer tightened my grip on the Beast when the motorcycle turned. Instead, I rested my cheek on his shoulder and inhaled slowly, enjoying the scent of exhaust, dust and freedom.

There were no guard rails on the side of the road, just open canyon stretching down into dry, rocky valleys. I was even starting to enjoy that, too. It felt like we were flying, or at least passing things so quickly that they couldn’t touch us.

We stopped at a natural health food store near the Deschutes National Forest. Some small, spiky bushes sprouted from a rock floor in front of the split-level shop. The wood panels were painted brick red and the “Open” sign in the window had a little cowboy roping in the letter ‘n’.

“Wait here.” The Beast took my helmet off and draped it over the left handle of his motorcycle. He’d picked it up in Redding after saying he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he smashed my pretty head. Maybe it was silly, but I liked how he’d called my head pretty instead of my face.

The Beast was in the store less than ten minutes. He came out with three small plastic bags in one hand and a tube in the other.

He handed me two of the bags. “What is this?”

“Smoked Salmon and Pine Nuts. Pretty high in fat but…figured you could use some.” He held up the third bag. “I’ve got some rice crackers when you’re done.”

“Thanks.” His comment made me smile though I didn’t know why. The food tasted so good I licked my fingers. Even the rice crackers were nice. When I finished, he squirted something out of the small bottle in the center of his palm.

“What’s that?”

“Aloe. My grams always put it on burns, and your cheeks are fucking red right now. Don’t worry, it’ll feel good.”

My breath caught as he smeared it over my nose and cheeks. It was cool and a little slimy and absolutely wonderful.

He smiled. “Told ya.”

I didn’t move as he put my helmet on and adjusted the strap under my chin. He was real gentle while he did it. Actually He was real gentle while he did anything, as if he figured no one would want him to touch them for very long.

He stepped back when he was done, an ugly smile painted on his ugly face. I felt so guilty for what I’d tried to do back in the hotel room…and again last night. He hadn’t brought it up. It made it seem like those things hadn’t affected him, but I knew they had.

He squinted up the road. “It’s a ways still. We’ll probably get in after dark.”

“Alright,” I said though nothing felt alright. I wondered why he looked away from me so suddenly—if he could somehow sense what I was thinking.