An Arranged Affair

chapter 26 - the knight in leather

Phillips POV

It was 6.30am and I could hear Victoria scurry around the room, she was up earlier than usual.

' What are you doing and do you know what time it is?" I moaned as my eyes adjusted to the dim light in the room. she was already dressed.

" Phillip, I am so sorry to disturb you, I need to leave for uni soon, I have an exam this morning and it counts for 20% of my final grades, there's also road works on the motorway to uni so there will be delays," and as she bent up to pick up her books, laptop and her knapsack, I couldn't help notice how nice her ass looked in her skinny jeans.

I looked at her in disbelief also a bit confused as to why she was leaving so early, the university was only a 45 minute drive.

"I've planed it so that I get there before 8, Simmi wants to catch up on some last minute revisions over breakfast. Stanford knows to get me about 1ish. Go back to sleep, " She said leaving, closing the door behind her, the warmth in the room disappearing with her.

How long was I going to go on like this?

This girl enthralled me, unknowingly enticed me just by being near me, but I couldn't read her, I couldn't tell if she felt anything for me, after all ,ours was a marriage of convinience , but for a while now, I wondered when she would let it be more. I had wanted to run after her this morning, to wish her all the best for the exams, but I didn't. I held back.

Instead I got out of bed and hit the gym, hoping a hard workout would get rid of some of these unwanted tensions.

Eating breakfast by myself for the first time in months all of a sudden seemed very weird, and without Victoria's constant chatting, I realised that I was rather lonely and tired of being alone, so I turned on the TV to watch the morning news.

" Thousands of commuters are now stranded as scheduled roadwork's on one of the countries busiest motorways has caused delay and confusion, adding to that there have been several incidences causing further delays, motorists are advised to use alternate routes or avoid travel if possible." The pretty news reporter announced before moving onto the weather.

Oh shit, Victoria, her exam....it was just before 8am, she had an hour to get there. I tried to call Victoria but her phone was engaged so I called Stanford, he answered on the second ring.

' Stanford have you reached the university?"

' no Sir, we're only half way there, traffics not moving ........ sir, I don't think we are going to make it, the miss, she quite agitated."

I didn't give him time to say anymore and raced downstairs to the garage and as the lights flickered on my eyes settled onto my Harley.

It had been years since I had ridden it, but it was well kept and freshly polished, keys in the ignition, I grabbed my jacket and helmet, and as I grabbed the second jacket and helmet I felt a pang of guilt.

These were Angela's, and I had bought them for her even though she hated my bike.

It felt wrong to give them to Victoria now, but she was here while Angela was long gone.

The engine of my beautiful beast roared into life as I turned the key and I sped off, Victoria needed my help and that's all that mattered for the moment.

******

VIctoria's POV

I was close to tears as the time on the clock changed, and the traffic didn't move, I couldn't miss this exam, it made up too much of my final grade. I had left so early, missed breakfast and I was still stick in this mess. I cursed the traffic, cursed the roadwork's, cursed the stupid drivers that gotten into fender benders and cursed my stupid bad luck.

I had tried calling Simmi but her phone kept going to voicemail and I had no idea what to do.

hell, I would have gotten out and started walking if I thought it was going to make a difference.

Thank goodness Martha had insisted I keep some granola bars in my bag. That woman was becoming like a second mother to me.

The roar of an extremely loud engine caught my attention and i watched as a beautiful motorcycle pulled up next to the car.

' Get out and wear these." The driver shouted, I knew that voice, it was Phillip! But how was he here?

' Do you want to make your exam or not?"

Scrambling out of the car I put on the jacket he gave me and let him help me with the heavy helmet.

' Have you ever been on a bike before?" he asked and I shook my head.

' ok, just hold on tight and when I turn, don't fight it, stick close and you will be fine." He hopped back on the bike and started the engine, I copied him, sitting behind him, putting my arms loosely around his torso, but as the bike took off, I grabbed onto him tighter and squeezed my eyes shut, scared out of my life as the beautiful machine burst into life under me and the wind whipped over us, unsure in that moment if Phillip was my saviour or my executioner.

I don't know how long I had held my breath or had kept my eyes shut, but after a while I relaxed and opened my eyes, and watched the cars as we whizzed by, and I decided that I rather liked being on a bike, my heart was racig and there was something about the freedom of it, the sound of the engine, the feeling of the wind, my legs were freezing but I felt exhilarated and thanked my lucky stars that I had worn jeans for once.

We skipped past the traffic, along the city streets and to the university, Phillip didn't even bother to park the bike, he drove it along the pavements and through the walkways, serving past students on thier way to class, ignorning the shouts and obsenities that followed until we got outside my examination room, where Simmi was waiting. There was only 15 minutes left before the exam started and the doors would shut soon.

Jumping off the bike I unstrapped the helmet and handed it to Phillip, gave him a quick hug then ran to Simmi, I glanced back at Phillip and waved goodbye and we slipped into the exam room and the doors closed behind us.