Page 48 of Thanks for Coming Along
Eden looked up at him, her sapphire eyes seemed to glow looked like ocean waves in the moonlight. Her teeth flashing a smile while her hands grabbed the jacket collar and pulled it tighter around her. The black leather practically swallowed her frame, but she somehow made it look stylish, her hips swaying with attitude.
Ronan couldn’t take his eyes off her. Seeing her wrapped up in his jacket stirred something possessive in him. He loved how she looked in it, almost like she was his. He knew the thought was dangerous, but after his talk with Sadie, his mind was made up—he was done fighting how he felt about her.
Eden stopped by his bike and grabbed their helmets, holding the matte black one out to him. He took it, setting it down beside his feet, and pulled his phone from his back pocket, still watching her.
"This is a perfect picture. Stay there,” Ronan said as she stood in front of the bike, her hand holding her pink helmet. The sun sunk low behind the trees, the sky painted with soft pinks and pastel purples. Like wisps of cotton candy, the clouds caught the last rays of daylight. The peaks of the snow-capped mountains were touched with a soft, rosy glow of the remaining sunlight behind her.
Eden leaned casually against the sleek motorcycle, she was still in the leather jacket she'd borrowed from Ronan. He opened his camera app and took a series of candid shots. As he framed the perfect shot, her fingers slipped the jacket off one shoulder, exposing her tanned shoulder that had him snapping a few more pictures.
She pushed off the bike and sauntered over to him. She swiped his phone from his hand and flipped the camera around, angling it to capture both of them in the frame and take a picture. Ronan laughed as he attempted to snatch the phone back from her grasp. She turned her body around and aimed the camera at him.
"We never get any pictures of you, Mr. Cameraman," she said with a playful lilt in her voice. "It's a tragedy because your handsome face should be plastered on every billboard." Eden proceeded to take a flurry of pictures of Ronan. The sharp shutter clicks of the phone chimed in his ears.
"You would like that because you are obsessed with me. Aren't you?" Ronan teased, catching her by the waist as she squirmed in his grasp.
"And what if I am?" Eden retorted with a sultry laugh, her movements causing her to rub sensually against him. Every curve of her body seemed to graze his, from her soft breasts brushing against his chest to the tantalizing slide of her tiny skirt over her smooth legs. His growing erection was becoming burdensome.
Eden slipped out of his grasp and quickly grabbed his discarded helmet on the driveway. With a quick movement, she placed the helmet on his head, her fingers resting over the sides. Through the visor, his heart raced as he watched her tug his head down. His breath hitched when she placed her lips against the front of the helmet, right where his mouth was hidden behind the thick plastic.
"Safety first, Murphy," Eden whispered with a small smile as she locked her gaze with his through the visor. She reached for her own helmet and fastened it on her head.Jesus, she was a weapon.His dick was rubbing painfully against his jeans. The urge to lift her like a caveman back to the house, slowly remove each item of clothing and claim her as his own was overwhelming. But he was determined to take her on a proper date.
There was something incredibly sexy about Eden in her glossy hot pink motorcycle helmet, her little black dress, and those alarmingly high heels. The ends of her glossy brown hair cascaded over her back and shoulders, clad in his jacket.
She held out his phone, and he grabbed it as he mounted his motorcycle. He held out his hand for her to take. Eden's eyes squinted in a smile behind the clear shield of her helmet, and she accepted his hand. She used his arm as leverage and gracefully swung her leg over the motorcycle's seat. He was captivated by the sight of her smooth legs as they lifted over the body of the motorcycle. He would be lying if he didn't appreciate the flex of her calf and the lush curve of her thighs—the things he would do to have those luscious legs spread open on his bed.
He took a quick breath, he had to be careful not to rush or push too far. The last thing he wanted was to scare her off. Ronan valued their friendship more than anything and didn’t want to risk messing that up.
At this point, he could give two fucks about the documentary. Of course, he wanted the world to see how incredible Eden was, but deep down, his biggest priority was protecting her feelings and holding on to what they had. Now that she was in his life, he would do anything to keep her there.
Her arms circled his middle, her hands resting on his stomach. He relished the feeling of her tucked behind him, her frame surrounding him. Her smell surrounded him, assaulting his senses and making him slightly lightheaded.Chill out.
After a scenic motorcycle ride down the mountain, Ronan and Eden ended up at a dive bar called "Whiskey Dicks'' on the outskirts of town. As they stepped inside the dimly lit bar, Ronan was greeted by the low hum of conversations and the faint sound of rock music playing from an old jukebox in the corner. Flickering neon signs illuminated the space, casting a hazy glow and creating shadows in the corners.
They had ordered pints of beer with an orange slice perched on the side of the glass and a couple of appetizers. Conversations, spoken in hushed tones, created a murmuring background noise, interrupted only by the clinking of glasses and the occasional burst of laughter from the patrons at the bar.
"A toast," Ronan said as he lifted his pint of beer. "Here's to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one." Ronan said as he leaned closer to Eden, the corners of her lips curling. "And a cold beer and another one!" She touched her glass against his, their glasses clinking. They both took a sip of their beers as they held eye contact.
Eden flicked the orange slice into her glass and watched as it floated over the foam of her beer. With her movement, the thin strap of her silky black dress slipped off her shoulder, the cowl neck slightly dipping down, revealing her full cleavage. Ronan internally groaned at the sight. He leaned over and slipped his finger under the thin strap, slowly lifting it over her slender shoulder.
"You look unreal, as always," his voice murmured hoarsely. Eden looked up at him, her lips parted, and a pretty pink blush crept across her cheeks. His eyes zeroed in on her full lips. He tried not to think about kissing those plush lips or trailing his hand up that insanely smooth thigh. Eden's eyes darted to his mouth, her pink little tongue peeking out slightly to wet her bottom lip, and then she bit the corner. His body leaned in, honed in on the movement, desperate to taste her.
"Buffalo wings and the pretzel," a gruff voice spoke to his left. Ronan cleared his throat and leaned back into his chair, lifting his glass and sipping his beer. A waitress leaned over and placed the buffalo wings and a soft pretzel bigger than Eden's head on the table.
"She is beauty. She is grace," Eden spoke reverently, holding the oversized pretzel in the air like Rafiki holding baby Simba to the horde in The Lion King.
"Yes, she is," Ronan replied, staring directly at Eden while she ripped into the pretzel with ferocity that made him smile.
"How is it?" he chuckled, noting the protective embrace Eden formed around the plate as if shielding it from prying eyes.
"So good. I'm sure at least one war started over a soft pretzel. Wasn't the French Revolution started over a lack of bread? They had a point. I would riot without bread,” Eden punctuated her statement by pointing a massive piece of pretzel at Ronan. He leaned over and took a big bite out of it.
"Watch it! I will not resist going 'Marie Antoinette' on you!" Eden said with a grin. Ronan could see a group of teenage girls hovering near their table, whispering and elbowing together. Eden looked up at the group and waved. A chorus of screeches rippled through the group of girls.
"Hi, lovelies. Can I take a picture with you?" Eden asked the group sweetly. Multiple responses came from the group: "Oh my gosh!" "Yes!" While one of the girls squealed and handed a sparkly pink iPhone to Ronan, he took a few shots, handed the phone back, and smiled politely at the group.
Eden chatted animatedly with the group of girls, sharing stories and laughing for a while. As they got ready to leave, she flashed them a warm smile. "It was so great meeting you all, but I’ve got a soft pretzel with my name on it." She hugged each of them quickly before sliding back into her seat across from Ronan.
"Sorry about that," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I love meeting fans. It’s still so wild to me that people know my music and feel connected to it. Even after all this time, it feels surreal," she admitted, her eyes sparkling as a shy smile spread across her face.
