Read Riding Steele: Crossroads for Free Online

palm, wanting to let the covers fall from her body and expose her naked breasts to him. Wanting to draw his hand to her breast and press it over her. But something stopped her.
    Then he frowned and his fingers stroked over her skin, just below her shoulder. “That son of a bitch cut you.”
    She glanced down and saw his fingertip stroke over the small cut where Donovan had nicked her with his knife when he’d cut away her bra strap. Steele’s gaze took in the cuts on both sides. The dried blood caked over them made them seem worse than they really were.
    The concern in his eyes tore at her heart and she was glad he couldn’t see the others right now.
    “Thank you for coming for me.” She didn’t want to imagine what would have happened if Steele hadn’t burst in when he had. She wanted to thank him more sincerely. Wanted to somehow make him understand how much it meant to her.
    He stroked her cheek, his granite eyes warm and caring. “I wish I’d gotten there sooner.”
    He leaned toward her and brushed his lips to hers. His arms swept around her and she lost herself in his kiss, her heart aching with a need to be closer.
    “Steele, I want …” She gazed into his eyes, but she didn’t know what to say. She wanted to be close to him. To be intimate. But the thought sent her stomach churning.
    “What is it?” He gazed at her with such concern.
    “I want to be close to you. To …” She blinked back tears, fighting the fear inside her.
    “Sweetheart, after what you’ve been through, you need time.” He cupped her face in his hands. “We don’t have to rush anything.”
    She nodded. Thankful for his understanding, yet still yearning for that closeness.
    He drew her into his arms and held her close. “Let’s just get some more sleep.”
    He lay down, keeping her snug against his warm, solid body. Holding her. Protecting her. And soon she felt herself drifting off to sleep again.
    *
    Steele dragged himself from Laurie’s warm, soft body and pushed himself from the bed. He didn’t want to leave her side, but he knew she’d be hungry and he wanted to go out and get something for her to eat. After that, they’d be on their way. He knew she’d be anxious to get home. And her brother would be anxious to see her and know firsthand that she was okay.
    He went outside, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows on the ground. He mounted his bike and headed to the small town only a few miles further along the highway.
    He went to a drugstore and bought a bandage for Laurie’s ankle, then he pulled into a small diner and ordered some burgers to take out. As the cook flipped the patties on the grill, Steele paid.
    “I take it you’re traveling with friends,” the man behind the counter asked.
    Steele eyed the man. He wore a blue and white bandana around his head and his long, gray hair was tied back in a ponytail. And his arms were inked.
    “Why you asking?”
    “Just a friendly heads-up. Some cops come in here asking if we seen a crew of bikers in the area. Said there been some kinda trouble up at some big wig’s country house nearby.”
    The cook handed the bag of burgers to Steele.
    “Just figured I’d let you know.”
    Steele nodded. “Thanks.”
    Steele went outside and stowed the burgers in his hard carrier, then mounted the bike. The cops must have found Donovan and now he’d set them on their trail.
    No matter. This was a complication he did not want, but he’d handle it. First things first. Go back and warn the crew.
    He started up the bike, then sped back to the motel.
    When he arrived, Magic, Dom, Wild Card, and Shock were sitting on chairs outside the rooms drinking beer. Rip and Raven were nowhere to be seen.
    He saw the curtain pull back on his room and Laurie peer out. As he stopped his bike, she hurried out of the room. She was still limping and he wanted to get her to a doctor to have it checked out.
    “Where’s Rip?” Steele asked.
    Shock pointed at Rip’s room door. Steele