Free Sealed with a Kiss by Mae Nunn

into his much larger palm. Neither could he ignore the arms that encircled his waist.
    Determined to put a barrier between his thoughts and his passenger, he brought the powerful engine to life with the push of a button. The bike’s obedient response brought a smile to his face and then the mechanics of safely negotiating back roads en route to the highway occupied his mind.
    But not entirely.

Chapter Six
    A t cruising speed and with fifteen minutes of silence stretching ahead, unwanted memories betrayed Sam.
    The years hadn’t dimmed the bittersweet recollection of his student’s confession of love. She’d stubbornly insisted God had a plan for the two of them and she’d wait it out. To make matters worse, she’d boldly sealed the revelation with a whisper of a kiss. His heart still ached over the pain in her eyes when he’d told Tara that, under the circumstances, there could never be anything between them.
    She hadn’t left well enough alone that day any more than she had as a pesky child. Only this time her determination to have her way had cost him everything.
    He squeezed his eyes shut for a split second to extinguish the thought.
    With an explosion like a Black-Cat firecracker, the tractor-trailer up ahead blew out one of its eighteen wheels. His eyes opened wide as huge shards of rubber spewed across the road, an instant obstacle course.
    â€œHold tight,” he shouted.
    Before she could question the instruction, he accelerated, deftly navigating the debris field, confident as any downhill-slalom Olympian. He bypassed chunks of rubber, marveling as always over the aerodynamic technology of the machine he’d grown to love.
    Tara’s high-pitched shriek drew Sam back to reality. Certain she was terrified, he eased off the throttle, slowing to cruising speed.
    â€œNo!” she shouted.
    â€œI’m sorry.” He imagined her face bloodred with terror. “You want me to pull over?”
    â€œNo,” she repeated. “Do it some more.”
    A warmth he’d never experienced before spread from the core of his body to the tips of his limbs. He punched the air with his fist, offered up his salute and kicked it up a notch.
    In no time at all, the bike eased alongside the battered rental truck. With the music of the engine still ringing in his ears, he gripped Tara’s hand to help her stand.
    â€œThat was…incredible.” She tilted her face up to him, an easy smile reaching her unforgettable eyes.
    â€œSorry about the road gators, but they’re a hazard of the sport.”
    â€œIf all the hazards are that exciting, I see why you love this thing.” She thrust her helmet in the direction of the bike.
    He took the gear, dropped it on the seat beside his and turned to find Tara moving toward the truck, her hand slipping through the blaze of auburn hair. The urge to let his fingers do the same was uncontrollable. With a single step and a full arm’s reach, his hand followed hers as it trailed through the softness. The feathery-fine silk slipped through his fingertips.
    Tara lifted her face at his touch, tilting her head back so he could see into the blue depths.
    His hands moved unconsciously to hold either side of her questioning face. The heat from her skin seeped into his flesh, a match for the unfamiliar warmth in his heart. He closed the inches between them and paused to moisten his dry lips before he covered her mouth with his.
    Â 
    The blast of a car horn shattered the magical connection.
    â€œHey, Sam!” The cheerful passerby waved as they stepped apart.
    Tara witnessed Sam transform from helplessly involved to blatantly arrogant. He offered up his signature salute as he swaggered away and busied himself with the bike.
    â€œSorry about that, Rusty. You have a way of doing that to me. Something you might want to remember.”
    â€œThanks for the warning.” Her mouth tingled from the impetuous kiss.
    He handed over her