Free Easy Rider: An MC Erotic Romance by Kristin Fletcher

 
    EASY RIDER
    CHAPTER ONE
     
    Ria Glenn shielded her eyes from the glare of the sun. It was lunch time at the dig site She was heading to the tent to eat her lunch, a chicken sandwich. If experience was anything to go by, it was likely to be as dry and unappetizing. In fact, the dust her archaeological team sifted through probably tasted just as good. She sighed and walked toward the tent. As she made her way to the tent, she thought over the events of the last five weeks.
     
    This was her second month on the dig at some Native American ruins. It was also her second month of full employment after graduating at the top of her archaeology class. She was twenty-four and graduated two years later than her cohort. This made Ria the oldest assistant at the archeological site. She was also one of the only two people on the site who were actually getting paid. The other person was her friend, Annie. Her three other colleagues were college seniors. For them, the dig was part of their graduation requirements. Academic slaves, they jokingly called each other.
     
    It was her first full-time job. When she had initially come on the site, she felt isolated and insecure. She soon realized she was good at her job. She knew as much, if not more than, the others at the dig.
     
    If she were honest, this wasn’t what she wanted. She reminded herself every day that this was just a step in the direction to her dreams. That was the only reason she had accepted it. Not to mention the fact that she desperately needed money to kick start her life as an independent person. Plus, she needed to pay off her student loans.
     
    Inside the dining tent, she smiled absently at Dave Praducci, one of the three seniors. He handed her a sandwich and her favorite cola.
     
    “Thanks, Dave,” she murmured, seemingly unaware of the way his eyes roamed over her body. She had the type of figure men liked. In the past, she would have welcomed his interest. Not so much anymore. Events from four years ago, in particular a devastating end to a long-term relationship, changed her. Since that time, she deliberately isolated herself from men.
     
    The break-up was also the reason that she was in the States. She had loved her boyfriend, but his betrayal was so complete and traumatic that she had to leave England. As a result, she took a two year hiatus from her studies at the university. During that time, she moved to the United States. Then, she enrolled at a university there to complete her degree.
     
    Since moving to the States, Ria immersed herself in her subject. She had become oblivious to almost everything unrelated to archaeology. She loved archaeology. Unlike men, it was neutral and didn’t ask anything of her. Men were demanding. They always wanted something. When they couldn’t get what they wanted, they were spiteful. The one thing she’d learned was that a relationship with a man could expose her to pain and humiliation. It was a risk she was not prepared to take again.
     
    She had graduated the previous fall. After graduation, she tried to find work in her field. For six months, she sent out numerous applications for work. She discovered that a degree in archaeology did not provide her with an entrance anywhere. As the months passed, she had reached the point where she was actually afraid she would end up slinging burgers at the local greasy spoon. She was rescued from such a job by her professor. He was aware of the quality of her work, her single-mindedness, and her attention to detail. He offered her a job as soon as he won approval for his latest project.
     
    “What do you think?”
     
    Ria blinked. She turned her head to find her friend, Annie, who was waiting for an answer.
     
    “About what?” Ria asked vaguely, as she finished the sandwich she had unconsciously been eating.
     
    Annie sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. “You really need to come back down to Earth, you know, Ria. If only for meals.”
     
    Ria chuckled, apologized,