The old motorcycle throbbed with unleashed power as Kyle MacDenny cruised down the Pacific Coast highway towards Santa Barbara. He was four days into his journey from Vancouver, BC.
He’d cut ties with the city of his birth when he’d packed his favorite clothes into his duffle, and donated the remaining items to charity including all furnishings of his apartment that were exclusively his. He’d handed his keys to the landlord and shook the man’s hand. It would be up to Mike to contact his ex-fiancé Gwen Carrington to let her collect the rest of the items in the apartment before it went back on the market.
Gwen was under court order to stay away from Kyle after she assaulted him, a flight attendant, and an Air Marshal on their recent flight back from France. The last time he’d seen her was in the courtroom and she’d avoided looking at him which was a small mercy. The judge ordered her to seek counseling on her obsessive behavior or face jail time. He hoped she took it to heart.
Kyle had informed his employer that he was giving his two week notice and in that time he’d be using the two weeks of vacation time they still owed him. His boss had been gracious as he really liked Kyle. He probably held out hope that Kyle might return to the fold once he’d recovered from whatever was driving him to make this bold change in his life.
Though he’d originally intended on flying to California, his plans had rapidly evolved. His minimizing effort meant leaving nothing he needed behind as it would be a permanent change. He gave notice on his storage unit.
It took a week to get his motorcycle roadworthy. It was a Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Classic he’d inherited from his father. It was the only thing he’d received when the emotionally distant man passed away. The few good memories he had of his father revolved around helping him maintain the machine. It was his father who inspired him to get his own license to ride.
He’d put it in storage well before meeting Gwen and when he’d discovered her surprisingly intense distaste for motorcycles, he’d… failed to mention he owned one. When he thought back on that, he realized it was probably the only act of defiance he’d ever made while she was changing him to be her ideal mate. While his relationship with his father had been anything but emotionally close, the motorcycle was… intensely important to him. He’d given it tender care over the years and kept it in running condition… when Gwen allowed him the free time.
Today, the big bike purred its deep rumble, expressing its satisfaction at finally being allowed to do what it did best. The late afternoon sunlight flashed across the expanse of chrome, making the highly buffed black paint look deeper and darker than it was. The black paint combined with the chrome detailing and big, shiny V twin engine was a beautiful combination. Especially when paired up with fat white-walled tires and kitted out with the studded leather trunk bag and twin saddlebags.
The three bags currently contained all of Kyle’s earthly belongings. He’d taken the minimizing ethic to heart and only retained the essentials. The feeling of freedom that gave him was incredible.
When he’d first received his inheritance, he’d been too intimidated to ride the powerful bike and only tinkered with it. One of the side benefits of Gwen’s pushing him to get so fit was that he was now strong enough to control the Harley. Still, riding it demanded his complete attention and respect.
He was wearing his leathers and a full face helmet which drew some stares, glares, and sneers from the riders who opted for T-shirts, jeans and those barely there skull toppers that left most of your head and face exposed. He shrugged it off as to each, their own.
He’d called Fiona last night to let her know he’d be arriving in Santa Barbara around the dinner hour. He grinned as he recalled her happy and excited squeal. She’d asked him to meet her at the new five star hotel her parents had recently built high on a hillside overlooking Santa Barbara and the ocean. They’d opened it the previous spring and the posh hotel was already in high demand. She was very proud of it and she wanted to show it off… and him as well.
He saw his exit and pulled off the highway, glad to be on a road with more interesting scenery. He followed the traffic through a shopping district which became a series of neighborhoods, all the while gradually making his way closer to the hills. Then he was winding his way upwards while the houses got larger and farther apart with more dense vegetation for privacy. Definitely the proper neighborhood for a grand hotel.
He spotted the hotel’s sign to the left and pulled off onto a smaller side road and finally into a large circular courtyard. A large Mercedes sedan was slowly easing its way backwards out of a parking spot close to the entrance so Kyle waited until he pulled away from the spot. As he maneuvered the big motorcycle into the spot he saw the sedan driver giving him the evil eye. Kyle grinned to himself as he pushed the kickstand out and shut off the motor. It felt good to stand and stretch.
He pulled off the helmet, stuffing his gloves inside, and ran his fingers through his hair as he looked in a rear view mirror. Meh, it would do. He took out his kerchief and dried his face and neck. He really needed a shower but first things first. He had a lady to see.
Two men in hotel uniforms stood on either side of the walkway leading into the front entrance of the hotel. They weren’t sure what to make of him in his black leathers. The entire five story building was built on a slope so the lobby was actually in the middle of the building, the third floor with two upper floors of guest suites and two lower floors with more guest suites. The main restaurant, lounge, and bar were also on the level with the lobby. It was a very wide building.
As Kyle walked in the sliding glass doors he heard a yelp and saw white blond hair rush out of the office door to the left of the wide reception counter. Fiona was grinning from ear to ear as she dashed across the lobby to jump into his arms.
The woman had large, top notch breast implants and watching her run towards him was almost as rewarding as feeling them pressed against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. He worried what was showing as she was wearing a dress that only came down as far as mid-thigh.
Her mouth was on his and her tongue was in his mouth as she clung to him. He kissed her passionately in return and felt her trembling in his arms. When he finally pulled back from her full lips she was swooning a little.
“Oh my god, I missed that!” she sighed.
“Hello Fiona,” he said with a smile as he gently lowered her to her feet.
She was drinking in how rough and rugged he looked in his leathers then her expression turned to surprise. “Wait! You’re wearing leather! I heard a deep rumble of a motorcycle! That was you?!?” she gasped.
He grinned at her and nodded.
“Show me!” she exclaimed with glee and dragged him by the hand out the doors. He led her to the motorcycle and she gasped.
“It’s gorgeous! Oh my god! You have to take me for a ride!” She paused as she heard what she’d said. She turned to look at him with a hungry smile. “You really have to take me for a ride,” she purred and he caught the innuendo.
“Are you ready to have this much power between your legs?” he asked with one raised brow.
She giggled at his corny line then pressed her tits against his chest once more and tilted her face up to his. He tipped his face down and stroked her lips with his, nibbling them until she grabbed his jacket with a sudden intake of breath and pressed her mouth to his more firmly.
“Fuck, you’re going to make me cum in my panties!” she whispered to him after the kiss.
“We can’t have that! You’d better take them off.”
She pushed back from his chest, her eyes wide as she smiled. “Phew! Let’s take a breath. I made dinner plans for us tonight. Then we’ll have that fun!”
He smiled and nodded.
“When did you get this?” she asked as she looked back at the Harley.
He smiled fondly at it. “It was my father’s. I inherited it years ago and I’ve had it in storage. I’ve been keeping it in running condition but I never got to ride it very often.”
“Gwen let you have a motorcycle?” Fiona asked skeptically.
He shrugged. “I didn’t tell her I had it.”
Fiona grinned at him in shock. “Really?”
“The entire time we were together,” he said with a nod.
She gave him an appreciative look as she knew how controlling Gwen had been. “How?”
His smile softened as his eyes went back to the motorcycle. “I didn’t have the best relationship with my father but this… it’s the only connection I have to the best moments I had with him. I couldn’t lose it,” he said quietly.
Her eyes softened as she saw how important it was to him. “Did you want to take a shower and change? I’m taking us to a fabulous beachfront restaurant.”
He sighed happily. “I would love to take a shower and put some cooler clothes on.” He unlocked the saddlebags and carried them as she led him back into the hotel.
“I have a shower in the bathroom of my office so you can clean up in there,” she said as she pointed to the door to the left when she closed the office door.
Kyle went into the washroom and got his kit out with a change of clothes. He quickly showered, shaved, and dressed in his khaki pants and a stylish shirt from a Barcelona designer. He rolled the sleeves back to help him cool off. He slipped on his shoes and packed the rest in his saddlebags.
When he left the bathroom Fiona looked up from her desk and smiled happily at him. “You can leave the bags in my office. We’ll come back after dinner to collect them and your motorcycle. I have a spot in my garage for it.”
Fiona hooked her arm through Kyle’s and led him outside once more to the parking lot. One of the uniformed men handed her the key to the sporty red coupe he’d brought up for her.
“Thank you, Michael!” she said with a smile as she moved to the driver’s side.
Kyle sat in the passenger seat and looked to the lovely woman smiling back at him.
“You like seafood, don’t you?” she asked.
“Love it!”
“Excellent!” she grinned. She pulled out of the driveway a little more rapidly than Kyle would have preferred but he was her guest. He just ensured his seatbelt was secure and put his faith in the expensive vehicle’s safety equipment.
They made their way back down out of the hills towards the ocean side. Fiona was an aggressive driver but she was attentive to the road so Kyle did his best to relax.
They finally pulled up to a restaurant overlooking the ocean and Fiona stopped by the valet parking. She handed the key to the young man as he held the door for her. Kyle waited on the sidewalk for her and they went inside arm in arm.
The moment they entered the bar a cheer went up from a group of ladies at a table by the far wall. Fiona’s smile just got wider and happier as she rushed forward to press cheeks with the five women waiting with drinks in their hands. She turned back to smile at Kyle.
“Girls, let me introduce you to my new good friend, Kyle MacDenny!” she gushed.
Kyle smiled at the group and got the distinct impression of being under a microscope. It seemed to be a friendly one at least. They were all smiling and he caught one licking her lips hungrily much to his surprise.
None of the women was under thirty and, by his estimation, were likely in the same age range as Fiona, so early thirties with just one in her mid-forties.
Fiona put her arm around the closest woman. “This beauty is Monique. We go back to our high school days!” Kyle smiled at the lovely, mocha skinned woman. Just two inches taller than Fiona’s 5′ 6″, she was wearing her long straight black hair pulled back in a pony tail. He shook her hand as she flashed a brilliant smile at him. There was a definite twinkle in her dark eyes.
Fiona moved to the next lady to continue the introductions.
Charlize was the shortest of the group at maybe 5′ 2″, but she also looked to be the strongest as well. She had full sleeve tattoos on her muscular arms and her short sleeve top showed them off quite well. She wore her jet black hair cropped close on the sides and just slightly long from her bangs, over the tip of her head to her shoulders. The tips of the longer hair was dyed violet. Fiona said she was a friend from their university years.
Gloria was a full figured woman who was the oldest in the group, with a wild mane of strawberry blonde hair, a vivacious and bubbly personality, and a crooked smile. She’d been the lip licker and, it turned out, was Fiona’s next door neighbor.
Next was Phoebe who was a tall, lean, and serene yoga master with straight, yellow blonde hair that just reached her ass. She wore large glasses perched on her prominent nose. Fiona met her teaching a Yoga class years ago and they bonded.
Fiona put her arm around Kyle as she introduced Marion, a stunning redhead whose luxurious locks reached mid-back. Tall and curvy, she had bedroom eyes, high cheekbones, and a sensual mouth with a slight upturn at the corners like she was enjoying a joke, possibly at your expense.
He immediately picked up a subtle tension in Fiona and realized, of all of Fiona’s circle, this woman was the one she saw as a threat. He moved his left arm around Fiona’s back as he shook Marion’s hand. He felt Fiona relax a little as she explained that Marion was also in the hospitality industry but dealt with executive travel. She booked rooms in a number of Fiona’s hotels for her clients.
Now that he’d met them all Kyle glanced around. “I’m not the only male in our party tonight, am I?”
Fiona grinned at him and the group chuckled at his surprised look.
“My husband Dale is the assistant coach for the LA Lakers. He’s on the road.”
“Basketball, right?” Kyle asked with a wince and guilty smile.
Some of the ladies made mock cries of outrage that he didn’t know, but Gloria had a huge smile of delight on her face. “You’re not a nut for pro sports?!?” she exclaimed.
He shrugged and shook his head.
“Fiona! He’s a keeper! All this and no aggravating sports obsession!” Gloria continued, gesturing at Kyle’s body.
“Gloria! You’re embarrassing the man!” Fiona chastised her neighbor but did it with a grin on her face.
“Sorry, Kyle! It’s just a treat to meet a man like you. My Roger is at home, glued to the boob tube watching whatever game is on. Basketball, baseball, football, or god help me, hockey!” She made a gagging sound. She looked at the other women. “Doesn’t ‘hockey’ sound like something a cat does to get rid of a hairball?”
“I like hockey! Well… hockey players,” Charlize clarified with a cheeky grin.
“What? Are they the flavor of the month?” Gloria jabbed good naturedly.
“Hey, athletes are the only ones with enough stamina to keep up,” the brunette shot back with a smirk of her own.
“Oooo!” the ladies exclaimed then laughed.
Fiona gave Kyle a little hug. “Charlize is… between boyfriends?” She glanced over at the woman to confirm and received a nod. “Phoebe’s husband Linus is a spiritual guru and travels a fair amount. He’s in India now, doing a pilgrimage or something to do with expanding his Chakra.”
The slim blonde nodded enthusiastically and grinned at Kyle.
“Let’s hope that’s the only thing he lets the young ladies expand!” Monique joked as she performed a few traditional Indian dance moves with a smooth, sensual and suggestive grace.
More hoots erupted from the group as Phoebe shook her head vehemently but was smiling none-the-less.
“What are you drinking?” Marion asked Kyle as she drifted closer and lifted her own wine glass.
“Oh, uh…” he began.
“Scotch neat, right?” Fiona answered quickly and Kyle nodded to her. Fiona caught Monique’s eye to watch Marion, then headed to the bar.
“Fiona didn’t mention someone in your life,” Kyle said looking towards Marion and received a sly smile in return.
“Confirmed bachelorette. Marriage and monogamy are definitely not for me.” She eyed Kyle like a delicious bonbon just waiting to be unwrapped. “Too many delights to restrict myself to just one,” she purred. “Where did you and Fiona meet?” Marion asked boldly to distract Kyle.
Kyle saw he had everyone’s attention. “Didn’t Fiona mention that?” he asked in surprise.
“Oh she’s been hinting at a mystery man who was coming to visit her but she’s been keeping the truth about you all to herself!” the redhead beauty pouted.
“You know she went on a cycling holiday in France, yes?” he began.
“That’s when her husband showed his true colors and she dumped his sorry ass!” Gloria trumpeted.
Kyle chuckled and nodded. “Yes, he certainly did and she did.”
“So that’s where you met her? On the tour? Were you one of the guides?” Monique gushed.
“I was on the tour myself,” Kyle answered.
Monique blinked. “But I thought it was for couples!”
He knew this would only lead to more questions but he gave them a straight answer. “Yeah, well… originally I was going to be with my fiancé but the night before it began she dumped me in a letter she left at the hotel.” The ladies gasped and made sympathetic noises.
He held up his hands. “It was for the best. Like Fiona’s dumping Alfred.”
“What exactly did he do?” Marion asked, interest lighting up her shockingly blue eyes.
Kyle smiled regretfully. “You’ll have to get that story from Fiona.”
“You’re a cyclist?” Charlize asked and he nodded with a smile. “Alfred was always challenging me to race against him. Such an arrogant jerk! Did you race him? Did you win?” she asked excitedly.
Kyle grinned. “Yeah, I raced him.” He paused for effect. “I cleaned his clock.” Excited cheers erupted from the group. He looked towards the bar and saw Fiona returning with the drinks. She caught his look and moved a little faster.
Kyle accepted the tumbler of whiskey from Fiona’s hand with a smile. His first sip told him she’d splurged on the ‘good stuff’ and he nodded his appreciation with a raised brow as he caught her eye. Her smile in return spoke volumes. She’d told him she intended to pamper him during his visit and this was obviously just the first example.
“A whiskey connoisseur. At such a young age, too!” Monique teased.
“I’m not that young,” he replied quietly.
“Just young enough,” Fiona purred with a wicked grin.
Kyle’s face heated up as interested eyes turned in his direction. “They were asking how we met,” he said to change the subject.
“Were they?” Fiona said though her eyes went to Marion.
The woman accepted the challenge. “Yes! Your mystery man is here so isn’t it time you dish on some details about him and how you met? You’ve been dropping hints for weeks!” Marion insisted with that sexy pout which did things to make Kyle’s pants tight. Worse, she seemed to know it!
Fiona moved up against his side and grinned at her friends. “We should probably be seated before we talk about that.”
“When are we going to get our table? If they don’t hurry we may have to start on Kyle. He looks pretty yummy!” Gloria said with a bold look.