Page 28 of Offsides

“Secrets, huh? Like…why you hate reporters?”

“Theodosia Kappas, you get on the back of my bike and agree to let loose for an evening, then yes, I’ll tell you that.”

A nod. That was all she gave him, and it was all the man needed. Cowboy gave her a wink and grabbed her hand so fast she wasn’t even sure what had happened. In the blink of an eye, she was at her car, tossing the bag of clothes in her trunk and shoving her phone in her bra for safekeeping. A moment later, Cowboy was helping her onto his bike, placing a helmet on her head before he did the same to himself.

“Hold on tight, beautiful,” he told her, wrapping her arms around him. The same magical feeling she got when he’d pulled her in close during Zumba spread through her. Was she really doing this?

The motorcycle rumbled to life, startling her, causing her to squeeze Cowboy, nuzzling her face in between his shoulder blades. She could feel him laugh as she held on, wind against her face as they made their way out of the parking lot.

Soon they were on the highway, Theo still clinging to Cowboy for dear life. Riding on the back of this machine was both thrilling and terrifying. Words could not describe what she was feeling, and she couldn’t help but wonder how much of that was the mode of transportation and how much was the company she was with.

It had been a very long time since she had felt this way, like she was fully alive. Relaxing into Cowboy, she lifted her head, taking in the sights as they sped north of the city, toward the mountains. The scenery was beautiful, helping her to loosen up even more. No matter how loose she seemed to get though, the same thrill continued to rush through her, confirming what she’d already known deep down. Very little of it was the bike. In fact, none of it was.

It was all Cowboy.

* * *

The sun was slowly sinking behind the trees as Cowboy walked alongside Theo down the streets of the downtown area in Blue Ridge. A cute little mountain town in northern Georgia, Theo couldn't remember the last time she’d been up here. It was only an hour and a half or so outside the city, but she rarely took the time to get away. Inhaling deeply, the thought crossed her mind that maybe she needed to more often. There was just something about this place—with its local shops, breweries, and restaurants, plus the historic railway—that seemed magical.

Or maybe that magic was the man currently to her left, who was frantically licking away at an ice cream cone.

“That’s why you get it in a cup,” Theo said, nodding at the light-green dribble of melted ice cream on his hand. “Then you don’t have the mess.”

Scooping a large spoonful out of the paper cup she was holding, she took an exaggerated bite, lingering for a moment, before lazily dragging the utensil out of her mouth. Heat flared in Cowboy’s eyes as he watched her, making her own insides start to feel a bit fuzzy.

“I like the mess. I also really enjoy licking things,” he retorted.

Moving the cone from one hand to the other, he held up the fingers that were covered in sweet, sticky goodness, sticking them in his mouth. He let out a moan, not bothering to hide it, as he mimicked her gesture from a moment ago, pulling his fingers out slowly and dragging them along his lips, before running his tongue up and down each one individually. Theo’s eyes were glued to his fingers, unable to look away from the borderline erotic movements.

I wonder what else he can do with that tongue…

Theo shook her head, trying to snap it back into the moment and away from the insanely hot thoughts running through her mind. Only, the moment was just as steamy with the way Cowboy was looking at her. Like she was that ice cream cone, and he wanted to give her the same treatment as those fingers. She needed to change the subject, and fast, before she lost her mind and did something she would regret.

“So,” she said, her voice sounding hoarse as she swallowed hard. She needed to regain her composure. Turning off the sidewalk, she shuffled down the sloped path that led to a grassy area with a massive live oak, away from the crowd. “I believe you owe me a secret.”

“A secret?”

Cowboy popped the last of his cone into his mouth, pulling a wet wipe from his back pocket and cleaning off his hands. Theo smiled to herself, watching him as he wiped off each finger individually, trying not to let her mind wander again. Still, she couldn’t resist thinking about what those strong hands would feel like touching her like they had earlier—this time without the clothing between them.

“Well, unless you have another term for the reason you hate me and my people.”

“I don’t hate you,” Cowboy said, plopping down and resting against the live oak. “Your people…”

Theo sat down next to him, their thighs touching. Warmth radiated off him, making her want to snuggle in closer. But this wasn’t a date. No matter how much it felt like it in this moment.

“My people…”

Letting out a long, ragged exhale, Cowboy ran his hands over his bald head. Pain was written all over his face, tugging at Theo’s heart.

“The name Dulcie Montgomery mean anything to you?”

Dulcie Montgomery.

Oh, did that name mean something. Anyone who was old enough to watch the news back then knew the name Dulcie Montgomery. Much like JonBenét Ramsey, she was a household name. And just like in the case of JonBenét, much of the media focus had been on her family. It was a scrutiny and fascination that to this day Theo still didn’t understand. Even now she could still see the haggard look on the face of Dulcie’s father as the media surrounded him one night as he got home, fresh from being let go from his job due to the media attention. She always wondered if any of those reporters had any idea just what was going through the mind of the man they were badgering. However, unlike JonBenét, the Montgomery family did eventually find out who had stolen their beautiful little girl from them. It just hadn’t been in enough time to stop Mr. Montgomery from taking his own life.

Theo nodded silently, not quite sure what to say. What did a little girl who was kidnapped more than twenty years ago have to do with Cowboy?

“She was my best friend.”