Riding the Storm (40 page)

Jayla
was
Miss
Professional
in
her
chic
navy
blue
power
suit.
She
still
looked
stunning
and
as
sexy
as
sin.
Storm

could
feel
his
libido
going
bonkers.
He
swung
around
to

Chase.
“Hey,
I’ve
changed
my
mind.
I
will
help
you
out
after
all.”

Chase
raised
a
suspicious
brow.
“Why
the
change
of
heart?”

“Because
if
a
man
can’t
depend
on
his
twin
brother
in
a
time
of
need,
then
who
can
he
depend
on?”
Storm
asked,
giving
Chase
a
boyish
grin.

Chase
cast
a
speculative
glance
over
Storm’s
shoulder
and
said
dryly,
“I
hope
the
person
you’re
all
fired
up
at

seeing
is
the
woman
with
Tara
and
not
Tara.
I
would
hate
for
Thorn
to
kill
you.”

Storm
chuckled.
“Relax.
I
got
over
Tara
a
long
time
ago.
I
just
like
getting
a
rise
out
of
Thorn.”

He
leaned
over
the
counter
and
snagged
a
pencil
from

Chase’s
shirt
pocket
and
tucked
it
behind
his
ear.
He
then
picked
up
a
pad
off
the
counter.
“Who’s
working
the
table
where
they’re
sitting?”

“Pam.”

Storm
smiled.
“Then
tell
Pam
to
take
a
break
or,
better
yet,
tell
her
to
find
another
table
to
work.
I
got
that
one
covered.”

Before
Chase
could
say
anything,
Storm
stood
and
headed
over
to
where
Tara
and
Jayla
were
sitting.

“We
made
perfect
timing,”
Tara
said
smiling.
“Had
we

arrived
any
earlier
this
place
would
have
been
packed.”

The
menus
were
in
a
rack
on
the
table
and
she
passed
one
to
Jayla.

Jayla
nodded
as
she
opened
the
menu.
She
was
tempted
to
glance
around
but
decided
not
to.
Chances
were
if

Storm
had
been
there
earlier
as
a
part
of
the
lunch
crowd
he
would
have
already
left.

After
they
had
looked
over
the
menus
for
a
few
moments,
Tara
glanced
up,
smiled
and
asked,
“So
what
are
you

going
to
get?”

Tara’s
question
recaptured
her
attention
and
she
couldn’t
help
but
return
the
other
woman’s
smile.
Already
she’d

decided
that
she
liked
Tara
Westmoreland.
They
had

spoken
several
times
on
the
phone,
but
this
was
the
first
time
they
had
actually
met
in
person.
Jayla
thought
the

woman
was
simply
gorgeous
and
could
quickly
see
how
she
had
captured
the
heart
of
motorcycle
tycoon,
Thorn
Westmoreland.

“Umm,”
Jayla
said
smiling
as
if
in
deep
thought
as
she
glanced
back
down
at
the
menu
and
licked
her
lips.

“Everything
looks
delicious,
but
I
think
I’ll
get—”

“Good
afternoon,
ladies,
what
can
I
get
you?”

Jayla’s
head
snapped
up
and
she
blinked
upon
seeing

Storm
standing
beside
their
table.
“Storm!”
Without

thinking,
she
said
his
name
as
intense
heat
settled
deep
in
her
stomach.

Storm’s
mouth
curved
into
a
devilish
grin,
and
that
grin

reminded
her
of
sensations
he
could
easily
elicit,
tempting
her
into
partaking
in
any
number
of
passionate

indulgences.
“I’m
not
on
the
menu,
Jayla,
but
if
I’m
what
you
want,
I
can
definitely
make
an
exception.”

Seven

“I
take
it
the
two
of
you
know
each
other,”
Tara
said

curiously
as
a
smile
touched
her
lips.
She
glanced
from
Storm
to
Jayla.

Jayla
cleared
her
throat,
wondering
how
much
she
should
say.
Before
she
could
decide
on
how
to
respond,
Storm
spoke
up.

“Jayla’s
father
was
my
first
fire
captain
and
was
like
a
second
father
to
me,”
he
said,
giving
them
his
killer-watt
smile.
“So,
yes,
we
know
each
other.”

Jayla
swallowed
deeply,
grateful
for
Storm’s
timely
and
acceptable
explanation.

“It’s
good
seeing
you
again,
Jayla.”

She
smiled.
“It’s
good
seeing
you,
too,”
she
said,
meaning
every
word,
although
she
wished
that
she
didn’t.

“And
you
look
good,
by
the
way.”

Her
smile
widened.
“Thanks.”
He
looked
rather
good,
too,
she
thought.
He
was
dressed
in
a
pair
of
khaki
trousers
and
a
polo
shirt.
And
he
smelled
good.
His
cologne
could

always
jump-start
her
senses.
It
was
a
good
thing
she
was
already
sitting
down
because
she
could
actually
feel
her