Seduced by Sin: Sean (Rugged Riders #3)

T
he rumble
of a motorcycle engine drowned out the commentary of the radio talk show host. I reached for the dial to turn the volume up, but it was too late. The show ended and went into commercial break.

I grumbled in frustration, thrust my keys into my handbag, and exited my car. It was Monday morning, and once again, I had woken up feeling groggy with a bad headache and absolutely no solution to a personal situation that seemed to be getting worse. My coffee maker had croaked this morning, and I was running on four hours of sleep. Being unproductive at the office today wasn’t an option, so I had stopped to get a latte on my way in.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the biker who’d made all the noise and nearly halted in the middle of the parking lot as I crossed it to get to the building.

The fine chocolate specimen had just tugged off his helmet, showing off a handsome face and his perfectly trimmed hair. His muscular arms were wrapped in dark, intricate tattoos that seemed to cover his whole body. I couldn’t tell because the rest of him was hidden under his clothes. His black T-shirt was pulled tautly over his chest, and I noticed that his jeans fit snuggly over a spectacular ass when he rose from the seat, still straddling the bike. On the back of the shirt, along with an intricate symbol were the initials: R.R.

I half stumbled, half galloped out of the way, just in time as another car came swerving around the corner. Once I made it to the sidewalk near the coffee shop, I bowed my head and pretended to dig in my bag for something, but I kept an eye on the gorgeous biker just yards in front of me.

This time, his attention was on the smartphone in his hand. His head was down as he punched some keys.

Jesus Christ, even the girth and tilt of his neck was sexy.

I had only been living in this city for two months, but in that time, no man had ever caught my attention for this long.

Did I know him from somewhere?

I couldn’t stop looking.

Suddenly, he unfolded himself from the motorcycle and his gaze swung across the street in my direction.

“Shit,” I exclaimed under my breath and walked fast toward the coffee shop. Once inside, I took a deep breath and attempted to collect myself.

My cell phone rang, startling me. The caller ID told me it was Tasha.

I answered right away as I’d been trying to reach her since yesterday.

“Hey, Tasha,” I said, stepping out of the line to take the call.

“Hey, girl, what’s up? I got your message.”

“Yeah.” I frowned. “I’m really not doing so well. You told me to hang in there, but I don’t know how long I can make it on this part-time income.”

“I’ve been through this,” Tasha said. “Trust me. You’ll get more interviews. The job market is tough right now.”

“But it’s better back in Chicago,” I countered. “And I know I can get a job quickly back home.”

“But do you really want to go back home?” she asked. “We came here together, remember? We said we’d do whatever we had to to survive. You can cancel your lease and come stay with me. Save some money.”

“No, I won’t do that. Besides, I’m paid up for another month and a half. I’m just worried about what will happen if I tap into all my savings and have nothing.”

“Well, I’m pulling into work now,” Tasha said. “I can’t be late today. I already got the talk from the boss last week about it. I talked to the woman in human resources, and they said they may have some full-time work coming open within a week or so. I put in a good word for you, so she might give you a ring.”

“I appreciate that. I don’t want you to lose your job over me. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Wait, Karlina. Are you sure you don’t want to get in at the agency?” Tasha sighed into the phone. “The extra money is the only reason I’m able to live like I do.”

“I thought about it this weekend. I don’t think I can sell myself and my body like that.”

“You won’t be selling your body, hun. It’s not a whorehouse or prostitution ring. This is a legit business. The customers are mostly men—rich, high-profile individuals. All you do is go out with them, talk with them, and boost their ego a bit. Most of them just want a female companion once in a while without the long-term commitment. There’s no sex involved, unless that’s what you sign up for. But that’s a separate division.”

“I don’t know…”

“It’s easy money, hun. I promise. We went out on dates all the time back home, but we didn’t get paid for it. With this type of work, you get paid for your company.”

“I don’t want it to be a permanent thing, though.”

“It doesn’t have to be. For me, the money is too good to pass up. Girl, my car note is almost paid off because of this. My next goal is my student loan balance. I can’t seem to find a good man anyway, so I might as well do something to pass the time.”

“Come on,” I said, skeptically. “You were going on and on the other day about you and Carl in the Jacuzzi.”

Tasha giggled. “The sex was sooo good.”

I laughed. “Well, at least one of us is having good luck when it comes to men.”

The door chime to the coffee shop rang, taking my attention away from the call. In walked the sexy motorcycle hunk from the parking lot. I wiped the smile off my face. My heart did a dive and my breath caught in my lungs.

“Anyway, the owner let me do a trial run when I got started. I can get you in, but if you’re going to get cold feet at the last minute, don’t bother, because it will be my name and reputation on the line over there.”

“Okay…” My mouth parted as I stole glances at the hunk as he passed by and stood in the line.

“All right, then. I’ll call you once I get a meeting set up.”

“Wait! I d—”

“I’ve gotta go. I’ve got three minutes before I have to be in my seat.”

Tasha hung up.

Three more customers walked in and got in line behind the sexy stranger. I was grateful. I couldn’t keep my eyes off his incredible ass or his body. Apparently, neither could anyone else. He wasn’t necessarily the elephant in the room. He just commanded the most attention. He was attractive, which was a small part of it, but there was something else about him that screamed for attention, even when he stood there quietly.

He grabbed his espresso shot and left and that’s when I could finally breathe and function like a woman with a brain.

“What’ll you have today?” the guy behind the counter asked me.

“A large latte with non-fat milk. Add vanilla and an extra espresso shot, please,” I said and pulled out my credit card.

“It’s your lucky day,” the guy said, pulling a ten-dollar bill from an envelope. “The guy with the motorcycle helmet paid for your drink already. He said to give you this.” He gave me a plain-looking business card with a name on it.

Sean Brooks.
Next to the name was a telephone number. Under the telephone number was a small handwritten note.
You’re beautiful. Smile more.

I swallowed. “Um…”

“Next customer, please.”

I moved away from the counter and glanced out the window of the coffee shop into the parking lot only to be greeted with the deep hum of the hunk’s motorcycle again. He’d already put his helmet on, and I couldn’t see his perfect features anymore…or thank him for paying for my coffee.

It was so funny. I hadn’t even thought he’d noticed me. Of course, he’d probably glanced my way once or twice, but I never even caught him looking long enough to notice that I wasn’t having a very good day.

Somehow he’d changed that around and just this one small gesture had just turned my shitty morning upside down. There was hope.

I looked down at the business card and smiled. When I looked up again, the hunk was gone.