Page 9 of Rascal

“Umm, I just want to ask another question. What you said just hit me. You said the money dropped into an account. The college uses fund accounting. The history department doesn’t actually have access to any money. The college keeps all the money in one huge account. We all have college credit cards or if it’s a small business in town, they’ll bill the college directly. The two thousand dollars allotted to my department in the budget is just a line-item fund. When I turn in my credit card for payment, I write which fund to charge it against. Obviously, since I only have one, that’s where it goes.”

Dead silence met Meg’s words. Sarah and Scoop were looking at each other, then pulled up some information on the computer in front of them.

Scoop turned the computer toward Meg, pointing at an account. “This is in an account designated for the history department at a bank in town. Your name is listed on the account, along with another person.”

Rascal could see the fire building in Meg’s eyes. “That’s the accountant who was involved in the hit and run. I don’t have an account at that bank. The college banks at the credit union in town, which is where my personal account is. I’ve never even walked in that bank, so I’m a little bewildered about how my name could be on an account. Wouldn’t they need my ID?”

“They should but we don’t know who all is involved. This is a little more involved and might take longer to get answers.”

Rascal appreciated Sarah trying to reassure Meg but nothing they said could help the betrayal she had to be feeling. Rascal loved seeing everyone offer Meg reassurances as they left. He wasn’t sure what her former boss was involved in, but Rascal was positive the guy wasn’t going to get close to Meg. Unless she wanted to kick him; then Rascal would be there to make sure she got whatever she wanted.

Rascal would run a bath for Meg, let her relax a little, then they could get some sleep. He darn well wasn’t going to allow their first time to be marred by fear of her boss. When he finally got Meg underneath him or over him, he planned on the only thing being in her mind was how many times he could make her come before she passed out.

Chapter Six

Despite the revelations last night, after her bath, she’d fallen right to sleep on Rascal’s shoulder with his arms around her. When she’d awakened, he greeted her with another perfect cup of coffee before they headed over to breakfast at the clubhouse.

She wondered what she needed to wear, but she should have realized Rascal already had it covered. Remington had brought over one of her extra pair of boots for the ride. Sarah had loaned her a shirt that had extra protection along the elbows and shoulders if something happened. She and Rascal had gone to Regina’s Roadside Refuge and shopped the store for an extra pair of jeans for her to ride in. He’d bought her a leather tie to hold her hair back. She was borrowing one of the extra helmets the women had. The closest place to buy her one was Dodge City.

Rascal had gone over how to ride with him when she’d said she never ridden before. Hold on to him and lean with him. Hell yeah. She couldn’t think of anything she’d rather do today.

He’d explained the route was basically through the countryside making their way toward Dodge City, then returning by a different route to the park. The ride had started right after lunch. Supper would be served at the park, followed by a dance.

They were coming up to their second stop. Rascal had explained since the Poker Run was coupled with the commemoration activities that a large number of the Texas chapter had come to help. They pulled into the town and made their way to their second stop. Rascal pulled in and backed his bike so it was parked in the row beside the other bikes. The last stop had only been a pull over on the side of the road and grab a playing card. It had been interesting having so many bikes riding together down the road. The sound had been something she had to get used to.

Rascal had mentioned he planned on them having a bathroom stop at this one, and she was thankful. With the heat, he’d told her she’d need to be hydrated, but she might have overdone it. She was grateful they were stopping because she hadn’t relished having him pull to the side of the road where she’d have to find a place in the field to go.

He pointed out the restroom at the side of this park and she took off running, hearing him chuckling behind her. She hurried in and did her business, feeling so much better afterwards. After she finished washing her hands, she left them under the cold running water. The temperature was in the nineties today with little to no wind. Sure, going fast on the bike it was windy, but she still was a little overheated.

She looked in the mirror and almost didn’t recognize the woman staring back at her. Her eyes glowed and the smile on her face made her realize how long it had been since she’d been this happy.

She walked out the door to find Rascal waiting on her outside the restroom. He held out his hand. She grasped it and let him lead her back to the MC member, who was holding the cards they’d pick.

Was being hot a prerequisite for the MC? This biker looked to be in his fifties with a full salt-n-pepper beard. He was grinning as they approached.

“Hey, baby girl, I don’t think we’ve met.”

Rascal slid his arm around her, and a growl emanated from his chest. “Meg’s mine. Keep your baby girl crap away from her.”

The biker chuckled. “Oh, it’s like that, is it?”

Rascal nodded. “Let’s get our card and get on the road, Meg.”

After she’d picked the card, the biker held out his hand. “Bootstrap, ma’am. It’s nice to meet you.”

She smiled and shook his hand as Rascal glared at him. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

After she got on behind Rascal, she leaned close before they put their helmets on. “You know, I’ve never had someone call me theirs before. I think I like it. Does that mean you’re mine?”

Rascal looked over his shoulder. “As long as you’ll have me.”

He stared at her and didn’t break the stare until she slid her helmet on. As long as she’d have him? How about forever even though it seemed crazy to consider it when she’d basically known the man less than forty-eight hours.

But when she compared him to every man she’d ever had in her life, he was different. And it wasn’t just the way he treated her. It was the way he made her feel. His eyes catching hers had her imagining lying in bed beside him like last night but with one major difference—having them skin to skin.

If the lights were off, she could probably have enough courage to be with Rascal. Even with how he looked at her, she wasn’t sure she could handle him seeing her naked yet. She’d always been self-conscious about her body even before she was in her fifties. The world told everyone women should be thin with a gap between their thighs. Meg hadn’t had a gap between her legs since right before she went through puberty. She took after her mom, being a bigger girl, but it hadn’t made it any easier in school.

She couldn’t wait to leave high school even though she’d loved learning because she wanted to leave the small town she’d grown up in. It was ironic that she’d left one small town to find what she’d always dreamed about in another.