My dad says it’s not his place to take me. He calls it the hidden beauty. It’s a two lane mountain road with over three hundred curves in an eleven-mile stretch. The Hellions take an annual ride there. My dad’s always giving me the same response as to why I can’t go.

“Doll, The Tail is a ride of many things. It’s a ride of focus, where a man is forced to clear his mind. It’s a ride where a man is forced to accept, own, and become one with his bike, or become one with the pavement beneath him. The Tail has claimed a number of bikes to its gravel top and lives to its curves and drops. Year after year, people don’t heed the warnings. If you don’t know what you’re doing, then the mountain asphalt will own your shit. The curves of The Tail are like the curves of your woman; you hug that shit tight, hold it close, and caress it gently, but with a firm hand. It’s a ride to take boys and make them men. It’s a ride to solidify trust in your new brother, as you ride two by two, with only feet separating your handlebars, as you slide through each mile of mountain. It’s a ride where your ol’ lady holds on tight, giving over every part of her trust, body, and heart as she’s leaning into the curves with you. Doll, it’s the ride for you to take when the right man comes along and earns that level of trust from you. Not one for me to share with you.”

Tears prick behind my eyes, thinking about my dad. Thinking about that ride, it dawns on me how little I know about Tripp. Hell, I still don’t know his fucking name. Do I trust him to that level? Yes, I do. Being around Tripp stirs so many emotions inside of me.

With every tick of the bike’s engine underneath me, the throb between my legs grows. Lust, is definitely something Tripp stirs up inside of me. His body is muscular and clearly defined. The power he could bring to the bedroom plays out in my head. Would Tripp ever share anything more with me than this job where he protects me? He seems so indifferent to having me around. Why do random women get him, but a chick like me, who knows and accepts his lifestyle, can’t get the time of day?

Truck stops are great. They’re typically crowded with people and usually have a place to eat with a variety of options. Pulling in, I watch the girls head to the restrooms.

“You alright, man?” Rex asks, the look of concern on his face.

Shrugging my shoulders in response, “Yeah, man, shit on my mind.”

“More like Doll is on your mind. I’ve never seen you this wound up over a broad.” Rex says as he jabs me with his elbow in my side, trying to loosen me up.