Don't Poke the Luna (Xena and Ryder) novel Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Xena’s POV

Ryder and I carefully removed all the masking tape from the motorcycle. Ama emerged from the bathroom, and I had to do a double–take. She wore a dress with ruched ties on

the side that hugged her curves so tightly it barely covered her ass.

William let out an appreciative “Damn,” and I exchanged an amused glance with Ryder.

Ama struck a pose, tossing her dirty blonde curls over her shoulder. “Eat your heart out,” she quoted from Grease, confidence radiating from her every move.

I wish I had half her confidence sometimes, I thought, though I’d never admit it aloud.

“My hair doesn’t seem curly enough,”She muttered to herself, then walked into the bathroom and picked up her curling iron to style her hair.

With a resigned smile, I grabbed my flashlight to inspect the paint job one final time, moving the beam slowly across the surface to check for any imperfections. The finish was flawless–smooth and even throughout.

“Nice,” I murmured, unable to contain my satisfaction at a job well done.

I switched off the flashlight and turned to Ryder. “We’re good.”

“That’s fucking awesome,” William said, admiration clear in his voice as he circled the

bike.

“Thank you, William,” I replied, allowing myself a small smile of pride.

Ryder hadn’t spoken, but his eyes were fixed on the motorcycle, taking in every detail of the custom paint job. His intense focus felt like a compliment all its own.

I started cleaning up the scattered supplies from the floor. “We’ll do the exhaust and suspension upgrades next time.”

“Can we do Wednesday?” Ryder asked, finally tearing his gaze away from the bike.

I mentally reviewed my schedule before nodding. “Should work. The parts I ordered

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Chapter 10

should be in by then.” I walked over to my appointment book and penciled him in.

William nudged Ryder with his elbow, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

“Helen’s probably going to be begging you to take her for a ride.”