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“So, you’re here with an on-again-off-again boyfriend?” For the first ti crowd of people and motorcycles in the street behind him

“No! No I ht this sounded like fun when he mentioned it and I decided to have some fun while I was off work for a few days” She chuckled and fanned her face with her hand “Actually, I kinda wish I’d stayed at home noas not prepared for this kind of heat”

“It’s not like Tennessee mountain heat, is it?” He stepped into the shaded alleyith Tavia

“Not at all” She didn’ther shade with him at all

“You wanna go somewhere and cool off? There are plenty of places I’ll buy you lunch How’s that?” He grinned and waited for her answer

Tavia’s heart fluttered and another heat flushed her cheeks He wasnice He could’ve passed her by and she never would have known he was anywhere in Florida He would have been sed by the crowd

“Sure Thank you I don’t knoay around I’ve never been here before”

“That’s pretty inconsiderate of yourhere in an alley beautiful and alone and unprotected like that Maybe someone should help him brush up on his manners after the rally”

“No I told you, he’s not my man Just a friend, kinda Not even really that” Tavia followed Daric to the end of the alley

He nodded and gave her a thumbs-up over his shoulder

The sidewalk had become a swamp of sweaty, nearly-naked people when they stepped out of the alley Staying close to the wall, Daric extended his hand behind and wiggled his fingers at her With all the noise, she had to guess at what he wanted because there was no way of hearing hie of Harley engines

Taking his hand lightly, she was shocked when he tightened his grip and pulled her forward, closer to his back He essentially cleared a path as they walked and she followed him easily two blocks down the street

Around the next corner, still hugging the bricks, Tavia noticed that the crowd had thinned considerably and the noise had been damped considerably Somewhere up ahead, she heard the unmistakable throb and riffs of AC/DC

Daric pulled her alongside hied Diner up there with the speakers outside is where we’re headed Best food and booze in town, in my opinion and the air is always turned down to about sixty”

“That sounds great right now I’o stand in a freezer for a while I wouldn’t be surprised if hed