10-

As the motorcycle's deep growl faded, Darcy looked at Mark and smiled at the expression of satisfaction he was wearing. "Is it supposed to be that loud?" She asked. The morning had started off a bit awkward, at least from her viewpoint. She didn't know what had possessed her to kiss him the day before, but it had seemed to confuse him more than anything. She'd been surprised to see the bike nearly completely together when she had come into the garage that morning. And now Mark had gotten it started.

For a moment a rare grin surfaced on his face. "Only the good ones are that loud." The grin faded as quickly as it had appeared, like the sun going behind a cloud. But he wasn't unhappy. Getting the big bike's engine running had obviously lifted his spirit.

Heeding Ava's advice, doubting it would work, Darcy smiled shyly. "I wouldn't mind a ride."

Mark's eyebrow went up. He didn't immediately say no, which she had half expected. But he hadn't said yes either.

"I don't know if I would classify it as road-ready just yet." He said, looking at the bike not at Darcy, missing the way his statement made her face fall. "But a little test run couldn't hurt. As long as we stick close to the house."

It took a moment to realize that he had agreed. "Good. Now?"

Mark glanced at the open garage door, taking in the overcast sky. "Sure. We should have just enough time for a short one." He finally looked at Darcy. "You sure you wanna do this?"

She could tell he was looking for her reaction, probably replaying the things he had told her in his mind. "Sure. Looks like it would be terrifying enough to be fun. Like a roller coaster."

"You got the right idea anyway." A wry note had entered his voice as he looked around the garage. "I don't think there are helmets though." Regret replaced the humor.

"That's ok. Just be careful with me." Darcy said with a shrug. Mark looked at her again, studying her. That time she had no idea what he was thinking.

He finally turned and busied himself pushing the bike. Darcy followed him outside and waited until he had swung a leg over the seat before following his lead and getting on behind him.

Darcy realized she probably should have been nervous, given what had happened to Mark the last time he'd been on a motorcycle. But the bike was the furthest thing from her mind when she settled her hands on his waist to hold on and the engine rumbled to life under them. She didn't try to hold herself away from him. There was really no room for that anyway. Of course she wasn't going to complain. She was starting to feel ridiculous, lusting after him like some kind of over-sexed schoolgirl. Even as he balanced the bike and started it rolling it was all she could do to not rub herself against him suggestively.

True to his word, they stuck close to the house. He went toward the road at first, the big bike riding smoothly over the cracked blacktop of Glen's driveway. He didn't go out onto the main road though – even if the bike was running and it was safe, it still wasn't licensed and he didn't want to test it too hard until he had a chance to finish cleaning everything up. Mark swung a wide turn and went back down the driveway, feeling Darcy's hands tighten around his waist when he gave the bike a little more gas and shot past the house and into the trees on the other side of the open yard.

He slowed when they reached the gravel cut off, smiling in satisfaction when the bike took the new road material in stride. It was a little rough going but he stayed to the center, riding along the middle of the pair of tire tracks. For a moment he considered turning and going out onto the highway once more, on open road where he could really see what the big engine could do. But he wouldn't do that with Darcy riding behind him. He was comfortable enough with her and so far he'd had no problems but wasn't sure he was ready to try real speed with a passenger riding along.

He slowed even more when they reached the clearing and brought the bike to a halt once the waterfall was in view. Mark cut the engine and listened for sputters or ticks. So far so good.

"It's loud. But does it go faster?" Darcy's voice brought his attention back and made him focus on the fact that she was still holding on to him. He had been so busy listening to the bike that he had been slow to register much else. Now though…she had her arms around him. But he felt the soft press of her breasts against his back, and the rub of her thighs against his legs, muffled by their jeans of course.

He had been avoiding this. But even a platonic bike ride was cause for trouble especially where his libido and Darcy were concerned. The hell of it was he could do nothing about it. She belonged to someone else, someone he had come to think of as a friend. Mark would not act on his impulses no matter how strong they were.

Cold water struck his face – one drop, then two. He glanced up as rain started to fall, smiling at Darcy's snort of laughter.

"When it's street legal, we'll go faster." Mark finally answered her question, reaching for the key. "We'd better get back." He felt her nod against his shoulder and started the bike once more, letting it rumble, just taking in the feel of the big bike under him, the woman against him, the cold drizzle on his face and arms…he would have gladly frozen that moment and stayed in it forever if he could have.

Resigned he turned the bike and headed for the house. By the time he pulled into the garage it was pouring and they were both soaked. Darcy grumbled good-naturedly as she got off the bike and laughed at his shirt, which was soaked in the front. Mark had taken the brunt of the rain but her hair was dripping, and watching the water hit her white t-shirt and leave dark spots almost undid Mark's resolve.

Thunder cracked and echoed, making Darcy jump. She peered through the garage door at the house, barely visible through the downpour. "I shouldn't make fun of you. I'm about to get soaked worse I think."

"Then wait it out here."

Darcy looked at him and smirked. "The bike was fun. Sort of. Maybe you have to go really fast to get the real idea of it."

Mark nodded. "You do. You'll get hooked."

"Ok."

"We'll go out when I get it finished." It was a whim to say it, to promise her anything. But worth it when he saw her smile. "I'll even teach you how to drive it."

"Yeah. No. If I ever got a tattoo I believe it would say 'passenger life'. That thing is too big for me to handle." Mark snorted and it took Darcy a moment to process what she'd said. Her face reddened a bit. "I meant the motorcycle."

"I know what you meant. Doesn't make it less funny." Mark pocketed the key and grabbed a rag. He wiped water droplets away from the bike's gas tank and handlebars. He hadn't spent so many hours cleaning it up just to have it rust on him.

Darcy watched him, combing her fingers through her hair and wringing some of the water out.

"I have towels. Upstairs." Mark amended, nodding toward the stairs in the corner.

"You need one too?"

Mark reached up and pulled his bandana off his head. It was wet but his hair was mostly dry. "I'm good. Help yourself though."

Darcy headed for the stairs. He'd left the door unlocked at the top. It was the first time she'd ever been in the studio space over the garage and she couldn't help but be curious. She went into the bathroom and found a towel, idly drying her hair with it as she walked around the big open room. The back wall was where the large window was located. It looked out on the seemingly endless line of trees. It was also where quite possibly the biggest bed Darcy had ever seen was placed. Other than the bed there was a couch, a chair, and a television in what was the sitting area. The small kitchen finished off the room. She didn't know what she'd been expecting. Mark was neat – there wasn't a dirty dish in the sink and the bed was made.

Darcy went to the back wall and stood by the bed, looking out the window. The wall had a slight bend, leaning in. Anyone lying in the bed would have the sky directly above them. She wasn't going to make herself at home enough to want to try it though, and settled for looking out across the acres of land. In the far distance there was a dull gray glint, and she realized she could see part of the lake from here. It was the way the land happened to dip from this vantage point. If it had been sunny it would have looked like a sliver of blue. Now it was silver with rainfall. She saw lightning fork in the distance, very likely over the lake itself, followed by another clap of thunder that made her jump a little. The roof of the garage and apartment was metal. It made it seem especially loud.

"Without the thunder, the rain actually sounds pretty nice on the roof." Mark commented from behind her, making Darcy jump again.

She put a hand against her chest and turned to look at him, sheepish smile on her face. "I didn't realize you had a lake view from up here." She said, gesturing at the window.

"Yeah. I guess." He moved to stand behind her and looked out the window. "It still makes me kinda nervous. All that open space."

"I couldn't imagine it. Being locked up." Darcy frowned thoughtfully. "I'm restless I guess. Never could sit still for long. I'm surprised I've stayed here this long. This was supposed to be temporary."

"I know." Mark cleared his throat. "Same here."

"But you did your time."

"Yeah." His deep voice sounded miles away. Darcy glanced up at him and saw he was still peering out the window, lost in thought.

"The only thing you're a prisoner of now is your own head." She pointed out. Mark looked at her with his eyebrow up.

"Sage-like wisdom this afternoon."

"I hear a lot of it from the drunks who come in right before we close." Darcy said with a half-smile. Since he wasn't wearing the ever-present bandana, Mark had pulled his hair back into a short stub of a ponytail. In that moment she would have given just about anything to see what he had been like before things had happened to change him, to have known him before circumstances had made him so reserved.

For an even smaller moment she wished she had a quarter of Ava's forwardness. An eighth. She would have settled for the ability to comfortably occupy silences.

Darcy knew she was kidding herself. If there was anything between her and Mark, it was nothing but friendship, and a shaky one at that. He couldn't open up to her and she couldn't open up to him because neither of them knew how. Plus he was seeing Christine, and Darcy knew she couldn't even begin to compete with her no matter how much Ava tried to convince her otherwise. There was something to be said for experience she supposed.

It didn't change the fact that she found Mark almost irresistibly attractive.