Curious, she watched him rifle through a saddlebag for a clean shirt. She’d noticed a subtle change in his behavior of late. Like tonight, he saw her changing and became extremely agitated when he realized she knew he’d been watching her. Could he be thinking of her as more than just a friend? Her heart beat erratically as she recalled her dreams of late. His loving touch seemed so real, and she often awoke hungry for more.

The face of her late husband, Danti, had faded; Shane’s expressive eyes now replaced it. She suspected he’d thought about her on an intimate level. How she yearned for him to act on these thoughts. In his own time, Tia. If the day ever came where they moved past their blossoming friendship, it had to be his decision.

“Ready?”

He startled her, and she dropped the fish in the fire. “Oh.” She scrambled to save their dinner. His hand came to rest on hers. The heat emanating from it brought a flush to her cheeks.

“Don’t worry about it.” He kicked some dirt on the fire until the small flames fizzled out. He then took her hand and led her over to Belle.

They rode without helmets around the cluster of trees and brush. The wind whirled around them, and she secretly wished they’d keep going, not wanting the euphoric sensation to end. Shane followed a path in the grass left by the caravan’s tires. Her eyes widened upon seeing the camp. A small group of men sat to one side while women in a swirl of sheer fabric danced for them.

On their fingers, they wore metal plates of some kind, keeping rhythm with the swing of their hips. Scarves fringed with tiny bells added to the enchanted melody. The rumble of Belle stilled their dance.

Her hold on him tightened as he maneuvered his way to park alongside their panel truck—the same truck she saw each fall when her family sold their wares at the fair in Langley. Not exactly the type of people her family would be happy to see her associating with.

Her breath hitched. A large man, who reminded her of Raven, approached them. She stood at Shane’s side and held on to his arm as if it were a lifeline. Any resemblance to Raven dissipated with his wide-toothed smile. She loosened her grip.

“Welcome,” said the stranger, shaking Shane’s hand, “and who is this lovely lady?”

“This is Tia. Tia this is Tito.”

She squeezed his hand and kept her gaze down.

“Well, come on and meet the family, little lady.” He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her toward the fire.

Tia looked back at Shane, who wore a stupid smirk on his face, despite how she pleaded for help with her eyes. He’s not even going to help. How can he let a perfect stranger lead me off like this and not say a word?

“I’d like you all to welcome our new friends, Tia and Shane.”

Tito passed her around like a peace pipe. By the time he finished with the introductions, she couldn’t remember any of their names.

An older woman stood up by the fire. Her regal stature commanded respect. “Unhand the poor girl,” she scolded and smacked his arm. “You’ll crush her, you big oaf!”

The big man dropped his arm and grinned sheepishly. “Sorry.”

The men had coerced Shane over to the bike where they bombarded him with a million questions he seemed all too happy to answer. She should have known. You’d think he’d tire of the same questions over and over. Nothing could be further from the truth. He stroked Belle, beaming with pride.

“Tia is a lovely name. My name is Sylvia.”

Tia smiled. The woman’s presence intimidated her. A bright yellow outfit clung to her frame. The top looked more like a fancy bra, showing off ample cleavage and a bare midriff. In her belly button, a stunning green stone sparkled. A long skirt adorned with sequins and panels of sheer fabric fluttered in the breeze. Never had she been this close to a woman so confident in her sexuality; Tia couldn’t have been more uncomfortable.

“What are you and your husband doing out here on that motorcycle? Where do you keep all of your things?”

Laughter spilled out of her in spite of how awkward she felt. “We pack everything we need in the saddlebags and strap our beds to the front,” Tia replied. “Shane is not my husband.” Heat rushed to her face; she didn’t really understand why saying this would make her blush.

“I can’t imagine. You’d never get me on one of those machines for all the rubies in the world.” Sylvia straightened her stance. “Marko!”

A dark and decidedly attractive man answered. “What?”

“You can drool over the motorcycle another time. Come get our guests something to drink.”

His gaze scanned the length of Tia with open appreciation. The corner of his mouth lifted in a devilish grin. His chocolate-brown eyes met hers, and he winked. She quickly diverted her gaze, feeling like he’d been undressing her with his eyes. Never would any of the men in her tribe be so bold.

The men made their way back to the fire. Sylvia’s words seemed to hold great credence in this family, reminding Tia of her own mother. The back of her eyelids prickled. She breathed deeply, willing the tears away.

Before long, everyone sat around the fire. Two of the women were sent after Marko to help fetch the wine. Shane’s attempt to decline the offer of wine fell on deaf ears. Despite the fact neither of them really drank, they accepted the dark red substance rather than offend their gracious hosts.

Tia brought her cup to her lips. The pungent aroma caused a shiver to run down her spine. It smelled nothing like the Sarsaparilla from home. The bitter liquid left a trail of warmth down the back of her throat, exploding in her belly. She set the cup on her lap and feigned a smile.

On cue, the women started to dance again. Their jiggling breasts kept perfect time with the small cymbals tied to their fingers. The men clapped, cheering them on, openly appreciating their dance. Shane smiled and clapped his hands along with the rest of the men.

Tia wanted to cover his eyes and take him away. Her jeans and long sleeved t-shirt paled in comparison to all the glitz and glitter that swirled past them. The women of the camp all had long luxurious hair, so black it was almost blue. Jeweled headbands glittered with the slightest tilt of their heads. She ran a hand down the length of her hair that she’d put back in a quick braid before getting on the bike. No way in hell could she compete for his affection against such women. She could only hope when they left this camp tonight that she’d never have to deal with the likes of them again.

The younger girl, Gracie, swooped close to Shane and trailed the sheer fabric strapped to her wrists along his jaw line. She arched her back and shook her belly; her breasts jiggled seductively just inches from his face.

Never had Tia been so appalled. How could she? Did Sylvia tell Gracie that Shane isn’t my husband? I should have lied. Her nails dug into the fabric of her jeans. For the first time in her life, she wanted to scratch another woman’s eyes out.

The second she moved away, Tia tugged at Shane’s shirtsleeve and whispered in his ear, “Can we go, please?”

He frowned. “Aren’t you having a good time?”

She shook her head. “It’s the wine. I think it’s making me sick.”

Concern replaced his annoyance, and guilt enveloped her for the lie. Maybe she’d confess later. Right now, all she wanted to do was to get as far away from these women who looked at Shane with hungry expressions. The sooner the better.