hopeful.
I smiled, nodding confidently. “Yes, let’s go.”
We walked back to the party, away from the water. Jay jumped up from Brian’s lap and ran to meet me halfway. I caught her by the arms before she collided into me.
“There you are, chica!” she shrieked, her words slightly slurred.
“Hey, I’m going to head out, okay? You’re not driving home tonight, are you?”
“Brian’s driving,” Jay answered distractedly. Her eyes flicked to Ryker, her question obvious.
“Later,” I mouthed. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
Ryker nodded politely to Jay before she headed back to the bonfire with Brian. He placed his hand gently on my lower back, guiding me over the rocky sand leading to the street.
My skin sizzled, and my mind raced through all the possibilities I’d dreamed about experiencing with Ryker. He had been exactly what I’d needed at the exact time I’d needed it before, but now I could see if he was still what I needed.
What I wanted.
We were silent as we walked, the lingering sounds of the party the only noise between us. We stopped in front of a familiar black and chrome Harley Davidson. Every time I’d seen a motorcycle this past year, my mind had traveled to one place.
“Still riding I see.”
He nodded. “Have you been on a bike since you rode with me?”
“No, Ryker, my last bike ride belongs to you. I’ve thought about it a lot though.” I cringed, squeezing my eyes shut in embarrassment. I couldn’t believe I’d just said that out loud!
His calloused fingers gripped my chin, making me face him. “Me too.” His eyes were locked on mine, his voice quiet. We stared at each other, the air thickening around us.
I cleared my throat and looked away. “How long have you been riding?”
Ryker sighed. “Ah…almost ten years now. I have this bike and a street bike.”
“What’s the difference? Why do you need two?”
“My Harley,” he stroked the bike lovingly, “is a cruiser. I ride it to and from places like anyone would with a car. My street bike is a Ducati. I race with that one.”
“What?” My eyes widened.”You race? Like…you actually race other motorcycles?” I was dumbstruck.
Ryker’s voice raised in pitch. “Yeah, I like, actually race, like, other motorcycles.” He chuckled.
“I definitely don’t sound like that.”
When Ryker’s laughter died down, he took his hat off and grabbed his helmet from the bike, securing it on his head. He flicked the visor up, then grabbed the same spare helmet that was attached to his bike the first time I’d rode with him. He gently placed it on my head, fastening the strap and making sure it fit snugly.
“What are we doing?”
“Well, I figured we’d head up the strip a little to this spot I go to sometimes. It’s on the water.”
I bit my lip, nervous butterflies suddenly fluttering in my belly, but he smiled softly. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
He got on his bike as smooth as ever, then reached his hand out, waiting for me to take it. There was no hesitation—I grabbed his hand and hopped on the bike.
“Look at you. You’re like a pro now.” He laughed.
My hands rested on his trim waist, and his stomach muscles tightened beneath my fingers. I was trying to keep my cool, but I felt giddy. Thunder exploded from the Harley pipes, and I clung to Ryker with a smile on my face. The engine’s strong vibrations shook my body, and I pressed my thighs tighter.
Ryker rolled the bike back from his parking spot, his toes touching the pavement and guiding the bike. “You ready?” he yelled.
“Yep!”
Ryker rode through the lot slowly before pulling onto the street and picking up speed. The wind hit my face and tangled my long hair.
I felt more alive now than I had in a long time.
MY CAREFREE ATTITUDE vanished the moment he pulled his bike over onto the side of the road. A heavily wooded area loomed before us, its darkness sucking any light the night had left.
I nervously looked
I smiled, nodding confidently. “Yes, let’s go.”
We walked back to the party, away from the water. Jay jumped up from Brian’s lap and ran to meet me halfway. I caught her by the arms before she collided into me.
“There you are, chica!” she shrieked, her words slightly slurred.
“Hey, I’m going to head out, okay? You’re not driving home tonight, are you?”
“Brian’s driving,” Jay answered distractedly. Her eyes flicked to Ryker, her question obvious.
“Later,” I mouthed. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
Ryker nodded politely to Jay before she headed back to the bonfire with Brian. He placed his hand gently on my lower back, guiding me over the rocky sand leading to the street.
My skin sizzled, and my mind raced through all the possibilities I’d dreamed about experiencing with Ryker. He had been exactly what I’d needed at the exact time I’d needed it before, but now I could see if he was still what I needed.
What I wanted.
We were silent as we walked, the lingering sounds of the party the only noise between us. We stopped in front of a familiar black and chrome Harley Davidson. Every time I’d seen a motorcycle this past year, my mind had traveled to one place.
“Still riding I see.”
He nodded. “Have you been on a bike since you rode with me?”
“No, Ryker, my last bike ride belongs to you. I’ve thought about it a lot though.” I cringed, squeezing my eyes shut in embarrassment. I couldn’t believe I’d just said that out loud!
His calloused fingers gripped my chin, making me face him. “Me too.” His eyes were locked on mine, his voice quiet. We stared at each other, the air thickening around us.
I cleared my throat and looked away. “How long have you been riding?”
Ryker sighed. “Ah…almost ten years now. I have this bike and a street bike.”
“What’s the difference? Why do you need two?”
“My Harley,” he stroked the bike lovingly, “is a cruiser. I ride it to and from places like anyone would with a car. My street bike is a Ducati. I race with that one.”
“What?” My eyes widened.”You race? Like…you actually race other motorcycles?” I was dumbstruck.
Ryker’s voice raised in pitch. “Yeah, I like, actually race, like, other motorcycles.” He chuckled.
“I definitely don’t sound like that.”
When Ryker’s laughter died down, he took his hat off and grabbed his helmet from the bike, securing it on his head. He flicked the visor up, then grabbed the same spare helmet that was attached to his bike the first time I’d rode with him. He gently placed it on my head, fastening the strap and making sure it fit snugly.
“What are we doing?”
“Well, I figured we’d head up the strip a little to this spot I go to sometimes. It’s on the water.”
I bit my lip, nervous butterflies suddenly fluttering in my belly, but he smiled softly. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
He got on his bike as smooth as ever, then reached his hand out, waiting for me to take it. There was no hesitation—I grabbed his hand and hopped on the bike.
“Look at you. You’re like a pro now.” He laughed.
My hands rested on his trim waist, and his stomach muscles tightened beneath my fingers. I was trying to keep my cool, but I felt giddy. Thunder exploded from the Harley pipes, and I clung to Ryker with a smile on my face. The engine’s strong vibrations shook my body, and I pressed my thighs tighter.
Ryker rolled the bike back from his parking spot, his toes touching the pavement and guiding the bike. “You ready?” he yelled.
“Yep!”
Ryker rode through the lot slowly before pulling onto the street and picking up speed. The wind hit my face and tangled my long hair.
I felt more alive now than I had in a long time.
MY CAREFREE ATTITUDE vanished the moment he pulled his bike over onto the side of the road. A heavily wooded area loomed before us, its darkness sucking any light the night had left.
I nervously looked
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