Spiritbound by Dani Kristoff Page B

Declan had become. It was only a picnic. The view was rather good. As he walked, his leather jacket hung from his wide shoulders and his dark blue denim hugged his butt cheeks. They were very squeezable. That made her grin to herself. I bet he would find that disconcerting . She filed that one away for later use.
    The bike came into view. It was retro looking, with a curvy red petrol tank and cool spoke wheels. Its chrome exhaust pipe caught the light. ‘Wow.’
    He chuckled at her reaction. ‘Mmm, exactly. It’s a Triumph Speedmaster. All the elegance of an earlier period, but with modern features that make for a great ride. I prefer the upright position; helps with being tall.’
    Grace was impressed. The motorbike looked hot. Her attention moved to him. He looked hot in that get-up. Talk about bad-arse hunk status.
    Don’t go there. Remember the bitch-witches . She repressed a sigh and decided to change the topic.
    ‘You drive that?’
    ‘Sure I do.’ He pulled a small jacket out of one of his panniers, holding it up to her. ‘That should fit.’ He took her handbag and placed it inside.
    Grace took the brown leather garment and sniffed it. It smelled new to her. Did he buy it especially? While she did up the jacket, Declan went over his bike. ‘I did a lot of touring when I was in Britain,’ he said as he squatted down to inspect the engine. ‘Lots of narrow roads with hedgerows and tunnels made out of trees, and out-of-the-way woods where you could stretch out and feel the earth beneath you, and hear the birds in the trees and the wind caressing branches and leaves.’
    Grace lifted her eyebrows. Declan Mallory was a little bit more earthy than she’d expected. She finished buttoning up her jacket. ‘So where are we going on this little picnic?’
    Declan straddled the bike, holding the handlebars so that the bike was fully upright and released the kickstand. ‘Come on, get on. Hold onto my shoulders and lift your leg over.’ Grace did as instructed. He pulled his helmet on. ‘Hold me around the waist.’
    Grace did up the strap on her helmet. She thumped him lightly on the shoulder and yelled into his ear. ‘I said where are we going?’
    ‘The Blue Mountains.’ He started the bike, with the noise reaching her through the helmet.
    ‘The Blue Mountains? That’s no little picnic. It’s too late to go there now.’
    Declan revved the motor, giving no indication that he’d heard a word she’d said. She didn’t attempt to mind speak him. That door had closed a long time ago. The bike lurched forward. Grace held on for dear life. She managed to hail her mother and Elena to say she’d be late for dinner and for them not to worry. Her mother sent back a distracted ‘okay’. Grace shrugged and held on, resting her face on Declan’s broad leather-clad back to hide from the wind.
    The journey on the bike exposed her to the elements. Her face was buffeted by hard wind, her body stroked by powerful gusts. She’d never ridden on a bike before and she loved it. Declan’s strong body controlled the bike, expertly navigating the traffic along the Great Western Highway that led them up to the mountains. She’d been to Leura before, as a number of the coven lived that far out. They liked the bush setting, the mountain climate, and the small little wooden houses that reeked of old-world charm. It was an easy distance for key festivals and the mountains had their own magical allure. Grace had visited a family there during a series of thunderstorms. Energy had crackled and sizzled around them. She remembered that feeling of being so energised and close to nature, and the raw power that existed in the earth.
    By the time they reached Springwood, hunger gained Grace’s attention. She hadn’t eaten since the morning. She’d left Earl’s scone behind. It was then she noticed that Declan didn’t appear to have any food with him. She remembered the panniers and if he had food in them, it was very modest indeed.