“Can you hear me?”
I nod before I realize he can probably hear me, too.
“Yes, but I’m not sure I can do this. What if I fall off?”
“I won’t let you fall.”
There’s so much certainty in his voice, it gives me the reassurance I need.
He swings his leg over the seat and settles on the bike, steadying it with both feet before he starts it. It rumbles to life, vibrations carrying through the floor as he glances at me and pats the seat behind him.
“Come here. I’ll help you.”
I move toward him, and he guides me onto the bike, using his body to steady me.
It feels strange, sitting higher behind him, and the seat is so small, I slide right into him.
Even in the cool air, his body is warm, and when he guides my hands around him, my head naturally settles against his back.
“All good, little shark?”
“All good,” I reply with far more confidence than I feel.
I close my eyes, and the bike surges forward, smooth but sudden.
A shriek escapes me, and the sound of Eros’s laughter drifts through the speaker as I tighten my grip on him. It’s contagious, and it helps me relax enough to open my eyes again.
He navigates us out of the garage and onto the street, and I shiver as the vibrations rumble through our bodies.
We set off into the night, the wind pressing against my back, the heat of his body soaking into mine as the world narrows around us. The city, the cars, the lights—they all fade away until it’s only me, him, and the space between our heartbeats.
Surrendering to his control and trusting him so completely is intoxicating. I didn’t think I would like this, and it’s a bittersweet reminder that there was a time I only experienced this with Romeo.
He was always my protector, and with him by my side, the world never felt safer. I doubted I’d ever know that sense of security again, but Eros has given it back to me.
It takes a minute to register that I’m enjoying this so much I don’t want to stop. When he nears the penthouse, I find the courage to use my voice to ask for something simply because I want to.
“Do we have to go back right now?”
“Have I Stockholm’d you already?” A touch of humor slips through his voice.
“Maybe.” I smile against him.
“Duly noted. Subject likes velocity.”
He takes off, and my body melts into his as he turns down another street and picks up speed. Adrenaline floods my veins, drawing a wild, breathless sound from my lungs as he shows me the true power of the bike.
It feels like the city is our playground, and with every rush of acceleration, something inside me comes alive. I don’t know where we’re going, and I don’t care—as long as the night doesn’t end.
Eventually, Eros rolls to a stop at Alki Beach.
It’s late, and the sandy stretch is deserted, the water lapping at the shoreline as the city lights reflect off the Sound.
He helps me off the bike, pausing to rub my arms as he looks down at me through the helmet. “Cold?”
“No. I’m okay.”
He nods, taking me by the hand and leading me to a quiet stretch of the beach near the lighthouse. We find a spot in front of a pile of driftwood, and he pulls me down onto his lap, helping me take off my helmet. After a moment, he indicates he’s going to remove his, and I keep my gaze forward.
