“You were right, by the way,” I tell her.
“That’s a good lesson to remember.” I stand absolutely still when she rises on her tiptoes and presses her mouth to mine. It’s nothing like the fiery kiss we just shared, but the sweetness of it completely destroys me just the same. “I think I recall you promising me lunch.”
“I did.”
She slips her hand down my arm and twines our fingers together, the profound connection instantaneous. It’s such a simple gesture that couples do every day, but for me, it holds a greater significance.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Thought I’d keep it as a surprise,” I reply, hyperfocused on the way her hand feels in mine as she pulls me into the kitchen.
Not letting go, she’s able to tuck her phone one-handed into the back sleeve of a small crossbody purse lying on the counter. “Do I need to change?”
I take in her tight yoga pants and tank top, and my mind immediately dives down into the gutter with thoughts of her naked and writhing underneath me.
“Not unless you want to.”
At my dark timbre, her gaze meets mine, and she swallows. Licks her lips. Lips I’m dying to kiss again.
She longingly stares at my mouth for a beat before saying, “I’m ready for our next adventure.”
“Good answer.” I plan to give her a lifetime of them.
As soon as we step out onto the front porch, she sees the Ducati.
“Seriously?”
At her reaction, I want to strangle Aurora for suggesting it. “We can take your car if you’re not comfortable riding a motorcycle.”
She lets go of my hand and rushes down the steps. Her blonde hair whips around her when she spins and walks backward the remaining five feet to the bike, crooking her finger at me. “I’m driving.”
I didn’t know she knew how. Just another facet of New Elizabeth that I get to learn about. There is so much I missed out on and want to know. Ry’s correspondences over the years helped, but there’s a lot he left out. Like teaching her how to ride a motorcycle.
Taking the handlebars, she throws one toned leg over the saddle, and the sight of her on the sleek, matte-black Ducati turns me on.
I am in so much trouble with this woman.
“You don’t know where we’re going,” I remind her, unlocking the hard case attached to the back and taking out the extra helmet I brought just for her.
“Aurora’s?”
“How can you tell?” With care, I slip the helmet over her head and adjust the chin strap until it’s secure.
Her moss-green eyes watch my face the entire time, the sunlight making the dark halo around her irises appear sapphire blue. Fuck, she’s beautiful.
“The fact that it’s pink and has‘Badass Bitch’written on the side.”
“The moniker fits both women.” She laughs when I flick the visor of the helmet down.
After putting mine on, I slide in front of her, pop the kickstand, and pull the bike upright. Widening her legs, she scoots in close and wraps her arms around me, her fingers curling into my shirt and pressing into my abs, the heat of her at my back doing crazy things to my sanity.
“Don’t let go,” I tell her through the helmet’s built-in microphone.
“Never again,” she says and snuggles in close, but her words aren’t lost on me.
It still feels surreal—me and her. I’d spent so much time standing on the sidelines of her life, watching from a distance, wanting what I knew I couldn’t have. I think about the past, about all the mistakes and missed chances that have led us here, and for the very first time, I let myself believe that I am no longer doomed to roam alone in this world. Elizabeth has told me more than once that I was her hero, but in truth, she saved me.
“Don’t hold back. I want to feel it.”
