Storm moved with such grace, and she swung herself behind me, just as a van with the name of a newspaper pulled up. Great, someone had clearly called the press.
Powering the engine, I revved my baby a few times before handing Storm the helmet from the handlebars. I didn’t have my spare; it was back at the hotel. A place I was desperate to take Storm. My dick kept telling me we had to make up for lost time. But first, we needed to talk.
Once I knew Storm had safely clipped the helmet on, I nudged the kickstand, and we were off.
Fuck, it felt good having Storm’s arms around me again, her tits mushed against my back. She was so soft and warm.
The wind rushing past my ears did not deter me. I maintained a good speed, conscious that we may have been followed. I needed to get my girl alone.
As the streets turned to the freeway and the freeway changed to the coastline, I could feel Storm behind me shift in her seat. In one of my mirrors, I saw her making a flying motion with one hand: a signal of freedom.
When I took the exit towards Newport, I knew that Storm sensed where we were going when her body tensed up, and her hands clutched my torso again.
I hadn’t rehearsed what I was going to say to her; I intended to go with my gut.
As I pulled the bike up onto the sidewalk, I steered towards the front of the pier, which was situated just next to the lighthouse.
Cutting the engine, I helped Storm climb off and then followed, unclipping her helmet myself.
“I could have done that,” she admitted brightly, her cheeks flushed as I set the helmet on the handles of the bike.
“I know that. You’re capable of pretty much anything, Teacup, but that doesn’t stop me wanting to do stuff for you. I’d treat you like a queen, if you’d let me.”
With a shy smile, Storm glanced down the pier. It was well-lit but completely dead. We had the whole place to ourselves, and that suited me just fine.
“Won’t you be cold?” she questioned, drawing my dinner jacket further around her body.
“Not any more,” I replied. We gazed into each other's eyes for a beat longer before I stretched my palm out, encouraging her to take my hand.
As her fingers threaded through mine, a jet of heat shot up my arm.
“Shall we?” I suggested, jerking my head towards our special place.
I then walked hand in hand with the woman I loved down the pier by Harbor Lighthouse: the slatted wood of the flooring was old and worn. Even four years ago, it had needed attention, but there was something so raw and real about that place, like it had been forgotten about, just like our feelings for each other.
As we got to the end of the pier, I tugged her underneath the shelter. It was a place where the kids would come and smoke after school. Storm and I hadn’t smoked there; we had done things that were so much more fun on those late afternoons we’dbeen alone. It still held the ghosts of who we used to be: two kids playing with fire. This place had always been our sanctuary, away from the prying eyes of our friends and family. Our edge of the world
Releasing her hand, Storm lowered herself onto the bench tucked under the shelter. The waves crashed beneath us, and you could see the water between the slats of the pier.
After checking my cell, I moved to sit beside her. She was huddled under my jacket, a soft smile on her face, almost like she was reliving the memories we had made there.
“Is everything OK?”
I grinned, “Yeah. Sounds like Phoenix resisted arrest. Luckily, one of his fire buddies’ brothers recognized him and let him go.”
“The cops turned up?”
“Yep. And the press,” I explained, washing a hand down my face.
“How about Hudson?”
“Molly messaged to say he didn’t get involved,” I replied. Still shocked by that one. At least I didn’t have to go and bail my brothers out in the morning. “Maybe he’s upped his meds.”
“Maybe. I do think Molly is the main calming influence on him, though.”
After a deep breath, I waded the fuck in, lowering myself to sit beside her, my knees pushing into hers as we turned to face each other. “Tell me what happened to us, Storm?”
Her voice was steady as she began to share what she had kept hidden for so long, a raw honesty that Storm had never shown me before.
