Sam shakes her head and walks over to Blake. “Well why don’t you guys go for a ride so me and Charlie here can paint our nails in peace?”
Charlie gasps and looks at her mother for confirmation and Blake looks at me. “Will she be okay?”
Sam scoffs. “Of course she will!” she pulls out her phone and points it over to Blake. “But just so you will be able to see it with your own two eyes. There are cameras in the kids rooms and I will give you access to the live feed.”
Thank God for Sam. She really is a miracle worker when it comes to having fun with the kids here.
Blake looks at her smiling daughter and then reluctantly sighs. “I guess if that is what you want to do.”
“Yes!” Charlie wiggles out of her arms and runs toward Sam. “I want to paint my nails!”
Blake and I watch as the girls walk back inside hand in hand and I place my palm on the bottom of her back. “Are you okay?”
She side eyes me and nods. “Is this really okay? Am I taking advantage of Sam’s hospitality by having her watch Charlie so I can be alone with you on your bike like a child?”
I feign hurt. “Like a child? Are you trying to say that I am childish for riding a motorcycle?” I take a step toward her and watch as she takes a step back.
She shakes her head. “No,” she says quickly.
I look down my nose at her and smirk. “Mhmm. Well, we are just gonna have to show you how much of a man I am I guess.”
Her lips part but she doesn’t say anything. I can tell her nerves are pulled tight as she thinks about what that might implicate. But I don’t put her out of her misery. She will just have to wait and see.
Chapter 38
Blake
Hunter’s bike isn’t fixed yet so he grabbed one of his spares from behind the back building and now it sits in front of us idling.
It looks comfortable enough, but am I truly going to fit on there with him? He is already a large man himself and I just don’t see where I am going to go.
He pulls me from my thoughts when he places a helmet on top of my head and pulls the chin straps closed. When he doesn’t put one on his head, I raise my brow. “What about yours?”
He chuckles and taps the top of my head. “I told you I don’t ride with a helmet on, Crash.”
“So then why do I have to?”
His gaze smolders for a fraction and I instinctively freeze. “Because,” he grumbles. “If something were to ever happen to you due to my negligence. I would never be able to forgive myself.”
The fierce gaze diminishes after a moment before he swings his leg over the bike and takes his seat. Then he holds out his hand to help me on.
I hesitate when I get closer to the bike. What if it falls over when I get on the back? What if I fall off the back? My thoughts begin to spiral but he calms them when he squeezes my hand. “Just swing your leg over and get into position. The bike’s not going anywhere.”
I blush and do my best to swing my thick thigh over the backside of the bike and then scoot until I am in the middle of the seat. He reaches behind him and taps both my legs that dangle, before assisting my feet to the footpegs. Then he grabs both of my hands and wraps them around his waist so that my chest is pressed against his back.
He leans over his shoulder and yells loud enough so I can hear him. “Hold on tight. And if you need to stop for any reason, tap my neck.” he motions where he wants me to tap.
“Okay,” I yell back.
He revs the engine one last time before taking off out of the driveway and pulling us out onto the road.
I tighten my arms around Hunter’s waist, holding on for dear life as the motorcycle rumbles beneath us. The vibration hums through my body.
As we pick up speed, the wind whips past us, tugging at the edges of my jacket, sending shivers of exhilaration down my spine. No wonder they like to ride all the time. It’s freeing.
I find myself trusting him on the bike the further we go and courage blooms within my chest. I want to feel free. I want to feel the wind against my face and through my hair. Slowly, one by one, I let go of his body and spread my arms out wide like a bird.
The wind whips past my skin and I can’t help but smile. It’s cool and gentle as it whispers sweet nothings in my ear.
