“Ride?” Oh shit, maybe a sundress wasn’t the appropriate outfit to choose.
“Well, have fun.” I don’t know if Reese sees it, but the anguish in Dev’s eyes is apparent to me.
“Let’s go, gorgeous. I want to show you the countryside.” He pulls me up, and Dev walks off. I’m left silently hoping it isn’t always going to be this hard.
Parked outside on the street is Reese’s H2R. He brought it as his backup bike, but he’ll be racing a custom Yamaha R1 tomorrow. The same kind of bike he rode in the Moto Grand Prix.
“Wear this?” He places the bag on my back before slipping on my helmet. “No peeking, either.”
“Why? You got more stuff stashed in the lining?” I muse.
“Maybe.” He pops on his helmet and climbs on the bike.
I follow suit, tucking the hem of my skirt securely under my thighs. Here goes nothing.
Several minutes later, we’re out of the city and surrounded by a vibrant green landscape. The road is hilly and windy, so the ride is more thrilling than a Sunday morning cruise. Then again, look at who’s driving. I should know better than to expect a Sunday morning anything.
The ride lasts a little over a half hour, Reese finally stopping at a peak overlooking undulating hills, a small town, and the sparkling blue Irish Sea. The land is enchanting. The whole island has a mystical feel. Reese cuts the engine and removes his helmet, placing it on a patch of grass. I do the same, handing it to him once he turns to face me on the bike.
“Hi.” He leans in for a passionate kiss, our mouths igniting like a solar flare. There isn’t a soul for miles and our connection seems to resonate through the whipping breeze.
“Hi.” I smile back at him once we part.
“How’s everyone doing?” He rubs my stomach.
“Everyone is fine. Anxious for Daddy to win tomorrow.”
“And he’s going to.” Reese reaches around me, unzipping his backpack. “Close your eyes.”
“A surprise for me?” I shut my lids excitedly.
“Sort of. ‘Kay, open them.”
I open my eyes to him holding a flat wrapped present in front of me.
“What is this?” I take it from him.
“Unwrap it and find out.”
Like a child, I rip off the brightly colored wrapping paper. “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.” I read the title out loud.
“It was my favorite growing up.”
I run my hand over the cover and the little tan bear indulging in honey. “I love it. The baby will, too.”
“Open it,” he urges.
I flip open to the cover page to find a handwritten quote.
“If there ever comes a day where we can’t be together, keep me in your heart. I’ll stay there forever.”Tears immediately form.
“It’s my favorite quote,” Reese discloses.
“It just became mine, too.” I wipe my eyes. “We’ll put it on a shelf in the nursery so the baby can see it.”
“Good. Because I plan on reading it every night.”
“I can’t wait for that.”
