“Thanks, Maddie. I really appreciate that.”
“Okay, I’m going to start supper. You three come in when you’re hungry and be careful on the trails,” she says before walking back into the house.
Let’s show him the trails,I sign to Bran.
I’ll ride with you until after supper,he signs back.Then I’ve got some stuff to do. Plus, I don’t want to be a third wheel.
He grins to let me know he’s joking, kind of, and then we head to the garage to get the bikes. I’ve been wanting to show Damien the trails I ride since he got here, and when he sees how excited I am, he grins and grabs the extra helmet I hand him.
“Don’t leave me too far behind,” he teases.
“I would never,” I tell him. “Besides, something tells me you won’t have any problem keeping up. I’ve seen you ride, remember? I know what you’re capable of.”
The wicked glint in his eyes has me thinking all sorts of things that have nothing to do with riding a bike, and when he sees me blush, he grins and hikes a leg over one of Yuri’s old Kawasakis. Bran gets on Misha’s old bike while I pull my helmet and goggles on before starting my own.
You lead,Bran signs.I’ll follow along.
I give him a thumbs up before racing out of the garage and onto the nearest path. We’ve kept the trails pretty clear, but there’s always a chance of getting a branch to the face, so I never ride without goggles and a helmet. Plus, my dad would be furious with me if I ever went without the head gear. It was annoying at first, but I’ve gotten used to the heavy, insulated feel and the quick motion of wiping dirt from my goggles when it clouds my view.
Chancing a quick look back, I see Damien right on my ass with Bran close behind him. Grinning, I switch gears and take a sharp turn, picking up speed as soon as I clear it. The trail is rough in places, forcing me to stand when I hit some deep bumps that would’ve bruised the hell out of the already tender flesh between my legs.
Damien keeps up with everything I do, and it’s exhilarating to know he’s right behind me. He doesn’t crowd me like some of the assholes I race with. He keeps pace without putting me in danger, and I love that we can share this, that he loves racing as much as I do, and that he’ll never try to keep me from it.
We ride for hours, racing through the woods and then hitting the beach for a final ride down the coast. Damien scoots up next to me, both our tires digging into the wet, packed sand by the water. He looks over at me, and even though most of his face is covered, I know he’s smiling just as big as I am. Bran stays further back, keeping well out of reach of the spray we’re spitting out behind us.
By the time we get back to my house, I’m pumped full of adrenaline and starving. We park alongside the garage and spray all the sand from the bikes. I’m covered in splotches of dirt and wet sand, but when Damien pulls me close and brushes his thumb along my cheek, he doesn’t look even slightly disappointed about my disheveled look.
“I hope you aren’t disappointed that I don’t own any heels or dresses,” I tell him.
“Not even a little bit,” he says. “I like your Converse and jeans, and I love that you can handle a bike and you don’t mind getting dirty.” The corner of his mouth lifts up. “I like you dirty,besyonok. You look really sexy covered in mud.”
I laugh and grab his hand, the three of us walking inside so we can eat with my mom. She’s made chicken and dumplings, and it’s the perfect meal after burning so many calories with the cool wind hitting us from all sides. I end up eating two bowls while I watch my mom get to know Damien. Bran’s grown close to him since Max joined our family, and knowing my cousin already likes him makes me feel a lot better. I know he and my mom will help the others to see how amazing Damien is.
“They’re so cute,” my mom says when Damien shows her several photos of Luka’s kids. “I remember Roma from Max and Talia’s wedding, but he’s gotten so much bigger, and Mira is adorable.” To my horror, she looks him in the eye and asks, “Do you want kids? Because I’m going to be honest and tell you that I would love a ton of grandbabies.”
“Mom,” I start to say, but Damien just squeezes my hand and gives an easygoing laugh.
“I love kids,” he says, and I can’t help but smile over at him. With the tattoos, intimidating body, and intense stare, I wouldn’t immediately peg him as a baby person, but I’ve seen him around Lyra, and I know he’s telling the truth. “I would loveto have a big family, but I’ll let Sitka have the final say on that. I’ll be thrilled with however many babies she wants to have.”
“I think she wants a lot,” my mom says, making Bran grin when he sees what she’s signed.
You going to let her ride pregnant?Bran asks.
Damien looks horrified for a second before I say, “I would talk to a doctor and make sure it’s safe or not do it at all if they said it wasn’t. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t go racing while pregnant, more like an easy fun ride.”
“I think I would have a heart attack if you tried to race while pregnant, so thank you for that,” Damien says.
I finish my last bite and set the spoon down so I can keep signing while I talk. “You’re welcome, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. I still need to talk to my dad tomorrow.”
“And then we get married,” Damien says.
“And then we talk grandbabies,” my mom says.
Damien laughs while Bran signs,When are you going to talk to him?
Morning,I sign back.I’m too nervous to put it off.
Bran mimes pulling off a band-aid.
