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“Here we are,” Tex murmurs, cutting the engine at the mouth of the bridge.
I swing my leg over the side of the bike, feeling the gravel crunch beneath my boots. My heart ticks up a notch, not from fear, but anticipation—the kind that prickles your skin and tugs at the corners of your lips.
His hand is warm and sure as it closes around mine, his callouses a testament to roads traveled and burdens shouldered. I let him lead me into the shadowed throat of the bridge, where the world narrows to wood and darkness, and the soft susurration of leaves whispering secrets.
“Feels like stepping back in time,” I say, my voice hushed.
“Sometimes you gotta look back to see how far you’ve come,” he replies, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.
Tex leads me to the center of the bridge.
“Nice, isn’t it?” Tex’s voice is softer now, his proximity sending ripples through the stillness inside me.
“Beautiful,” I agree, opening my eyes to find him watching me, not the scenery.
There’s something about the way he looks at me, like he sees beyond the bartender, beyond the tough exterior, right down to the marrow.
“Jane,” he starts, his tone shifting, a subtle undercurrent of concern threading through it, “you know I got your back, right?”
“Yeah, I know.” My response is automatic, but sincere.
“Good.” He nods once, decisively, as if sealing a pact.
A shiver dances down my spine as Tex’s fingers brush a rogue strand of hair behind my ear. The touch is light, but its impact punches through the chill of the night, sparking a trail of heat I can’t ignore. I’m leaning into him before I even realize it.
“Better?” His breath a warm whisper against my temple.
“Much,” I admit.
“Didn’t take you for one to get cold so easy,” he teases, a playful note in his voice.
“Everyone has their moments of weakness.”
Our bodies are close, pressed together by an invisible force that neither of us wants to acknowledge aloud. It’s here in the silence that hangs heavy, filled with the unspoken words that linger on the tip of my tongue. When I muster the courage to meet his gaze, there’s an understanding there which gives me shivers.
“Jane.” My name in his mouth feels like a caress.
“Tex,” I breathe back, and the space between us crackles alive with something fierce and undeniable.
His eyes hold mine, there’s just us, the night, and the soft sighing of the leaves overhead, bearing witness to the connection that binds us.
“Feels like the world’s just us, doesn’t it?” I whisper, struck by the surreal bubble we’ve created.
“For tonight, maybe it is.”
A chill whispers through the air, and I shiver, not entirely from the cold.
“Jane.” His voice a low rumble that vibrates through my bones. “You gotta know, I won’t let anything happen to you.” His hand encloses mine.
I look up at him, my gaze tracing the hard line of his jaw, softened by the shadows. “Why?” The question falls from my lips, barely above a whisper.
“Because.” He pauses, searching for the right words. “No one gets left behind or stands alone—not on my watch. I’ve seen things, Jane. Been places where the difference between life and death was decided in a heartbeat.” His thumb brushes over my knuckles. “I can’t stand by and watch any harm come your way. Not now, not ever.”
“Tex...” My curiosity flares. “What kind of things? What places?”
He looks away, gazing out into the dark expanse beyond the bridge. “Ghosts of my past, darlin’. Shadows that follow you no matter how fast you ride.” There’s a wistful note in his voice.
“Everyone has ghosts,” I say softly.
