Her laughter bursts free, wild and genuine.
A sound I’d chase anywhere.
The engine hums steadily beneath us, seven thousand RPMs and rising, its vibrations traveling through my hands, up my arms, into my chest. I shift gears, and the bike roars.
Her arms tighten around me, gripping with excitement.
She swivels her head, taking in our surroundings, her visor reflecting passing headlights, quick flashes of silver across sunflower fields.
We carve through the curves of back roads, the world just the line of asphalt lit by our headlights and the warm press of her body.
A pure, unfiltered scream escapes her as she laughs even louder.
I swear, just hearing her laugh can erase any negative thought I’ve had about myself.
She’s not thinking about anything else.
Right now, she’s just here withme.
I take a turn that opens into a long straightaway, a stretch of road where I know it’s safe to give us a little more.
Leaning into the throttle, I accelerate, going faster, feeling the speed increase, my adrenaline rising every time the speedometer increases.
She gasps, tightening her arms around my waist as her hips press closer to my back. Her helmet softly knocks against mine as she presses herself between my shoulder blades.
I know she’s smiling beneath her helmet, I can feel it.
We are speed, night, and two hearts syncing to the same wild rhythm. And as the wind carries her laughter into the stars, a truth hits me deeper than any spark, kiss, or touch ever could.
This woman is the first breath I’ve taken in years that truly feels like air.
With one hand steady on the throttle, I reach behind with the other, sliding my palm along her thigh as my thumb gently brushes against the denim of her jeans, a silent promise that I’m here, that she’s safe.
She responds instantly, tightening her arms around my waist and pressing her chest even closer.
For a moment, everything else disappears.
“You good back there, baby?” I ask through our helmets’ Bluetooth.
Her helmet dips toward me, answering me with a nod as she taps twice on my hip, our code; more.
I smile into the night and angle my wrist, my hand gliding along the curve of her leg again before settling back on the bars as I shift down into the turn.
Her fingers tighten in the back of my shirt, like that small touch just rewrote her entire world.
And maybe… maybe it rewrote mine, too. Because damn, I don’t want to stop touching her, hearing her laugh, or feeling her pulse against me like this.
I want more, damn it. I want everything with her. But she needs to leave him when she’s ready, and I’ll be here,waiting for her like the next sunrise, because she’s my light, my next breath,mine.
The night surrounds us, its cool breeze enveloping our bodies.
Opal Springs sign comes into view, and I turn left, making my way to the lake.
Sapphire Lake remains still, reflecting the kind of sky only visible this far from the city. Crickets sing softly from the tree line, while the air smells of pine, cool water, and the faint sweetness of primrose surrounding the lake.
I park my bike and stabilize it with the kickstand. Swinging my leg over, I reach for her, helping her down as my other hand rests on her waist.
Once she’s off the bike, we remove our helmets and walk hand in hand toward the water.
