Page 135 of Spring Break Fling

47

NIKKO

Islid my hand around her waist, feeling the familiar thrill that always accompanied being this close to Hannah. Seeing her smile made me wonder how I ever handled days without it. As we walked to the front door of the tattoo shop, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders that I didn’t even realize I was carrying.

I never imagined I would see her again. I truly believed it was over. I was convinced she was going to meet some hotshot New York dude and never look back.

“Diego, take her stuff to my house,” I said.

“Do I look like your errand boy?”

“Yes. Do it. And don’t drink all my beer.”

“Thank you,” Hannah said to Diego.

“Just doing my part for love,” Diego said.

I led her to where my bike was parked. I handed her a helmet, our fingers brushing in the process.

She took it from me, her hands steady. “You’re taking care of me already?”

“Always,” I replied with a grin. “You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” she said, putting on the helmet.

I remembered the first time I took her on my bike and just how afraid she had been. Things had changed.

I got on and she slipped behind me like it was where she belonged. Her body fit perfectly against mine. My hand went to her thigh and gave her an affectionate pat.

I started the bike and took it easy at first. I felt her thighs squeeze my own and smiled. I was the horse, and she was trying to tell me to giddy up.

I chuckled under my breath and decided to give her what she wanted. Accelerating smoothly, I took us onto the winding roads that led out of the city, relishing the feeling of freedom that came with every mile.

The air was cool against our skins, the sun setting in a blaze of glory on the horizon. I could feel Hannah’s grip tighten around me whenever I revved the engine, her excitement tangible. The road stretched out before us, lined with trees that swayed gently in the evening breeze.

As we rode, I thought about everything that had led up to this moment—the fight, the breakup, the reconciliation. It had been a rough ride, but here we were, literally moving forward together. It felt like we were finally syncing up our lives in a way that made sense.

She was practically vibrating with excitement, her laughter spilling over me every time I hit a curve. It had been too long since I’d heard her laugh like that, and damn if it didn’t do something to me.

I pulled off the road onto a secluded path that led straight to the beach. The moment the engine died, Hannah hopped off, her eyes lighting up like I’d just handed her the moon.

“You remembered,” she said softly, glancing around at the familiar stretch of sand.

“Our first date,” I said with a grin.

“Was it?” she said, scrunching up her nose. “We had already had sex. I don’t know if that night with the wine and cheese really counts as a first date.”

“It does in my book.”

“Are you about to pull out more wine and cheese?” she teased.

“If I knew you were coming, I would have packed wine, cheese, and those Ghirardelli chocolates you love so much. But since you decided to surprise me, you’re going to have to settle for just me.”

“That’s not settling,” she said. “Not even a little.”

We kicked off our shoes and made our way down to the water, the sand cool underfoot. It felt surreal, sitting here with her again after everything. She plopped down beside me, crossing her legs and looking up at the sky.

“So,” I said, leaning back on my hands. “Catch me up. What’s the plan now that you’ve burned every bridge in Manhattan?”