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“How are you feeling about shifting these days?” he asked.
She only nodded and sent him a quick glance before she turned the fuel cutoff and pulled the choke. She hit the starter switch, then grabbed the clutch and eased the throttle up, making the engine roar. She was getting better. Up until today, she’d gone over every step of starting it before she’d dared.
“I want to see you taking those curves a little faster this time,” he said.
She gave him a thumbs-up, then kicked up the stand and balanced on her toes. Alex backed away and she took off.
He felt the strange mix of alarm and joy he always felt when she rode. He wished he could wrap her in a bubble and still let her enjoy her freedom. But he couldn’t, and the freedom meant so much to her.
He’d been sure that he wasn’t right for her, wasn’t right for anyone. He drifted, he moved, he walked away. But he didn’t feel any urge to walk away from Sophie, and she didn’t seem afraid that he’d go. She hadn’t once complained that he had to head to Alaska soon. She’d never pouted or asked him not to go. Either she trusted that he’d come back or knew she’d be fine if he didn’t. After all, she’d survived worse.
And he’d been wrong about what she wanted from life. Once she’d started letting go, she’d bloomed. She was teaching her brother how to do the books for the ranch and teaching her dad to cook his favorite meals. She wasn’t hanging on. She wasn’t afraid.
He watched as she took a corner at a speed that didn’t make him terrified she’d fall over. “Much better,” he whispered to himself. She had her permit. She knew what she was doing. Still, he felt his jaw clench as she drove out of sight. He could still hear her though, as she drove down the cross street, then took another turn. She wasn’t going far. Thank God.
The Triumph wasn’t a huge bike, so it was good handling for her, even if she had asked several times if she shouldn’t be learning on a smaller bike. She’d look cute on a smaller bike, but he loved her on his.
Even as he thought it, the engine noise grew from a faint sputter to a steady purr and she turned the next corner with ease. He wouldn’t even mention that there’d been a stop sign there because her smile was wide and happy as she drove toward him.
She sped past, kicking up briefly to third gear just to show him she could before slowing the bike and easing into a wide turn in the middle of the street.
Her eyes danced with life when she finally pulled next to him and killed the engine. “That was great,” he said immediately.
Her smile grew even wider. “It felt good. Almost natural.”
“It looked even better,” he said, leaning close to kiss her. Her face looked so small in the helmet. It made him want to take her home and kiss her until she went breathless.
A strange thought. But it matched the even stranger feeling in his chest.
He didn’t want to go.
* * *
“I’M SORRY I have to leave.” Alex loomed over her, the sun and the roar of small jets behind him. “If I could...”
“It’s okay.” Sophie leaned up to give him another quick kiss. “You’ll be back soon.”
“I will,” he rumbled.
“And I need a little time to recover. You’ve been pretty thorough the past few days.”
“I had to get my fill,” he answered.
She slipped a hand up the nape of his neck to his smooth scalp. She’d shaved him this morning in the shower. “So did you get your fill?”
“Jesus, Sophie.” He stared down at her for a moment before cupping her head and holding her still for a hard kiss. “I’m not sure that’s possible,” he murmured against her mouth.
Her chest felt tight and hot at the words.
He kissed her more softly before he let her go. “My brother said you’re free to come to brunch tomorrow. They’re trying to make sure Mom doesn’t get down about me leaving. Changes like that trigger her, I guess.”
“I can’t. We’re finally burying my mom’s ashes out near a little spring about a half mile from the house. It was a spot she loved.”
“Good. Good for you.”
“Yeah.” She didn’t want to let go of him, but she could feel the minutes ticking away.
“I love you, Sophie.” His words were almost lost in the roar of a jet ascending. She stared up at him in shock for a long moment, th
