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“What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t get my guy a gift on our anniversary?” Georgia shot him a teasing smile and immediately directed him toward the ten-stall garage that lined the northern side of the house. “Go on. It’s inside. I wrapped it myself.”
Alaric clasped his hand protectively around the box in his jacket pocket, eyeing her with suspicion. She was always ribbing him about his unnecessary assortment of flashy cars and machinery. The last thing he’d expected was for her to get him a car for their one-year.
“Go on.” She waved her hands at him. “Open it up.”
Punching in the security code on the outdoor panel, he backed up and waited for the massive door to slide into the ceiling. Inch by inch, it revealed what Georgia had been so excited about. Standing on the cement pad, with a giant red bow on the seat, was a black and chrome painted Honda CBR900RR Fireblade motorcycle. Every inch of it shined — from the glossy body to the large chrome muffler. Just the mere sight of it took him back to his youth.
“You’re kidding me.” Dropping his hands from his pockets, Alaric took a tentative step toward the bike and raked a hand through his hair. “Is that…?”
“It’s the same type you used to ride in high school.” She circled the bike, running her hand over the sleek metal and shooting him a seductive smile. “You can’t imagine how many times I imagined riding on the back of Alaric Hammond’s Fireblade. And now’s my chance. All the girls from Everton High are going to be so jealous when they hear about this.”
Alaric went to inspect the bike, excitement causing his chest to swell. Georgia knew him all too well. He wanted nothing more than to start it up and hit the open roads. It had been ages since he’d been on a motorcycle. Almost three years, to be exact. The last time had been that terrible accident…
He looked down at his prosthetic leg and sighed. There was no way he should drive this thing around. Not in his condition. Not when it was so easy to slip back into that destructive lifestyle. He’d almost killed someone the last time he rode a motorcycle. He wouldn’t go down that road again. Disappointment hit him in the gut like a bad stomachache.
“Before you go and close yourself off to the idea…” Georgia’s hand closed softly on his arm and he looked up to see her watching him intently, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. “I think you should know that I am so proud of the progress you’ve made. You’re a completely different person than the man who crashed that bike. You’ve paid your dues. Don’t let that mistake keep you from enjoying the healthy things you love, babe.”
He stared at her for a long moment, thinking through what she’d just said. Not only had Georgia taken the time to track down his beloved bike from high school, but she’d known he’d have an internal conflict about the whole thing. She really did know him better than anyone. And maybe she was right. He’d worked so hard to become this new man. Riding a motorcycle again didn’t negate all that.
“You are wonderful,” he said, pulling Georgia into his arms and planting a kiss on her sweet red lips. “Have I told you that lately?”
“Hmmm…only about every other day.” She ran her fingers through his scruffy beard and smiled. “But a girl never gets tired of hearing it.”
He dropped his hands from around her waist and went to do one more scan of the motorcycle. “I hope you bought helmets, too, because we’re taking this baby out for a spin.”
This might have altered his plans a bit for the evening, but all for the better.
“Already on it.” She darted toward the built-in shelves on the far wall of the garage and produced two black helmets. Handing one to him, she winked and inhaled sharply. “I can’t believe I get to ride on the back of Alaric Hammond’s motorcycle. My inner high school girl is screaming in excitement.”
He gave her a suave smile and tugged her toward him by the front of her red leather jacket until their bodies pressed together. Heat rose up in the limited space between them. “And I can’t believe I’m giving the hottest girl in school a ride. Come on. I’ve got something I want to show you.”
Curiosity sparked in Georgia’s eyes. She climbed on the back of the bike after Alaric swung his leg over and turned the ignition. The engine roared to life, smooth as could be, and the tremble of the motor beneath his legs made him sigh with happiness. He’d missed this.
Two arms wrapped tightly around his waist from behind, making him sigh again. The feeling of Georgia’s chest pressed against his back felt so right. This was going to be the perfect ride.
He flipped down the visor of his helmet and squeezed the clutch, moving them forward. It didn’t take more than a few seconds for the old familiar feeling of his high school Fireblade to come back, even with the stiffness of a prosthetic foot. Soon, they were roaring down the private lane to his estate, blowing past the ten acres of land that the property sat on. The wind snapped around them and under the collar of Alaric’s jacket. Georgia’s grip tightened as he took the corners, but even over the loud noise of the road, he could hear her whooping and hollering for him to go faster.
Eventually, they reached their favorite spot on the entire property. It was hard to see from the road, but just behind a row of thick trees and brambles was a breathtaking view of the entire valley. They’d discovered it on one of their first explorations of the properties and after a little prompting from Georgia, Alaric had had an elegant gazebo built on their spot.
He parked the bike on the edge of the road and shut off the engine, pulling the helmet from his head. Georgia did the same, looking wildly beautiful with her curls framing her face. Her cheeks were flushed from the ride and her eyes sparkling.
“What’s the big surprise?” She glanced in the direction of their secret gazebo. “Have you got Cindy Lauper tied up in there or what? It’s always been my dream to meet her. Come on, spill.”
A chuckle left Alaric’s lips and he shook his head. “Cindy Lauper was unavailable, I’m afraid. You’re stuck with me.”
Taking her by the hand, he led her toward the gazebo. Just as he’d planned, a small round table had been placed in the middle with a chilled bottle of sparkling cider on top. Glass vases filled with dozens of red roses had been set along the railings, with rose petals littering the floor. A string of elegant white lights had been woven between the spindles of the gazebo’s roof and gave off an enchanting glow in the shaded evening.
“Alaric…” Georgia stopped walking, her hand still in his. She stared wide-eyed at the scene, her mouth opening in shock. “What is this?”
“It’s part of the surprise.” He kissed the top of her hand and pulled her further into the gazebo. “Happy anniversary, my love.”
She took in the scene, first examining the flowers and then glancing out at the epic view of the valley sprawling before them. The sun setting in the distance caused the sky to burst into brilliant oranges, reds, and purples, adding to the romance of the scene. Georgia stared at it for a long moment. Finally, she turned toward him and sighed happily.
“I wouldn’t want to share this moment with anyone else.” Leaning her head against his shoulder, she smiled. “I love you.”
“And I love you.” Alaric swallowed down the nervous knot in his throat. Now was his big moment. The one that he’d so meticulously planned a month ago. He didn’t want to screw it up. “But this is only part of the surprise.”
She looked up at him, her eyebrows arching with a question. “Oh, yeah? What could possibly be better than this?”
