Page 29 of All Our Ghosts

Cole laughs, climbing onto his bike and holding out his helmet for her. “Well, your chariot awaits.”

I follow suit, climbing onto my own bike and kicking up the kickstand as I watch the hesitation wash over her features. “What? Scared of messing up the hair, Princess?”

Kadence purses her lips together as her eyes meet mine. Her fingers wrap around the edge of the helmet. “Is that why you’re not wearing one?” She quips, sliding the helmet over her head. “Too afraid of split ends?” She snarks, waving her index finger at my head.

I hear a snort come from Cole as he helps her buckle the chinstrap. I roll my eyes, the annoyance in me stacking like wood on a campfire as my bike roars to life. The rumble of the engine vibrates against my ribcage as I watch her climb behind Cole, gripping the leather of his cut, her hands resting at his hips as his own bike comes to life.

I push off the concrete, twisting the throttle enough to get me rolling and, like kerosene, my jealousy is lit on fire when I hear her laugh as Cole’s bike lurches forward, pulling up next to me as we head out of the shop gate. I want to be the one to make her laugh. The smile she flashes me as she turns her head in my direction makes my stomach flutter and though I know it's not for me, I’d do anything to see it again.

I’m fucked and I know it.

KADENCE

My fingers grasped tightly around the edges of Cole’s cut as he and Holden weave through the streets of Pine River. It's been years since I’ve been on the back of a motorcycle, and as he speeds up and the wind whips through my hair and the cold prickles at the skin of my cheeks, I remember why I loved it. The heat radiating from Cole’s body seems to help for a bit until he makes a left turn and the chill spreads over me again.

I can hear the roar of Holden’s bike trailing behind us and my mind wanders to the office, his hand on mine, and the way it felt like tiny fireworks exploded onto my skin as soon as he touched me. Not even in the beginning with Jeremy did I ever feel anything like that.

His bike pulls up next to Cole’s as they hit a straight road and my eyes glance over to the man my mind has been running circles around all day. His hair is tucked behind his ears and, at some point in the ride, he’s slipped a navy blue ball cap over his head. He looks different with his hair tucked back and not shrouded around his face. The three-day-old stubble thatspeckles his face creates shadows that sharpen his cheekbones and jawline under the moonlight.

He’s gorgeous and I hate the fact that every time we spend more than five minutes together, it turns guarded. Well…I turn guarded. Last night I got scared when he showed up with dinner. I have spent the last month protecting myself from men, from getting close to anyone other than Maria. When Cole offered me the job, I swore to myself that I wouldn't get close to anyone, but with Holden, it feels almost inevitable and that's what terrifies me the most. From him protecting me to offering to help and then trying to feed me…to some, it might feel ridiculous. To me, it felt like a heavy boot named anxiety pressing against the back of my neck for trusting a man again. Still, the both of us put up walls to block any vulnerability. He is crass, moody, and seems like he hates everyone except for Cole but a part of me still feels drawn to him. A twinge of familiarity sparked between us and I was still figuring out what that meant.

Holden’s bike speeds past us, making a sharp turn to the left onto a long-curved driveway. Cole follows behind, the road winding as we ride further beyond the tree line that hugs the main road. Soon I can see the faint glow of lights peeking through the branches.

I gasp softly, seeing the size of the house as it comes into view. It’s massive and made of long, dark wooden logs with lighter wood trim. The glow from all the windows lights up the driveway, making the small solar-powered trail lights almost pointless.

Cole parks his bike next to Holden’s, kicking down the stand before climbing off. He holds a hand out to me with a bright smile to help me down.

“Thanks.”

“No problem,” he almost whispers as my hand grips his.

I swing my leg over the seat, firmly planting my feet on the ground. My legs feel almost numb from the vibration of the motorcycle and it makes my heart race in my chest. The feeling is as addicting as leaning over the edge of a balcony on a tall building.

Cole lets my hand go, his brows furrowing for a moment, and as I glance up at him, it’s like he’s finally taking a moment to consider whether or not bringing me here was a good idea. I can read the doubt behind his eyes from a mile away, and it’s something I’m all too familiar with. The question of being wanted.

“I’ll introduce you to Marlowe,” he finally says. “But before I do, she’s a little…”

“Nosy? Abrasive? Bit of a hard ass?” Holden quips, climbing off his bike. Those bright blue eyes turn on me, heating my skin as if he had superpowers.

Cole winces slightly, throwing a pointed glance at Holden. “I was gonna say protective…”

“Yeah, you can add that.” He sits back on the edge of his bike, crossing his arms over the expanse of his chest, “Real mama-bear type,” he goads, narrowing his eyes, attempting to be playful. It only makes the pit in my stomach grow about four sizes as I turn to Cole.

“I should have stayed back at the shop.”

He shakes his head as his hands fall on my shoulders and for the first time in a long time, I don’t wince at a man’s touch. “It’s going to be fine! She’s gonna love you and if she doesn’t, I know Blake will.”

“So, there’s a chance she’s gonna absolutely hate me.” My voice whines softly as Holden scoffs out a laugh.

Holden stands from his bike, takes a step towards me, and leans in. The smell of motor oil and spice mixed with a faint hint of coffee surrounds me, swirling the butterflies in my stomach.

“Just turn on that shining personality, Princess. You’ll be fine.” He smirks, his voice low and graveled as he stands back up.

“I have a name, you know. Unless that brain of yours is too small to figure that out.” I sneer, my face dropping as I stare pointedly at him. I’m tired of him getting in every little dig that he can. It’s driving me insane, along with the fact that whenever he is near me, it’s like there is an electric buzz between us.

Darkening blue eyes stare back at me, narrowing as his tongue drags across his bottom lip before bringing it between his teeth. My eyes track the movement. His lips are plush and pink from the cold but the more he gnaws on it the more I feel myself growing warm.

The corners of his mouth curl upwards slightly as Cole waves a hand between us, “Can you two get along for literally one night?”

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