Page 52 of Dare to Fall

“Are you ready?” Garth asked, breaking through my inappropriate thoughts.

“Mmhmm.” I nodded.

With my hand in his, he held me steady while I slipped onto the back of his motorcycle. Garth turned around and buckled the strap under the helmet, making sure it was secure. Our bodies shifted forward as I leaned into his strong back, my arms wrapping around his muscular waist. His abdomen flexed under my fingertips as I tried not to squirm at the rush of adrenaline flying through my veins—and it wasn’t from being on the back of a motorcycle.

“Hold on tight,” Garth whispered over his shoulder. His deep voice sent a shiver of desire through my body.

The engine thrummed to life along with my heart that had been buried in the dust of hurt and betrayal for far too long.

27

Garth

The air was coolerthan it normally was for early fall in Florida. As I navigated through the busy Friday night streets, Eva’s grip around my waist tightened when I sped up and took turns.

I wasn’t quite sure what prompted me to ask her to come with me, but I was quickly figuring out just how much Eva impacted me. It was out of my control, my need to protect her and the desire to always be around her.

And when she told me that her douchebag boyfriend was cheating on her, I wanted all her pain to go away. I couldn’t stand seeing her cry, especially because of another man. He didn’t deserve her. That much was clear. I’d never understood why someone would cheat on their partner when the easier option was to end the relationship and move on.

The conversation with my mother from a few weeks back entered my mind. There were rumors circling the campus of a professor having an affair with a student. It would be really bad press for the university when the news got out, and my mother would be tasked with handling the shitstorm. Not to mention, Eva would probably get dragged into it all if she chose to continue dating the guy.

A knot formed in my stomach at the thought of her going back to him. It wasn’t just that I wanted to see where this could go between her and me. I found it incredibly difficult to think of her stifling her potential and changing her dreams because a man wanted her to. I saw so much of the same struggles I endured with my father in what Eva was facing now. The tug-of-war between pleasing those she cared for and following her heart was exhausting. At some point, one side would lose, and she would have to deal with the fallout.

Depending on the intensity of those around her, the fallout could be catastrophic, just like it had been with my parents.

We pulled up to a stoplight, and I turned around to see how she was doing. White beams of moonlight shined down, illuminating the auburn strands of her long hair. A deep crimson showed off the perfect pout of her lips. I wanted so badly to tug on her bottom lip between my teeth. And she looked so fucking cute in my helmet as she beamed up at me.

“Are you having fun?”

“Yes!” Her breath tickled the back of my neck, and I reached down to give her hands a squeeze.

As the light turned green, I put my hands back on the handlebars and revved us onto the highway on-ramp. Eva squealed as we got up to speed. I felt her arms tighten around my waist as she leaned harder against my back. I let out a shuddering breath at the feel of her supple breasts and tight little body pushed against me. It was almost impossible not to pull over and claim her mouth with my own.

We sped through the evening traffic as we made our way downtown. Skyscrapers darted toward the night sky. Not a single star twinkled against the luminous lights of the city skyline. It was one of the things I missed most about my childhood home. My parents had bought an estate on the outskirts of the city with over fifty acres of land where the only things that blocked the starlight were summer thunderstorms.

Taking an exit off the highway, I drove a few blocks into the city to the eighth floor of a parking garage and cut the engine. I offered Eva my hand as she slid off the back seat and unbuckled the helmet.

She ruffled her fingers through her long hair. It fell in gentle waves down her back. My gaze traced down her body where her feet were strapped into tall heels that made her toned legs look even longer. The curve of her body was accentuated in the tight leather leggings she paired with a tight top and velvet blazer. I swallowed against the dryness of my throat as I tried to hold it together. She was so striking it took the breath from my lungs.

“What?” she asked as she caught me gawking at her.

“You’re so beautiful, Eva.”

Her cheeks flushed, turning a pale pink that gave away all her secrets. Every fiber of my being ached with the need to reach out and touch the softness of her supple skin. The tension was thick in the air between us as I climbed off my motorcycle and walked toward her.

She didn’t waver as I invaded her space.

“Are you ready?”

“For what?” she breathed as her eyes flickered to my lips.

“For what I’m about to show you.”

Her eyes closed as I finally conceded against my will and trailed the tips of my fingers from the side of her cheek down the length of her neck.

“I…I think so,” she stammered.

I leaned down and whispered into her ear, “I hope you’re not afraid of heights.”

---