Page 58 of Taken By Sin

“For what?”

“You’ll see.” He grins, playful and boyish, and my chest tightens upon seeing him in this manner.

The further he gets from the city, the more relaxed his shoulders become; you can tell his lifestyle has an effect on him.

We step out into the chill, the leaves crunching underfoot as he leads me to the water’s edge. He leans to pick up a smooth, flat stone, then flicks it toward the surface. It skips once, twice, three times before sinking.

“Not bad,” I say, crossing my arms against the cold.

He hands me a stone. “Your turn.”

I laugh, but I try anyway. The rock plunks into the water without a single skip, and I groan, embarrassed. He’s laughing now, the sound low and warm. “It’s all in the wrist,” he teases, reaching for my hand and winking. I know what he can dowith those wrists, and the thought of his fingers sends shivers down my spine.

And just like that, we’re standing closer than we have all day, his hand guiding mine, the air between us electric.

The countryside is quiet around us, but all I can hear is the sound of my own breath, and his, mingling in the crisp autumn air as he guides my hand, showing me how to skip rocks.

“You’re quiet,” he notes, his voice soft, almost teasing as I skip another.

I smile, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Just taking it all in.” Nervously, I don’t want to admit that this feels more like a date than anything I’ve ever known.

“What do you say you take over?” He gestures back towards the car. The face I give him must be hilarious because he doubles over in laughter, throwing his arm around me. “You’re going to do great.”

“What if drive this brand-new car directly into the river? Will you be so chipper then?” I quip.

He shrugs. “It has insurance, but we won’t need it.”

I pan around the empty area. “Where is your detail?” I ask.

He shakes his head, opening the driver’s side door for me. “You don’t need detail when you're with me.”

A small laugh escapes me as I climb behind the wheel. “I don’t mean for me. I mean for you because you’re about to get in the passenger side with a woman who doesn’t know how to drive.”

My fingers tremble as I hold the wheel. My knuckles are white as I grip it, and I glance nervously at the narrow country road ahead. River to my left, yawning fields to my right. “I think a parking lot would have been safer.”

“Relax,” he says, his voice calm, almost teasing. He’s sitting in the passenger seat, one arm draped casually over the console, the other resting on the door. “You’ve got this. We’ve seen, what, ten cars since we left the city?”

“I don’t,” I say, biting my lip. “This feels… unnatural.”

He chuckles softly, the sound low and warm. “It’s just a car. And the road isn’t fighting you, I promise.”

I glance at him, and the look in his eyes steadies me; something about the quiet confidence like he knows I’m capable even if I don’t. I take a breath, loosening my grip on the wheel. The car wobbles slightly, and my heart jumps.

“Good,” he praises. “Now keep your eyes ahead. Let it come naturally. You don’t have to control every inch of the road.”

I try to focus on his words, but his nearness is distracting. The way he leans in just enough to see the speedometer, his shoulder brushing mine, his voice soothing.

“You’re doing fine,” he assures me. “See that bend up ahead? Ease into it. Don’t fight the turn.”

I nod, exhaling as I guide the car into the curve. It feels smoother than I expect, the tires gliding over the road. My grip on the wheel softens a little more.

“There you go,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice. “See? Not so bad.”

“It’s terrifying,” I retort, but I can’t help the small laughthat escapes my lips. His laugh joins mine, rich and full, filling the space between us.

“Okay, now gently—gently—press the brake,” he instructs, pointing toward an upcoming stop sign. His hand hovers over my left knee, just in case, and the reassurance settles me more than the words.

I do as he says, the car slowing smoothly. When it comes to a full stop, I let out a shaky breath, a mix of relief and pride washing over me.

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