Page 55 of Property of Fox

I twist the throttle, and the bike lunges ahead. Brea's infectious laughter fills my senses, a melody I hadn't known I yearned for until it reached my ears.

We follow a twisting path that guides us far from civilization, bordered by sprawling fields unfurling like an emerald tapestry under the blazing summer sky. I sense her subtle shift as she maneuvers to balance herself through each curve. With every lean, we draw nearer.

"Where are we headed?" she hollers above the thunderous rumble of the engine, her excitement painting her cheeks with a rosy hue.

“Wherever the road takes us, firefly.”

Minutes turn into hours, time slips away leaving only Brea’s body against mine, and the open road. The sky, once a brilliant blue canvas, darkens ominously as clouds roll. I catch sight of the first flicker of lightning far off in the distance. A rumble echoes through the air.

“Is that bad?” Brea asks against my back.

“We’re going to have to pull off and let it pass.”

Brea’s grip tightens instinctively as she nods fervently. It doesn’t take long before we spot it. An old barn standing lonely on a hill rise. It’s not ideal, but it will have to do. The last thing I want to do is lay down the bike with Brea on the back of it. I would never be able to live with myself if she got hurt.

I steer towards it with urgency, navigating around puddles beginning to form along our path until finally parking beneath one sagging eave at its entrance. Heavy raindrops start peppering down almost immediately after shutting off theengine. “Let’s find a way inside.” The large doors at the front of the barn are locked with a weathered chain, but Brea taps me on the shoulder, pointing to a door on the side of the building. We make our way to it, rain pouring down in sheets now, and with a few tugs, it opens with a groan.

Inside, the barn smells rich like aged wood and hay, a stark contrast to the storm outside. I step in first, then turn to help Brea through the doorway, my hand hovering at her waist before she brushes it off with a grin.

“Not bad for a rainy-day hideout,” I say, scanning our new surroundings.

“Reminds me of something right out of a romance novel,” she replies, her eyes sparkling as she spins slowly to take it all in. “You know, the brooding hero and the damsel caught in a storm…”

“Hey now, I’m no damsel,” I laugh while leaning against a wooden beam. “More like the rogue biker ready to sweep you off your feet.”

She rolls her eyes but can’t suppress her smile. “Right. More like just a guy with a motorcycle looking for an excuse to use it.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

Brea wanders deeper into the barn. The wind howls outside, clattering against the barn like desperate hands seeking entrance. We choose to ignore it for now, the intimacy of this moment bringing us closer together.

“So, what do we do now?” Brea asks as lightning strikes close by, shaking the ground underneath us.

“Until this storm passes, we’re stuck here.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I would think you’d planned this. Far from town, creepy barn, no one around.”

“Really?”

“I call it how I see it. What can I say?”

The wind howls like a wounded animal outside, but her voice draws me back to the warmth within the barn walls. I can’t help but grin at her sass. It’s infectious. “You caught me,” I say, crossing my arms with mock defeat. “This was all part of my grand plan.”

She chuckles softly, leaning against an old tractor that creaks in protest as she glances sideways at me through thick lashes.

Suddenly, there’s another crack of thunder above us. A deafening crash reverberates through the barn, and Brea jumps slightly before scrambling toward where I'm standing beneath a beam near the door instead.

“Storm's getting rougher,” she remarks, pressing close enough for our bodies to brush together.

I breathe deeply in this momentary stillness while feeling something primal awaken within. The urge to claim her. Our gazes lock hard in unspoken agreement amidst raging weather outside

Without thinking much about it, I step closer until we’re nearly chest-to-chest now, two coiled springs ready to unravel.

“Brea,” I say softly.

“Fox,” she breathes, grounding me even more. Her green eyes glint like emeralds in the faint light. The storm rages outside, but here, within these walls, it feels as if time has stopped.

“Fuck it,” I mutter as I grab Brea's neck and pull her towards me, pressing my lips against hers with force. There’s a brief moment of surprise that flickers in her green eyes before they flutter shut, surrendering to the rush of passion roaring to life between us. I tuck her closer, feeling the defiance melt away as she sinks into me—fingers threading into my hair, pulling me deeper into this confounding connection.

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