Page 116 of A Love Like Venom

I breathe him in, the scent of cigarettes and male musk that’s distinctively him fills my nostrils.

And as we stand here in each other’s arms the whole world fades away.

“I could hold you forever and still it wouldn’t be enough.” He holds me tighter, afraid that I might slip through his fingers.

“I’m not going anywhere, Reed,” I promise him.

“I know,” he says gruffly then continues, “I just want to hold you, Alice. You’re everything beautiful in this world and yet you still chose me. You make me believe that I’m enough.”

I squeeze him a little tighter. “Because you are Reed Carter.”

He doesn’t say anything back but I don’t expect him to. There’s too many conflicting emotions going on inside of him for him to say what he feels.

But by the way his heart beats erratically and his arms holding me tighter I know my words affected him.

I just hope that one day he believes in himself the way I believe in him.

“Come on, before I give everyone a show,” he eventually says in a lighter tone. Straddling on his bike he then leaves an outstretched hand for me.

Taking it I then happily hop on the back of his bike and snuggle close to him. With my arms wrapped around his waistand my head resting against his back I’m ready for him to take me anywhere.

Over his shoulder he asks, “You ready?”

“With you? Always,” I tell him warmly.

Then he speeds away from the compound and I squeal in delight.

I can hear him laughing over the roar of the engine.

This moment right here, this is another moment to save forever.

It doesn’t take us long for him to arrive at his secret location. With all the traffic laws he broke I would say it’s a surprise that we didn’t even get pulled over.

He parks the bike in a gravel like parking area but no other cars are here.

Trees full of bright and dark green leaves surround us but straight up ahead there is a clear path that must lead to somewhere.

As he swings his leg over the handle bars of his bike he looks over to me with a playful look in his eyes.

This is new. This is a side to him I haven’t seen before.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?” He innocently asks. It’s adorable but foolish. There is no way he can pull off being innocent. Not with that smile full of mischief.

I give him a pointed stare but end up smiling. What can I say, his smiles are infectious. “What are you up to?”

Getting off his bike he holds his hand out to me once again. “Trust me?” He repeats the same question from earlier.

“You know I do.”

“Then close your eyes.”

They narrow instead. “Close my eyes?”

“Take my hand and close your eyes,” he orders and like the good girl that I am I follow.

After slipping my hand in his I then close my eyes.

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