Page 48 of Red Flag, Green Light

It takes a solid hour for me to not mention the bikeathon a single time. A solid hour for the guy to tell me all about how he got into biking and started his own business. A solid hour before I’m standing out in front of the store, beside Mars’s Honda Civic, with a bike.

“Pink, huh?” Mars comments.

“Shut up.”

“I would have thought you’d pick green.”

“Shut up.” Heat rises to my cheeks, blistering my flesh.

“Pink’s super cute, though. Who knew you were a pink girlie?”

I havealwaysbeen a pink girlie. With a penchant for nature tones. On account of their calming aura and the fact I am, naturally, super dupercalm.

“I will actually strangle you to death with your own bike’s inner tube if you don’tshut up.” Breath scours my lungs as I force them to fill. I just bought a bike. A three hundred dollar bike. What is wrong with me?

Mars opens his mouth, deathly serious. “Ceres, that isexactlyhow I want to die.” Offering me his bike tube, he warms, expression tender in the scorching, unforgiving sunlight. “If you’d be so kind.”

My eyes narrow. “I can’t ride a bike, Mars. How am I supposed to get this back home? Also, we’re supposed to be going to the grocery store right now. Andanother thing, I don’t want a stupid bike! I was supposed to get things situated for your bikeathon! Not buy a bike!”

His lips quirk. “Now you can learn and be in it with me.” He puts his tube back in his pocket. “For charity.”

“No.”

“Think of the sharks.”

“No.”

Taking a step forward, he puts nothing but this stupid pink bike with a frilly white basket between us. His bright green eyes ignite. “Do stop tempting me, little goddess. I’ve always heard that word like a challenge.”

“What a deeply concerning thing to say.”

His smile stretches, and his fingers graze mine as they slip the handlebars from my grasp.

“What do you think you’re—”

“I’ll meet you back at home, then we’ll go shopping.” He tucks his car keys into my hand. “Race ya.”

“What? No. Ma—”

Swinging himself onto the padded white bubble seat, Mars takes off like a pink bullet toward home…without me.

Chapter Fifteen

Emotionally unprepared for this.

Mars

“How come you’re more out of breath than I am?” I ask the moment after Ceres pulls my car into her driveway, opens the driver side door, and slams it shut. I won. In case anyone was wondering. A headstart on these curving roads and getting a few cars piling up behind me was all it took to secure my victory.

Face red, Ceres pulls air in and clenches her fists at her sides as she marches up to me. Slamming my keys against my chest, she hisses, “Neverdo that again.” Gripping, she gathers cloth up along with my keyfob, and my vehicle locks and beeps when the buttons mash. “You donotleave meanywherealone like thatever again.” Her voice cracks. “Do you hear me?”

The mirth of my victory trickles away, and I catch my keys when she lets them go. “Yeah,” I offer. “Sorry. I didn’t… Sorry.”

Her teary eyes close, and sunlight shimmers across her flushed skin as she composes herself. A swallow moves her throat, and every nerve in my body electrifies as ideas roam my skull. I could so easily pull her in, hold her close, tight, warm,safe, and kiss the blood from her face until her heart has a chance to slow.

Instead, I grimace and force my gaze off her, because it’sreallynot healthy relationship goals of me to be thinking about anything like that right now. She’sscared. And it’s my fault. And I’m supposed to be repenting, not thinking about how to take advantage of the opportunities I’ve caused.

It’s not like I’d have the guts, anyway. I’m far too worried it’ll make her hate me if she’s the type youdo not touchwhen they’re overstimulated. I understand that. As a rule, I’m not big on touch, either. Except…well…there’s that thing about exceptions to the rules again, huh?

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