Page 30 of My Undead Heart
“You have a bike.” The words leave my lips with disbelief.
“What? Don’t I seem like the kind of man to have one?” He almost acts defensive.
“Yeah, actually that’s very fitting. But where I am supposed to sit?”
“On the back.” He messes around with the side of his motorcycle and produces a helmet. His voice drops low. “Mia, have you never ridden a bike before?”
“Only the childhood variety.”
“Here.” He hands me a helmet. “Put this on.”
“What about you?” I slip the helmet over my messy ponytail and buckle it so it fits snug on my head.
He straddles the hunk of metal and starts the motor with a loud roar, pushing away from the wall to roll up next to my side. “Don’t worry about me. Get on. Watch your leg.” He holds out his hand, but instead I reach for his shoulders and mount the death machine. My mother’s warnings from my youth about what a bad idea this is ring in my head.Motorcycles are dangerous, Mia.
“Ready?” he shouts.
“As much as I’ll ever be. I’m not sure this is safe!” I yell back because I’m pretty sure he should be wearing head protection. I wrap my arms around his waist so I don’t fall off but in turn can’t help the way my body charges with a natural attraction in this position. We were this close on the mats tonight, but this is different. More intimate. I’m no longer practicing combat against an attacker. He’s just a man on a motorcycle and I’m the woman trusting him to drive me home.
“Hold on tight!” It’s the only warning he gives before the bike surges forward into the night. The buildings blur by along with streetlights and signs while the air sneaks under my sweatshirt, working goosebumps across my skin. It’s invigorating and thrilling at the same time, and even a little magical.
I try not to overanalyze the warm feeling that spreads from my belly to the rest of my body as Matt sprints us across the city. Or the way his solid chest tempts my fingers to do more than hold on. Especially not the fact I wish I lived further away because there isn’t one part of me that wants to get off this bike right now or say good-bye to the man driving.
