Page 25 of Panther's Magpie
Carefully, I get off the bike and then help her. I can’t help but smile as her legs shake as she stands for the first time in hours. She looks like a newborn foal, all wobbly.
“Holy shit, that was awesome.”
When she takes off the helmet, her smile hits me like a gut punch.
Goddamn, is she gorgeous.
I thought it when I saw her for the first time in years, and I’ve been trying to ignore it ever since. I’m too tired to even try today, though. I can admit that she’s beautiful and not act on it. I have more control than that.
“Hey, are you okay?” she asks as she touches my arm lightly.
I shake my head. “Yeah, sorry, just thinking. You liked it, though?”
“Like it, try love it,” she says, making me laugh.
“Yeah, I felt the same way when I got on a bike for the first time.”
“My legs feel like Jell-O.” She holds out her hands as she walks as if she’s trying to keep balanced.
I could make your legs feel like Jell-O in another way.
I shake the thought away as I move to my saddlebag. I pull out two bottles of water and hand one to her.
“I was wondering what you kept in there. Thank you,” she says as she takes it.
“Just some basics in case I break down somewhere or need to pull over for a night,” I tell her.
I brush past her and head toward the bench that overlooks the valley. Maggie falls into step next to me, and when we come to a stop, we stay silent for a few moments. Just admiring the scenery.
I’ve traveled all over the States, been to another country or two, but nothing compares to our little slice of Colorado. I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is where I’m supposed to be. It’s home.
“You know, I love California, but it doesn’t compare,” she says softly.
“Nothing is quite like this.”
“You love it here?” she asks, her voice low as if she will disturb the nature.
I like that. I like that she respects Mother Nature and all that comes with it.
“I do.”
“Me too. Even with the less-than-stellar memories,” she says as she takes a seat.
I sit down next to her. “What do you mean?”
She chews on the corner of her lip, and I have to stop myself from reaching out and removing her lip from between her teeth.
Jesus Christ. The last thing we need is for me to come on to her.
“My childhood wasn’t bad, at least not compared to yours or Aspen’s, but it still wasn’t great. I was lonely. So fucking lonely.” She smiles softly. “And then I met Aspen.”
“And you never had a chance to be lonely again,” I murmur, making her laugh.
“Exactly. She forced her way into my life, and I haven’t had a moment of peace since.”
“Yeah, she has a way of doing that, doesn’t she?” I muse.
“We love her for it, though.”
