Page 76 of All We Want for Christmas
She probably would really hate it, thought Lara, but, no matter how much, there was no way she’d embarrass herself by chickening out now.
‘Let’s put our helmets on.’
A minute of fiddling later and Lara felt she’d entered a new realm. No one from the castle or among her friends would have ever imagined serious, geeky Lara as a biker chick. Lara herself would never have dreamed of it either.
‘So, are you ready to live dangerously?’
Lara’s stomach turned over. ‘I wish you hadn’t said that!’
‘I was joking. We’re as safe as houses.’ He flipped her visor down and held the bike steady while she climbed on the back of it.
It was only as the Harley’s engine roared into life and the vibrations swept her body that she remembered the chalice and its chip. If by some twist of fate their luck was going to run out, she just prayed it wasn’t during the next few hours.
By the time Flynn pulled into a layby next to the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, she had no idea how much of her life had flashed by.
Lara also wasn’t sure she’d ever hear anything again. The power of the Harley was astounding and riding behind Flynn was nothing whatsoever like anything she’d ever done. It was like getting on the back of a wild horse compared to her old faithful Land Rover.
‘You can let go now,’ he called, kicking the stand down.
‘Oh.’ She realised that her arms were wound tightly around his waist. They had been since the first set of traffic lights when she’d transferred them to him and forgotten to let go.
‘And it’s safe to get off.’ Flynn twisted round, his visor now open and his eyes gleaming.
There was so much tension in her body, she wasn’t sure she could lift her leg. It felt like a wrench to take her hands from his waist, and how had the scent of leather and petrol never turned her on before?
Her legs felt wobbly but she made it safely onto the tarmac. She flipped up the visor.
Flynn had taken off his helmet and pushed his hair back off his face. ‘You’re alive,’ he said, rather gleefully, Lara thought.
‘B-barely,’ Lara said, taking off her own helmet.
‘How was it?’
‘You s-said you w-wouldn’t go very fast.’
‘I didn’t. I stuck to the speed limit or lower all the way.’
‘It felt like we were doing a hundred miles an hour.’
‘Not today.’ His dark eyes glinted wickedly. ‘Great, isn’t it?’
She tried not to think of all the biker clichés about throbbing power and being exposed to the elements, but the rush on the corners and the straights had been mind-blowing. The mountains and lakes had flashed by her in a blur of brown and white and indigo.
‘Are you OK to go on?’
Lara wasn’t sure she could speak again so she nodded. ‘Of course. Bring it on.’
The latter part of the route was more sedate as they rode into Keswick, found a parking spot for the bike, and headed into the little town, where the square was buzzing with stalls set up for the Christmas market. With the big day imminent, the stalls were doing a roaring trade as everyone scrambled for gifts and festive food.
Lara took off the helmet and was glad she’d tied her hair back to keep it from turning into a bird’s nest. Even so, she could barely believe that the biker girl reflected in the shop windows was her. She wished her parents could see her. She rather hoped they’d be horrified.
‘What’s funny?’ Flynn asked, outside the Peter Rabbit shop.
‘Nothing. Nothing at all. Shall we go inside? I think we’llfind something for Esme in here. I don’t think you can go wrong with Peter Rabbit, and it isveryLake District. Beatrix Potter lived and wrote her books here.’
Flynn wrinkled his nose and heaved a sigh.
‘What’s up? You look nervous.’
