Page 64 of Burnout
I’m not surprised in the least when he walks straight to the motorcycle game.
“How lucky that they have a game especially for you.”
He taps the seat. “Hop on.”
I arch a brow.
He takes my hand and pulls me toward it. I don’t object any further. At least tonight I’m in jeans instead of a dress. I sit on the red motorcycle. It’s attached to a base, but still moves side to side. There’s a large screen in front of it.
I run a hand along the top of the motorcycle then wrap my fingers around the handle. “I’ve never driven a motorcycle before.”
He inserts money into the game and then presses a few buttons on the screen. I watch him more than what he selects.
“You want to watch me pretend to ride a motorcycle?” I ask.
He leans toward me and whispers, “I’d rather have you on the back of mine again, but this will do for now.”
His lips are so close I could tip my head up and our mouths would meet. I consider it, but then he moves back and presses the big green button and the game comes alive.
My competitiveness sparks and I try out the gas and brake to get a feel for it. The other riders in the game are flying past me as I get my bearings.
“The idea is to be the first person to cross the finish line,” he says, voice laced with humor.
“Shut up. I’ve got this,” I tell him, even though I definitely don’t have this. I spend more time trying to keep myself on the track than anything else.
I lose focus of Knox and concentrate solely on the game. I do not want to come in dead last and I’m frustrated that I keep running off the damn road.
I startle when I feel his body behind me. His chest is flush against my back and his arms come up on either side of me, hands draping over mine. He controls the bike and I’m able to speed up a little more. I come in twelfth place.
We both lean back in the seat when the race is over. I glance over my shoulder. “I had it. I didn’t need your help.”
“Sorry. I couldn’t help it. Watching you swerve across the track was too much for me.” He brushes my hair back over my shoulder. “Wanna get out of here for a bit?”
“I can’t.” Goosebumps rise where his fingers graze my skin.
“Why not?”
“It’s Colter’s birthday.”
“So?”
I laugh and shake my head. “Tonight is about him.”
“I already bought his drinks and told him happy birthday,” he says, but he’s grinning like he knows as well as I do that he needs to stick around.
“When is your birthday?”
“September fifth. Yours?”
“August second.” I turn around to face him, placing both legs on one side of the bike. A beat of silence hangs between us. It isn’t uncomfortable but I still hurry to disrupt it. “How was your week?”
He bites his bottom lip as he leans closer. “Had promise mid-week, but the past couple of days have been underwhelming.”
The blatant flirting is a surprise. I came tonight hoping to kiss him again, but he seems so certain that he’s already won me over that I can’t help but enjoy playing hard to get.
“Miss me?” I ask, but I don’t wait for him to reply. “Or miss my awesome workouts?”
His eyes light up with amusement as he laughs.
