Page 132 of Those Who Are Bound

Sliding by him, purposefully brushing against him with a teasing expression, she asked, “Are you taking me out to the woods to dump my body?”

He chuckled. “No. There will be plenty of people around.”

Crossing the deck to the steps, she looked out over the railing toward his Jeep. “You weren’t kidding.” Two bikes were attached to the back of the vehicle.

“I wasn’t.” He followed her down the stairs. “We’re going to the Trolley Track Trail. Ever been?”

Elliott shrugged. “No; I’ve driven along it.” She was a little excited; she’d seen others speeding along on bikes or walking with their families. The path wound its way from the Plaza and through the Brookside and Waldo neighborhoods of Kansas City. It always looked likesomething fun to dosomeday, but Jonah was taking her today.

In the car, he handed her a water bottle. “Hydrate.”

“If I hydrate, I’ll need to pee.”

Starting the vehicle, he gave her a no-nonsense look. “Hydrate.”

“Okay, I’m just saying…” She unscrewed the cap and drank.

On the way, he informed her, “We’re going to start at Brush Creek and head up through the neighborhoods. Plenty of places to pee along the way.” He grinned.

“Har, har, har.”

In the parking lot, he readied the bikes while she wandered around, checking out the view of the Kansas City Plaza, the creek, and the surrounding buildings. Other bikers and joggers were making use of the trail on an arid yet sunny day.

“Prep.”

His brusque order excited her. Of course, he was a safety-conscious man, and she understood; she prepped before she took a swing at the bag. But she still appreciated the command—of course, her imagination may have added more of a bite to it.

They applied sunscreen, stretched out, and tested the height of the seat for comfort.

He asked mischievously, “Sore today?”

She tossed him a mildly malevolent look and answered, “Is there a reason I would be?” But, yes…

For two seconds, he looked like he was about to give her a reason to be—another one, actually—and her pulse skyrocketed so quickly she was almost dizzy. But he shook his head at her and handed her a helmet.

They mounted up and headed out, Elliott trailing behind. She knew the trail, knew there was only one way he was heading, but letting him take the lead was more natural. Where they didn’t have the space to ride next to one another—and he’d drop back for her—she was content to follow behind.

Bike riding wasn’t usually a thing for her, but she enjoyed Jonah’s adventures. Watching him was a treat, too. He concentrated as much while riding a bike as he did on his motorcycle, looking out for others, and she suspected, for her. His firm ass was spectacular, the curve of his back, the strength and shape of his arms. She knew the power behind all of those muscles, all beautifully packaged in one hell of a handsome man.

She was so caught up in her daydream of him that when he stopped suddenly, she skidded into his rear tire with an “Ohmigawd.” Gravel was kicked up as her abrupt stop knocked her bike sideways, and she planted her feet on the ground.

Jonah stabilized himself and his bike, his head whipping around, concern on his face. “Are you okay?”

Sheepishly, she answered, “I… didn’t see you.”

First, he frowned, then he grinned knowingly. “Uh-huh. Stop daydreaming, Rork.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t stop without warning, Montgomery.”

He pointed. “Family.”

They were at a pedestrian crosswalk. A young family was crossing the path, twin daughters merrily skipping beside one another. They were oblivious to the fact that Elliott would have plowed right over them while caught up in her drooling fantasies. One of the little girls waved at her. She waved back. If she hadn’t been ogling Jonah, she would have seen them.

Giving her another amused once-over, he faced away and mounted back up.

Feeling chastened, she followed, trying not to staretoomuch this time. It was his fault he was artwork in motion. But she did need to watch him for cues on when to drink. Almost as though he knew she was watching for his lead, he’d slow, remove the water bottle from its holder, and give her a profile of himself squirting the liquid into his mouth. At least, she thought that’s why he did it.

She didn’t have a good gauge for how long they rode, but her legs were beginning to feel like rubber. It wasn’t a challenging path, thankfully, as it had no real elevation. But she was still sweating. By the time he swung his bike around, she almost cheered.

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