Page 47 of Follow Me Down

Chapter Twelve

Fallon

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Iruffle through mysuitcase, trying to find something to wear. Tossing my dead cell phone onto the bed, I drop my cosmetics bag next to it, trying to make it easier to see what clean clothes I still have inside. I only packed with the expectation of being gone for a week and given that I’ve already been here over a week, I’m running out of options. I guess I’m going to have to do a load of laundry soon or I’ll end up wearing dirty clothes as my clean options are nearly gone.

It’s hard to believe that nine days have already passed since Titus brought me here. Nine days since I climbed on the back of his motorcycle, scared out of my mind. Nine days since I made the choice not to return home. And even though I didn’t know it then, these last few days have been the best of my life.

Titus gave up sneaking into his room after that first night. I guess he figured since Link already pieced it together, there wasn’t any point in trying to hide it. As such, I’ve spent the last few nights falling asleep in his arms and waking up in them too. Of course, we haven’t gotten that much sleep. Not that I mind. I can take being a little tired. The tradeoff is well worth it.

Finally settling on a girly skull and bones top and shorts, I slip inside the bathroom to finish getting ready. Titus is taking me out on the bike today. He didn’t say where we were going, only to make sure I wore a bathing suit under my clothes.

I swear, if he takes me to another questionable pond in the middle of nowhere, I might jump on his motorcycle and leave him there. That is, I would, if I knew the first thing about driving a motorcycle.

When I exit the bedroom a few minutes later, my blonde curls tied up in a messy bun, Titus is lounging on the couch waiting for me.

I smile at the sight of him, looking incredibly sexy in dark jeans and a gray shirt with cutoff sleeves. He stands when I enter the room.

“You ready?” His eyes do a full sweep of my body before finally making their way to my face.

“Yep.” I rock back on my heels. “You going to tell me where we’re going?”

“Nope.” He grins, a chunk of hair falling into his face as he leans down and slides his boots on. “We don’t have a plan.” He stands upright. “Let’s just see where the day takes us.”

“I think I like the sound of that,” I admit.

While being here has been incredible, I’m starting to get a little stir crazy being cooped up here all the time. I’m used to constantly being on the go, my father shuffling me from one social event to the next. It’s strange to wake up and have no idea what the day will hold. Strange and yet freeing at the same time.

“Come on.” He takes my hand and tugs me toward the door and out onto the porch.

The early afternoon summer heat is stifling. It feels like the temperature has doubled in the last week. Then again, that’s usually how it happens. One day it’s tolerable and the next it’s smoldering.

Titus already has his bike pulled up next to the house, two helmets resting on the top step of the porch. Releasing my hand, he snags them, handing me one before making his way down the stairs.

I slip my helmet on as I reach the bike, watching Titus do the same before he climbs on.

I’m both excited and nervous to spend the day with him. Even though we’ve basically been inseparable, this feels different somehow.

Titus waits until I climb on the bike behind him before kicking up the kickstand and firing the engine to life. It rumbles beneath us.

I wrap my arms around his middle and scoot in closer, resting the side of my helmet on his back. Even though I’ve had this man naked on top of me, nothing beats this feeling. My body pressed close to his. The vibration of the motorcycle beneath me. The wind on my face as he pops the bike into gear and pulls out onto the road.

This is it.

This is the life.

We drive for what feels like hours. I watch the scenery change the further away from the cabin we get. Thick woods replaced by open roads and buildings.

We drive through a few different towns, none of which I recognize, stopping at one to grab something to eat before continuing on our trip.

The sun is perched high above us when I catch the first scent of ocean in the air. There’s something indescribable about it. The way the saltwater fills my senses. I can feel it before I see it.

It isn’t long before the beach comes into view, the beautiful blue water extending out as far as the eye can see. I smile to myself and squeeze Titus tighter, excitement growing in my chest.

Given that I grew up about three hours from the beach, going to the ocean isn’t something I got to do as much as one might imagine. At least not after my mom died.

When I was little, I used to go with my mom a handful of times every year. It was always something we would do together. Mom and daughter bonding without my dad. We’d play in the sand, with beach hats the size of umbrellas perched on our heads as we built castles and waded in the water. I guess after she passed I didn’t feel right coming without her. That, and my father has never been a fan of the beach, so he always refused to take me.

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