Page 79 of Bound By Temptation

“But this is more fun.”

His smile was broad, and I felt myself falling into it. I’d missed that smile. The one where I knew he was thinking something and desperately wanted to know what it was. Yes, that was his killer smile.

“Fun for who? You?”

“Promise it’ll be fun for the both of us.” He leaned down and kissed me stupid, then hopped on his bike, and I got on the back.

Without a second thought, I wrapped my arms around his waist and snuggled my front to his back. When the bike started, I could feel the beast under me.

Ax was seventeen when he got his motorcycle license, and I was the first one on the back of his bike. He’d take me for long drives on the winding roads with nothing but the breeze and sun surrounding us. I loved those days.

We just rode to wherever we ended up, and then we’d come back home. Personally, I always loved the trip there best just because of the excitement of the unknown, something new. But riding back wasn’t bad in the least.

I braided my hair, and it hung long down my back. The leather coat and jeans would protect me from the wind. It was nothing fancy, but when a man says “get dressed to ride a bike, and let’s go” you do what you can.

How he knew I was home was a mystery. I’d only walked in the door fifteen minutes ago. But there he was, ready for a ride.

I sucked in a deep breath smelling dirt and grass as Ax took off like a shot.

We rode for a while, my body completely giving over to the freedom that came when I rode with Ax.

In the zone so much that it wasn’t until the lights caught my attention that I knew where we were.

He killed the bike and I got off, having to shake my legs just a bit. It had been a long time since I’d been on a bike that long.

Ax got off, unsnapping my helmet and putting it in the little case of the side of his bike.

“A carnival?” I asked, hearing all the sounds instantly once the bike shut off. Music and laughter billowed out as the lights flashed in every color of the rainbow.

People were everywhere, and the bell on one of the games rang in the distance.

It was time for me to smile and look up at Ax. “I haven’t been here since the last time you brought me.”

Ax ginned, leaned down, and kissed me on the temple. “Come on.” He took my hand, and we walked through the grass hand and hand to the entrance.

A childlike giddiness filled me. When I was a child, my mother would bring the five of us here on the ride bracelet day when we could ride and ride and ride until we puked.

It was a huge challenge on who could last the longest. The spinning tilt-a-whirl did me in every damn time.

When I relayed this story to Ax, he brought me to the carnival. While our challenge wasn’t going until we puked, it was seriously fun.

“I am so winning!” I told Ax as we made our way to the entrance, and I reached for the cash in my pocket to pay.

“Don’t even think about it,” he growled at me, making me stop and look up.

“What?”

“Don’t wanna know the men in your life, but if one of them made you pay for shit ever, they’ll be on my kill list.”

I shook my head and elbowed him. “It’s 2022, Ax. Women pay for stuff now.”

He stopped and pulled me up against him. “Gotta know this about me, babe, and you gotta let me do it. It’s important to me. It’s how I was raised. You’ve seen it with my folks. Already told you, you are my queen. You’ve gotta give me the space to take care of you. That includes payin’ for shit. Includes cleanin’ the kitchen. Holdin’ your hand and keepin’ you close. It’s not that I don’t think you can do it on your own. I know that. You’ve been doin’ that, and I’m not gonna take over your life. It’s important to me to do what I need to do for you, whatever that may be. Here right now, that’s payin’ for everything and havin’ a fuckin’ great time.”

Was I breathing?

No. There was no way because my chest was so tight it felt as if my heart had completely stopped.

Heat flooded my skin and the soft breeze of the night gave me goosebumps.

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