My chest rises and falls as Keenan brushes my hair behind my shoulders, his fingers grazing the sides of my neck. His touch is firm but careful, steadying me as if he knew I was on the edge of bolting.
I can't believe I am going to do this.
He carefully grabs my waist, lifting me effortlessly to position me, his hands lingering just long enough to make my pulse race.
"Ready?" His voice is low and steady.
I swallow hard, nodding. "Ready."
The engine roares to life beneath me, its vibrations thrumming through my body as Keenan tightens the helmet straps under my chin. His hands are firm and deliberate, making sure I won't fall off.
The leather of his jacket feels rough and cool against my cheek as I instinctively wrap my arms tightly around his waist like it is the only thing keeping me tethered to reality.
"I'll be careful. I promise," he says over his shoulder before easing the bike out of the driveway.
A wave of exhilarating fear washes over me as we pick up speed, the wind whipping against my clothes. My grip on him tightens reflexively, and I feel his chest rumble with a chuckle at my reaction.
I laugh too—a surprise, joyful sound that bubbles up from somewhere deep inside me. For the first time in what feels like forever, I wasn't overthinking or worrying. I was just living.
He takes me down winding back roads that feel like they belong in another world. Fields of wildflowers blur past us in a kaleidoscope of color, their petals swaying in the breeze like they are waving us along. Towering trees arch over the road, their branches whispering secrets as we pass beneath them.
The way Keenan leans into every curve of the road with effortless confidence makes my stomach flutter with admiration—and something else I didn't dare name.
"Enjoying the ride, Petal?" he yells over the rush of wind.
"It's amazing!" I shout back, cheeks aching from smiling so much.
We ride for what feels like hours, the sun warming my face until it dipped behind a veil of clouds. Every now and then, Keenan adjusted my hands on his waist or rested one hand lazily on my thigh. Each casual touch sent shivers through me, leaving me breathless and hyper aware of every point of contact between us.
Eventually, we pulled into a secluded spot by the river just as the sun began its descent below the horizon. The golden light bathes everything in a warm glow that makes it feel like we'd stumbled into a dream.
I dismount clumsily, excitement still buzzing through me as I remove my helmet. When I turn to face him, I catch him watching me with an expression that makd my breath hitch—like he sees something in me that even I dont see.
"See? Not so scary after all," he says with a grin as he stretches his arms above his head, muscles flexing under his jacket before he steps off the bike.
"No... it was very... freeing," I admit softly, turning to admire the sunset. The colors reflect off the rippling water in shades of gold and pink that seem almost too perfect to be real.
When I glance back at him, my heart stutters in my chest—he is standing right behind me. The air between us shifts, thick with unspoken words and undeniable tension.
His eyes search mine intently before flickering down to my lips. My breath catches as he leans closer, his movements slow and deliberate as if giving me time to pull away.
I don't plan to.
I bite my lip nervously before tilting my head up slightly—a silent invitation. His gaze darkens with something raw and electric as he closes the distance between us.
But just as our lips are about to meet, a deafening crack of thunder shatters
the moment. I flinch instinctively as reality comes crashing back in all at once. Dark clouds roll in overhead with startling speed, and within seconds rain begins pouring down in heavy sheets that soak us both instantly.
I tilt my head back with a laugh that bubbles out uncontrollably as rain streams down my face. Keenan joins in moments later, his deep chuckle mingling with mine until it feels like we are sharing some private joke with the universe.
"We'd better get back!" he shouts over the downpour before grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the bike with an infectious grin.
Though our moment had been interrupted, I hoped it wouldn't be the last.
We scramble onto the bike—drenched but exhilarated—and speed away from the river as thunder rumbles in the distance. My hands press against his chest this time instead of his waist, feeling his heartbeat hammering beneath my palms in sync with mine.
The ride back is just as breathtaking despite—or maybe because of—the rain. The headlights cast shadows on trees and buildings that blur together like a moving painting under the stormy sky. But when we pulled into Keenan's driveway, an entirely different kind of tension settles over us.
Two burly figures stand on his porch under the dim glow of a single lightbulb. Their leather jackets gleam wetly in the rain, but its not their appearance that makes dread coil tightly in my stomach—it is their presence. Something about them feels wrong... dangerous.
One man is tall with a shaggy beard; the other had piercing blue eyes that seems to cut straight through me like ice. They both turn toward us as Keenan kills the engine and dismounts smoothly.
"What are you two doing here?" Keenan snaps sharply, his entire demeanor shifting in an instant.
The easy confidence he usually wore like armor hardened into something darker—something lethal.
"We wanted to talk," grunts the bearded man, his eyes narrowing slightly when they land on me.
"Who's this?" Blue Eyes sneers openly as he rakes his gaze over me like I was something stuck to his boot.
Keenan steps forward without hesitation, placing himself squarely between me and their scrutiny like a shield. "None of your damn business," he growls lowly.
"You know that's not how this works," Blue Eyes shoots back coldly before taking a step closer. Instinctively, I take a small step back as fear tightens its grip around my chest.
"Back the fuck off, Griffin," Keenan warns through gritted teeth, fists clenched at his sides like he is seconds away from exploding. "She's not a threat."
Griffin's lips curl into a cruel smirk. "Cougar would think otherwise... if she saw your little plaything here." His words drip with malice—and something else I can't quite place—but they hit their mark all the same.
My mind races with questions: Cougar? Who were these men? Did he know them from work?
"She doesn't know anything," Keenan says firmly but more calmly now as he glances at the taller man who had remained quiet.
"Just don't get too comfortable," Griffin sneers before turning toward his bike while the other lingers for a moment longer to murmur something quietly to Keenan—something that makes him visibly tense before letting out a resigned sigh.
When they finally rode off into the night, silence fell heavy around us except for the rain still pattering softly against concrete.
"Let's get you inside," Keenan says quietly after a long pause—but there is something in his tone that sounds almost like... defeat.
I shake my head slightly and step past him toward my house without meeting his gaze. "Goodnight, Keenan," I mumble quickly before he can stop me—but he did anyway by gently grabbing my arm.
"Please wait," he mutters softly—so softly it almost broke something inside me—but when I turn back to look at him all I could see were walls where answers should have been.
"Can you explain... what just happened?" My voice cracks slightly despite myself as tears threaten to spill over—but then he lets go of my arm without answering.
All I can do is shake my head again bitterly before retreating inside where it feels safe enough to let one fall freely down my cheek.