Chapter 6
JULES
“I’m so glad you told me we were keeping it casual tonight.”
Being honest with myself, I was feeling just a touch out of sorts. My heart was hammering, because I was about to do something I hadn’t ever done before.
“You seem terrified.” Beau’s voice held an edge of genuine concern, like he was rethinking the plans he’d come up with for our date this evening.
“I think I might be.”
“You’ve never done this before?”
For the first time since I’d walked outside and realized what Beau had planned for us, I took my eyes away from what was in front of me and looked at him. “I’ve never done this before. Not once. But I would be lying if I said I haven’t always been intrigued or interested in trying it out.”
The worry in Beau’s features melted away, and a slow smile spread across his face. “I promise you’ll be safe, and I won’t do anything crazy.”
That was a good thing. Because he’d arrived to pick me up for our casual date, and he’d done it on a motorcycle. I wasn’t afraid, and I didn’t think he’d do anything too wild, but there was no question that a new experience like this was giving me pause.
“Alright. I’m trusting you to make sure I get back here in one piece tonight.”
“What? You think I’d run the risk of never getting a picture from you like I did this morning?” He grinned at me before he wrapped his arm around my back and squeezed my opposite shoulder. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
I released a long breath. “Okay. I’m ready when you are.”
“Helmet first,” he ordered.
I took the helmet from Beau’s hand and pulled it down over my head. “Done.”
In a sweet move I hadn’t expected, he thoroughly inspected my work, confirming I had it on and fastened properly. “We’re not taking any chances with this pretty face and wild mind.”
“You make it sound like I’m crazy.”
He stared through the front of the helmet, his eyes locked on mine. “I think you are. Maybe just a little bit.”
Without giving me a chance to respond, he turned and swung his leg over the bike. And with just that simple move, all thoughts of a rebuttal evaporated. Why did I find it so sexy to see him astride the bike?
Beau looked at me and asked, “Are you going to hop on?”
It was at that moment it hit me. I was going to have my body pressed against Beau’s. I was going to have my arms wrapped around him, my hands touching him. A thrill of excitement rippled through me, and I didn’t waste another second.
I placed one hand on Beau’s shoulder, stepped on the footrest, and swung my leg over the bike just like he had.
Once I was safely in the seat, I removed my hand from his shoulder and fidgeted.
Beau reached back for both of my hands and wrapped them around his waist. I scooted closer and pressed my front against his back. “Hold on tight, okay?”
“Okay.”
Beau started the bike, the rumble and vibration of the engine moving through my body. And the next thing I knew, I was tightening my hold on Beau and pressing firmly against his strong, muscular back, because we had started moving.
As much as I wished I would’ve been able to just play it cool, I couldn’t. It took some time to get used to driving through the streets without a seatbelt on and nothing around my body but the wind and open air.
But after about ten or fifteen minutes, I got a bit more comfortable with it. Of course, loving the closeness to Beau, I didn’t loosen my hold on him. Only a fool would have done something like that, especially when I’d been craving being in such proximity to him again.
Sadly, it seemed that no sooner had I become relaxed, we arrived at our destination. Beau had brought me to a drive-in, where they served fast food eats and ice cream for folks who could then sit outside at the picnic tables to enjoy a meal or desserts together.
I was excited and couldn’t wait to talk with him, but I was bummed that I had no choice about needing to peel my body away from Beau as a result.
Once our helmets were gone, he smiled at me and asked, “How was it?”
“If only my family could see me now,” I said, returning a grin.
“I’m going to have to hear more about that, but why don’t we order some dinner first?”
I licked my lips. “Yes, please. I’m starving.”
Beau shot me a surprised look. “Even after the celebrating you did today with that cupcake?”
I sighed and pretended to be annoyed. “It’s irritating, I know, but I’m one of those girls who requires food every couple of hours.”
Laughing, Beau hooked his arm around my neck and gently tugged me toward him and, ultimately, the window at the counter, so we could order our meals. “See? You are just a little bit crazy.”
We found an open picnic table, grabbed a seat, and sipped on our drinks while we waited for our food. Beau had gone with a cheeseburger and pierogies; I decided to go with the chicken sandwich and fries.
“So, tell me about this family that you think should see you on the motorcycle,” Beau urged me. “Would they be upset, or…?”
“I think they’d be shocked more than anything,” I shared. “I’m the youngest of six kids, and everyone just assumes I’m the good kid who doesn’t do anything outrageous.”
Beau’s eyes rounded. “Six kids?”
I nodded. “I’ve got four older brothers and one older sister. It was a very busy house growing up, and everyone is very protective of me.”
“I’ll bet. Have you given them any reason to be concerned?”
“I guess that probably depends on how you look at it.” I took another sip of my drink.
“Like I said, I’m considered the goodie two shoes of the family, so I don’t think they would have ever imagined me on the back of a motorcycle, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t wildly protective over me. Especially my brothers.”
“I think that’s pretty standard for older brothers, though.”
I inclined my head in agreement. “You’re probably right. So, what about you? How many siblings do you have?”
“None.”
“What? You’re an only child?”
He jerked his chin down to confirm. “Yep. But I got the sense of what it’s like to have siblings with my three closest friends. We’ve been skating together for years, and I suspect we have what most would consider a brotherly bond. I’d do anything for them, and I know the feeling is mutual.”
Warmth spread through me. “I’m glad you have that with them.”
“Me, too.”
“One twelve!”
“That’s us,” Beau said as he stood. “Stay here, and I’ll grab it.”
“Thanks.”
I kept my eyes on Beau as he walked up to the window, and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Whatever this was that was starting between the two of us just felt fun. And it was easy. Much easier than I would have thought, especially considering the age difference.
But it was like we were on the same wavelength all the time. We never had a lack of conversation or awkward moments. Nothing ever felt forced or tense or scary. And the spark, chemistry, and tension between us were off the charts.
Over the last seven years, I’d watched as my brothers and sister found happiness in their romantic lives and fell in love.
While I didn’t live in their relationships and know exactly what they experienced with the people who had now become their spouses, I had to wonder if it felt anything like this at the start for them.
Sure, they’d all had their individual challenges to overcome, but was the honeymoon phase of it so good that it made them capable of working through the tough stuff?
Of course, this was only my second date with Beau.
It wasn’t like we were walking down the aisle any time soon.
At this point, it was far too early to tell, but I couldn’t ignore the excitement I felt about him possibly being the guy for me.
And if he was, I wondered if it would always feel this way.
Beau returned with our food, setting mine down in front of me. “I grabbed the typical condiments, but if there’s something different you want, just let me know.”
“This looks perfect. Thank you.”
For a few minutes, the only thing that existed was the food. I couldn’t speak for Beau, but it had been hours since I last ate anything. After getting in a couple of bites and easing those hunger pangs, I said, “I’m sorry if I’m being rude. This is so good, and I was hungrier than I thought.”
He rested his hand on my forearm and squeezed. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Did you not eat enough today?”
I tipped my head from one side to the other. “I guess not. I had that cupcake hours ago, and I cut my lunch short because it was so busy at the bakery. And after I got home, I didn’t want to eat and ruin my appetite. Plus, I guess I was also a little sidetracked today.”
Curiosity washed over his expression. “Oh? By what?”
“If I’m honest, I’ve been getting lost inside my head ever since the day of the demo.”
Pride leaked into his features, and his mouth quirked with a smile. “Any particular reason why?”
I rolled my eyes. “Like you don’t know.”
“I don’t want to assume anything. Perhaps you’ve got a sudden affinity for attending skate demos.”
“Well, that might be true, but I’ve been spending too much time thinking about what you did to me.”
Beau scooted closer and leaned in. “What exactly did I do to you?”
His mouth was this close to mine. I was tempted to attack and get my first kiss from him today. Instead, I whispered, “You know precisely what you did, Beau. I haven’t stopped thinking about how good it felt.”
He held my stare, the weight of his attention commanding. “You enjoyed having me kiss you?”
I lifted a fry to my lips. “More than I’ve enjoyed anything in a very long time.”
Beau’s burger was clutched in his hands, and I was beginning to think the bun might not survive much longer with how tight he was gripping it. “So, why didn’t you demonstrate how much when I showed up at your place to pick you up tonight?”