17. Opaline
Opaline
The obnoxious blare of a horn startles me enough that I fly halfway out of my seat, even with the helmet muffling the sounds zooming by us.
With an internalized curse, I tighten my arms around Adrian's waist with a huff.
Watching the truck that speeds past us, I see the older man's head shake with glaring eyes as he peeks in his rearview mirror.
The fact that this isn't the first time someone has honked and floored it to go around us has me wondering one of two things: either everyone who lives around here is a jerk wishing for my foot to land in their crotch, driving like maniacs, or…
Adrian is driving so slowly that he's actively pissing off every driver on the thankfully mostly abandoned road.
While both can be true, I'm leaning towards the latter, which makes me forcibly bite my lip to keep from laughing.
Even if he couldn't exactly hear me, the bouncing of my chest from chuckling would probably catch his attention, despite the concentration he's putting into keeping his eyes on the road ahead.
"Hey!" I move in next to his ear, helmets bumping. "Is um, is there a reason we seem to be going a little slow?"
Turning his head towards me a little, he responds, "We're not going that slow." I can't help the smile that stretches over my face at his back.
"Adrian…like four cars have passed us, more than a little angrily." One even gifted us with a middle finger. Talk about anger issues.
"Yeah, well, maybe they need to figure their shit out before driving on busy highways.
" It's almost as if I can feel his distress and the tension lining his entire body.
I wonder if he's nervous. If I know this man like I'm starting to, and the bits and pieces of his personality I've learned from the guys are true?
This is not the man who rides his motorcycle under the speed limit.
Which means it's me being here with him that's got him wound up so tight.
Just as I lean in to respond with reassurance, the bike slows even more, my body leaning with his into the turn as he takes us off the main road.
A canopy of beautiful trees shades the narrow road, sunshine dancing in patterns through the leaves.
I wonder how much longer we'll have their greenery as the season starts to change.
I can't imagine it'll be much longer as the chill grows more intense at night.
Soon, they'll be transforming into beautiful oranges and reds.
The fact that I get to experience something so magical fills me with its own kind of wonder, my chest expanding in a full, happy breath.
The image of spreading my hands to the side to enjoy the wind is tempting, but I think at this point I'd give the big alpha a heart attack if I so much as moved my hands from his waist.
While a part of me finds it humorous, understanding dawns, realizing why he's so tense.
Why he's so cautious. All of his behaviors tie back to him losing Natalie.
He's terrified something will happen to me, at his hands, under his care.
While we are still just starting to navigate this new dynamic between us, I am his omega.
His scent match. By nature, I am the most important thing to him and his inner primal.
The need to reassure him and calm his nerves and anxiety settle through me.
Leaning forward again, I tighten my hold even further and express my thanks.
"Thank you for planning this date, Adrian.
It's a wonderful idea and I love that you wanted to share something you enjoy so much with me.
" He loves this bike. It's been his only outlet for years and has kept him sane when he needed it the most. I love that he is sharing this experience with me.
He could have easily just drove us in one of their SUVs.
Instead, despite his deep discomfort, he wants to share something that makes him happy with me, probably hoping it will also make me happy. And, truthfully, it has.
The tension lining his back and shoulders eases at my words, one hand leaving the handlebar to rest upon my own in a loving touch. "You're more than welcome, little one."
Taking the winding road for several minutes, we turn into a parking lot with a couple of handfuls of vehicles.
Adrian pulls us into a spot, the engine now quiet as he turns the bike off and kicks down some sort of kickstand that just doesn't seem big enough to hold the weight of this machinery.
Somehow it does, though, as we get off and stand.
My fingers fumble, trying to undo the strap under my chin and get my helmet off so I can get a better look around.
"Come here," Adrian chuckles, putting his hair up into a bun.
At this point, there's no reason to deny my attraction to him.
That deep voice and sinful smirk make my stomach bottom out.
Part of me wants to prove I can do it on my own. It's a simple helmet; I could figure it out. But, as his large frame steps towards me close enough that I can practically feel his body heat, my lips stay sealed in place.
My mate is beautiful. Not in the soft way Everette is, the strong way Calder is, or the sexy way Sage is.
No, Adrian is rough around the edges in a nearly feral way that has goosebumps spreading over my skin at his light touch.
His eyes focus on the job at hand until the helmet comes off and there's nothing separating us, or our gazes.
When those nearly amber, brown eyes finally find mine, it's almost too much to hold his attention.
The chemistry and desire between us sparks a fire between my thighs the longer his eyes rake over my face.
I can't help it, can't control my body as it leans forward wanting more of him, more of his touch and warmth.
And just like that, a baby screams and starts crying as a family passes us, heading towards the touristy log cabin just past the lot. Adrian pulls back and clears his throat, the space between us suddenly cold. "Anyway, we should probably head inside and get our tickets."
Tickets? That has me cocking my head to the side with piqued curiosity.
Whatever I could have thought we'd be doing tonight certainly wouldn't involve any sort of ticketing system.
Looking around, I can't see much. There's just the parking lot, a big log cabin-type building, and lots of trees and greenery.
Adrian must see the confusion on my face as I look around like a lost owl.
Holding out his hand, I place mine in his, happily, as he leads the way.