“Get a fucking room,” Jason grunted, half-teasing, walking right up to us.
Following behind Jason, Damon shook his head, laughing. He stopped beside Jason.
Kyle stood, taking me with him, and then he carefully put me down on my feet.
He outstretched his hand to Jason. “Hey, man, how’s it going?” He shook Jason’s hand.
“Good. Ready to ride?” Jason asked, stepping back.
Kyle nodded. “Lily said you guys have a lot of trails back here.” He turned to Damon. “Thanks for getting everything ready.”
“Glad to help. Let’s ride,” Damon replied.
“There are tons of paths around here. Growing up, many of the kids in town used them. They still do. We’re all pretty friendly around here as long as they don’t mess shit up,” Jason added.
Damon glanced at me, taking in my clothing. “And here I thought you’d be dressed and ready to go,” he teased, shaking his head.
“Dressed?” Kyle questioned while looking at me.
“We have a bunch of gear in the closet, like jackets, pants, boots, and goggles. Whatever you need should be back there.” I pointed to a corner in the garage.
All of the gear was stored in a closet my dad had built in the tiny extended room at the far side of the garage. We had a lot of toys, so we had lots of gear that needed to be cared for.
Kyle glanced at his clothing. His jeans were okay, but I doubted he’d want to ruin his shirt or nice shoes. I wasn’t wearing the appropriate clothes or shoes for riding either.
I grabbed Kyle’s hand. “Let’s go get ready.”
Damon chuckled as we walked away. “Don’t get lost in the closet,” he teased.
I felt the blood rush to my cheeks as I glanced up at Kyle. He was trying to hold back his own laughter.
Damon yelped as I heard a thump in what I assumed was Jason hitting him on the shoulder.
“I don’t want to hear about that shit. She’s like our sister,” Jason said.
I turned my head and rolled my eyes at Jason and Damon.
Someday, they’ll have to accept that I’m not a fragile young girl anymore.
Kyle merely laughed under his breath as I spun around to continue walking toward the gear room.
After stepping inside the room, Kyle whistled. “Wow.” He grinned. “This is every man’s dream in here.” His eyes roamed the room, taking it all in.
I chuckled. “My dad might have gone a bit overboard in here.”
Three large cabinets were placed along each wall. The last wall was filled with racks and hooks for helmets, chest protectors, and boots.
I went to the farthest cabinet and pulled out pants that I was hoping would fit Kyle. My father, Henry, had been almost as tall and broad as Kyle. I also quickly found him a riding shirt to replace the one he was wearing.
He got rid of his shirt and then swiftly dropped his pants. He was standing before me in only a pair of black briefs. They looked delicious up against his golden California tan.
His gaze darkened with lust as he took in my stare. “Care to undress me the rest of the way, beautiful?”
I licked my lips and shook my head with a sigh. “It’s a shame to clothe that hot body of yours,” I said, speaking my thoughts out loud.
“It is.” He chuckled and reached for me. “But I’d much rather be undressing yours.”
A loud rapping on the door made both of our heads turn.
“Hurry the fuck up!” Jason yelled.
I could hear Damon laughing in the distance.
“Kyle, if you take advantage of my cousin in there, I will beat your ass,” Jason promised.
Kyle grinned impishly. “Coming!”
I gasped and smacked his bare chest. “That’s not funny!” I scolded. “He is the type who would come barreling through the door!” I could hear Jason rambling off a series of curse words.
Kyle’s grin widened as he laughed. I couldn’t help it. I started giggling as I shoved gear at him. I promptly found my own riding shirt and pants. We dressed quickly.
Side by side, we walked back out into the garage. Damon had maneuvered the four-wheelers we would be riding today. Seeing them parked in a line on the driveway made me feel like a giddy teenager. I was ready to let loose and have some fun. Jason and Damon headed to the gear room to get dressed while I explained some of the directions of the trails to Kyle.
After Jason and Damon were ready in record time, we were all set on the blacktop. Jason closed the garage door with the remote and put it in his pocket. I quickly braided my hair and tied it with a rubber band I’d had around my wrist.
I never knew when it might come in handy. A girl always has to be prepared
.
Jason walked up to my side while zipping up his coat. “Anywhere specific you want to go or don’t want to go?” he asked me.
I shrugged. “Nope, I just want to ride. You can lead though.” It was safer to follow him or Damon since I hadn’t been on these trails in over three years. Things might have changed.
“Alright, let’s see if you still got it, Lil.” Jason smirked while stepping over his machine.
I laughed while gripping my handlebars. “Oh, I still got it. I don’t think riding is something you can forget.”
Jason chuckled and looked over to his brother. “Damon, you bring up the rear.”
Damon nodded in agreement and started the motor of his four-wheeler.
The air soon roared with the sound of four loud four-wheelers. It was a sweet, sweet sound. I closed my eyes and smiled. It was such a familiar childhood sound with so many happy memories.
Jason took off first. I followed with Kyle behind me, and Damon brought up the rear. We took a sharp right and rode the edge of the yard until we were at the beginning of a path that led straight out into the wooded area. It was the shortest of the three trails, but it had many curves and hills. It was my favorite one.
The trails were about three feet wide. In the summer, the branches would grow into the paths, but to me, they made it more interesting to ride through as I had to duck and weave around them. The mixture of wild trees and random wildflowers were stunning. Fall was my favorite time of year to go through the trails because of all the different shades of leaves.
When Jason increased his speed, my adrenaline kicked up a notch. The wind blew across my face, and I reveled in the exhilaration I felt from having such power beneath me.
We came around a big bend, and I remembered the steep hill that approached afterward. Jason slowed and signaled the big drop ahead. I leaned all my weight back as I slid down the hill. At the bottom, I stopped to wait for Kyle and Damon. Kyle came down the steep slope with ease.
There was something about watching my man maneuver an ATV. It was freaking hot. I would have never thought I could be turned-on by such a thing, but here I was, completely hot and bothered. I shook my head in wonder. Surely, I was getting the short end of the stick by being in front of him. The sexy view was obviously in the back. I took a mental note to fix this minor detail on the way home.
As we took off again, I noticed it was a bit muddy at the bottom of the hill, but it didn’t bother me in the slightest. It was fun to have the freewill to slip and slide, letting the wheels spin beneath me.
Once we all reached the next slight drop of terrain, I came to a standstill next to Jason with Kyle following behind me. Damon pulled up and stopped behind Jason. By the time Damon realized Jason’s intentions, it was too late. Jason revved his four-wheeler and splashed mud all over Damon. Laughing, I quickly leaned to the opposite side as mud sprayed everywhere.
“Asshole!” Damon yelled into the air.
Jason was already heading down the path. Kyle and I chuckled in amusement and took off to catch up.
We curved on the trail, this way and that, going up and down several more hills. It was even more beautiful than I had remembered. We rode for another half an hour before Jason waved for me to come up to his side.
“Want to stop for food at Ted’s Restaurant?” Jason asked me.
Ted’s was a small family restaurant that we had stopped at many times over the years. They had every type of food imaginable, and it was cheap and tasted good. The owners, Ted and Jane, were married, and they loved when we would all stop by for a visit and a bite to eat.
My mom, Natalie, and Jane had been the best of friends. They had gone to high school together, and they had remained very close afterward. Through many family bonfires, campouts, and get-togethers, Ted and my dad had also grown close over the years. Ted and Jane had two kids, A.J. and Meg. A.J. was a year older than me, and Meg was a year younger than me. Both Meg and A.J. had gone to school with Annie and me.
As kids, Meg, Annie, and I had shared many great times in playhouses, swing sets, and tents. When we got older, the three of us had still hung out during most of our free time, and we had enjoyed many sleepovers together, but Annie and Meg had been closer. Growing up, I had been more quiet and shy while Annie had been very outgoing and talkative.
“Sure,” I answered, knowing the starving alpha behind me would never turn down food.
After riding a little farther, Jason parked along the side of the restaurant, and we pulled up next to him. All the four-wheelers were parked in a row, and it was a beautiful sight that I would never grow tired of.
When we walked in, Jane was busy straightening up the front counter. Her dark brown hair was much longer now, and she seemed a bit thinner.
She looked up with her big welcoming smile and gasped when she laid eyes on me. “My goodness,” she breathed, tears forming in her eyes. “Lily.” She walked around the counter and pulled me into a big bear hug.
I smiled, trying to control my emotions, as my eyes watered. From spending so much time at Meg’s house, Jane had become a second mother to me.
“Hi, Jane,” I said as she released me. “It’s so great to see you.”
She wiped away the tears flowing freely, her eyes sparkling with happiness. “You, too, my dear. I wasn’t sure if I’d get the chance to see you again.” She turned her head and called for her husband. “Ted!”
Ted came out of the kitchen, and his step faltered briefly when his eyes met mine. Ted and Jane exchanged a look as if they could not believe I was really here. He glanced back at me, quickly recovering, with a soft smile. “Lily!”
Ted stepped in front of me and opened his arms. I reached up on my toes and hugged him. Jane tried to hide her sniffle as I pulled back from Ted.
I looked at them and smiled.
“It’s so good to finally see you, kid. We missed you,” Ted said with a sad expression displayed across his features.
“We have, Lily, so much.” Jane put her hand on my arm. “We are so happy you came by for a visit.”
I nodded in understanding, trying to control my emotions from being reacquainted. I looked back at Kyle and reached for his hand. He walked up next to me and extended his hand to Ted first.
“Ted, this is Kyle.” I shifted my attention to his wife. “And this is Jane. She was one of my mother’s dearest friends.”
Kyle stepped forward to shake her hand and then returned to my side.
“It’s great to meet you both,” Kyle said, offering a sincere smile. He placed his palm at the small of my back in support.
“My, my, Lily, you have yourself a looker,” Jane teased.
Ted was quietly standing still by his wife’s side.
Instantly, I remembered how outspoken she had always been and that Meg and A.J. had shared that same trait.
I blushed at her compliment, and thankfully, she let it go at that.
“Let’s get you all seated in a booth, and then we can catch up.” Jane gestured us toward the left side of the restaurant facing the woods.
We walked to the back wall and sat in the round booth in the corner. I noticed changes in the restaurant’s appearance right away. The walls had been painted in pretty shades of blue and yellow instead of the dull brown they had once been. The seat cushions had been reupholstered with a gray that complemented the blue and yellow nicely. It was simply gorgeous with a wonderful summery feel to it.
Kyle and I scooted to the middle of the bench. I shifted closer to Kyle, making more room for everyone. Ted and Jane sat on the other side of Kyle. Jason was on the opposite side of Kyle, and Damon took the seat next to Jason.
Jane asked another member of their staff to bring us some waters and a few appetizers.
Then, she turned to me. “So, Lily, I actually had some time to catch up with Lucie this morning. She tells me that you live in Florida now. How do you like it there?” she asked curiously.
“I really enjoy it. The weather is beautiful,” I replied as our drinks were brought to the table.
“She said you write full-time now?”
“I do. I still take landscape pictures on the side, but writing is my full-time job. I enjoy writing on the beach. It’s what attracted me to stay there.”
“Right after I got off the phone with Lucie, I bought your book on my Kindle.” Jane beamed. “I can’t wait to read it!”
“Thank you, Jane.” I smiled kindly at her.
She truly had a heart of gold that matched my mother’s. I was sure it was why they had been best friends. They were two hearts cut from the same cloth.
“The sequel will be released by the end of this year. I’ll make sure to send you a paperback copy, too, if you’d like.”
“That would be wonderful! Would you mind signing them for me?”
My eyes widened in surprise. “Of course.”
“And how did you two kids meet?” Jane asked, gesturing between Kyle and me.
I smiled at the memory. “We met at the beach. He was staying at one of the cottages in the complex where I live.”
I wasn’t sure how much I should share, not knowing how everyone would react.
Ah, yes, I met Kyle when he carried me home…in the dark…because I had fallen asleep on the beach…alone. Oh, but I had seen him earlier that day…once.
No, that’s not crazy at all.
I glanced at Kyle, who was holding back a smile.
Of course he thinks this is funny.
“That’s great, dear. And where are you from, Kyle?” Jane looked over at him.
“I’m from Lake Tahoe, ma’am. Born and raised, but I travel for work,” Kyle answered.
“Oh. So, you commute…to see Lily?” Jane asked in wonder.