Life After Taylah(57)

He hands me a helmet off the back and I pull it on over my face. He does the same and then climbs onto the bike, kick-starting it. It purrs to life, loud and angry, as if it just wants to go fast. He reaches his hand out and I take it, using it to pull myself over the bike behind him. I wrap my arms around his waist and he takes off. I squeal with delight as he zips through the traffic.

We ride for about an hour until he reaches a dirt road on the left of the highway. He turns onto it suddenly, and our smooth ride quickly becomes bouncy and adrenaline-filled. I scream and close my eyes as he picks up speed, tearing down the road as if it’s the easiest thing in the world for him. He weaves around a few trees and launches over a few small bumps in the road.

“Nate,” I yell, laughing. “Oh my God!”

He laughs, boisterous, and so incredibly boyish.

He skids around a corner, flicking rocks to the side as he brings us closer to a large lake. I stare at the gorgeous water as he begins to slow the bike, and my smile widens. It’s gorgeous, a large lake surrounded by trees, lush grass and rocks. It’s a perfect day out today and the sun is shining. Combined with the gorgeous scenery, it couldn’t be more breathtaking.

Nate brings the bike to a stop and we both get off. I put my helmet onto the ground and walk over to the water, my smile not once slipping. Birds swoop down, skimming the surface, and there’s a cool breeze. It’s stunning. Nate comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pressing his lips to my ear. “I love this place. It’s where I come to think.”

“I can see why,” I murmur, taking his hands in mine.

“Sit with me.”

He pulls me down onto the grass, tucking my bottom in between his legs. He keeps his arms around me, and rests his chin on my shoulder. We stare at the water for the longest time, not thinking about anything else except the beauty and serenity of this place.

“Tell me your best memory of your mom,” he says, pressing a kiss to my shoulder.

“I have a few. One of my favorites is my fifth birthday. I remember it well. She asked me for months and months beforehand what I wanted for my birthday—I kept telling her I wanted a fairy. She asked me what I meant; perhaps I meant a fairy doll, but I told her no, I just wanted a fairy. On the day she woke me up, dressed in a fairy outfit. I remember laughing for so long with her, thinking all my dreams had come true as she led me through the fairy garden she’d spent all night creating. It was perfect.”

He’s quiet a moment, before he whispers, “She sounds like she was an amazing mother.”

I smile. “She was. It’s why it was so hard to lose her.”

“I can’t imagine living with that kind of pain, not knowing if she’s okay must be so fuckin’ hard.”

“It was. It is,” I say, my voice low. “I used to have nightmares about it every night.”

“You turned out well, considering.”

I laugh softly. “You mean I didn’t run off the rails?”

“Exactly.”

“I couldn’t. My brother was doing a good job of that. I couldn’t add to it.”

He runs his fingers up and down my arms. “Your brother struggles, yeah?”

“Yeah. He always has.”

“It’s not easy.”

“No,” I say, taking his hand and pressing it to my lips. “What about your family?”

He runs his nose up my neck, causing me to shudder. “Crazy, loud, full-on.”

“Is that all you’re going to give me?” I gasp as he drags his tongue along my flesh.

“Mmmm,” he hums against my skin. “What do you want to know?”

“Are they like you?”

“Exceptionally talented and handsome?”

I giggle. “Modest much?”

He chuckles. “Well, you’ve met Keanu. He’s nothing like me.”

I pout and nod my head. “He’s not, is he? Why is that?”

“Keanu is passionate. He’s dedicated to his career, and he leaves room for nothing else.”

“You’re passionate too, Nate. It’s more than that. He’s so . . .”

“Broody? Fierce?”

“Yeah.” I nod, stretching my legs out. “He barely says two words.”

“That’s just Keanu. He’s always been the dark, silent type.”

“It gets him in with the ladies, I suppose.”

Nate laughs. “I hear he fucks like a Trojan. At least, that’s what the 365,000 ladies he’s fucked have told me.”

“Well,” I whisper, putting his fingertip in my mouth and sucking it gently before releasing it. “That you two do have in common.”