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Authors: Jamie Canosa
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hand, poked at my cheese omelet with not quite the same gusto he displayed.
I only got through about half before I couldn’t eat another bite. My stomach wasn’t all that big and my metabolism was lacking the stamina Kiernan’s seemed to have. He wanted to make me take the rest home for later, but regretfully informed me the leftovers probably wouldn’t keep stashed in his bike all day. Not to mention—I was only guessing here—but the smell of rotten eggs wafting from his sleek machine probably diluted the whole sex appeal it had going for him.
We rode for nearly an hour non-stop and I was beginning to wonder if he had a destination in mind or if the plan was just to drive around all afternoon. Not that it mattered. As the sun rose, so did the temperature. That combined with the heat of Kiernan’s body pressed against mine, was more than enough to make up for the cool air gliding over us as we cruised. I couldn’t feel the wind on my face, thanks to the helmet my head was stuffed into, but it caught the ends of my hair and whipped them around wildly. I felt . . . free. Like I could breathe for the first time, which was ironic seeing as the helmet had grown progressively stuffier since I’d put it on, but that didn’t matter.
I was on the back of a freaking motorcycle. With Kiernan Parks . Headed to who knows where. We picked up speed as we merged onto the highway and all of my worry, and fear, and anxiety just slipped away with every mile we covered.
By the time we coasted off an exit, I caught myself creating a mental list of words, trying to describe what it was I was feeling. I had a decent vocabulary and most of the adjectives floating around my head were S.A.T. worthy, but the one that seemed the most accurate was childish and simple, and yet foreign enough to me to make it remarkable. I was happy .
Even after Kiernan killed the engine, phantom vibrations continued to race through my legs and backside, forcing me to use his shoulders to balance myself as I slid off the bike. While Kiernan dropped the kickstand and dismounted, I worked to dispel some of the road wear from my body. I was midway through a full-blown, arms-over-head, back-arching, total-body stretch when it occurred to me what I must look like.
I didn’t dare look at Kiernan, knowing all too well what that smile of his did to me. My luck, there would be dimples involved, and God only knew what I’d find to embarrass myself with then. Not looking was definitely the safest option. So I set my sights on keeping one foot moving in front of the other as I headed for the building at the head of the parking lot, assuming that was our final destination.
I hadn’t even bothered to pay attention to where we were until the warm, buttery scent of popcorn enveloped us the moment we stepped through the door. Kiernan had brought me to a movie theater. But not just any theater, the one with the giant IMAX screens and plush chairs. For a girl who rarely got to indulge in basic cable, it was like hitting the jackpot.
I hadn’t seen a movie in a theater since I was seven, and the birthday girl had no choice but to invite the en tire class, including me. At the time, I’d jumped at the chance to go out with people my own age. It hadn’t even crossed my mind to bring a present, seeing as gift giving wasn’t something we ever did at my house. The fact that I didn’t bring one was the hot topic for the next week at school. I never went to another birthday party again.
“What do you want to see?” Kiernan abandoned his perusal of the mini-arcade to join me in the center of the lobby.
Oh crap, options. There was nothing worse than options in a social situation. It meant I had to choose. My palms began to sweat as I browsed the possibilities. Posters lined the walls for everything from comedies to horrors . I’d never heard of any of them. How was I supposed to choose?
Kiernan stood beside me as I twisted my brain and stomach into knots. “It’s just
I only got through about half before I couldn’t eat another bite. My stomach wasn’t all that big and my metabolism was lacking the stamina Kiernan’s seemed to have. He wanted to make me take the rest home for later, but regretfully informed me the leftovers probably wouldn’t keep stashed in his bike all day. Not to mention—I was only guessing here—but the smell of rotten eggs wafting from his sleek machine probably diluted the whole sex appeal it had going for him.
We rode for nearly an hour non-stop and I was beginning to wonder if he had a destination in mind or if the plan was just to drive around all afternoon. Not that it mattered. As the sun rose, so did the temperature. That combined with the heat of Kiernan’s body pressed against mine, was more than enough to make up for the cool air gliding over us as we cruised. I couldn’t feel the wind on my face, thanks to the helmet my head was stuffed into, but it caught the ends of my hair and whipped them around wildly. I felt . . . free. Like I could breathe for the first time, which was ironic seeing as the helmet had grown progressively stuffier since I’d put it on, but that didn’t matter.
I was on the back of a freaking motorcycle. With Kiernan Parks . Headed to who knows where. We picked up speed as we merged onto the highway and all of my worry, and fear, and anxiety just slipped away with every mile we covered.
By the time we coasted off an exit, I caught myself creating a mental list of words, trying to describe what it was I was feeling. I had a decent vocabulary and most of the adjectives floating around my head were S.A.T. worthy, but the one that seemed the most accurate was childish and simple, and yet foreign enough to me to make it remarkable. I was happy .
Even after Kiernan killed the engine, phantom vibrations continued to race through my legs and backside, forcing me to use his shoulders to balance myself as I slid off the bike. While Kiernan dropped the kickstand and dismounted, I worked to dispel some of the road wear from my body. I was midway through a full-blown, arms-over-head, back-arching, total-body stretch when it occurred to me what I must look like.
I didn’t dare look at Kiernan, knowing all too well what that smile of his did to me. My luck, there would be dimples involved, and God only knew what I’d find to embarrass myself with then. Not looking was definitely the safest option. So I set my sights on keeping one foot moving in front of the other as I headed for the building at the head of the parking lot, assuming that was our final destination.
I hadn’t even bothered to pay attention to where we were until the warm, buttery scent of popcorn enveloped us the moment we stepped through the door. Kiernan had brought me to a movie theater. But not just any theater, the one with the giant IMAX screens and plush chairs. For a girl who rarely got to indulge in basic cable, it was like hitting the jackpot.
I hadn’t seen a movie in a theater since I was seven, and the birthday girl had no choice but to invite the en tire class, including me. At the time, I’d jumped at the chance to go out with people my own age. It hadn’t even crossed my mind to bring a present, seeing as gift giving wasn’t something we ever did at my house. The fact that I didn’t bring one was the hot topic for the next week at school. I never went to another birthday party again.
“What do you want to see?” Kiernan abandoned his perusal of the mini-arcade to join me in the center of the lobby.
Oh crap, options. There was nothing worse than options in a social situation. It meant I had to choose. My palms began to sweat as I browsed the possibilities. Posters lined the walls for everything from comedies to horrors . I’d never heard of any of them. How was I supposed to choose?
Kiernan stood beside me as I twisted my brain and stomach into knots. “It’s just
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