Page 32 of Wild Love

"Why black and pink?" I asked him. Had he been to my childhoodbedroom? Something about that vision in my head had the area between my legs throbbing. How fun would it have been to sneak him up to my bedroom in the middle of the night?

"It suited you," Eli said, sending a shiver through my body.

Eli saw me in a way no one else did.

"I see you as both dark and light, good and a troublemaker."

I sat still while he buckled the strap under my chin. It felt intimate. Like he was taking care of me. That sensation was foreign to me.

When he was satisfied that the helmet was buckled properly, he put on his own.

"This should fit you. But get on, so I can adjust the seat if not."

I swung my leg over the bike, easily standing flat footed on the pavement.

"That looks good to me."

"Did you rent my bike through the lodge?" I assumed he kept bikes for those who wanted to mountain bike.

"We offer that as a service. But this one is new."

Eli was busy putting his helmet on and securing his bag to his bike.

"You bought me a new bike?" I was oblivious to the crisp air and the hum of the lift nearby.

"Hmm. You needed one." He easily swung his leg over the bike, squeezing his hands around the handle bars.

"You didn't have to buy me a new one. A rental would have been sufficient." I had no intention of riding again. This was a one-time deal. This outing probably satisfied Eli's promise to Chance to keep an eye on me.

It seemed over the top to me, but Chance had always been an overachiever. He probably wanted Eli to show me a good time so I'd stay.

It was dark, but the sky was starting to lighten.

"Let's go. We don't want to miss the sunrise. We'll be going uphill for this first part."

I held up my hand when it looked like he was going to take off. "Just so you know. I've never taken a spin class."

His eyes were bright with amusement. "This is nothing like a spin class. You're going to love it."

He pushed off, and I followed, wobbling at first, then finally getting the hang of it. He led me down a path.

"I checked this trail yesterday, and it should be clear of debris. But be careful; there could be patches of ice."

"Wonderful," I muttered. I was going to fall down the mountain after my tire slid on ice. It sounded terrifying.

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye out," he called over his shoulder.

We began the slow climb up the mountain. My thighs were burning, and he stopped every so often to wait for me to catch up. My breath was coming in short pants, and my body ached from holding the bike tightly.

When Eli finally slid to a stop at a plateau, I sighed with gratitude. I stepped off the bike and rested it on the ground.

"You're going to want to see this." Eli gestured for me to follow him to a nearby boulder. There was a break in the trees where we could see the sun rising. It was a glowing ball of orange and red.

Eli sat so close behind me; I could feel his breath on my ear. "It's gorgeous, isn't it?"

I was at a loss for words. The view was breathtaking. It was almost worth losing sleep and my morning cup of coffee. But it was the fact that Eli moved his hand to my thigh and leaned in even closer that had my heart racing. "I've always been fascinated by the colors you see at sunrise and sunset. It's the most beautiful thing in the world."

I was having difficulty catching my breath. "I have to agree."

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