Page 62 of Twisted Mates

“True,” I say, swaying my hips as I walk to his bike.

We climb on, and the motorcycle roars to life as I wrap my arms around his waist. We speed down the empty streets, the amber lights racing by like bolts of lightning. I love the way the wind whips against my skin, my hair fluttering against the back of my helmet as the salty air invades my senses. This is the closest I will ever come to flying.

It all ends too quickly when Xander stops at the entrance to an underground parking garage. He enters a keycode and the barrier arm lifts. We don’t have to drive far for him to find a small space to park his motorcycle. I slip out from behind him,pulling the helmet off. He remains sitting as he reveals his face, scoots back on the seat, and grabs me by the waist.

He slides his hand along the back of my leg, running his fingers mindlessly up and down my thigh. “The things I want to do to you on this bike. It drives me crazy to have your hands on me and not be able to touch you back.”

Before he can lift my leg and pick me up so I’m straddling the bike and facing him, I place my hand on his shoulder to stop him. Even though it’s the last thing I want to do. “I don’t know if this is such a great idea. Aren’t there cameras down here?”

“I always thought the idea of someone watching was sexy,” he says, patting the gas tank in front of him.

Shit, so do I. But it also seems really dangerous for you and me.

“Me too, but?—”

“But...”

“Xander, we—we really shouldn’t.”

All playfulness drains from his face. He sits up straight and crosses his arms. “Talk to me. What has you freaked out all of a sudden?”

I shift from foot to foot and busy myself by placing the helmet I had been wearing on the back of the bike. I hate this so much, telling him no. It’s the kind of rejection that would break my fucking heart in a moment like this.

It’s breaking it now.

“Nothing, I just don’t think we need to keep being so careless. It’s dangerous.”

“Dangerous for who?”

“What do you mean? It’s dangerous foryou!”

He tilts his head side to side like he’s cracking his neck and gets off the bike. He looms over me as he asks, “We’re back to this?”

I look up at him and press my lips together, trying like hell not to let his proximity affect me. “I don’t know that it’s ever really left my mind. But yeah, I guess so. It’s just not safe, and I can’t let it happen.”

“So you’re going to deny what you and I feel? You’re just going to roll over for Clayton and let him take that from us?”

I cross my arms, a little offended by his insinuation. “I’m not rolling over for anyone. And I’m not denying what’s going on between us. I couldn’t do that if I tried. But areyougoing to stick your head in the sand and pretend that you and I messing around couldn’t get youkilled?”

His face becomes emotionless as he shrugs one shoulder. “I suppose you’re going to make that call for me.”

“Don’t turn this on me!”

“Then don’t make a choice that impacts my life, Alexia!”

My entire body trembles and my face heats up. “That’s kind of the point. You’re not going to do the safe thing, so someone has to do it. And frankly, it’s pissing me off that you would put it all on the line over something so stupid.” I regret the words as soon as they leave my lips. I know that what I said did not come out right, and I can tell by the look on his face that I hurt his feelings.

“Stupid? You think this is stupid?” he asks, pointing his finger back and forth between us.

“You know what I mean, Xander! This isn’t a game.”

“No, it’s not. It's my fucking life!”

“And it’s my choice not to endanger it.” I spin on my heels and stalk back toward the barrier arm. “You’re being so unreasonable.”

I don’t know where I’m going, but I can’t stand staying in here and hearing our heated words bounce off the concrete walls.

“Alexia!”

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