Page 14 of Return to Me Always

"Good. Now we've got that settled, we should really push on."

He grabbed his backpack plus two helmets that were stacked on the floor by the front door.

"Uh, what are those for?" I asked, my heart speeding up again.

"Our ride."

What the hell? Could this night get any crazier?

***

"Where are we going?" I shouted from the back of the motorcycle, but Tyler didn't hear me. Or he didn't respond.

So maybe he wasn't going to outright murder me... just kill me from a high-speed bike ride. He made a few adjustments then turned toward me.

"Hold on to me," he said. "And don't let your feet touch the ground."

With that little lesson, he took off, and I grabbed onto his waist before I could even think. Feeling awkward, I looked around for something else to hold and noticed that I had handles and a backrest.

It was weird to so intimately touch someone I barely knew. Maybe I didn't have to grab onto him so much. I brought one hand back to the handle to try it out but held onto his waist with the other.

"I said to hold on to me!"

Geez. "Okay. Fine."

So I grasped on tightly with both hands. It was a snug fit between his broad back and the comfortable backrest, and I relaxed a bit as I realized it'd be almost impossible for me to fall off.

Even through his clothing, I could tell how fit he was and thought of the warm body underneath my fingers. And the strangest thing? He feltfamiliar.

What on earth had happened that my dream man was now sitting in front of me on a motorcycle as we tried to escape London? Maybe my bad dream reallyhadbeen a premonition of some kind. It was too coincidental to have that nightmare and then have my life spiral into something so out of control.

The traffic became a tangled mess, and I could sense Tyler's frustration, feel the tenseness in his body. Before long, though, the buildings grew farther apart and eventually even more sparse until we were completely free of London and its snarled streets.

"Do you know where we're going?" I asked as he took off at a faster speed.

He turned his head toward me. "Just trust me, lass."

Ididkind of trust him, I realized, which was odd considering I hardly knew him. But something about him made me feel both secure and safe. And I had to admit, I enjoyed the feel of him under my hands. More than enjoyed it.

Wind rushed by us, and I was glad of the warm clothes I had on. The road was so dark, I struggled to see my surroundings. After a while, between the hum of the engine and the exhaustion from the day, my eyes began to drift shut. I shifted in my seat and tried to stay awake.

"Lie against my back," Tyler shouted.

Did he really just say that? That woke me up... but only for a few minutes. The intense drowsiness soon returned, and I wondered what would happen if I fell asleep. Would I fall off the motorcycle and be crushed to death under a car or truck?

"I said to lean against me," Tyler said again, this time turning his head.

Not able to fight my sleepiness anymore, I decided to give it a try, even though it felt like such an intimate thing to do with someone I had just met. Leaning forward, I rested my chest on Tyler's strong back, tilting my head to one side. It was surprisingly comfortable, and I felt a sudden swell of gratitude.

His elbow clamped down on my left arm, making me feel even more secure. And that was all I needed to let my eyes close, putting my fate in the hands of this dream man come to life.

***

The slowing of the motorcycle woke me up, and I sat upright. Cool air rushed in where my body had been warmed by Tyler's back.

"Where are we?" I asked, stifling a yawn.

Pulling into a gas station, Tyler said, "We need some fuel. There's a toilet here if you need it. Just keep your head down."

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