Page 121 of The Kissing Booth
‘You have your bike. I saw it outside. I’m not going on that thing ever again. Once was bad enough.’
‘Aw, come on, everyone deserves a second chance. You gavemeone. Don’t hate the bike.’
I laughed, momentarily forgetting the nausea and worry of potentially losing Noah. Besides, right now, I felt a lot more confident. I honestly didn’t think he was breaking up with me; he’d even said he didn’t want to lose me.
‘I’m sorry, I can’t do it. I can’t get on that thing, it’s horrible.’
‘But you can snuggle up to me,’ he said teasingly. ‘Come on, it’s seriously not half as bad as you make out.’
‘It’s awful,’ I told him sternly. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t do it. I cannot get on that bike with you.’
‘Well, you don’t have a choice. I’m taking you to this place even if I have to tie you up.’
I frowned.
‘I’m kidding. But it’ll be worth it, I promise.’
‘No.’
He leaned over and gave me a quick peck on the lips. ‘Please? I swear, it’ll be completely worth it. I’ll be your slave for life if you don’t like it.’
How could I say no to that face?
So I said, with a suspicious frown, ‘For life?’
‘Yup.’
‘Okay, okay, but just this once. And you owe me – big time. Even if Idolike it.’
‘Whatever you say, Shelly. But you’re going to love it. And the bike won’t be half bad either.’
‘I highly doubt that. I hate you sometimes, Noah Flynn.’
Chapter 27
HE PUT THEhelmet on for me, clipping it in place. I had a sense of déjà vu of when I’d first ridden the bike, and smiled at the memory. Then he swung himself over the motorbike, which looked even more monstrous and intimidating than I remembered, and gave me a hand. I put my arms around his waist cautiously. My palms were sweating. I could hear my heartbeat echoing in my ears.
Wherever we were going, it had better be worth it.
Was it too late to back out? Tell him we’d go another time?
‘Noah, I changed my mind, I really don’t—’
He revved the engine, the bike roaring to life all of a sudden. I jumped, let out a little squeak, and held on as tight as I could. I felt his body rumble with a chuckle, and before I could tell him again I’d changed my mind, he sped off down the street.
I didn’t even open my eyes.
The wind slapped my bare arms and legs; I knew I’d have goosebumps all over when we got off. At least my hair was all tucked inside the helmet so it wouldn’t be a total mess when I took it off.
But I didn’t want to look at everything blurring past. I heard a horn blare, most likely at us, but I still kept my eyes squeezed tight shut and clung to Noah.
I hate this I hate this I hate this.
I love him I love him I love him.
I hardly even noticed when we stopped. Everything suddenly went silent, and it was only when Noah unhooked my arms from around him that I dared to open my eyes.
We were at the bottom of a hill by a park outside of town. I used to come to the park in the summer with Lee, since they had a public pool here that was open in the summer; it made a nice change of scenery from his back yard.
