Page 73 of Falling for Nicole
“I can guarantee you, I won’t.”
I see a small smile twitch his lips. “I’ll prove you wrong. Now come on, you’re braver and stronger than this. Conquer another fear with me. I dare you.”
“You’re a massive dick, Declan Morrison.”
“You’re right, I do have a massive dick,” he says with a laugh as I snatch the helmet out of his hand.
“You’re not funny.” I pull the helmet on and he helps me secure it. I stare at him with narrowed eyes the entire time, hoping it’ll convey just how unhappy I am about this.
“Come on then, jump on,” he says as I watch him swing one long leg over the bike in front of us.
My stomach knots in fear. I swore I’d never get on one of these things after it took my dad away before I even had the chance to meet him. But Declan was right a few weeks ago: I never have been able to turn down a dare. And it’s him that’s asking me to do this. If it were anyone else, I’d be back in my house with my slippers on by now, but I can’t say no to him.
I get myself relatively comfortable behind him and lock my arms around his middle, holding as tight as I can. He hasn’t even started the engine, but I’m already petrified.
The second the bike rumbles to life, my stomach turns over. I take a slow, deep breath to try to settle it and to calm my racing heart.
“You okay?” I hear Dec shout back to me, but I’m unable to respond. He must take that as a yes because he slowly begins to pull away from the curb.
Holding so tight I wonder if he’s struggling to breathe, I squeeze my eyes shut and pray I’m going to see Bailey and Lilly again.
I keep them shut for the longest time. The air whips around my exposed neck, making me think we’re going about a million miles an hour. I want to tell him to slow down, to stop, anything, but I’m frozen in fear.
I’ve no clue how much time has passed as I cling onto Dec for dear life, but eventually I manage to find the courage to crack one eye open.
“Whoa.” Both eyes open wide as I take in the view of the bay before me. It really is beautiful. Suddenly my fear isn’t at the forefront of my mind, and for the first time in however long, my hold loosens and I can breathe a little easier. Being able to watch the passing scenery, I can see that we’re not going all that fast and it makes me feel much better.
“I told you you’d love it,” Dec says the second he takes his helmet off. He pulled off the main road a few minutes ago, and we weaved our way down a long gravel track until the most stunning manor house came into view. He’s parked up next to Lilly’s car, so I know this is where I’m meeting her for the afternoon.
“How’d you know I was enjoying it?”
“Because after about ten minutes, I felt you relax.”
“How did you know I hadn’t passed out through fear?”
“Shut up,” he mutters as he helps me off the bike and frees my head.
I immediately run my fingers through my hair and give it a shake. I feel his eyes on me but when I look up, I don’t expect to see the serious expression on his face.
“What?”
He has to clear his throat before he can respond. “I love you.” My heart tumbles in my chest and butterflies erupt in my stomach. Neither of us has uttered those words since the night Bailey disappeared. I wondered if he’d just got caught up in the moment and hadn’t really meant them. I put my concerns to one side and focused on enjoying our time together, but I hadn’t realised how badly I needed to hear them again.
“Thank you—”
“That wasn’t the response I was hoping for.”
“Let me finish. Thank you for making me do that, for helping me face my fears. I love you, too.”
“That’s better,” he says, before wrapping his hand around the back of my neck and pulling me to him for a kiss.
“All right, all right, put her down. It’s my turn,” Lilly shouts over the car park. “I can’t believe you got her on that thing,” she adds when she gets over to us.
“I told you I would.”
“Your need to always be right is tiresome, you know?”
They continue bickering back and forth for a few minutes before Lilly threads her arm through mine and tells me it’s time for lover boy to go.
