Page 95 of Burnout
She beams at me. “That’s right. He started out playing piano, then guitar, and the last time I talked to him he was begging our parents for a drum set. My dad will make him ask for at least two months to make sure he really wants it, but they’ll give in eventually. They’ve always been really supportive of our hobbies.”
An ache fills my chest. What would it have been like to have that kind of family growing up? It’s not a line of thought I allow myself to go down very often. I had Mom and she did everything she could. Wishing things had been different feels like saying she wasn’t enough. And she was. She was everything.
When we get to the trail and I start unloading the bikes, Avery’s excitement morphs into a timid, almost fearful nervousness.
“This one is yours,” I say as I pat the black and pink dirt bike. “In case that wasn’t obvious.”
Some of that fear abates as she looks it over. “This is one of your bikes? I can’t believe Knox Holland owns something with pink on it.”
“I don’t.Youdo.”
She turns to face me, brows furrowing.
“I bought it for you,” I say, then shift uncomfortably because she looks stunned.
“You bought me a bike?”
“It’s not new or anything. I got it off Brooklyn and switched out some of the?—”
She cuts me off with a kiss and I don’t finish what I was going to say, or even remember it. Avery’s mouth is heaven.
“This is the nicest gift anyone has ever given me,” she says when she pulls back. “I absolutely love it, but I can’t accept this.”
“You have to. It’s a gift. And it wasn’t that much. I had most of the tools and parts on hand.”
She still looks hesitant to accept it.
“Wait until you see the rest of your gear.” I wink.
From the back seat I get all the clothes and gear. Pink and black, of course.
“Knox. Seriously, this is too much.”
“Nah, it’s just enough.”
I help her into the jacket. It’s black with just a touch of pink on the zipper. The pants match. The helmet is one of mine, but the goggles are all pink and so are the gloves.
“Do you like it? You probably won’t need the jacket once the sun comes up, but it’s cold riding in the morning.”
“I am never going to wear anything else,” she says as she pulls the pants up. They’re too big so she just wears her jeans, but everything else is perfect.
While she finishes getting ready, I grab my own gear.
That look of trepidation is back on her face when it’s time to go. But she looks so sexy in her black boots, jeans, riding jacket,helmet and goggles that it’s hard to concentrate on anything else.
“Good thing you have so many layers on right now.” I lean down and kiss the tip of her nose through her helmet before I put mine on.
“I look okay?”
“No. You look fucking hot.”
I sit on her bike to show her everything. She watches so keenly that I get a little thrill.
“Okay.” I scoot back and pat the seat. “Sit down and let’s go through it again.”
She does, placing her ass in my crotch, her blonde hair is tickling my face as the wind blows it around. I hold it back with one hand and lean over one shoulder. I can’t resist kissing her neck. I’ve never ridden double on a dirt bike. They’re really not meant for it, but I have the sudden urge to leave my bike here and let her ride me around.
I quiz her and do my best to pay attention to make sure she gets it right, but I am distracted.
