He took one of the helmets off the handle and handed it to me. “You know how to put one of these on?”
I did not. But it couldn’t be that hard, so I took it and put it on my head. It fit snugly, and I was fumbling with the straps that felt like they weren’t ever going to fit together. Who designed these things? Shouldn’t it be easy to put them on?
Mason put his helmet on and closed the straps, the whole thing taking less than three seconds.
“Need some help?” he asked.
“I think the straps are broken,” I said but tilted my head back so he could help me.
It took him less than two seconds to fasten it.
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
He took the stand off and sat down on the seat, balancing the bike. “Okay, just sit down behind me and put your arms around my middle,” he instructed and held out a hand.
I took it and swung my leg up and over. My arms went around him, and I shuffled as close as I could get.
“All you need to know is hold on tight and lean into the corners. Everything else will come naturally,” he said and squeezed my hands. I scooted as close as I could, loving the idea of riding a motorcycle with him.
Feeling him pressed against my front was better than I could have imagined. Things only got better once he started the engine and the vibrations of the motor flowed through my body. A girl could get used to this. That was my last coherent thought before we took off and my heart dropped and my eyes went wide.
He drove out of town and into the mountains, the windy road the perfect place to take a ride. I was stiff as a board at first, not leaning into the corners despite Mason’s coaxing. He was going slow, but it felt like he was racing at a thousand miles an hour.
After a while of listening to the drone of the motor and watching the trees and hills go past, I finally started to relax. I started blinking again and my heart rate slowed down. And once I didn’t think I was going to die in a glowing ball of fire anymore, I felt like I was flying. It turned into one of the best experiences of my life. I felt like I could take on the world. No matter what the future would bring, I was ready because I had Mason. He had given me my life back and I would never forget that.
We eventually stopped at a lookout and dismounted. My legs felt like jelly, and I couldn’t undo the straps on my helmet. I was sure they were broken.
Mason helped me with both, first taking the helmet off, then leading me to a bench that sat off to the side of the parking lot. I sank onto the seat in relief.
“What do you think?” Mason asked and sat down next to me, the sides of our bodies pressed together. He was constantly touching me whenever I was close enough, and when I was not, he would always seek me out. I wasn’t much better, barely able to keep my clothes on when he was around.
“I loved it. When can we do it again?” I asked and leaned into him.
He laughed and kissed my head. I leaned into him and tipped my head back. Our mouths met, the connection as strong as ever, the simple kiss causing my body to break out in goose bumps. His lips were soft and he tasted of the cupcakes I got everyone from Sweet Dreams.
“We can go for a ride whenever you want. And we still have to drive back as well.”
“I decree we become a Sunday ride couple,” I said.
“You’ll get no objections from me. I love that you like riding with me,” he said and stared at me with his beautiful eyes. “I have one more thing to show you. Ready to head back?”
“Let’s do it,” I answered, getting up. I was wondering what he was up to. The ride back was quicker, since Mason went faster than on the way up, not having to wait for me to adjust anymore.
We drove back into town and Mason parked his bike in front of a small house. The street was quiet and there was a park across the road. The house looked well-maintained, the freshly paved driveway led up to a double garage.
He pulled up to the garage and after I got off he did the same, helping me with my helmet again.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, confused. He already had a house, and I wasn’t in the market to buy anything.
“Follow me,” he said and took my hand. He walked up to the front door and unlocked it. The inside was freshly renovated, a cozy living room sitting off to the right of the front door, a kitchen just behind it, overlooking the garden. Mason showed me around, walking from the kitchen back out into the hallway and past three bedrooms. The one-story house was cozy, and all the bedrooms were a great size. The appliances looked brand new, even the laundry had a new washer and dryer.
“This is really nice,” I said, still confused. “But why are you showing me this?”
“It’s mine. I just finished renovating it.”
“What? I didn’t know you owned another house.”
“I own a few houses in Humptulips. I’ve been buying and selling them for a while. It’s made me some extra cash. But I want to concentrate on the farm for now. That’s why I don’t mind if I don’t sell this for a while.”
“Okay,” I said, not sure why he was telling me this. He must have heard the hesitancy in my voice and explained.
“It’s for Nora. She and the
