“Come on. I know exactly where I’m taking you.”
He took my hand and started down the hallway, with me falling in step behind him. We made our way to the elevator, taking the easy way down to his bike. Being able to wrap my arms around him again felt wonderful. It was something I hadn't been sure I’d ever experience again. But as campus fell away behind us, I felt freer than I had in a long time.
And the ride was substantially longer this time around.
With every bend in the road, I leaned into h
im. Grounded myself with my arms wrapped around his waist. I clenched the bike with my thighs, even though they were tired. My abs screamed for mercy and my arms wanted to hang limply in the air. But I didn’t give in. I wanted to know where he was taking me. I wanted to know what was in store for us this evening. As the sun began to sink in the sky, colors splashed across the horizon. Pinks and blues and purples that backdropped shadowed trees and rolling green hills.
We finally pulled into a parking lot.
“Where are we?”
Max cut the engine and put the kickstand down.
“Come inside and find out. That’s how most adventures start.”
I slid the helmet off my head. “Mike’s Bikes and Boots?”
He held out his hand. “You coming or not?”
I slapped the helmet into his hand before wiggling my way down from the bike. I followed him inside, and I instantly regretted my decision. Everywhere I looked, there was biker apparel. Leather jackets on hangers in the corners. Boots lining the back wall. Gloves, jeans, and T-shirts, all lining the aisles in the middle of the store. The cashier was blowing bubbles with her chewing gum, her voluptuous curves barely stuffed into the tight leather pieces she wore.
“Need anything?” she asked flatly.
I shook my head. “No, ma’am.”
She scoffed. “Fine, then.”
Max took my hand. “Follow me.”
I don’t know what in the world would possibly possess him to bring me here or how this was making anything up to me. But I went with it. As much as I could, anyway. He tugged me all the way to the back corner of the store, where there was a door with a crooked sign that said ‘dressing room.’
“What are we doing here, Max?”
He reached for a pair of jeans. “You need new pants.”
“Wait, what?”
He turned around and let his eyes fall down my legs.
“Preferably, a pair that fits.”
I scoffed. “Oh. Oh, I see. You’re wanting me to get into some tiny little leather gear just so you can see what’s underneath these baggy clothes. Well, I’m telling you right now, Buckaroo, that ain’t happenin’.”
He grinned at me. “That your ‘tough gun’ voice?”
“I’m not living that down, am I?”
“Oh, never, as long as I’m alive.”
I rolled my eyes. “Give me those.”
I snatched the jeans out of his hands as he laughed. I smiled to myself as I walked through the door, only to find myself face to face with a full-length mirror. Oh, this was the dressing room. I figured this was a backroom with multiple dressing rooms.
No matter. These jeans looked so small I probably wouldn't fit into them anyway.
“When you’re done with those, toss them over and tell me how they fit.”