Page 88 of Irresistibly Wicked

She soaked in the views as they drove through one small town after another, reveling in the feel of Zander’s muscles flexing against her chest and beneath her hands. The powerful, controlled shift of his weight and the heat blooming in all the places their bodies touched combined with the vibration of the engine in a new kind of foreplay.

This must be the freedom he was talking about, because she couldn’t hold on to a single worry right now if she wanted to.

He turned down a rural road. Trees arched overhead and sunlight flashed through the canopies. When the trees gave way to grassy fields and meadows, they rounded a bend, and as they came out of it, they drove beneath an arched metal sign that read Welcome to Wildside, and just beyond, a sprawling adventure park came into view. Shauna spotted a roller coaster in the distance, and two tall towers. Excitement bubbled up inside her as they cruised into the parking lot.

Zander parked and cut the engine, but Shauna’s body continued vibrating as he pulled off his helmet and climbed off the bike. He raked his hand through his thick dark hair, his entire being radiating new light, as if the ride had rejuvenated him, too. As he locked his helmet to the handlebar, she took off hers and shrugged out of her jacket.

“There’s my beautiful wife,” he said, helping her off the bike.

Her stomach had been dipping all day at the way wife rolled off his tongue so easily. Now it dipped for a whole new reason. With the exception of the day of their wedding, she’d never been called beautiful before, much less painfully beautiful, the way Zander had last night, when he’d looked at her in the same way he was looking at her now. Like he truly believed it.

“I hope this is okay,” he said. “I thought it would be fun to do some of the things you missed out on as a kid.”

Her heart stumbled. “It’s better than okay. It’s perfect.”

“Great.” He locked her helmet to the bike and tucked her jacket into the saddlebag. “What’s the verdict on the motorcycle ride? Still willing to be my ride or die?”

“That depends. If I say no, are we going to leave without going in there?”

“I’m not that callous.” He smirked. “I’ll let you have your fun, but I might have to leave you in the woods on the way out.”

“How do I drive this thing again?” She started to climb back on the bike.

He laughed and pulled her into his arms, pinning her with a playful gaze. “Spill it, Flores. Did you hate the ride?”

“No. I liked it too much.”

“Impossible. There’s no such thing, and I kind of dig that liking things with me is a recurring theme for you.”

“Don’t let it go to your head or anything,” she teased. “I thought the ride would feel reckless and dangerous, but it didn’t. I felt free, like nothing could touch me and anything was possible.”

He tilted his handsome face up to the sky and said, “Yes!”

She loved seeing him so happy. “But I can see how people could end up driving too fast and get caught up in what’s around them instead of focusing on the road.”

“It’s different when you’re the driver. I’m more focused on the road and hazards when I’m on my bike than I am when I’m driving a car or truck. And with you on the back, I’m a thousand times more careful than I am when I’m alone.”

“Well, since you’re my husband now, could you please pay more attention to the road when you’re alone?”

“Careful, Angel. Sounds like you’re starting to catch feelings for me.”

Feeling too seen, she said, “Don’t flatter yourself,” and stepped out of his arms, seeking safer territory. “I just don’t want you to kick off until after you teach me to ride.”

“I’ll try not to, darlin’.” He draped an arm over her. “Let’s go have some fun.”

Gravel crunched under their feet as they made their way into the park. The scent of popcorn and hot dogs wafted around food stands, while bells and whistles drifted out of an arcade, mingling with the din of the crowd and the whirr of go-karts and other rides. In the distance, people whipped along ziplines from the high towers she’d seen. Her nerves pinged. Not just from the excitement of being there but from the quiet war waging inside her. This trip, and this man and his family and his help, was all so unexpected and over the top, she felt like she was stealing happiness instead of being offered it.

Zander tightened his arm around her shoulder. “You okay, Flores?”

“Yeah. Just thinking.”

“Thinking about me can be a dangerous habit.”

She smiled. “I never said I was thinking about you.”

“You didn’t have to.” He nodded to the go-karts. “Ready to get your butt whipped?”

“You really are a dreamer. I’m going to blow you away.”