Page 17 of Running Into The Grump

She waited for a breath before taking my hand and standing. I led her to the door, pausing as my name was called. The lady behind the counter smirked.

“Treat her right,” she said.

“We’re going for a drive.”

“The gossip in the town is flying. I just saw the anger ease out of you two. Just treat her right.”

I shook my head at this town, because I should have known that everyone’s tongues were wagging over us, but right now, seeing Jacqueline waiting for me, a smile on her face, I couldn’t care.

Because this felt right.

Chapter 9

Jacqueline

Ithrew my leg over the back as he helped me climb on his back and I couldn’t help but be worried that I was going to do something to it.

I mean, I wasn’t huge, but it still felt odd.

“Don’t worry,” he told me, making me give him a look. “Your face says it all. Your weight isn’t an issue, or I wouldn’t have asked. Now, I’m going to need you to hold on tight. It’s a gorgeous morning, but the air will be crisp with the breeze. If need be, I can give you my jacket.

“When we turn, I’m going to need you to lean into it, okay? Don’t try to fight the way the bike feels. Just be one with it. And trust me, you’re in safe hands.”

I snorted at that, making him chuckle.

“I’m still debating that. You know, this might be the perfect way for you to get rid of me and no one would know.”

“Now that is not true. There are plenty of people in this town who know more about us than you think lady.”

“What’s that mean?” I asked him, then shut up as people stopped to watch us leave the parking spot and I sighed. “Never mind,” I stated, knowing that we must have been the latest gossip. But I sure didn’t hear about it at work. No one was opening up about it. Granted, the usual gossip groups hadn’t been in.

Maybe that was why. Because I was the talk of the town and they didn’t want me to overhear it? Which was stupid, they hadn’t cared about it before.

It didn’t matter. I knew the truth, as did Jackson, and it’s something we should have thought about. Our little spats would get so much notice.

In fact, didn’t Lina say something? And Ms. Shelly? It couldn’t just be from those quick interactions.

“You’re thinking way too hard,” he told me as we pulled up to a stop sign.

“I’m thinking about how many tongues have talked about us.”

“Oh, believe me, Vixen, everyone has. And to be honest, I don’t really mind it,” he said, shifting the gears on the bike and taking off again.

We hadn’t made it to the open road yet, so he kept the speed limit, and I had to smile to myself. It would have been nice if he had done this the first time I saw him and had him not try to mow me off the road. But then again, maybe it had to be that way?

He made a right turn, and we leaned into it, then he shifted again and I felt the bike pick up speed. Without thinking, my hands moved to wrap around his waist, and I felt his stomach muscles clench under my hands. He took one hand off the bars to place it over mine and the warmth shot through me.

I almost begged him to keep touching me, which would have been embarrassing. Honestly, my brain was getting all fogged up between a dream and reality. Though, the way the wind was blowing my hair around, this felt very real. And the muscles flexing under my hands were real.

He slowed as we came upon some trees and I tilted my head back, a smile on my face as I just stared at the canopy of colors. Who else has got to imagine and enjoy this? With a good-looking man, nonetheless? This is what is written in stories, not shared in real life.

“It’s so breathtaking out here.”

“It is,” he answered, nodding his head. “It’s always been my favorite place to come and think and just enjoy.”

He pulled off on the side of the road and killed the bike, pushing the kickstand down. We turned to see The Falls, as the town folk called it. It was a serene waterfall that wasn’t known to anyone who wasn’t local. In silence, we just watched the water, and I felt such peace come over it. I hated to break it, but I had questions.

“You come out here a lot?”