Another burst of warmth erupts through my thighs but I take his warning to heart and lace my fingers around each other at his waist, pressing my body against his. “Where’re we going?”
The low rumble of Trent’s bike is the only answer I get and then we’re moving.
Without thought, I hug his body tight as we weave in and out of traffic. Trent turns out to be a cautious driver, giving everyone a wide berth, following all the laws. I like that. I feel safe with him. And that scares the shit out of me. It makes me want to jump off this moving bike and run home to hide under my covers because he’s just too damn perfect. I squeeze him tightly instead.
It’s not until Trent turns onto the interstate and heads south that I realize we’re not going to the beach. He’s taking me away, somewhere far.
In so many ways, I think he already has.
***
“You know my sister thinks you like to shove kittens in ATMs,” I say as Trent cuts the engine in an Everglades National Park parking lot. “You know, like from American Psycho.”
His forehead creases. “Really? I thought she liked me.”
“Oh, she does, I can tell.” I make sure my voice sounds casual as I slide off the bike and take off my helmet. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t be crazy.”
“Huh. ” Trent’s long leg swings around the seat. “How old is Livie again?”
“Fifteen.”
“She’s smart, that one.” I catch the sly smile as he grabs a little cooler bag from a compartment on the bike. “Come on. Let me lead you into the dark, secluded wilderness over there.” He jerks his head toward a bunch of hiking signs, flashing me a set of dark eyes and deep dimples. The signs come with warnings of wildlife dangers. I can’t help but wonder if they should also have warnings of idiot girls who follow guys they hardly know into the swamp.
The sun is beginning to sink toward the horizon as we walk down the paved pathway. The trail looks well maintained but it’s quiet. As we move further and further in, as the eeriness closes in around us and the air grows thick and heady with the unknown, I can’t help but wonder what Trent’s plan is. “So why are we in the Everglades?”
He shrugs, looking over his shoulder. “I’ve never been. Have you?”
I shake my head.
“Well, we live in Miami so I figured we should go.”
“I guess that’s a good reason,” I mumble as we edge along the trail, lined with tall grasses wrapped in shadows from the late day sun. The perfect place to get rid of a body. “So is this going to be a reenactment of a CSI Miami episode?” I blurt out. Damn you for freaking me out, Livie.
Trent stops and turns to study me with a furrowed brow and an amused smile. “Are you seriously worried?”
I shrug. “I’m sure I’ve seen this episode before. Guy takes girl to remote shack in the Everglades, has his way with her for a few days, and then leaves her body to the alligators so there’s no evidence.”
He opens his mouth to answer, but then pauses as if in thought. “Well, probably only twenty-four hours. I have a deadline for work tomorrow.”
I c**k my head, weighing his movements.
“Come on, Kacey!” he bursts out with amazed laughter. “I have never, nor will I ever stuff a kitten into an ATM! I’m more of a dog person, anyway.”
My arms fold over my chest, my brow arching. “You know I can handle myself pretty well, right?”
He chuckles, blue irises sliding over my body, shooting tremors through me. “Oh, believe me. I know you can. You could probably have me flat on my back in under five seconds.” I wish. “Come on.” He grabs hold of my elbow and pulls me forward so we’re walking side by side. On impulse, I unfold my arms and grab his hand, pulling it up to my mouth to kiss his knuckles.
Pleasant surprise flickers in his eyes. With a lop-sided grin, he switches hands so he can haul me into his body, tossing his arm around my shoulder. He lifts my hand and holds it against his chest. We walk like that in silence, allowing me to feel his heartbeat. It’s fast and hard and so damn alive.
“So what do you wanna know?”
“What?” I frown.
“Well, you said Livie thinks you should know more about me so what do you wanna know?” His tone softens, his face somber, as he stares forward, and I sense a shift in the air. A hint of tension, like we’re encroaching on a topic he’s not comfortable with either.
“Umm …” The less we talk about each other’s lives, the better. But secretly, I have to admit I want to know everything about him. Right down to the type of soap he uses in the shower. “Well, you already know what I do for a living. What do you do?”
His shoulders slump a little as if relieved by the topic. “Graphic design.”
“Really? A computer geek? Never would have guessed.” Seriously, I look at his perfect body and I never would have guessed. He smiles at my jibe. “And who do you work for?”
“Myself. It’s great. I don’t have to go anywhere or report to anyone except my clients. I can pick up and move if I want, which is what I did. I can design, naked in my living room all day and no one has a clue.”
“That’s … uh …” Trent crushes my shoulder and hand to keep me upright as I trip over my own two feet. Swirls of light and dark fill my vision at the mental image Trent’s just painted. Dammit! By the smirk on his face, he knows what saying things like that does to me. I decide I’ll be breaking down his front door one day soon, alligator or not. I also decide I need to change the topic of conversation before my body drops to the ground and flops around like a fish out of water.
“Where’d you learn how to hit a bag?”
He laughs again. “I was into sports a lot, back in high school and college. It’s a good stress reliever, that’s all.” His thumb rubs my shoulder as we walk on and my heart swells.
“Are both of your parents in Rochester?” I ask, shocking even myself. Now that I’ve started prying, it’s like I can’t stop. Worse, I’m asking all the questions I can’t answer about myself. “Sorry,” I shake my head. “I … it’s none of my—”
Trent’s soft chuckle stops my sputtering. “My dad’s in Manhattan, my mom’s in Rochester. Divorced, obviously.” He offers the information but I can’t help notice his shoulders tense, like it’s not something he’s comfortable talking about.
I bite my tongue and we continue in silence.
“What else do you want to know, Kace?” He looks down at me. “Ask me whatever you want.”
“What do you want to tell me?”
“Everything.”
I’m shaking my head. “I’m sure there’re things you want to keep to yourself.”
“Yes, some things are hard to talk about. But I’ll tell you.” His hand squeezes mine. “I want you to know me.”
“Okay.” My voice is soft and weak now and I feel that I have to lay my cards on the table. “So you know, I’m not big on talking about some things.”
I hear the soft exhale of air. “I’ve noticed. Can you at least tell me what’s off limits?”
“My past. My family.”
Trent’s jaw tenses but, after a moment, he nods. “That’s a big part of you, Kacey. But, okay. We won’t talk about that stuff until you’re ready.”