Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“We’re going.” He got up from the recliner, then disappeared down the hall. Moments later, he returned with the keys to his bike and a leather jacket. “Put this on.”
“But it’s not cold outside.”
“You want to go for a ride or not?”
“Fine.” I slipped on the jacket, then said, “All set.”
He looked down at my bare legs and feet, then said, “Not quite.”
“Oh, yeah. Hold on a second.” I rushed to my room, and after I’d slipped on a pair of jeans and tennis shoes, I went racing back to the living room. “I’m ready.”
“That you are.” His eyes drifted over me, sending a warm chill down my spine. My heart was beating a mile a minute when he motioned his hand towards the door. “Well, I guess we best get going.”
Without hesitation, I followed him outside to his Harley. He took a minute to pull an extra helmet from his saddlebag, then helped me put it on. Once I was ready, he hopped on and started the engine, then reached out his hand to help me get on. Butterflies started to flutter in my stomach as I took his hand and swung my leg over the seat behind him. I don’t know if it was the fact that I had never been on a motorcycle before or that I was sitting so close to him, but my entire body was trembling with nervousness. Sensing my unease, Noah looked back over his shoulder with a smile. “Nothing to worry about, tough girl. I’ve got ya.”
With that, I placed my hands on his hips, and he put the bike into gear, quickly riding us through the back gate and out onto the main road. To be honest, it wasn’t what I expected. While it was an awesome feeling being out in the open, I felt vulnerable, like I was totally exposed with little to no protection from the elements. As we headed into the busy streets of downtown Nashville, we were quickly surrounded by cars. I could hear the muffled sounds of their radios, smell the pungent exhaust from their tailpipes, and feel the radiant heat from their hot engines. It was sensory overload, but at the same time, I’d never felt so alive.
I glanced around at the bright lights, noting each and every color of the flashing signs overhead, and with every turn, I noticed something I’d never seen before. It was like I was seeing the city for the first time, and the best part was I was seeing it with Noah. I leaned in closer, taking in the subtle scent of his cologne mixed with leather, feeling the curves of his back against my chest, and I had to fight the urge to let my hands wander.
We hadn’t been riding long when Noah took a road I’d never been on before—one that seemed to go straight up, each curve taking us higher and higher up into a small neighborhood that I never knew existed. When we reached the top of the steep hill, I noticed a park sign, then leaned up and asked, “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
Moments later, we came to the end of the residential street and entered a park. Noah quickly pulled up to an old guardrail and stopped, turning off the bike’s engine. Without a word, he got off and removed his helmet. “Are you coming?”
“Coming where?”
“You’ll see.”
I slipped off the helmet, then followed him over to the edge of the parking lot and gasped at the beauty of the lights below. We could see the entire city—the tall buildings and shimmering streetlights, all the cars driving back and forth, and the different houses were families were sleeping peacefully in their beds. I glanced over at Noah as I said, “It’s beautiful.”
“I thought you might like it.”
“How did you find this place?”
“There was a time when it was kind of a hot spot. The locals call it Music City’s Lover’s Loop, but people don’t park up here like they used to.” He stared ahead as he continued, “I come up here whenever I need to clear my head.”
“Well, it’s the perfect place for it.” I stepped over the metal rail, then sat down on the curved edge, looking out at the beautiful scene before me. “This would be a cool place to live.”
“I’ve always thought so.”
Noah stepped over the railing, then sat down next to me. We both sat there staring off in silence for several moments, and I had to say it was nice to be sharing his special place with him. I glanced over at his handsome face noting the detached look in his eyes, and I found myself wondering what was going through his head. Sadly, I didn’t have a clue. There was just so little that I knew about him, and if it hadn’t been for Ada and her stories I would’ve known even less. Noah was a man who kept himself at a distance, almost like he was afraid to get too close to me or anyone else. I could’ve just let him continue to put up his walls, but I wanted a chance to get to know him—the real him. Since we were at his special spot, I hoped that I might catch him in a moment of weakness and asked, “How long have you been a Ruthless Sinner?”