It couldn’t have been more than ten minutes but for Elle, perched on the narrow back of the bike as it soared to lightning fast speeds, it felt like an eternity. Honey had driven them farther and farther from the main road, utilizing instead the twisting and turning switchback roads that canvased the mountainous area.
She was completely lost, her face was going numb from the cool wind constantly rushing past it, and she was pretty sure her fingers were permanently stuck in the claw like shape they had formed clutching Honey’s jacket. She hadn’t moved since the chase started, but after a harrowing hairpin turn her eyes had popped open wide and then they been stuck that way too, as if she were being constantly surprised. Needless to say, it wasn’t the most comfortable motorcycle chase she’d ever experienced.
Elle almost snorted out a laugh at the thought and then stopped herself. This is it. I’m finally losing it. The thoughts echoed through her head but it was like it was somebody else’s voice, somebody’s voice that she didn’t recognize anymore.
She glanced back, against her better judgement.
“Honey, we’ve only got three back there now. Where did the other three go? Honey?”
“Fuck.” She heard him curse and for once, she whole heartedly agreed, “They split off, trying to get ahead of us. Well, too bad for them, I know this area like the back of my hand.” Honey growled the words, almost too low for her to hear but in the next instant all she could think about was holding on and keeping her seat as he made a quick turn to the left, and then the right.
“Did we lose them?” He shouted the question and Elle felt a spark of hope as she looked behind her and didn’t see anything coming around the jagged cliffs, but a moment later they appeared.
“No. They’re still behind us Honey. We need to do something or we’re going to be trapped.”
“I know that!” He shouted back, his voice hard with frustration, “Okay I’ve got something but you’re gonna have to trust me, okay?”
She nodded hastily, but then remembered that he couldn’t see her.
“I trust you.”
“Okay, then just hold on and don’t let go, whatever happens.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.” At this point, Elle was pretty sure it would take actual surgery to get her hands unclenched from the fabric of his leather jacket, and her arms were locked in place like a vice.
He kept going at full speed, still headed forward and Elle wondered for a moment what he was going to do. And then he really wondered as the three missing biker’s reappeared in front of them.
“Uh, Honey? Honey!” Elle shouted, as if he couldn’t see them. Fear lodged in her throat making it impossible for her to say anything else, to do anything else except what he’d told her. Hold on. And trust him.
It came surprisingly easy, the trust. Like it had always been there, and it had just taken this ridiculous situation to realize it. But she really did. She trusted him. With her life, and more importantly, with her heart. The thought shot through her, ringing like a cannon blast and it distracted her so much she didn’t realize that the biker’s in front of them were closing in until she looked up.
“Honey, what the heck do you think you’re doing!” Elle shouted, or she tried to shout anyways. The wind kept beating at her words, at her face, making it hard to speak let alone yell at the idiot for letting them get trapped. But there was a manic joy in his voice as he shouted one word back to her.
“Chicken!”
Chicken? Chicken! It echoed over and over and she could see it now. Three bikers behind them, three bikers in front of them. Honey wasn’t planning on getting caught, he wasn’t even planning on slowing down. He was going to try and ride straight through the ones in front of them and hope that the bad guys got out of the way before they reached them.
“Honey, you are…you are…a complete idiot! Honey, what the f–!” But her startled words were cut off as they neared. So close now that she could see the glares aimed straight at Honey and her. Elle closed her eyes, just hoping to make it through alive and as they all came together the noise of the combined motorcycles sounded like a plane engine passing them by.
Wait a minute! Passing them by? They were still alive? Oh my god, they were still alive. They had survived it. Honey’s mad plan had actually worked. Elle threw a quick evaluating glance behind her at the mass confusion as the bikers had to veer out of each other’s way, shouting curses at each other, and at them.
As Honey made a series of quick turns and the sound of the other motorcycles faded to silence behind them, a strange feeling surged through Elle. She was buzzing with adrenaline and a sort of wild happiness that had her laughing out loud as they escaped their would be captors and she couldn’t seem to stop it. She had never felt so…free before.
After another twenty minutes of incomprehensible twists and turns on the side roads and truck access roads that crisscrossed this side of the mountain, Honey began to slow down. Eventually, he pulled over behind an outcropping that blocked their view from the road and parked the bike with a long exhale.
He slid off, closing his eyes as he leaned against it and just breathed deep of the fresh, mountain air.
An unexpected sound broke the peaceful silence. A giggle. Her giggle. Elle slapped a hand over her mouth in shock and Honey looked over at her, confusion lighting his dark gaze first but as another small giggle escaped his mouth tilted up in that lop-sided way of his and laughter shone from the depths of his own eyes.
“You think that was funny?” He asked, tilting his head to one side as he stared at her, still grinning. She shook her head.
“No!” Elle said aghast but she couldn’t hold back her laughter, breaking up her words and making it hard to speak. “It was terrifying.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” Honey moved so his hip was leaning against the side of the bike. She was still astride the back and now they were so close her thigh was nearly brushing his.
“Yeah,” She said, breathless now, “It really was. It was so close!”
“It was. Too close.” Honey leaned forward, closing the small amount of distance between them, “Don’t ever do anything like that again, okay?”
“I promise I won’t,” Elle replied heartily, but then added, “Only if I have to.”
Honey looked at her for a long moment. “I guess that’s as good as I’m going to get, huh?”
Elle nodded her head, her gaze trapped in his and suddenly her heart beat started racing again. Not from fear, or from adrenaline, but just from him. Honey reached forward, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear in a move so full of tenderness that it had her chest going tight and tears stinging the corners of her eyes. And she knew. Like a bolt of lightning striking her. She knew.
“I love you.” Elle said, the words falling out in a jumbled rush. Honey froze, his dark eyes suddenly intense on hers.
“What did you say?”
“I–I love you.” Elle repeated the words, with more confidence now and her whole body filled with warmth like sunshine breaking through the clouds. “I didn’t…I didn’t understand before. I just didn’t realize it but I think…I think I’ve known for a while now too. You just scared me. I’m not–.”
“Not used to sharing your feelings with people?” Honey finished her sentence, interrupting her. But she slowly nodded.
“Yeah. I’ve just…” She looked away, forcing herself to break eye contact. It was too hard to say what she needed to say staring into his dark, melting gaze. “I’ve been alone for so long, Honey. I don’t know– I didn’t know how to let anyone it.”
The hand that was still tangled in her hair by her ear slid down until it was cupping her cheek, caressing her skin with his thumb, back and forth, as he drew her eyes back to face his.
“I know, Elle.” He huffed out a small sigh, a soft laugh, “I know…Thank you.”
“For what?” She asked softly, staring wonderingly up into his face. It was almost too handsome to look at and she let her eyes flutter shut as he leaned his forehead against hers.
“For being honest with me.” Honey finally said. His warm breath swept across her cheek, teasing her lips and for a long moment all she could do was sit there, listening to the birds and steady sound of his heartbeat. Hers was still racing, partly from the rush of the mad dash getaway, and partly because of the wild happiness that flowed through her.
“I’m sorry, Honey,” Elle breathed out the words, barely more than a whisper.
“Hush,” As he spoke his lips brushed against hers, a feather light touch that had chills racing down her body, “There’s nothing to apologize for.”
“No, there is.” She said, leaning back enough so that she could meet his gaze, so that he could see the sincerity shining in her own. “I tried to push you away for so long. Because I was too afraid of my own feelings. Of…my very self. And I was scared of letting myself get hurt.”
“Elle, it’s okay–.”
“No, let me finish.” She interrupted him, waiting for him to nod before speaking once more, “I…I was a coward. And because I was so afraid, I hurt you instead. And I’m so sorry. I know I’m not the easiest person but I promise that I’ll do my best to be honest with you.”
“Well, I know how seriously you take your promises.” Honey whispered, a small happy grin hanging on his lips as he caressed her cheek.
“Very seriously.” Elle breathed softly, suddenly breathless. Honey leaned close again and Elle had to fight the urge to let her heavy eyelids drift close. She wanted to see him. She didn’t want to miss any more than she already had. She thought he was going to kiss her but at the last minute, he stopped. Honey flicked his dark gaze once more up to hers, and she almost gasped at the raging fire burning in their depths.
“Say it again.” He whispered hoarsely, his voice rough and gravelly in a way that had moisture pooling low and sweet at her core.
“What?”
“Say it again. I want to hear you say it again.” He repeated his question and it finally broke through her lust induced confusion. Elle moved so that her lips were just hovering about her because when she spoke she wanted him to be able to feel the words as well as hear them.
“Honey, I love you.” She whispered, kissing him softly like a dream. Suddenly his hands were running up her thighs, picking her up and shifting her around until she was still sitting on the bike, but sideways now and he was pressing tight into the vee of her open thighs.
He kissed her then, and it was like something out of a movie, or a book. So soft, so gentle, with just the right amount of pressure to have her leaning forward and begging for more.
“Tell me again.” Honey whispered the words against her lips and she nearly giggled again.
“I love you.” She said, and he swallowed the words with his next kiss, harder this time, drawing her deeper and deeper until her whole world was him.
“Say it one more time.” He begged her, and this time she did giggle. She was so full of joy that she couldn’t hold it in.
“I love you, Honey. I love you. I love you. I love you.” He kissed her then, a kiss so devastating that she didn’t think she could have said anything at all and all too soon he was pulling back, his eyes dark and luminous on her.
“I love you too, Elle Watson.”