Her taste lingers on my lips hours later. When our lips touched, she was so scared, but I expected it—planned on it. It’s why I didn’t let her off the hook when she first didn’t respond. Once she did, it was like our first kiss all over again, and I felt it all the way to my toes.

Kissing has never been my thing. Yeah, I do it to get a woman there, but it does nothing for me. Leah though. Does it for me. It took forever to will my cock down. I may be pushing her, but she’s not ready for that yet, even if he is.

She sits curled up against me while the television plays absently. That’s all we seem to do, and it’s getting old.

“Let’s go for a ride.”

Her breathing changes as her arms go around her body nervously as she puts a small distance between us. She’s going to turn me down and build that wall up guarding herself. She can have that play… with everyone but me.

“I…”

Not wanting her to say another word, I move fast grasping her hand and rising. She resists, but only momentarily. “Baby, know how much you want on that bike. You told me yourself.”

“I don’t know if I can.” These words stop us, well me more then her. The fear coming off of her could light a football field, like going out of these doors, she’s not safe. Even by my side, where I wouldn’t let a damn thing touch her, she still has the trepidation.

“You can and you will. My Leah is in there, and we’re going to find her.”

Wetness pools in her eyes. She’s been through so damn much.

“Put your boots on and we’re out.”

Not allowing her to give into the tears, we move out the door, lock it, and head to my bike.

Her body trembles and I push through, grabbing the helmet in my saddlebags and put it on her head. She’s quiet, eyes pleading with me. I debate on if I’m going too fast. Pushing her too much. But that damn gut tells me to go for it. She has to get out because tomorrow is therapy, and she’s not backing out of that. This has to be her test run, and what better way than to get on the back of a bike and ride.

Throwing my leg over my bike, I balance the machine then hold my hand out to Leah. Those pleading eyes are a knife to the gut, the one I’ve been listening to. I give it back to her hoping she’ll take my lead.

When moments pass and she doesn’t, I turn back to my bike and toss out the stand, disappointment curling me. There was nothing like our first ride, where she gripped me so tight, her tits pressed against my back, making my cock hard the entire time.

I feel her before I see her as she surprises me, throwing her leg over the bike, her front coming to my back, arms coming around my body. The grin on my face can’t be blown off with dynamite. She may be trying to get rid of me in her mind, but her body has other ideas. Ones I miss.

Revving up the engine, we take off not knowing what the next second will bring. Leah’s body is tense, arms ridged across my stomach. I reach over and rub her thigh, that twitches, which I let pass. The sun is shining, and it’s a beautiful Florida day. Only thing better would be to have my brothers next to me as we ride.

The distance we cover is vast and when she finally relaxes into me, I know pushing her to ride was the right thing. The relief from it is astronomical. This plus the kiss, I feel we’re making progress, even if it’s baby steps.

Once I park the bike, we remain motionless. Her still wrapped around me enjoying this moment. Her chest rises and falls against me as she releases me and gets off the bike. I follow as she takes off her helmet and looks up at me.

“Thank you. I really needed that.”

I pull her in close and plant my lips on hers. This time she gives in quickly, giving me back what she’s getting. With my hands cupping her face and hers on my arms, we stand in front of her apartment making out like teenagers. I don’t give a fuck.

She stops and pulls back from me. “Thank you for that, too.” A smile graces her face, and it’s the first full one I’ve seen in weeks. Mimicking her, I wrap her in my arms and pull her to my body. She wraps around me like cling wrap, and I kiss the top of her head.

Damn, if I had known a bike ride would help this damn much, I’d have done it earlier. It’s a start. A start at finding my Leah again.

* * *

“What did you talk about?” I ask when we step into Leah’s place. On the ride back, we couldn’t talk, but I think she needed that time to process whatever it is that happened in that small, little room. I fully admit that I didn’t like her going into that office with the therapist by herself where I couldn’t protect her. But somehow, I hacked it waiting in the lobby, looking at all the stupid as hell magazines none of them saying anything.

The hour felt excruciatingly long and when the door opened and Leah stepped out, only then was I able to calm. She didn’t talk much and I didn’t push, now I’m in it.

She exhales deep tossing her bag to the floor then sitting down on the couch where I join her. Her hesitant eyes scream to close down, but once again, she surprises me. “We talked about why I was there. What happened and how I feel.”

“Do you think it helped?”

She pulls her sleeves down into her fists, gripping the material hard. It’s a habit she picked up when she came home. Leah does it out of nervousness, which means all the time, but I’m pretty sure she doesn’t realize it.

On a small shrug, she says, “Sucks going through it again.”

But she talked about it and didn’t break. I hope she realizes that.

“Yes, but did she help you?” I push a bit more.

“No.” My gut clenches then drops to the floor. Fucking hell. But she doesn’t give me a chance to speak and continues. “But what did help was something she said to me.” Hope ignites once again in me. “She called me brave. When I was little, I saw a firefighter run into a building that had flames coming out of every crack they could. He raced in not thinking anything of it. My mom and I were at the store and happened to be walking back to the car when we saw it. But to me he was brave. He took the risk to go into that burning building and pull this little old man out, not concerned about his life one bit. That’s brave.”

Her eyes tear up as she rips them away to stare at the wall. “I can’t be brave. I didn’t save anyone. I didn’t do any good deed to be brave. Nothing I did in my situation warrants bravery and it baffles me that she thinks that way.”

“You are.” Her attention comes back to me. “Bravery is living through something so terrible and awful and coming out on the other side. Bravery is walking out of this door. Bravery is talking to someone you just met and laying it all on them.”

She shakes her head. “You’re wrong. I’m a coward.”

I grab her hand and hold it tight. “When it was time to leave today, did you flinch going to the door?”

She shakes her head.

“Right. You have hurdles to go over because that’s life, but each step is getting you closer to finding you again. That right there is bravery.”

A tear slips down her cheek and I pull her into my body, her head resting on my chest. “The fight, Leah. That’s what you need to find again. The fight to reclaim your life. Those assholes already took too much from you, don’t let them take any more.”

Her body shakes as she quietly sobs, but this time I feel it’s a release of everything and not wallowing in fear. It’s a start and it’s up to me to see her through.