I changed out of my uniform and into my street clothes. Man, Aria killed it on the “O” course, even if she hadn’t conquered Dirty Name. Ever since our fight about women in combat, I had given serious thought to my opinions on the matter. I had always contended that a woman could never complete BUD/S. But what about a woman like Aria? A champion, an athlete, an overachiever. Bottom line, my opinion had been challenged but not changed. Even if a woman could graduate from SEAL training, which I still doubted was possible unless we lowered our standards, I still believed in my soul that there was no place for women on the Teams.

I planted a kiss on her head. “Let’s go rent you a bike.”

She winced. “I know I promised. And I will for sure but can we do it next weekend?”

“Why? Are you too tired from the “O” course?” I teased.

She shook her head. “No. That’s not it.”

I paused to examine her beautiful face. “Then what is it?”

Her chest caved. “You’re going to think I’m a weirdo if I tell you.”

“Spill it. Did you crash on a bike once?”

“No.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’ve don’t know how.”

Wait, what? “You’re kidding me. You’re an Olympian. You just owned the Naval Special Warfare “O” course, a course that has made grown men cry, and you are telling me you have never ridden a bicycle?”

“I know. I know. It’s ridiculous. There is this long embarrassing story behind it. . .”

I took her hands. “I’m all ears, champ. Lay it on me.”

Her face turned into a grimace, and she swallowed. “My mom never bought me a bike. You see, I grew up in Marin on the top of this winding hill in Corte Madera, and she was afraid I’d get injured and then not be able to swim. But then when I was accepted to Stanford, everyone biked to class, and I wanted to fit in, ya know?”

“Yeah… go on.”

She cleared her throat. “So, I bought a brand-new bike, figuring I was a champion swimmer so how hard could it be to learn how to ride a bike. But, then when I went to ride one day, and I … panicked. Like what if my mom was right? What if I fell and twisted my ankle? I mean, I had been training for the Olympics my entire life. One injury like that could destroy everything my entire life’s work. So yeah, I never learned. Now, it’s a thing.”

“Wow.” I studied this fearless woman in front of me. A woman who embraced challenges. But a woman who didn’t seem to be able to relax and enjoy life. “Thanks for telling me. Now let’s go to the bike shop.”

She bit her lip. “Wait, why? I just told you I’ve never ridden a bike.”

“Right. So, it’s time for you to learn.”

She shook her head and grabbed my arm, her eyes wide and pleading. “No, seriously. Now’s just not the right time. One day I’ll learn. Maybe when I have kids. But now, it would be too risky.”

I lifted her chin up with my thumb and stared into her eyes. “How would it be risky? The next Olympics aren’t for another three years. You told me you don’t know what you’re doing next. Now’s a perfect time. Live a little, baby. It’s just a bike, not a motorcycle. My buddy’s five-year-old son can ride without training wheels. You will be fine.”

Her eyes turned a darker shade of green, and she fired a glance at me. “I said no. Just drop it, okay?”

“Fine,” I bit out.

She touched my shoulder. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Why did her reluctance to ride a bike bother me so much? I paused for a minute to figure out my thoughts. It wasn’t that she wouldn’t try something new with me; it was that I was certain she was holding back a huge part of her life for me. Like she had made a decision and already knew exactly what she planned for the future, yet she refused to tell me. What could it be? Had she accepted a job somewhere far away? Joined the circus? I didn’t have a clue and refused to speculate anymore.

But I was determined to get answers.

We walked down the beach, and she leaned up to me. “I have a better idea anyway.”

“What?”

Her hand reached around me, and she squeezed my bicep. “Let’s go back to my place. I’ve missed you.”

Fuck yeah. I pulled her body into mine and my cock pressed against her thigh. “You’re right. That is a better idea.”

She laughed, and I kissed her in front of the Del, the waves crashing on the shore nearby. She escaped my embrace and jogged down the beach, and I chased her. I couldn’t wait to get her alone.