Chapter 45

Marie’s POV

"Take me somewhere," I say, before I can think better of it. "On it. Right now."

Dean looks at me a second, checking whether I mean it. Then he's rolling the bike out of the garage without a word, holding out a helmet.

Some reckless, worn-down part of me just takes it.

"Where are we going?"

"Does it matter?"

I climb on behind him, and the second my arms go around his waist I regret it. His back's warm through the shirt. Solid under my hands. Every inch of me suddenly aware of how close I'm actually sitting — my thighs against his, no way to hold on that isn't this close.

We ride maybe twenty minutes. I don't remember the roads. Just the wind, his heartbeat under my palm, and some point around minute ten where I think I might actually lose my mind before we get wherever we're going. I keep thinking about pulling back a little, loosening my grip, putting s