Page 94 of Chasing the Sun

My nostrils flared. “Keep pushing and you’ll see what happens.”

She grinned, and before I could stop her, she was scrambling up the rest of the incline, laughing under her breath. “Are you gonna stare at my ass all night, or are you coming?”

My hands fisted at my sides. “Brat.”

She only laughed harder, but I could hear the tightness in it, the way she wasn’t quite as unaffected as she wanted me to believe.

We walked the rest of the way in silence, the 4-wheeler still a ways off. The woods had swallowed it in darkness, but I knew where it was. She moved ahead of me, her bare feet padding over damp earth and scattered leaves. After pulling on our socks and boots, I hauled the backpack over my shoulder.

Every few steps, Elodie glanced over her shoulder, her eyes catching mine, something electric humming between us. By the time our ride came into view, I wasn’t sure who was chasing whom.

She reached it first, running her fingers alongthe seat like she was considering something. Then she turned, leaning back against it, waiting.

Her chest rose and fell, her breath shallow. Her shirt was clinging to places it had no business clinging to, and I let my gaze drag over her, slow and thorough, making sure she saw it.

Her lips parted.

I stopped in front of her, close enough that my body heat licked against her skin.

I wanted to press her against the metal, slot my thigh between hers and make her moan my name. I only resisted because the slow torture of teasing anticipation was far better. I’d promised Elodie a proper date, and I’d be damned if I didn’t give it to her.

Instead of acting on impulse, I reached past her, grabbing the helmet from where I’d stashed it on the rack.

She let out a breath that sounded a lot like frustration.

I smirked.

She scowled.

I held the helmet out, waiting.

After a long beat, she snatched it, shoving it onto her head. “You’re impossible.”

I stepped back with a grin and winked. “And you like it.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she climbed onto the seat without another word.

I dragged a hand down my face and released a slow exhale, trying to shake off whatever the hell this was. The heat, the adrenaline, the way she looked at me like she already knew what buttons to push and exactly how hard to press.

I needed a distraction.

So, like an idiot, I tossed her the keys. “Scoot up. It’s your turn to drive.”

Her eyes lit up, mischief sparking like a damn firework as she caught them midair and scrambled to make room for me behind her.

Turns out, letting her drive was a mistake—or maybe it was the best decision I’d made all night. I couldn’t tell.

Elodie had always been wild energy, but behind the wheel, she was something else entirely. She took the trails fast, kicking up dust, letting out sharp, delighted gasps whenever we caught air over a hill. Every time I looked at her, she was grinning like she’d just found some new kind of freedom.

And me? I was grinning right alongside her.

I didn’t realize how much tension I was carrying until she laughed—full, unrestrained, and effortlessly happy. The tension I was carrying unfurled itself from my ribs.

She threw me a playful look over her shoulder. “Admit it. You’re having fun.”

I just shook my head, a full smile spreading across my face as I gripped her thighs. “Drive before you crash us, Darling.”

Her laughter rang out into the night.