Page 15 of Rear View

Xavier

“Pull it forward!” I called, waving Alec ahead. He moved his truck, empty trailer in tow, as he maneuvered into a spot.

It neared noon, sun high, sky clear. Perfect day for riding.

The snowmobiles sat at the head of the Sunset Haven trail, off to the side.

Their engines rumbled, that scent of gas mixing with the winter air one of my favorite things.

The other sat in the passenger seat of Miles’s blue Ford Focus as he pulled into the lot and parked beside us.

He and Ryah climbed out, and like every other time I laid eyes on her, my heart damn near stopped. She was cute as hell—head-to-toe white in her snowsuit, long hair down and hanging over her shoulders. She had on a black hat and gloves, neither of which was gonna work for what we had planned.

“She’s just gorgeous,” Sheila said low, tugging the zipper of her purple coat all the way up.

“Yeah.” I gave a tight nod. “She is.” My boots crunched on the iced-over asphalt as I headed their way.

“Good to see you, man,” Miles said as he trudged closer, his sister tight behind him.

“Glad you made it,” I replied and swallowed hard when my eyes crashed with Ryah’s, that copper bright against the day. “Hey, darlin’.”

She blushed. “Hey.”

“You remember Alec and Sheila.” I tipped my head to the side. “The one in camo there is Yara. She’s part of our mechanic crew.”

“The best part!” Yara called out.

Ryah laughed.

My lip arced up. “Next to her’s her girlfriend, Kamala.”

Sheila closed in. “Nice to see you again.”

“You, too.”

“Your timin’s good.” I pointed to my sleek, black, Grand Touring snowmobile. “We just got the last of the machines off.”

“What’s the plan?” Kamala asked, kicking the snow from her boots.

“Head to Wolf Valley, play around a bit, have a bonfire,” I told her.

Ryah’s teeth worried that bottom lip while her gaze tracked across the group, taking us all in.

I tapped her elbow. “You’re ridin’ with me today, yeah.”

That lip popped free, and her smile spread, a wicked glint in her eye. “Are you asking? Or telling?”

The cock of my brow was slow. “You got a preference?”

Her breath clouded the air. “Survival. My preference is survival.”

I inclined my head. “You’re safe with me, darlin’,” I said, droppin’ my voice low.

Her chin dipped and her cheeks turned that pretty shade of pink.

“We good to go?” Alec asked.

Everyone nodded.

I pointed to the far left at my black-and-yellow MXZ Sport and told Miles, “That baby’s yours today.” The thing was a short track, lone rider, which was the exact reason he’d gotten it. “Key’s already in it and helmet’s on the seat.”

He rubbed his hands together while he eyed the thing up and headed that way. “Sweet fucking ride, man.”

I liked the guy. He might’ve been younger than me, but he shot straight and gave a shit about his sister. And if I was being honest, I’d have given him every-fuckin’-thing I had if it meant more time with her.

Aiming for my machine, I slowed my strides so Ryah’s shorter legs could keep up. When we stopped beside it, I smirked, then reached out and snapped off her hat.

Her eyes widened. “I don’t think that one’s your style, rally driver.”

A full grin took me as I waved the thing in the air.

“Gonna need more than this.” I shoved it in my pocket and pulled out a black neck warmer.

Stepping closer, I tugged it over her head, then skimmed her silky skin when I freed her hair and pushed it back over her shoulders.

She sucked in a soft breath that had my heart rate spiking.

I hauled the thing up until I covered her face to her nose, leaving those perfect eyes exposed.

I dived my hand into my other pocket and pulled out a pair of gloves. “Swap with these. They’re thermal.”

Her gaze narrowed but it was playful when she plucked her own off. “Anyone ever tell you you’re pushy?”

“That’s because he’s trying real hard to impress you,” Alec called from the seat of his machine.

Fucker.

Sheila smacked him but nodded.

Ryah’s brow ticked higher.

I popped a shoulder, owning it, ’cause he wasn’t wrong.

She laughed, and her dainty fingers brushed mine as she took what I offered. When she slipped them on, they floated on her, making her look tiny and cute as all get out. Her eyes fluttered shut and she moaned. She. Fuckin’. Moaned.

My cock twitched and I cleared my throat. Grabbing the helmets, I handed hers over, then set myself down and tapped the seat behind me.

She climbed on, sinking into the leather before she slapped her thighs in unison. “Anything I need to know, boss?”

I laughed. This girl.

“The terrain’s gonna be uneven. Sometimes we gotta help the machine out.

If a turn’s sharp or the ground angles, we’ll need to lean into it.

Tilting your body won’t be enough. You gotta slide your ass to the side.

” The snowmobile dipped when I shifted, showing her what I meant. “If I move, you move, yeah?”

A sharp nod. “If you move, I move.”

I gave her a wink. “Good girl.”

Swear to Christ, she shivered.

“Alright. Hold on, darlin’. Don’t want you falling off on me.”

I dragged a hand over my hair, pulling it back before I put my helmet on. She chuckled and did the same, scooting forward before she banded her arms around my waist. And her body against mine…those flawless curves—Jesus—she felt good.

I was so goddamn done for.

Hitting the gas, I took off and Ryah’s hold tightened. The faster I went, the more the engine revved and blared. The trails were freshly groomed, the snow packed hard. In good shape. Ideal conditions for an easy ride.

A set of animal tracks cut across the trail and through the woods. I pointed. “Timber wolf,” I said loud enough for her to hear.

Her head turned as she followed the tracks through the trees. Her hands twisted against my stomach. “Is it safe out here?”

“We’re good. They got plenty to eat that ain’t us.”

The path ahead forked. Cutting the handles, I veered us right, shifting my ass to the edge of the seat to keep us level. Ryah’s thighs tightened around me when she followed suit. Grinning, I gave her knee a pat before I glanced back, making sure our crew was still with us.

Trees lined the edge of the track, towering over us.

Their shadows painted the snow, ticking by as we moved.

I took my time, enjoying every second with her close.

I wasn’t used to having someone. Yeah, I’d had Penny before.

Still, something about it’d been different.

Like I’d always known it wouldn’t last. She’d never felt…

right. But with Ryah, I couldn’t get enough.

Her eyes, her smile and that teasing mouth.

They did me in. Christ, I couldn’t shake her. And I didn’t want to.

We climbed higher and the forest pushed back, opening the trail up. I hit the gas, kicking our speed higher, and Ryah squealed. Not the sound of fear, more like fun.

You like that, do ya, dream girl?

I hit the gas harder, and her grip around my waist cinched tight, her small fingers pressing into me.

We flew across the snow as I set a hand over hers, giving it a squeeze.

I didn’t wanna let go, but the terrain ahead was rough, so I held for a few more seconds before my grip flexed around her and I took the handlebars again.

“Hold on,” I called when the machine’s skis hit the first ridge, then the second.

She bounced against my back again and again, her laughs easy and broken by each impact. Her hold knocked higher, climbing my chest. And, hell if it didn’t feel nice.

A half hour later, I led us into the valley. The place was empty, the hill to our left covered in day-old snowmobile tracks. I parked off to the side near a makeshift firepit and cut the engine. The others pulled alongside, doing the same.

Ryah tugged off her helmet, her head tipping back as she shook out her hair. Her shoulders lifted when she inhaled deep and took the place in. “This is beautiful.”

Jesus, the sight of her kicked my temperature up. I unzipped my coat, my heart thumping against my ribs. “Yeah. It’s a great spot.”

“Do you guys come here a lot?”

“Not as much as we used to.”

She side-eyed me. “Busy schedule?”

“Busier, yeah. But don’t worry.” I stood, stretching my legs before I jumped off the machine and grinned. “I always make time for the things I want.”

Her laugh was high and easy and I loved the sound.

I edged around behind her to the cargo rack, popped open the case there and started pulling out the stacks of wood.

She stood and stepped up to me, her gaze narrowing as she looked off to the forest, then back at me. “Not enough options for you here, then.”

I smirked.

Her brother trudged over and gave her shoulder a shove. “The trees aren’t dry enough, Ry.”

“If you say so.” The roll of her eyes was smart-ass, and playful as hell.

Miles tipped his chin my way. “What can I do?”

“Ever start a bonfire before?”

His palms cracked when he clapped them together. “Fire and fuel, baby.”

“Sweet Lord, save us all.” Ryah shook her head and her gaze found mine. “He has a game tomorrow, and his team will do murder if he can’t play ’cause he burned his hands to stumps.”

Yara passed Miles some newspapers for kindling and a box of matches. “What do you play?”

“Hockey,” he said, humble as shit.

But the guy deserved to have his back patted, so I cut in. “He’s startin’ goalie for the Sharks.”

“The Sharks? No shit!” Alec snapped his fingers. “ Nolan! Dude! How did I not put that together? Your save percentage is super impressive, man.”

“Thanks,” Miles said.

Ryah’s smile was all big sister and proud.

Miles eyed Alec and me. “How’s WRC3 going?”

“Good.” I stacked the split logs over the firepit. “A lot to get used to though.”

“You guys aiming for WRC2?”

“If we can climb that high, yeah.” Then WRC and a championship, ’cause go big or go the hell home.

“They shot a commercial,” Yara said.

Ryah arched a perfect brow. “Fancy.”

Yara snickered. “Now the new kids on the block just gotta win.”