Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100605 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100605 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Hop on back of mine, yes?” I thumbed behind me. “It’s da best way to give you a lesson before you try to ride on your own.” I could’ve just as easily pointed out the basics while she stood alongside, but what fun would that be? Allegra climbed onto the back of my scooter, and I looked up and offered Sophia a silent apology. She’d know exactly what I was doing if she was watching from up there.
Damn, this woman smells amazing. Subtle. Expensive. Floral with a hint of vanilla. If I hadn’t already decided to have her wrap her arms around me and hold on tight, I would have now, just to be able to smell her on my clothes after we were done.
I gave her a quick lesson on operating the scooter—throttle, front and rear brakes, electric start, horn, lights—then put the key in and started it up. Allegra squealed and rubbed her hands together. It made her look like a teenager, and my insides felt about the same age as I smiled.
“Pull your helmet on, and we drive a few kilometers so you get used to da feel. Then we switch places.”
“Okay!”
I twisted the throttle, and the Vespa hummed to life. “Wrap your arms around me. Make sure you hold tight.” That last part wasn’t absolutely necessary, but I was already acting like an ass making her ride behind me, so I figured I might as well go all in. The way her body pressed to mine and her fingers gripped my stomach, I wasn’t regretting much.
I glided down the long dirt drive, taking it slow until we came to the paved road at the end, where I stopped. “You good?”
“Yes! I can’t wait to go fast!”
I chuckled. “Hang on, Mario Andretti.”
The roads were empty. Normally I’d open up the throttle, but today I took my time, explaining how to lean into the curves and press the brakes gently so you don’t jerk to a stop. Once we were past the first few winding turns, there was a long stretch of straight road ahead of us, so I gave it a little more gas. I kept my eyes on the road—mostly, except when I was stealing glances at the woman behind me in the tiny rearview mirror.
I couldn’t help it, not when Allegra was smiling from ear to ear, her hair whipping in the wind, and she tightened her hold around my waist. Her front felt so good pressed up against my back, it made me want to keep driving. I rode to the edge of town, and then, only because I really did want to keep her safe, I pulled to the side and slowed to a stop.
“You ready to try?”
“Heck yeah!”
The smile hadn’t left her face since we’d started, and the inside of my chest felt warm knowing I was the one responsible for putting it there. Allegra and I switched places on the scooter. The only time I’d ever let someone drive me on the back of anything was a few years ago when things went to shit with Izzy, and I’d gotten piss drunk at the pub and had to be driven home by one of my buddies. I was definitely looking forward to holding on to this driver more than I had Vincenzo.
Allegra hit the gas, and it turned out to be a damn good thing I’d actually put my arms around her because otherwise my ass would’ve been on the pavement.
“Sorry!” she yelled. “I guess I need to turn the throttle slower.”
“Just be careful.”
We drove about a kilometer before we came to an intersection. When we did, I pointed to the right.
“Turn here.”
Allegra steered the scooter through quieter side roads for the next ten minutes. She actually did better than I’d expected after seeing how she handled the Fiat. The road we were on led to a dirt driveway, and Allegra slowed as we approached.
“Keep going.” I pointed ahead. “We’re going to the house up on da hill.”
She navigated up the drive, dirt kicking up in a cloud behind us as we went. Once we got to the top of the driveway, I lowered my feet and skimmed them over the ground to make sure we stayed upright as she came to a stop. “Park it anywhere.” I reached around her for the key and killed the engine before taking off my helmet. “This is your great-aunt Anna’s house.”
Allegra hopped off the scooter and removed her helmet. “How did I do?”
“Not bad.”
She grinned. “You’re full of shit. I did really good!”
I hid my smile under my helmet as I pulled up the seat and removed the letter her grandmother had written. Then I took her helmet and hung it from the handlebars before slipping off my own.
The front door was open, so I knocked on the bottom metal part of the screen.