Until I Found You by Victoria Bylin

traffic jam. When the quail passed and Nick returned to the leisurely pace, she peeked at the speedometer. Just as he had promised, the needle was midway between thirty and forty mph.
    Some of her fear melted. Not all of it, but enough to inspire her to lean forward and shout to Nick over the engine noise. “Could we go a little faster?”
    He cocked his head. “Did you say faster?”
    “Yes, please.”
    He brought the bike up to a daring forty miles an hour. “How’s that?”
    “It’s good,” she shouted. Nestling back in the seat, she drew in a breath. Somehow the speed heightened her senses. The grass smelled richer; the air sweeter. Colors shimmered in the morning light, and her face burned with sun and wind. Alive with a sensation that overcame the last of her fear, she raised her voice. “Faster!”
    Nick said something she couldn’t hear.
    “ Faster! ” she repeated.
    He answered with a nod, then worked the clutch and cranked the throttle. The engine wound up, up, up . . . until the gears shifted and they rocketed into what felt like a different dimension. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held tight. Shielded from the wind, she marveled at the heady rush of freedom, the excitement, and the peculiar rightness of being with a man who handled life with authority.
    As the road veered west, Nick leaned into the curve. Trusting him completely, she leaned with him. A tunnel loomed in front of them. In a blink the motorcycle shot into it. Darkness blinded her and cool air slapped her cheeks, but she wasn’t afraid. Nick had everything under control.

8

    M ost people thought nick rode the Harley for the speed, danger, and “bad boy” allure. They were wrong. What made riding such a pleasure—an oasis of sorts—was the intense need for control. He couldn’t allow himself to be distracted by anything, including Kate’s arms snug around his waist. The road demanded his full attention, and he gave the asphalt the respect it required. Not even her seat-belt-like grip could pull his thoughts from the double-yellow line dividing the narrow highway.
    In addition to controlling the bike, he needed to control himself. No idle flirting. No leading Kate to expect more than he had to give. This morning before leaving his house, he had asked God to make him a slave to righteousness, to guard his heart and eyes, and to bless Kate in unexpected ways. Judging by her request for speed, the blessings had begun with a lessening of her fears.
    If the day went as Nick expected, they would return to Meadows with a story for page three and his personal pledge in place with one small modification. He and Kate would be friends, a necessary amendment, considering they worked together.
    The miles to the Tin Canyon Wilderness Area passed quickly. When he turned on to the gravel road leading to the launch site, he called back to Kate. “How are you doing?”
    “Great!” she answered. “How much farther?”
    “About ten miles.”
    They rode in silence, with Nick dodging potholes and Kate exclaiming over the desolate beauty of empty sky and stretches of coppery earth. He agreed with her that it looked a little like Mars, but mostly he kept his eyes on the road until they reached the launch site.
    A low building with solar panels provided living and office space for Marcus, other scientists, staff, and volunteers who performed a variety of tasks. A flight pen that resembled a batting cage stood tall on a low hill. It housed birds in transition from the zoo to the wild, and the biologists used it when they performed health checks. If Nick and Kate were lucky, they’d see a condor up close.
    He throttled down and glided to a stop in front of the building. After removing his gloves, he climbed off the bike and offered Kate his hand. She laid her palm against his and swung her leg over the seat. In unison they slipped off their helmets and smiled at each other.
    “Helmet hair,” he said as he dragged a hand