The Game by Vi Keeland by Vi Keeland

He nodded. “You seem like the type who wasn’t going to leave until they were folded, so I figured I’d get it done so we can get on the road. We have a long drive.”

That was oddly sweet, and also very true. I held my arms out to display my current outfit. “So this works for today?”

Christian held up his pointer and motioned in a circle. “Turn. Let me see the full thing.”

I did a 360-degree pivot. “Well?”

He stood. “You have a great ass.”

“Thank you. But is the outfit good for today?”

“Yeah, you can wear anything.”

“If I can wear anything, why did I have to turn so you could see the outfit?”

“That was for my benefit.”

I followed him out, and Christian had a dark SUV parked down the block. Once inside, I fastened the seatbelt and looked around. “This thing has as much square footage as my apartment. Where do you keep it?”

“In a lot across from my place.”

“Do you get to drive it often?”

“I have a bike, too. I use that most of the time because it’s easier to get around in the city.”

“You ride a bicycle around the city?”

Christian started the engine. “A motorcycle.”

“Oh. Isn’t that dangerous?”

“My brother Tyler lives in Jersey. He stayed with me for the weekend at Christmas last year. A cab popped the curb and broke his toe. This city is a warzone however you take it.”

We drove north on I-95 for hours. Christian still refused to give me any hints about where we were going, but I’d begun to suspect he might be taking me to his cabin up in Maine—at least until he got off the interstate and started heading west on a different highway. When he eventually got off at an exit in Vermont, I recognized it. “God, I haven’t been out here in years. We’re near the campground I told you about where my mom used to take me bike riding.”

Christian smiled. “I know. We’ll be there in five minutes.”

“We’re going there?”

He thumbed over his shoulder. “Bikes are in the back.”

“Bicycles?”

“Yep. Got you a twenty-six inch. Took a guess on the size you’d ride.”

“But the campground closed down.”

“It did. But we have use of it for the day.”

“How?”

“I looked up Green Mount Campground. The property is actually for sale. I called and told the realtor I wanted to check it out. She offered to show it to me, but I said I’d prefer to do it on my own. She was hesitant. Then I told her who I was and gave her two tickets to next week’s game. We should have the place all to ourselves for the afternoon.”

I stared over at him.

Christian felt my eyes and looked over. “What?”

“I can’t believe you’re taking me bicycle riding at the campground. This is not how I thought a date with you would be.”

“How did you think it would be?”

“Oh, I don’t know. You would take me to some overpriced restaurant and then try to get me to go back to your place so you could feel me up.”

Christian smirked. “Now you just ruined part two of the date.”

I laughed. “Seriously, Christian. This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. The fact that you listened to me the other day when I told you the story about the campground says so much about you.”

“Don’t build me up too much in your head. Otherwise, you’ll be disappointed when I spend half the day behind you, watching your ass go up and down.”

I would never have taken Christian Knox for modest, but there was a layer of it just beneath the cocky surface he wore on the outside.

We made a left, and the entrance to the campground came into view. The big wooden welcome sign I remembered had been replaced by a thick chain that blocked passage and a Private – No Trespassing sign. Christian pulled up and put the SUV in park.

“The real estate agent gave me the combo to the lockbox. I’ll be right back.”

I watched from the SUV as Christian jumped out and fiddled with the lock at the center of the chain. He laid the chain on the ground, then came back and pulled in before going back to replace the chain so no one else could enter.

“Do you remember where the bike path started?”

I pointed up ahead to the right. “I do. It’s probably about a half mile in, up that way.”

We parked at a grassy area at the start of the path. Unfortunately, it had seen better days. Tree roots had broken up the pavement, and tall weeds decorated what had once been a neat, clean place to ride. Christian surveyed the area. “I think we’re better off riding on the street rather than that thing. At least there shouldn’t be any cars.”

“Yeah, that’s perfect.”

Christian opened the back of his SUV to reveal two bikes packed inside. He unloaded the bigger one on top, then set the white one next to me.

“Looks like it’ll fit,” he said.

“It does. Whose bike is it, though?”

Christian shrugged. “It’s yours. I bought it last night.”

“You bought this bike?”

“You said you wanted to find an activity to get more exercise. Figured maybe you’d get some use out of it.”