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    I barely have time to blink before Liam grabs my hand and pulls me into a run.

    “We’re seriously doing this?” I shout.

    He shes me a grin over his shoulder. “Toote to back out now!”

    We reach the tandem bikes, and he immediately starts adjusting the seats like he’s been

    training for this his whole life.

    “Okay,” he says, holding up the blindfold. “Your turn.”

    “Why me?” I gasp. “You’re taller! I should be in the front!”

    “And I should also be the one who can see,” he teases. “Come on, I’ve got you.”

    I hesitate. Just for a second. Then I sigh and let him tie the soft cloth over my eyes.

    “You’re not allowed to crash us into a tree.”

    “No promises,” he whispers next to my ear, and I swear my knees forget how to work for a

    second.

    He helps me climb onto the back seat, holding on like my life depends on it. Because it

    kind of does.

    “Pedal when I say pedal,” Liam says. “And don’t panic.”

    I immediately panic.

    We start slow. Wobbly. I let out a small shriek when we hit a bump and Liam justughs.

    ‘You’re doing amazing,” he calls back.

    I’m doing nothing! I can’t even see!”

    “Exactly. That’s what makes it impressive.”

    The breeze whips against my face as we pick up speed. I start to rx just a little. Maybe it’s the way he keeps checking in with soft, “You okay?” and “Left turning in 3… 2…” Or maybe it’s the way I know, deep down, he’s not going to let anything happen to me.

    I tighten my arms around his middle, resting my head against his back and listening to his

    heart beat speed up. It’s harder to paddle in this position, but whatever.

    –

    I try to keep my groping to the minimum every time he lets out a yelp I can’t let him kill us both, obviously so I settle for pressing my nose again his back.

    –

    Have I mentioned how good he smells?

    At some point we, thankfully, stop paddling. “Okay,” Liam says. “First clue: ‘Take a photo

    sharing an ice cream under the pink umbre at Main Street Creamery.“”

    “How are we supposed to do that? I can’t even see the ice cream.”

    “You don’t have to. Just open your mouth when I say ‘now.“”

    Iugh. “That sounds dangerous.”

    “Do you trust me?”

    “I blindly trusted you with a moving vehicle, didn’t I?” (1

    He stops pedaling. “We’re here.”

    A momentter, something cold and sweet touches my lips.

    I bite down. “Mint chocte chip?”

    “Bonus points for guessing the vour.”

    He leans close. “Say cheese.”

    I hear the click of the camera, and feel his arm around my waist. Even through the

    blindfold, I can feel his gaze. Warm. Close.

    “One down,” he says softly. “Two more to go.”

    The next clue read: Take a Piggyback Ride Through the Wildflowers.

    “I’m going to break your back,” I warn him.

    “Please. You weigh like a cloud.”

    “That’s a simile.”

    He bends down, and I climb on. His arms hook under my thighs. I hold tight.

    18:49 Mon, 25 Aug

    The wildflowers brush my legs as we move through them. He hums a song under his

    breath. Something soft. Something that makes me want to press my face to his neck and never get down.

    Click.

    “Write something cute in the sand,” Liam reads while we’re on the road.

    “Is this thest stop?”

    “Yes, love. I’ll draw you a bath when we get back.”

    We reach a tiny beach spot.

    “Want to know what I’m writing?” he says.

    “Sure.”

    I hear him crouch, his hand dragging through the sand.

    He presses a finger into my palm after. One word.

    Mine.

    I freeze. But I don’t say anything. I just smile.

    Chapter Comments

    Murielle “P’tit Poisson” Honoré

    Oh, they are so cute de

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