Ride Off Into the Sunset

Brian hadn't said a word about where he was taking her. Noelle started to get a little worried. Though her and Brian were she wouldn't say friends but acquaintances she still was a little uneasy about him.

Something about him still made her anxious and nervous. Then again she felt a little more comfortable around him then she did the first time they met.

"He shared a piece of him with you tonight." She told herself. "He obviously trust you to even tell you about his past when he didn't have to."

"I think he trusts me the question is do I trust him?" She asked herself.

Brian drove for about twenty more mintues before slowing down and stopping the bike at a bridge.

"Willow Creek." Noelle said getting off and taking her helmet off. "What are we doing here?"

"What is one of your biggest fears Noelle?" Brian asked ignoring the question.

"Why are you asking me that?" She asked.

"Just curious.." He said lighting a cigarette. "So what are you scared of?"

"Well I'm afraid that I'll disappoint my parents, afraid that I'm not good enough...

"Afraid of heights." Brian said.

"How did you know?" Noelle asked.

He chuckled. "I notice you keep looking at the bridge as you're talking to me you seem nervous."

"I had a bad experience when I was young I was at the top of a slide and when I looked down I got sick and started crying with his high up I was." Noelle said.

"Slides in a playground aren't that high." He said smoking.

"Well for a six year old they are." Noelle said.

"Hmm." He said blowing a final puff before stomping his cig out. "Come on then."

"Come on where?" She asked.

"You're gonna face your fear of heights." He said walking to the side of the bridge.

"I don't think so it's so high up and I could fall in the river below." She said.

"You don't have to worry bout falling in the river unless you can't swim can you?" He asked noticing her face.

She sighed. "No I can't another bad childhood experience the water came over my head and I panicked."

"Number 1 thing you never do in any situation is panic." Brian said. "So you're afraid of water too we'll tackle that another time right now let's conquer your fear of heights."

"Brian I don't know." She said stepping back.

"Don't you trust me?" He asked.

"What?" She asked taken aback.

"Do you trust me?" He repeated his gaze penetrating.

Noelle had just asked herself this not too long ago. Though she was more comfortable around him she still didn't really know Brian.

Her thoughts of the past days came when he had released and saved the frog, when he had beat up that guy who had came on to her, and when a hour ago he had told her about his past.

She thought about looking at the bridge, the river below, and then him. He gave her a small smile and held his hand out.

She sighed before saying...

"I trust you." She said taking his hand and gasp as he lifted her on the edge.

"Relax you're so tense." He said his hands on her arms.

Noelle took some breaths trying not to think about how high up she was, the roaring river below, and the thrill Brian's touch had sent through her body.

"Ready?" He whispered.

She opened her eyes. "Yes."

"Okay then." He said and slowly held her hands out his hands now on her waist.

Noelle took another breath before slowly walking looking straight forward.

"Just one foot in front of the other." She told herself as she walked.

"You're doing good." Brian said. "You're ready halfway there."

Noelle looked down and stumbled. "Oh." She said falling back on Brian.

"You're fine." He said squeezing her waist reassuringly. "If you fall I'll fall with you."

"That's not really reassuring." She said.

He chuckled. "I promise you you're not gonna fall Noelle." "You're almost there."

Noelle took a breath before walking again looking forward and ignoring all the sounds around her. Her only focus being to make it to the end of the bridge.

Throughout the entire thing Brian would say encouraging words and gave her reassuring squeezes and rubs around her stomach.

Noelle found herself distracted at times by this. She had never been this close to a guy before.

With her mom trying to set her up with someone as unpleasant as Andrew she didn't even think about guys this way.

But she found that not only did she liked Brian's touch but her body did as well.

She was brought out her thoughts when her foot felt air she quickly put it back on the railing.

Noelle gasped softly as she looked at the beautiful sunset. She looked down seeing the river and where the railing ended just under her feet.

Brian's hands went on her shoulders before going down her arms to her hands where he gently pulled her arms down.

"You did it." He said his hands on hers.

"I did." She whispered.

Noelle felt Brian's arms wrap around her waist and his chin on her shoulder.

She didn't feel uncomfortable about it like she had at first. Instead she leaned again Brian's chest as they watched the sunset together.