Chapter 282 Joyride
Ella
“Wait! What about that ride?” I slowly turned around, my eyes wide, my heart hammering in my chest. My eyes were met with Logan’s smirking face, his expression dancing with mischief.
“Well?” Logan asked, pushing himself off of the hood of one of the cars and coming over to meet me by the door. “Just one joyride? I’m itching for a good drive. Being stuck in the basement all day really made me crave seeing the sunset. I swallowed. “I really shouldn’t,” I said, glancing at my watch. “I’ve got work…”
“Work, shmork,” Logan interrupted with a grin.
“Pick a car. Any car.” “But… I’ve never been on a really fast ride,” I stammered, my mind a whirl of confusion and excitement. “I mean, growing up in such a dense city, we barely drove at all except to go to our mountain estate in the summers.”
Logan’s eyebrows shot up, and he let out a chuckle, his eyes twinkling with amusement and making them stand out against his dirt- stained skin. “So that must be why you always want to walk everywhere.”
His words made me blush, and I looked away feeling self-conscious. How had he noticed something so small about me?
“Come on, Ella,” Logan said, his voice soft and coaxing, his hand gesturing at the row of sleek, gleaming cars. “Pick one, and I’ll take you for a joyride. We can check out the scenery, and I promise it’ll be an experience you’ll never forget.”
I bit my lip, torn between curiosity and caution. My wolf was howling inside me, urging me to take the plunge, to let loose and have some fun. But the rational part of me, the part that had always played it safe, was holding me back.
“I don’t know, Logan,” I said, my voice trembling. “I mean, it’s very generous of you, but I really should be going. I have work to do, and-”
“Come on, Ella,” Logan interrupted, his voice gentle but firm. He grabbed my shoulders and guided me away from the door and back. toward the cars. If this was a trap, then I really was just a helpless little mouse. “Don’t overthink it. Just choose a car and let’s go. Trust me, you’ll love it.”
I looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of deception or hidden agenda. All I saw was sincerity and a playful spark that was impossible to resist.
“Okay,” I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Okay, let’s do it.”
Logan’s face lit up, and he clapped his hands together, “Fantastic! Now, which one do your want to take?”
I looked at the row of cars, but my eyes were drawn once more to Logan’s first car, the red one with the cream-colored leather interior. There was something about it that called to me, and I pointed at it, feeling a thrill of excitement. It looked as though it was designed to fly.
“That one,” I said, my voice full of wonder. “It looks really fast.”
Logan smirked, his eyes dancing with mischief. “Ah, I knew you had a soft spot for my first one. Everyone does,” he said, his voice filled with pride. “She’s also my fastest.” He opened the door for me, and I hesitated for a moment, my heart pounding.
As I slid into the seat and felt the scent of polished leather take over my senses, I couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. My father was always incredibly cautious when it came to driving, sometimes to a fault. He never drove too fast unless he really needed to, and I never learned how to drive.
My hands were shaking, and I clutched the edge of the seat, trying to calm myself. “Ready?” Logan asked, his voice full of anticipation as he settled into the driver’s seat.
I looked at him, my eyes wide, and nodded. “Ready,” I whispered, feeling a strange mixture of fear and exhilaration.
The engine roared to life, and Logan expertly guided the car out of the garage and onto the winding road. At first, I held my breath, my body tense as we accelerated, the world blurring past us.
But then, as Logan skillfully navigated the twists and turns, I found myself relaxing, the fear giving way to excitement. He drove fast, but it was a controlled kind of fast. I could tell he knew what he was doing, and I started to have fun.
“Enjoying the ride?” Logan shouted over the wind as he put the convertible top down, his eyes on the road, his hands steady on the wheel.
“Yes!” I yelled back, feeling free and wild as the wind whipped through my hair, loosening it from its tight ponytail. As my blonde hair whipped around me, I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound bubbling up from deep within me, pure and uncontrolled.
I looked over at Logan, and our eyes met, at shared understanding passing between us. He grinned, and I grinned back, feeling a connection that was new and yet somehow familiar.
We raced through the winding roads, the car hugging the curves, the engine purring like a satisfied cat. I looked out at the distant city, a sea of lights that sparkled in the twilight, and I felt a rush of adrenaline that was unlike anything I had ever felt before.
“This is amazing, Logan!” I shouted, my voice full of joy and wonder. “I never knew driving could be like this!”
He looked at me, his eyes full of warmth and satisfaction. “I told you you’d love it,” he said, his voice full of triumph. “There’s nothing like the open road and a fast car to make you feel alive.”
I looked at him, feeling a surge of gratitude and affection. He had shown me something new, something beautiful, something that had awakened a part of me I hadn’t known existed.
“Thank you, Logan,” I said, my voice full of emotion. “This means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
“You’re welcome, Ella. It was my pleasure.”
He reached over and squeezed my hand, his eyes soft and understanding. I found myself allowing our touch to linger longer than it should have before I finally worked up the courage to pull my hand away. We drove on, the night stretching out before us, full of promise and possibility.
I leaned back, letting the wind caress my face, feeling alive and free, knowing that I had discovered something not only about Logan, but also about myself. If only my dad knew about this, I thought to myself. Driving at breakneck speeds with a Mafia guy? He’d kill me!
And yet, at the same time, the thought of it just made me laugh even more. For the first time in my life, I felt as though I was really letting go, allowing myself to be free. I was allowing myself to take a risk, a real risk, and I was laughing in the face of the consequences.
Maybe it was stupid and naive, but at that moment, I didn’t care. All I cared about was the feeling of the wind in my face and the laughter that lingered between Logan and me.
