No More Waiting, She Chooses Love novel Chapter 98

It had been ages since I last rode a bicycle.

"Bike," I pointed towards one nearby.

Nowadays, unlocking a bike was as simple as scanning a QR code with your smartphone. Dustin was already on it, scanning one for himself. I reached for my phone, eager to do the same, but he stopped me, "You've had a drink. You can't ride."

"Since when do they check for DUI on bikes?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion.

"Yes, they do, and..." Dustin gently pulled me by the arm; his grip was nothing like Conrad's, which always left a mark. His touch was soft, "You've been drinking. It's dangerous to ride."

Dustin was the epitome of gentleness, a phrase that seemed tailor-made for him.

I laughed, "But you're here, aren't you?"

"If you want to ride, let's do it another day. But not tonight. I'll take you," Dustin led me to the bike he had unlocked.

He got on and pulled me up behind him. "Hold on to me, Felicia. Don't fall off."

I clutched at the fabric of his shirt, "Okay."

As the night air brushed against us, these moments with Dustin on a bicycle became a cherished memory. Conrad never rode bikes; he was all about motorcycles.

They were brothers but as different as night and day. One, a gentleman through and through, the other, wild and unrestrained.

"Feeling down today?" Dustin broke the silence.

"No, I'm fine," I stubbornly denied.

"Still hung up on Rad, huh?" Dustin pushed further.

I huffed and lightly punched him, "Who says I haven't moved on? After today, Rad and I are done. He's him, and I'm me."

Dustin fell silent, continuing to pedal forward. Suddenly, I said, "Take me to the hotel, I have work tomorrow."

"Felicia," Dustin called out suddenly.

I stood there, a lump forming in my throat.

"Felicia, if you were still with Rad, I would never have said this. But now that you're not, I want to try," Dustin's voice was a deep, resonant whisper, heavy with emotion in the quiet of the night.

I felt so overwhelmed I could barely breathe, let alone speak.

After a moment, I managed to look up, "I've always seen you as a brother, nothing more."

A shadow of disappointment flitted across Dustin's face, quickly followed by a look of pain. "Then, can we start now, trying not to see me as just a brother?"

"Ms. Hudson, out so late? Don't you have work tomorrow?" came a voice, breaking the tension.

Ernest approached, dressed casually in dark grey pajamas and hotel slippers, yet his stride was confident.

Lost in my thoughts, I felt a sudden grip on my wrist. Ernest had reached us, his presence changing the atmosphere as Dustin's grip tightened in response.