Disclaimer: I do not own these characters :(

Not a day went by before Thorin had started texting me. Little "hello"s and "I hope your day is going much better than mine"s. He's so cute.

I barely made it to Sunday without actually dying from the anticipation of seeing Thorin again. Waiting for him to arrive, I went back over our conversation from this morning:

What should I wear for our little adventure? - Bella

Definately long pants and sleeves, it gets chilly on the bike and in the mountains. Leather and jeans are preferable. Don't wear anything loose. Boots or closed toed shoes, too. - Thorin

Got it, I can't wait (: - Bella

I slipped my right foot, then my left, into my black leather boots that came up mid-calf. A minute later I heard the telltale rumble of a motorcycle driving up the street, then an engine cut outside. Thankfully my apartment was only on the second floor with a view of the street, so I peered out and saw him getting off the bike. I bounced in a combination of nerves and excitement.

My phone made a ding, signaling a text.

I'm outside your building. - Thorin

I see that :P - Bella

Be right down - Bella

Slipping my phone into my small crossbody purse, I threw my jacket over my arm and headed out to meet him. Here we gooo!

I could see him through the glass doors in the lobby; he wore a fitted pair of dark jeans with a pair of tan work boots and a worn leather jacket. I could DEFINITELY get used to this view! "My has he got a cute butt!" I giggled. At the sound of me opening the door he turned.

"Bella!" I could feel his eyes roam over me, from my boots, up my skinny jean covered legs, and stopping when he reached my face. "You look lovely."

I dug my toe into the sidewalk, my face burning. "You're not half bad yourself," I offered lamely. Pulling my bag over my head, I asked him to hold it so I could put on my jacket.

Sliding my arms into each sleeve, I zipped it to mid chest totally not because it makes my chest look great… that'd be loony, before taking back my purse.

"You don't strike me as the type to own a leather jacket, Bella. I like it."

"You don't strike me as the type to ride a motorcycle!" I laughed. "Was my mother's, back in her adventuring days. I don't wear it too often, but it's comfortable and the situation permits," I smiled up at him. "So. How do I go about this?" I gestured to the bike.

"First things first," Thorin bent around to pick up a burgundy helmet, "your helmet." Pushing my hair behind my ears, I took the helmet and pushed it down over my head. He brought his strong hands up to secure and tighten the clip; I lifted my chin to aid him. Thorin's fingers brushed my throat as he tightened the strap, and a shiver ran down my body. What is this man?

Guiding me towards the bike, I finally got a good look at the machine. It clearly had an older appearance to it compared to those I've seen on the roads. It also wasn't quite as big as some newer ones I've seen. The bike had a maroon body with a thick silver stripe that led vertically towards the chrome and metal of the motor. Bold, black lettering read "Triumph" on the sides. A long, flat, black leather seat was in good shape, but also had a worn softness to it. There was a single, large headlight on the front, making it look classy and vintage.

"It's beautiful. You said it was your father's?"

"Yeah. He got sick and when he knew he couldn't use it anymore he gave it to me. I didn't want it at first, but when he died…" he trailed off.

I brought my hand up to his arm, giving it a squeeze. "I understand." Giving him a soft smile, I walked to the back of the bike. "So I know I sit here, but what I don't know is how."

Thorin gave a hearty laugh before walking over. Bending down, he pushed a small lever-like contraption down on one side of the bike then the other. "These are the foot pegs, when you're on the bike this is where you put your feet."

"Pretty self-explanatory, yeah," I nodded.

"How it's going to work is I'm going to get on the bike first. Then, you need to stand right up next to the bike, and swing your leg over to straddle the seat. Put one foot on a foot peg, then the other and adjust until you're comfortable. Are you ready?" he asked as he pulled on his own helmet, also burgundy.

"Okay, let's do this!"

I watched as Thorin went to straddle his motorcycle, his jeans pulled taut over his bum in a very pleasing way. I smirked. He steadied himself on the bike then waved me over.

I blew out a breath and mumbled "here we gooo." Standing directly next to the bike, I was reminded that I am not a tall being, and that I would likely fall over in an attempt to get my leg over this bike. Without another thought, I placed my hands on Thorin's leather-clad shoulders and swung my leg over the seat. Sat at an awkward angle, I used his broad shoulders to push myself up and more onto the bike, finally able to put my feet comfortably on the foot pegs. "Okay, now what?"

He reached his arms up to grab my hands, gently pulling them down from his shoulders and around his waist. The position caused my entire body to be flush against his back, what with my legs already surrounding his hips. "Now, you hold on tight."

"Got it." I locked my hands together. Resting my chin as best I could along his shoulder, I asked, "Are we doing this or what?"

He started the motorcycle, the vibrations a new and different feeling from under me. Slowly he rolled the bike out into the street and up to the stop light. The sensation while moving was unusual, but not yet alarming to me. Kind of like the beginning to a theme park ride. The light turned green and he began to accelerate onto the main road. Not too bad.

Turning his head to face me a little, he yelled, "Hold on!" opening up the throttle. The bike revved before shooting forward.

"OH!" I yelped, desperately crushing myself against his back and hips at the sudden change in feeling. I think my stomach just fell out of my ass… Thorin released a barking laugh at my reaction, his shoulders shaking. I could feel every muscle bunching and straining against my breasts, an altogether pleasurable sensation. Oh my...what have I gotten myself into?

Soon into the ride I realized that the speed limit was much slower in the city than it would be outside the city. I'm probably going to die? No, Thorin wouldn't allow that. I hope…

The turns took quite a while for me to even get remotely used to, and every single time I thought my stomach would fall out of my butt. I was afraid I would bruise Thorin's waist with my arms and his hips with my legs clamped around them. Every few minutes he would call back to me to make sure I was alright. What a gentleman!

Forty-five minutes later we were long out of the city and nearing the small mountains and forests. Having had time to get used to the feel of riding a motorcycle, I was able to relax some and slightly loosen my grip around him. Thorin turned off the main highway and onto a narrow road that headed towards the mountains in the near distance. The trees ahead were starting to fade from a lush green to gold, bronze, and crimson.

We entered the covering of branches on the winding road. Sunlight peaked in from between the canopy of leaves above us, creating a picturesque view from my perch behind Thorin. Cool wind whipped my hair that wasn't covered by the helmet, and I took a deep inhale of the earthy scent of the woods. I don't think I've ever been as comfortable with anyone as I am with him. At peace with the world, I laid my head against his sturdy back.

Is it possible...that I'm falling for this man? And so soon?

Continuing up the winding path, I thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

The bike began to slow and he pulled us over to a small grassy patch off the road, turning off the motor. Helping me dismount the machine, he took my hand and said to "follow me." We trekked through towering oaks and the occasional pine tree, stepping over unearthed roots.

"There's something I want to show you. When my father became sick I would come out here on a drive, just to get away for a while. One particularly hard day, after he died, I decided to pull off and explore a bit. Just put myself away from everything. I found this," he spoke softly, before ushering me through a thick copse of branches.

The sight that greeted me was stunning. A long, clear lake sat untouched by the world around it. It was hard to tell the difference between the water and the sky; each cloud reflected on it's top. Not a ripple except when a stray leaf would gently float down to it's surface. "It's amazing - I… I don't think I've ever seen anything so magnificent!"

I wandered to the edge of the pool and stared at my own reflection before focusing my gaze to watch the little fish swim every which way. I felt Thorin move behind me. After a few moments I caught his dark eyes in the reflection; my eyes locked on his. Fuck.

"Would you like to go to the top? There's a nice lookout point, you can see out for miles," he suggested quietly, unwilling to break the serenity. I nodded my assent.

Walking back the path we originally traveled, we mounted the bike and were off. The road steadily began its ascent into the foothills of the small mountain range. Maybe 20 minutes later we reached the top and Thorin pulled us over. Sliding off the seat I practically ran to the opening in the wood.

"Makers above, I've never seen anything like this…" I breathed. Miles of blue sky with hints of salmon and orange streaked through it. The forest: a multitude of colours below. Land blurred with the heavens in the far distance.

"I come up here to think sometimes. If I've had a stressful week at work or if I just need some time to myself."

"I can see why...this - Thorin it's incredible…"

Pulling out my phone I snapped a few quick shots, some for me, some to send to Gandalf. Thorin had walked ahead near to the edge. Without his knowing, I took a couple pictures of him and the beauty around us. Stepping over, I slid my arms around his back and set my head to his chest. "Thank you. For today. This was...there are no words to describe just how amazing this was, Thorin." Wrapping his arms around my back, he held me tight. I stared out into the horizon and listened to his heart beating steadily against my ear.

Many minutes passed before he spoke. "We should get going if we want to be back before it's too dark."

"Alright."

The drive back was arguably more beautiful than the drive here; the golden rays of the sunset made the trees' colours more vivid than ever.

Too soon the sun disappeared and the lights of the city came into focus. Thorin arrived in front of my building, cutting the engine off.

"Would you uh - would you like to come inside? It's not too late…"

"Of course," he replied easily.

Leaving the helmets behind, we entered the complex and took the stairs to my apartment with the request to leave his shoes by the door: "mud and dirt - nasty things, they are!" Closing the door, I asked, "Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee?" I folded my jacket over the back of an armchair and set my purse on the counter. His leather jacket joined mine.

"I'm fine, thank you." He followed me into the kitchen, standing a few feet away.

Looking up, I felt my pulse quicken at his intense stare. His gaze darkened the longer we held eye contact. Fuck I want him…

He took a step forward, a hesitant expression crossing his face. "Bella…"

"Yes?"

"May I kiss you?"

"You'd better."