Janus 2 (First Chapter, 1500 words)

Janus 2 (First Chapter, 1500 words)

Late-day sun drenches asphalt as the motorcycle winds along the coastal highway. James banks right and the sky leans left. Kate’s arms encircle his waist, her chest rising and falling with each breath. To their left, the Pacific is a tapestry of shining diamonds with a single sailboat silhouetted against a goldenrod horizon. They watch the boat bob against the waves for a moment before James rotates the throttle, the motorcycle’s engine whining, veering them off the highway onto a dust-soaked road. 

“Going somewhere?” Kate asks over her helmet mic.

James glances back over his shoulder. “I want to show you something.”