by Elias Taylor
“Good thing Charlie is on your side,” Heather said. “Once you two are in charge, I bet you’ll steer the Hogs to smoother waters.”
“Hopefully. But I don’t have a lot of patience.”
“I know. I remember how antsy you were to get out of high school and just start living.”
Hayden shrugged. He paused as he thought back to his teenage self.
“School was weird for me,” Hayden said. “All the teachers getting in my business and all the other kids talking about how I was a bad apple.”
“I know,” Heather said. “I always felt bad.”
“You shouldn’t have. You helped more than anyone else.”
As soon as he had said the words, Hayden looked like he regretted being so honest. He glanced down at the menu. Heather felt a tingling in her chest. When Hayden looked her in the eyes and complimented her, it thrilled her down to her very core like nothing else.
He was being too kind, though. She hadn’t helped. She had only pretended to be on Hayden’s side before dropping him in the end.
The awkward silence was ended by the waiter arriving to take their order. Heather got the penne alla vodka and Hayden ordered the Beef Bolognese. After the waiter left, Hayden asked Heather about the studio and teaching.
“There’s so much I want to do,” Heather said. “Mrs. Newsome is great, but she doesn’t really have a ton of experience in contemporary dance which is huge right now, so I’m trying to gauge which of the older students might be interested in taking a few classes.”
“How is contemporary different from ballet?”
Heather smiled. Hayden had always listened to every single word she said about dance, no matter how long-winded she was.
“It’s more fluid and flexible. There are less rigid rules and you can be super experimental with the music and the style.”
“Sounds like it could be a good route with your knee,” Hayden said.
“Yeah. Ballet will always be my first love though.”
She wanted to add: Ballet and you. But she didn’t. They were comfortable together, but it was still hard to open up about their shared past. To acknowledge everything they had been through and everything they had felt for each other...it would be like looking into the sun.
“I feel that way about vintage cars,” Hayden said. “I’m happy to work at Louie’s, but if I had a choice, I would work only on classic cars.”
The conversation flowed from there and they both enjoyed their meals.
After Hayden had paid the check (once again, he didn’t make a big display of whipping out his credit card, he just did it with total smoothness), he asked if she wanted to walk along the pier. Heather nodded. She wanted the date to last longer.
As they headed to the pier, Hayden reached out and grabbed her hand. When they reached the wooden boardwalk, the lights from the city illuminated the waves. Heather leaned on the railing and gazed at the water.
There was an open-air bar behind them with rowdy crowds, but Heather and Hayden ignored them to take in the view of the coast.
“I missed the ocean in Chicago,” she said. “I didn’t think I would since I was never a big swimmer or surfer, but I did.”
“I bet it was exciting to live in a big city like that.”
Since he was looking out towards the water as well, his face was in shadow. Heather wished she could see his expression. She couldn’t read anything by his carefully flat tone of voice.
“It was strange,” Heather admitted. “There were people all around, but I would sometimes feel so alone.”
She sighed and tried to figure out how to describe it.
“Every moment in the city when I wasn’t dancing, it was like I was on Pause,” Heather said. “I wasn’t actually living, everything was just what I did while waiting to dance. And yes, I loved the dancing, but sometimes the hours in between performances would feel so empty.”
Hayden reached out and placed his hand over hers. A surge of emotion made Heather’s words feel heavy as they fell from her mouth.
“I just don’t want my hours to feel empty anymore,” Heather said.
“They won’t,” Hayden said. “You’ll find a way.”
For a second, she looked into his eyes and saw all the way down to his soul. Then their peace was disturbed as three drunk guys stumbled out of the bar behind them.
“Look at that,” one of them slurred. “It’s a fucking biker.”
They all leered at Hayden’s jacket with the Hog emblem.
“Hey, girl, you’re way too pretty to be with trash like him,” the guy said.
He gave Heather a lecherous smirk that made her stomach turn. Hayden went still, but he did not react otherwise.
“Hey, I don’t want no trouble,” Hayden said.
He made to walk away, but one of the guys blocked them.
“What’s the matter, you scared to fight?” the guy leered.
“Hey,” the other one said to Heather. “Your boyfriend’s a pussy.”
“You know what?” Heather snapped. “I think you’re a pussy.”
She could sense Hayden’s surprise, but Heather was so over drunk assholes like this and she wasn’t scared to tell them off. They were so inebriated, she was pretty sure Hayden could take them in a fight, even if it was 3 on 1, not that she wanted it to come to that. She gripped Hayden’s arm and let him steer her away. But the guys were relentless.
“What the fuck you call me?”
The guy tried to get right in her face, but Hayden stopped him with a firm hand on his chest. Nothing violent, just a way to keep the guy at arm’s length from Heather.
Heather twisted her mouth and forced her face to remain cool as ice.
“I called you a pussy,” she said.
Above her, she heard Hayden choke on a laugh. The guys’ friends loomed up behind him. They were all ready for a fight.
“You know what, you little bitch,” the guy spat out. “I don’t really give a shit what some biker whore thinks of me.”
“Hey,” Hayden said.
His voice was low and dangerous. Heather knew they were in a tricky situation, but she felt a quickening in her stomach at the way Hayden maneuvered himself between her and the drunk guys. They were clearly hesitant to actually hit a guy as big as Hayden.
Just when Heather was sure things were about to get ugly, a cop on a bike arrived.
“Let’s break it up,” the cop snapped.
The guys backed off while muttering curses. Hayden nodded his head at the cop and then pulled Heather away by the hand. She gave his hand a tight squeeze to let him know she was ok.
When they were almost back to his car, Hayden stopped and looked down at her.
“You ok?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Heather said. “A few drunk idiots won’t ruin my night.”
“I’m sorry about that. It’s sometimes risky to wear a biker jacket out.”
“Don’t apologize. It’s part of who you are and you should be proud.”
“Thanks.”
“Besides, I saw a different side to you just now,” Heather said. “The way you kept calm but made sure to protect me, it was really sweet.”
“I didn’t wanna fight,” Hayden said. “But if that asshole had taken one step closer to you, I would have knocked him flat.”
“I know,” Heather whispered.
“I saw a different side of you too,” Hayden teased. “I didn’t know you could be so badass.”
“Hey, I got tough walking through the streets of New York and Chicago.”
Hayden chuckled as they got back in the car.
“So what now?” he asked. “We could grab some late-night dessert back in Lyndon?”
“Or we could go to your place?”
She knew it was bold, but what the hell? She was in a dynamite dress and Hayden’s protective instincts under pressure had seriously turned her on.
“Ok,” Hayden said.
He started up the car and Heather turned on the radio.<
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As they hit the highway, Hayden reached over and held her hand. He didn’t let go the whole way back to Lyndon.
Chapter Fourteen: Fireworks
Hayden started to get nervous as he pulled his car into his driveway. Heather had been quiet on the ride back, but not necessarily in a bad way. She had kept her hand in his and she seemed happy.
He thought so anyway. The whole evening had gone so well, despite the drunk assholes on the pier. Hayden didn’t want to ruin it now.
“I live on the first-floor apartment,” Hayden said, gesturing at the duplex.
Heather nodded and pulled herself out of the car. She walked towards the door and Hayden couldn’t help but stare at the way that dress skimmed over her narrow waist and flared at her hips. She turned towards him at the door and he was hit by a lightning bolt when he saw her soft smile. He wondered if he could ever possibly get over her stunning face.
“You gonna open the door?” she asked.
“Right,” Hayden said.
He fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked his door.
Heather stepped in and examined the living room and kitchen as Hayden switched on the light. He was suddenly self-conscious. He had felt at ease with Heather all night, but it was a big step for her to see his personal space.
He realized his apartment was something totally new about him. He hadn’t lived on his own back in high school and Heather had rarely visited his family’s house back then. He watched her as she circled around his apartment. She took in the simple but comfortable furniture, the large desk in one corner covered with his bike and classic car sketches, and the clean kitchen.
“I like it,” Heather said.
Hayden exhaled. Heather made a beeline for his desk.
“What’s all this?” she asked.
“Just some mechanic sketches. Some of it is about figuring out the ideal space for a classic car auto shop, for when I get around to doing that.”
“These are amazing,” Heather said, examining the scraps and notes as if they were fascinating.
Hayden shrugged, but secretly he was pleased. It felt good to have Heather looking at him with such an earnest face as if he was the most accomplished guy in the world.
“When are you going to start the business?”
“Not now, timing is bad.”
“But isn’t timing always bad?” Heather said. “No matter what, there always might be a reason to not do something. It will never be the perfect time. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.”
Hayden furrowed his brow. Heather had a point. He took a few steps closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. He relished her quick intake of breath.
“You’re so smart,” Hayden said. “That’s what I liked about you, back in high school. I used to sit behind you and watch you take all your notes and scrunch up your forehead when you were thinking really hard.”
“Really?” Heather giggled and rested her hands lightly on his shoulders. “And here I thought you were the ex-juvie kid sleeping through class.”
“I was desperate to talk to you. When we had to find partners that day, I saw Toby Katz moving towards you and I gave him my absolute meanest glare until he turned away and asked Sandra McKinley to be his partner.”
“You never told me that!”
Heather’s surprise at Hayden’s maneuver all those years ago was adorable.
“I didn’t want you to think I was a creep,” Hayden said.
“I was the creep. I had the biggest crush on you, I used to sprint out of my last period so I could be in the parking lot when you rode off on your motorbike.”
“What a stalker,” Hayden murmured.
He leaned down and kissed her, right below her ear. He savored the way she sighed when his lips met her skin.
They were both startled by a distant booming.
“Those are the fireworks to celebrate the last night of the fair,” Hayden said. “We could probably see them from the backyard.”
He showed Heather to the back door. The distant sky was peppered with erupting sparks. He had two patio seats and Heather plopped down in one and kicked off her heels.
“I’ll go grab us drinks,” Hayden said.
When he returned to the backyard clutching two beers, Heather was occupied with taking the clips out of her hair so that it fell in loose tresses down her back. Hayde took a moment to just watch her with her bare arms upraised. He ached for her with every bone in his body. It was more than just lust. It was the feeling that every day that lacked her wasn’t a real part of his life.
Hayden sat down in the chair next to her and handed her the beer.
“Thanks,” she said.
They both turned to enjoy the fireworks.
Hayden remembered how he had felt at sixteen every time Heather Carlson had smiled at him in English Class. When he had been positive that if he didn’t at least try to make his move, he was going to regret it forever.
He felt the same way now.
Hayden thought he had learned his lesson, but he wasn’t so sure anymore. He wasn’t even sure what the lesson was supposed to be.
When the fireworks finished, Hayden pulled his phone out of his pocket.
“What are you doing?” Heather asked.
“You’ll see,” Hayden said.
He found the song and hit play. Then he stood up and offered his hand to Heather. The expression on her face when she realized the song was “Fly Me to the Moon” nearly ripped Hayden in two. She put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet.
They started to sway, barefoot, as the song played.
“Do you remember dancing to this back then?” Hayden asked.
“Of course I do,” Heather said.
She leaned her head against his chest and Hayden gripped her waist even tighter.
During their first few dates, Hayden had insisted he didn’t dance. Heather had kept egging him on and offering to teach him until he finally relented. Heather admitted that Hayden didn’t have much natural rhythm, but she had told him he could at least be her partner for slow songs. Hayden had loved to hold Heather close while she just let the music sway her body from side to side.
He had first told her that he loved her when they were dancing to this song. She had said it back. It had been the happiest night of Hayden’s life.
“Hayden,” Heather said. She tipped her head back to look up at him.
“Yeah?” he said.
“There hasn’t really been anyone since you. I mean, I’ve dated a few guys, but none of them could compare to you, so they all didn’t last. None of them even came close.”
Hayden could see how hard it was for her to confess this truth and he was touched. He cupped her cheek with one hand.
“There’s been no one for me either since you,” Hayden said. “Like you said, not even close.”
Hayden brought his head down and kissed her. He poured all his feelings and all his longing into the kiss. Heather pushed her hands into his hair and kissed him back as if she was savoring him. She pushed her tongue into his mouth and Hayden met it with his own.
It was different from the night on the beach. That had been all desperation and lustful adrenaline. This was like coming home after a very long journey.
Hayden started to gently guide Heather backward until they were at the door. He broke the kiss to open the door and pull her inside the apartment and then he seized her face with both his hands, kissing her with renewed vigor.
He moved his lips across her jaw and down her neck to her shoulders. He pushed her strap aside so he could continue his line of kisses. His hands wandered down her back until they gripped her ass. Heather sighed as he pulled her tighter against him.
“Hey, Heather,” Hayden mumbled as he kissed and licked her clavicle.
“Hmm?”
“When you called that guy a pussy, I got so hard,” Hayden said.
Heather giggled and placed her hands on his cheeks so she could pull his face to hers.
“Good,” she said.
She captured his mouth with a fierce kiss while she ran her hands down to his chest where she started to pull at his buttons.
“Careful,” Hayden said. “Don’t rip a button off, this is, like, my one nice shirt.”
“Shut up,” Heather said.
Her rabid intensity was such a turn on that Hayden locked one arm under her bottom and scooped her up so he could carry her to his bedroom. She gave a joyous gasp and continued to kiss him as he walked.
He kicked his door open and set Heather down onto the floor. She grabbed his waist and pulled him towards her.
“Wait,” Hayden said. “Let me get the light, I want to see you.”
He went to his bed stand and flicked on the lamp. When he turned, the sight of Heather standing in the middle of his bedroom, with her tousled hair and swollen lips, made his growing erection throb.
Like a predator circling its prey, Hayden fixed Heather with an assessing gaze and strode closer to her.
She met his eyes with a lustful gaze of her own.
“Take off your dress,” Hayden said.
Heather’s mouth twitched in a small smile. She liked this game. She wanted him to see all of her.
With a slowness that drove Hayden’s arousal through the roof, Heather reached up and pushed both straps off her shoulders. Then she slid the lavender dress down her body until it fell in a shimmery pool of fabric at her feet.
At the beach, Hayden had been happy to feel his way, but now he could see her in all her body’s sensuous glory.
“Now you,” Heather said. “Take off your shirt.”
Hayden practically tore the garment off and tossed it to the side. He stood with his chest heaving as he ran his eyes over the slip of black lacy panties and the strapless black bra. He wanted to rip them off of her.
In one fluid movement, Hayden closed the distance between them and unstrapped her bra. He threw it to the side and seized Heather’s breast with his hand while pressing a hungry kiss onto her mouth. She ran her hands all over his torso before slipping her fingers under his waistband. She found his cock and ran a finger over his hard length.
Hayden groaned and Heather broke the kiss to give him a mischievous look.