“Did he tear you a new one?” she smirked.
“Not exactly.” I slipped my arms into my jacket. “You have a helmet?”
She gestured to the handlebar of my bike which now held two helmets. “Good, where do you want to go?”
She chewed her lower lip while she thought, and I almost took a taste of that lip myself. She was so damn appealing without even trying to be.
“I’ll give you directions as we go.” She tied her long hair into a ponytail and strapped her helmet on.
I backed the bike out and waited for her to hop on behind me. She slid on behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist, and nestled her legs next to mine. We took off and she shouted directions until we ended up at a small coffee place by the beach.
“Will you think less of me as a man if I order hot chocolate?” I asked as we walked up.
She gave me the side eye and laughed. “Probably, but is that going to stop you?”
“No, I just wanted to know what my odds were.” I held the door open so she could walk in ahead of me, as much to be nice as to check out her ass.
“Enjoy the view?” She gave me that sexy smirk again.
“Very much.” My tone was light, but I could tell she got my meaning by the blush that crept across her cheeks.
We ordered, and I paid. She got some whipped something or other, and I got my usual hot chocolate. We found a table outside to sit at.
“Tell me why you think this is a good idea?” I asked once we were seated.
“You don't pull any punches do you?”
“Not usually, no.”
“I think you’re hot, reason enough for you?”
“That’s reason enough for a quick roll in the sheets but not to date.” I watched her for a reaction. I was going to enjoy this, I could already tell.
“If I just wanted sex, I could get it easy enough.” She shrugged.
“You still didn't answer my question.”
“I don’t know the answer.”
“I guess that will have to do for now won’t it?” I leaned across the table and pulled her mouth to mine. She tasted like strawberries and sugar, and I couldn’t fucking get enough of her. I bit at her lower lip as we kissed, wanting a whole lot more than I was going to get tonight. I pulled away and sat back in my chair.
“So I guess you think I’m hot too then.”
“Something like that.” She was more than hot—she was the sun, and everything around her paled in comparison.
“Tell me something about you.” She took a sip of her drink and studied me from across the table.
“What do you want to know?”
“I don't really care, just something.”
“I have one sister and three adopted brothers. I spent the last five years in New York, but I’m originally from Washington. Boxing and working on bikes keep me sane.”
“Boxing?”
“Yeah, I like to hit things sometimes, and this is my way of not ending up in prison for doing it.”
She shivered. Shit, shouldn’t have said that.
“It’s not in the way it sounds.”
“It sounds pretty nuts.”
“I just need the fight, I crave it. Do you get that? Like, I need to know I can take care of myself if need to.”
“That I can understand.”
There it was again, that look. The same one from the beach, that haunted look. She knew, and it wasn’t just because of Max.
“Tell me something about you now.”
“I’ve lived with Frank since I was ten—been at the garage and working on bikes pretty much since then.”
“Let me stop you there, what you just said is probably the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. I’d like to see you work on a bike, covered in grease and oil.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she sucked in a breath. I knew I should stop, or this was going to end in us horizontal on my bed. I’d told Frank it was just coffee, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to be a liar.
“What else?”
“Um, I forgot what I was going to say.” She smiled.
“What do you do for fun around here?”
“The beach is usually fun, but there’s always something going on somewhere. Some trouble to get in. Tell me about school.”
“School sucks, I hate it. I’m really only going just to appease my family. I want to own my own shop, not work some corporate job.”
“Why don’t you do that then?”
“I will, but I need to do it right. I’ll probably get my degree in business or something so I will at least have a fighting chance at it.”
“Sounds reasonable to me. Your family doesn’t approve?”
“Not, it’s not that. They want me happy, they just think school needs to be a part of the equation. I get it, I really do. A college diploma opens doors that a high school one doesn’t. So, I’ll work for Frank and still follow my passion while I’m in school.”
She nodded. “Why California? I’m sure there are plenty of good schools in New York.”
“It was far away, and that’s what I need for now,” I replied as I finished the last of my hot chocolate. “Ready to go?”
“Are we done?”
“Did you want to go somewhere else?”
“Your apartment.”
“Not a good idea.”
“You don’t want to?”
“I do, but it’s not happening tonight. I’m not rushing into something with you to have it go south after we fuck. I like you, just let it happen okay?”
The look on her face was priceless, this was a girl who was not used to hearing no when it came to sex. But since I was the one with the dick, it wasn’t going to happen, at least not tonight.
I wasn’t sure how comfortable I wanted to get with Scarlet right away. I didn’t need a relationship, and she wasn’t the type of girl you just messed around with. She was a hearts and flowers, all or nothing, kind of girl.
“Hey.” She smiled brightly. It had been a couple of days since I had seen her last.
“Hey.” I looked up from the engine I was cleaning.
“So, were you ever going to call me?” She leaned against the table.
“Yeah, probably.”
“Probably huh? Am I that awful to be around?”
“Seriously? No you aren’t awful to be around. I agreed to coffee, and we went to coffee.”
“I know you felt it too. That pull.”
I had felt it, too much of it. I wanted to step back about a mile. “Feeling it and wanting it are two different things. I don’t want anything serious right now.”
“Who says I want anything more than casual?”
I looked at her, she was lying to herself, and we both knew it. “You aren’t a casual dating kind of girl. You want to be a girlfriend, and I’m not ready to be a boyfriend.”
“Stop it, stop telling me what I want. You don’t know me well enough for that yet,” she snarled.
I held up my hands. “I’m just being honest. If you want to try casual, then by all means let’s try it. Just know that it’s not going beyond that.”
“Fine.” She folded her arms across her chest.
“Why do I feel like you’re mad now?”
“I’m not.”
She was, I’d been around enough pissed off chicks to read the signs. “Fine, if you say you’re not, you’re not. I need to finish this, so I’ll catch you later okay?”
She arched a brow at me, not liking being dismissed so quickly. “See you later then.” She deliberately put some extra sway in her hips as she walked away.
Good lord, she did something ungodly to a pair of jeans. It should be criminal to look that good in them.
I focused on the work at hand, losing myself in the simplicity of working with my hands. This and boxing were the only things I needed in my life—everything else would be extra.
I was almost certain the casual thing with Scarlet wouldn’t work, but I was happy to let her think it would for a while. That probably made
me a huge dick, but at the moment I couldn't bring myself to care.
The rest of my shift was spent avoiding Scarlet. She put herself in my path every second she could. Frank watched us with an expression of amusement which I guess was the best I could ask for at the moment.
I stayed after my shift to work on a new bike I had gotten right after I moved to L.A. It wasn’t an Indian, but it was an older Harley that would be amazing once it was restored. Frank had given me a key and told me I could work on it there afterhours.
“What are you still doing here?” Scarlet wandered back into the garage about thirty minutes after everyone had left for the day.
“Working on this.” I gestured to the bike in front of me.
“Yours?’
“Yeah, she’s not much now, but she will be.”
“Early seventies right?” She walked around the bike, taking in the lines and the engine.
“Yep, seventy-two. When I saw her I couldn’t stop myself from taking her home.”
“Her?”
“Yeah, she’s a lady for sure.”
She cocked her head and laughed. “Here I thought Frank was the only one to assign gender to machines.”
I shrugged. “It’s a feeling I guess.”
“What about your other bike?”
“Joan is for sure a lady, but this one here is a bit rough around the edges. I haven’t named her yet.”
“Trixie, she looks like a Trixie.” She ran her hands along the front fender. “She’s beautiful, I don’t think she’s rough around the edges, just misused.” Her tone was soft. “Maybe she just needs the right set of hands to make her shine again.” She looked me right in the eyes, and we both knew she wasn’t talking about the motorcycle.
“Scarlet…”
“What?” She took a step toward me, her fingers trailing along the smooth leather of the seat.
“I don’t think we should go there right now.”
“Go where?”
“You know where. I'm not the guy to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. I’m only good for a quick tussle and a laugh.”
“Why do you sell yourself short like that?” She shot back. “I see so much more in you, I wish you could see it too.”
“I’m not selling myself short, I’m just being honest about who I am.”
She shook her head. “No, you’re lying to yourself because it’s easier not to form attachments. I get that, I used to do it too. Less questions right? But you can't live alone like that forever, you’ll eventually have to learn to let people in. We’ll keep it casual for now. I’m not going to push you too hard, but I’m not going to lie to you or myself and say I don’t want more.” She walked a few steps closer. I wanted to move away, I needed the distance. I couldn’t think straight with her being so close.
There it was, she was laying it all out for me. Did I want more? I did, but it would be stupid of me to start something when I was so messed up myself.
“Stop looking for me to be the man of your dreams. I’ll only disappoint you.”
“I’m not looking for perfect, just you.” She kissed me softly, running her hands up my back.
I wanted more, to lose myself in her. But for once I wasn't going to let my hormones run away with me before I could think things through. I fisted my hands in her hair, tugging her head back and giving me access to her neck.
“We need to stop this,” I whispered.
“So stop,” she dared me.
Instead of stopping I dove back in for more, pressing kisses from her collarbone up to her jaw. I wanted more, to see just how amazing she looked out of her jeans, to feel her skin sliding against mine.
I pushed myself back and walked around the table. “No, this isn’t happening.”
“Why not? We both want it to happen.” She chewed her lip.
“Casual means slow for me. I don’t sleep with girls I’m not dating anymore.”
“I guess I’ll just have to wait then.” She blew me a kiss and sauntered away, leaving me alone with my regrets.
I avoided Scarlet for the next week as best as I could. I needed to figure this out without her confusing me. I met up with Ian and Vin after I got out of school for the day.
“Hey man, where have you been lately?” Vin asked. It had been a few days since I had gone to the gym to box.
“Working mostly, with school thrown in for added fun.” I shrugged.
“I thought you were going to say you were wrapped up in Scarlet.” Ian grinned.
It was scary how close to the truth that was. I was wrapped up in her, I just needed to decide if I wanted to stay wrapped up.
“No, not that it would be a bad place to be.”
“She’s seriously hot,” Ian remarked.
I didn’t want to talk about her so I changed the subject. “What’s the plan for tonight?”
“There’s a party at some chick’s house who Ian banged,” Vin said between bites of his taco.
“Still friends huh?”
“No, she just likes me for my body.” Ian chuckled.
“Need a designated driver?” I asked, knowing there would be drinking.
“You don’t partake?” Vin questioned.
“Nope.” I didn’t elaborate, and I hoped neither would question.
“Awesome.” Ian pumped his fist in the air.
The one thing that was awesome about guys was that they didn’t ask you about your feelings. I had been around women a lot in the past few years, and it seemed like I always had to talk about what I was feeling and why I was feeling it. Sometimes I just wanted to be, and not talk about why I was feeling that way.
After we ate, I followed them home to leave my bike before heading to the party. We laughed and joked the whole way to the party. I felt happy for the first time in months.
The house we ended up at was huge, like mansion huge. Celia, the girl Ian had hooked up with, was tiny with huge manmade boobs and long blond hair.
“Glad you could make it baby.” She kissed Ian before giving me and Vin a quick onceover.
“You know me, I can’t pass up a good party.” He slapped her ass, and she squealed.
“Ian, you are so bad!” She giggled.
“In the best way baby.” He winked and walked off into the crowd.
“He is such a manwhore.” Vin shook his head.
We wandered around the big open house. I guessed it was Celia’s parents’ house by how nice it was. There was no shortage of pretty girls. It seemed like all of the hot women in Los Angeles were currently congregating around the house.
“Are all the girls in California hot?” I grinned at Vin.
“Most of them,” he murmured under his breath as a cluster of girls approached us.
“Hey Vin,” a tall brunette purred, wrapping herself around him in a hug.
“Anna.” He disentangled himself quickly. “This is Chad.”
Her feline eyes took me in. “New around here? I don't think I’ve seen you before.”
“Yeah, something like that.”
She nodded to me. “I’ll find you later.” She pressed her lips to Vin’s and walked away, swallowed up into the group she had come over with.
“Well she seemed intense,” I joked.
“Ex of mine. She still thinks there’s a future for us no matter how often I tell her it’s over. Biggest mistake of my life.” He shrugged.
I could see her appeal, she was attractive, tight in all the right places. But she had crazy written all over her face.
“How long were you with her?”
“Too long, man, way too long. I knew she was batshit in the first month, but she got her hooks into me, and I couldn’t let go. We dated on and off for over a year. I finally ended it a few months ago.”
“I’ve been with girls like that.” I nodded in commiseration.
“I can finally breathe, you know?”
“I really do.” I didn’t tell him in my case it was my mom who had messed me up and not a chick.
“
Come on, let’s go find Ian before he gets in too much trouble.”
We found him outside at a table with a big group of people. Mostly women, which wasn't at all surprising.
“Chad, I was just telling Leah here all about you.” He kicked out the chair across from him for me to sit and gestured to the gorgeous redhead on his left.
“So you’re from New York?” She had a deep throaty voice that I found wildly appealing. Hell, pretty much everything about her was appealing.
“Yeah, just moved out here a month ago for school.”
She scooted her chair over by me. “I’ve always wanted to go to New York. Is it really as dirty as everyone says?” She leaned in as she spoke.
“It’s not so bad, like anyplace it has its bad spots. You just have to know where to go.”
“And you can tell me where I should go right?” She angled her legs so they were touching mine.
What the hell had Ian said to her? She was coming on strong, and I wasn’t sure I would be man enough to say no when the time came. Leah was hot, she was stacked, and my interest was piqued. Scarlet crossed my mind—this felt wrong, like I was cheating even though we weren’t even dating.
“Told you that you two would hit it off,” Ian chimed in.
“You were more than right.” She winked at him.
Vin just laughed and walked off to find a drink, leaving me with Ian and Leah. Apparently I hadn't gotten the ‘get Chad laid’ memo.
“How are you liking the west coast so far?” she asked.
“It’s not bad, the weather is for sure a lot nicer than back home.” Really, the weather? I mentally shook myself out. “The girls are a lot prettier.”
A slow seductive smile spread across her face. “California girls have all the fun.” She licked her lips.
We talked for a while longer, and at some point she ended up sitting on my lap. I couldn’t tell you how it happened, but there she was, all of her delicious curves wrapped around me.
“Want to get out of here?” she whispered in my ear as she nuzzled against my neck.
“Designated driver, so I’m not going anywhere until Vin and Ian are ready to roll.”
“Hmm, well I’m sure we can find a place here to get into some trouble.” Her lips were against mine before I could reply, her hands tight around the back of my neck.
The Deeper We Get (The Harder I Fall #2) Page 3