by Claire Adams
"Just up here." I squinted and leaned forward as my dark blue car caught my eye. "There. Pull over in front of it. I just need to see if it will start. If not, I'll call a tow truck."
She nodded and pulled in front of my car. "I'll wait here unless you want me to come with you."
"No, I know you hate the cold." I gave her a smile before getting out and jogging back to my car. It was beyond freezing inside it, but I was bundled up properly. I'd survive.
I put the key in the ignition and much to my surprise, the car started. I texted Katelyn that I was good to go, but she wasn't going to leave me there.
She followed me all the way to Tate's garage and rolled down her window as I got out of my car.
"This the place with the hot biker guy that Lucinda said you were talking about last night?" She lifted her eyebrows and smirked.
"I sure hope so. Seeing him again would make my day – or better yet, my week." I tucked my keys into my purse and waved at her. "I'll see you in a little while."
"Okay. Call if you need me to come get you, and if biker-boy has a friend, don't forget Lucinda. She needs a good lay." The sound of her laughter left my lips turning up into a smile. She was a good friend, but all of my close friends were. Where my family treated me like shit, all three of my girlfriends made up for it.
I walked up to the run-down garage and opened the door to a small office. A friendly redhead glanced up before standing and smiling.
"Hi, hun. What can I do for you?"
"Hi, I had the beginnings of a flat tire last night, and one of your mechanics stopped and helped me. His name was Tate. He's not here by chance, is he?" I slipped my hands into my jacket pockets, feeling nervous all over again.
"Of course. You called earlier, right?" She turned as an older man walked from the back room.
"Yes, I did." I glanced around as butterflies started to dance in my stomach. It was silly and made no sense at all, but I couldn't help it. I'd started to build this sexy stranger into some kind of hero that was going to come sweep me off my feet. It wasn't fair to him or me. He was a friendly guy who worked on cars. Nothing more.
Except that he's incredibly hot.
"Jerry, go grab Tate for me," the woman said to the older man as I walked to the waiting room, which consisted of two chairs and a small table overflowing with magazines.
"Can I get you a drink or something, miss?" she asked.
"No, thank you. I'm good." I sat down and pulled out my phone, flipping through my messages before checking my e-mail. There was nothing new, but there never was. My life was simple and as uncomplicated as I could get it outside of family drama.
Not dating Paul was just going to make things easier for me. I could get back to hanging out with my girlfriends and reading good books. No more dates where we did something Paul loved to do and I had to pretend to be interested. Just back to being me.
"Hi, there. I almost thought you'd fixed the tire yourself." Tate's voice was deep and a little scratchy. The sound of it drove a tendril of desire through me.
I glanced up casually and shrugged. "It's not every day a girl gets the offer for a free tire."
"I said I'd give you the work for free. You're on your own paying for the tire." He slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans, drawing my attention to the long line of his body.
"This is true." I jerked my eyes back up to focus on his face and the fluttering in my stomach only intensified.
His warm brown eyes moved around my face, as if working to uncover something about me I wasn't willing to share.
"Let me get the car back there, and we'll get started on it. You wanna learn how to change a tire?" His lip lifted in a sexy smirk.
I almost missed the five o'clock shadow that wasn't there anymore.
"Not in the slightest." I lifted my eyebrow at him. "That's what I'm paying you to do, right?"
He extended his hand. "Give me the keys, hottie-tottie, and let's get this date started."
I handed him the keys and almost wished I'd put on makeup that morning. He was too cute not to work to impress, but then again, I wasn't quite sure what guys like him liked in a woman. Probably someone in leather and willing to play with chains and whips in the bedroom. The thought didn't disturb me, which very much disturbed me.
I followed him back out of the office into the late afternoon. My eyes moved down to the lovely way his jeans hugged his hips and accentuated the swell of his rear. It'd been a really long time since my body had reacted to anyone; this guy wasn't trying at all, and yet my pulse spiked.
"So, you work here?" I almost kicked myself for asking the question, but in my need to move past the chains and whips, I'd blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"Nope. I just show up and start the fire for the guys every morning. They like roasting marshmallows at lunch from time to time. We're having s’mores today. You want one?" He winked at me before squatting by my car. He was being cheeky about my comment the night before.
I chuckled and nodded. "I deserved that."
He glanced up. "Yeah, you did."
Chapter Eight
Tate
She was beautiful – far more beautiful than I remembered from the night before. I'd dimmed her a little within my daydreams and lusty thoughts. Her long brown hair was up in a high ponytail, leaving her to look sporty and ready to have some fun. I couldn't stop imagining how good it would feel to tug her ponytail down and slide my fingers through her hair. It had to be silky and soft.
"Come here, and I'll show you what I'm looking for." I moved back a little and waited until she squatted next to me. "See here how the tire looks depressed or deflated compared to the back one?"
She tried to move back a little while squatting and almost fell. I reached out for her and grabbed her arm, but fell on my ass right beside her instead of helping.
We laughed and something inside of me opened up a little. I could see myself on the date with the pretty girl. Sex was always at the forefront of my mind, but wanting to take someone out for a meal?
Hell, no.
Besides, I didn't have the money or the emotional energy to deal with someone finding out about my situation and leaving me because of it.
I was working my way out of poverty and could hold off on dating until I got out of it. No need to set myself up for a failure that was sure to happen.
"I'm sorry." She got up and offered me a hand.
"No, you're not." I took her hand and was surprised by her strength as she helped me up. "You're strong."
"For a girl?" She put her hands on her narrow hips and gave me the cutest look I thought I'd ever seen.
I laughed and moved back down to pull the nail from her tire. "No, for a man. Better?"
Her turn to laugh. "No, not much."
Her stomach growled loudly and her cheeks colored pink as I looked back up at her. "You hungry? There are some candy bars in the back room. Need me to get you one?"
"No, I try to stay away from sugar. Makes me sluggish, which doesn't work on the courts." She tilted her head as she studied the front tire and then moved back to study the back one.
"You go to UMN?" I got up and walked around to the driver's side. "Do you play sports there?"
"Yeah. Both. I'm on the basketball team." She moved back a little and glanced up at me. "Fix the tire and then let's go grab something to eat."
"I can't." I hated to deny her, but it wasn't going to happen. I needed every minute on the schedule that day to help make rent.
"I thought you said you were a mechanic." She lifted her eyebrow at me, and I could see myself falling in love with a girl like her. She was sassy, and I enjoyed it a bit more than I should have.
"No, silly. I can't grab a bite to eat. I'm working all afternoon." I glanced back at the sound of Jerry's voice.
"Sure, you can. We'll be open late tonight. Just put in an extra hour then. There's no way you're passing up a meal with this pretty girl." Jerry extended his hand toward the girl, and I realized
that I still didn't know her name. "I'm Jerry. Nice to meet you."
"Val Scott." She shook his hand.
"Scott. Like David Scott of Scott enterprises?" His eyes widened a little.
I wanted to ask if Val was her full name, but there would be time for that over lunch – apparently.
She blushed and looked toward the ground as she nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Oh, wow. We have royalty in the house today. Your father is a legend in the mining industry, as was your grandfather." Jerry chuckled and patted her arm. "Good to see you here in our little shop. I hope Tate treats you right."
I'd heard of Scott Enterprises; hell, anyone in Minnesota had. They were the wealthiest family with the most land. Greedy as all get out, too. I gave her a once over, realizing how incredibly uncomfortable she was all of a sudden.
"Alright, well, let's get something to eat and then we'll fix the tire." I shoved her keys into my pocket and pulled mine out. "You good riding on the back of my bike? It's a little cold."
"I don't mind." She glanced up at me with gratefulness in her eyes. It melted me even more. She was beyond wealthy, and yet couldn't be Daddy's favorite from the looks of things. I wanted to dig into her, to hear her story and learn more about her, but I needed to tread carefully. She had nothing to gain from a friendship with a guy like me, and I had everything to lose.
"Be careful. Her dad could sue the nation and would come out on top," Jerry laughed, obviously not realizing how crass he was being.
"Alright, funny guy. We'll be back." I walked to the bike and handed her a helmet.
She fiddled with the strap for a few minutes as frustration moved across her perfect features.
I stepped up and took it from her as a chuckle escaped me.
"Here, let me help you." I couldn't help but look her in the eye as I worked to get the helmet on her. "Never been on a bike before?"
"I've never done a lot of things." She pursed her lips, and I couldn't tell if she was being flirty, honest, or sexy. Maybe all three.
"Well, it's time to live a little then, I guess." I got on the bike and offered her my hand. "Come on, princess. Your chariot awaits."
"Don't call me that." She sat behind me stiffly as if completely uncomfortable.
"Wrap your arms around me." I paused. "Princess."
The soft chuckle that left her warmed me. She knew I was teasing her, and she liked it. It was my turn to stiffen when her arms wrapped around me tightly. My heart started to beat harder, faster. I wanted her to cup my groin, press her lips to the side of my neck, and promise me more than something quick to eat. My damn hormones spiked once again thanks to the beautiful girl sitting behind me.
Her breasts pressed to my back, and I stifled a groan. Maybe riding on the bike together wasn't a good idea, at all.
"Let's go." She squeezed me harder, and I let out a grunt before shaking my head and starting the bike. We would be good together, good for each other, but it would never happen.
She was someone, and I was nobody. A nobody that was happy to remain as such.
Life was easier that way.
*
"So, tell me about the basketball team. Have you always played?" I sat down with our tray of burgers across from her. I'd almost had to twist her arm behind her back to let me pay, and while I should have simply relented and let her get it, I just couldn't. Some part of me wanted to impress her with anything I could and not buying lunch would have been the opposite of that, in my mind.
"Yeah, it's my one freedom. My parents are insanely strict, but they let me have basketball in exchange for me keeping my grades up and staying out of their hair as much as possible." I could see a bit of sadness tugging at the edge of her eyes as she shrugged. She had so much more to say, but we didn't know each other enough for her to open up to me just yet. I prayed we would, on one hand, and knew it was fruitless on the other. "What about you? Any sports or do you just enjoy riding your bike?"
"I love the bike, and swimming is my thing. Seems like an odd combination, I know, but I love the feeling of powering through the water and pushing myself as hard as I can." I took a bite of my burger and looked up to catch her staring at me.
Her eyes were the color of the grass on a summer day, and it took me a moment to break the intense stare between us. My mother would have been thrilled that I was talking with a normal girl, and I lamented a little over the fact that I wouldn't get to take her home and impress my mom with her. This was a onetime thing – period. We didn't fit in each other’s lives, not even as friends.
"We have a great swim team at UMN. You should try out." She nibbled at a fry before unbuttoning her jacket and tugging it off. "The guys are-"
"Assholes." I let my eyes moved down to take in the thick globes of her breasts through her sweater as my cock hardened painfully. She had to be a goddess under her clothes, my type of woman to a T.
"What? Some of them are decent."
If she noticed me checking her out, she didn't show it.
"None of them that I've met." I tugged the collar of my shirt to the side to reveal a few of my tats. "They're not too fond of anyone having marked up their skin, and they're quite mouthy about it."
"That's stupid." Her eyes moved down my neck, leaving me to feel a little barer than I ever had around a woman. Was she interested? Did I turn her on? Scare her? Thrill her a little? I wanted to know what she was thinking.
"Maybe, but it's the world we live in." I finished working on my burger as she talked a little about her business law class that morning. I loved the sound of her voice, the confidence and calmness that she might not realize she was exuding.
Leaning back, I watched her, took her in, and listened intently, though she really didn't say anything terribly captivating. It was the full package that I was being dragged into wanting more of.
"And, what about a job? Do you work?" I picked up a couple of the fries between us and ate them as she licked at her fingers. Her pretty pink tongue caused my stomach to tighten with need.
Fucking behave. Shit. She's a million miles out of your league.
"No, but I'd like to. My parents are super controlling, and a job isn't part of the deal." She took another bite of her burger and started to wrap it up.
"You throwing that away or taking it with us?" I reached out and touched her hand.
"Throwing it away. You want it?" She pushed it toward me as a smile played at the side of her mouth.
"Hell yes, woman. We don't throw food away." I smiled at her. "It's too hard to come by for us poor folk."
"Hey, I know I was a bitch the other night. I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. You were scared and stuck on the side of the road with a blizzard coming. It's understandable." I took out her burger in four bites as she studied me.
I wanted to feel self-conscious or uncomfortable, but her expression wouldn't let me.
She liked what she saw, which just seemed to force me into wanting to see her again – soon.
"Yeah, it was stupid to take the damn car out in the first place. My father told me not to, but I love being a rebel. Not like a real rebel. Just a semi-rebel, I guess." She was getting flustered. Time to save her.
"You looked hot the other night, all dressed up. Where were you going? A party or something?" I glanced down at the fries. "You all done, princess? I'll be the cleanup crew for us."
She smirked. "Yes. Eat all of it, just don't touch my drink."
"No?" I reached for her drink playfully to have her pull it back.
"No. Germs. Ugh." She lifted her straw to her pretty pink lips and took a long sip. "I went to a party, but I shouldn't have. It sucked. Bad."
"Worse than having some scary biker guy accost you on the side of the road in a blizzard and then eat your lunch and drink your drink the next day?" I leaned back and licked the salt from my fingers, loving the way her eyes widened as she watched me.
"You're not getting my drink. Stop thinking about it. It's not happening." She leaned back and cup
ped her drink close to her.
"But I want it. It looks better than mine. Give me a taste. Just one." I leaned forward, teasing her as my smile lifted farther than it had in weeks.
"No!" She turned and we both laughed, unable to help ourselves.
"Why was the party so bad?" I moved back as she relaxed again.
The sound of some guy beside me caused my shoulders to stiffen. "Because her boyfriend fucked up, and he's sorry. He loves her very much."
I glanced up to see a cookie-cutter jock standing beside me with several other guys from the football team.
"I'm not talking with you." Val's expression hardened, and I could tell that she didn't need help defending herself, at all. She had a tough side that had been hidden up to that point.
"Yeah, you are. I told you that I'm sorry, Valentine." I stood as the guy moved around the table.
Valentine. Beautiful.
"Hey. If the lady isn't interested in talking to you, she's not going to." I turned to face the guy, ready to fight if necessary.
"No one's talking to you, riff-raff." He poked me in the chest as three other big guys moved up behind him.
"Paul, stop it. Now." Val moved out to stand in front of me, but I bumped the guy with my chest and pulled her behind me.
"Fuck off, dude. I'm not a pussified rich kid. I'll jack you up good and be more than happy to leave you bloody on the floor." I got in his face, and the fear that moved across his eyes was too familiar.
"Valentine, this guy is dangerous. Where did you pick him up? He's not like us, baby." The guy tried to move around me to get to her, and I grabbed his arm tightly.
He jerked it back, and Val moved in front of me. She slapped the guy hard in the face before I could do anything more.
"Fuck off. I'm not interested in you. I never was." She turned to me as tears filled her eyes. "Let's go."
I expected them to stop us, but the guy looked too shocked to do much of anything.
Looks like the rich have the same problems as the rest of us. Drama.