by Claire Adams
"Yeah, that's cool." He reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "You shouldn't have come in this house, you hard-headed thing."
"He would have stabbed you if I hadn't. A thank you would go over well." I smiled and pulled from him before walking into his tiny living room. There was only one couch and no TV. The pictures on the wall were all of him, and I couldn't help but walk around and look at each of them.
"Oh shit," he growled as he stopped beside me. "Come on, let's go outside for a little while. You don't need to look at these."
"What if I want to?" I looked over at him. My gaze shifted down to his lips and back up to his strong gaze. Mesmerizing.
"Then look at all of them. I'm having a hard time denying you anything." He reached out and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ears. "You're a tough cookie. You know that?"
"I'm learning new things about myself all the time." I turned back to the pictures and tried to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. With him not wanting to deny me anything, I wanted to ask for everything.
"Tell me something about you. I want to know everything." He moved in behind me and slid his hands up my arms to my shoulders, stopping them on either side of my neck. "You like massages?"
"If it gets your hands on me, then yes." I turned and smirked as he chuckled.
"And, where did you learn to swing a bat like that?" He moved my hair from one side of my neck, and every muscle in my body tightened as he leaned down and pressed his lips to my skin.
My breath caught in my chest, and I whispered the only words I could think of.
"Please don't." I moved away, catching me more by surprise than him.
"I'm sorry." He gave me a weak smile and lifted his hands. "I'll keep my hands to myself. I just thought..."
"You thought right. I don't want to start anything in the middle of your mother's living room that we can't finish." I touched his chest softly. "I want you too badly for that."
His eyes widened and he nodded. "I know the feeling all too well."
"Tate. Val. Come eat!" his mother yelled far more loudly than she needed to.
"Spend the night with me tonight." He reached out and brushed his thumb over my lips. "Please."
"I don't know." I licked at my lips and moved past him. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that. I barely know you."
His mother smiled at me and sat down at the table. "I hope you're okay with leftovers. We had fried chicken last night and meatloaf the night before."
I smiled at her. "I love both of them. Tate and I have sandwiches from earlier, too."
"I'll get them." He poked his head into the kitchen before walking back out.
"You know that he thinks a lot of you already, right?" His mother reached out and touched my hand.
"Really? He's been a little back and forth about the two of us." I realized how easy it was to talk with her. It was nice. "He's too good for me, anyway. I'm serious when I say that my life is a nightmare that no one should have to deal with."
"Maybe you just haven't met the right man." She squeezed my hand and pulled her back as Tate walked back in the room and sat down next to me.
"Mom, are you trying to marry me off already?" He winked at me, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Always. If this girl had a handful of magic beans, off you'd go." She smiled and started to talk about her day at the hospital like nothing had happened that evening.
I enjoyed the conversation and story after story about Tate when he was a kid. I laughed until my sides hurt, and hated it when she had to get up to get some sleep.
"Well, you kids have fun and behave. No breaking anyone's heart tonight. You're both too precious for that." She opened her arms, and I gave her a long hug after Tate did. I think it surprised her a little, but after all she'd been through, I figured I could continue to extend kindness toward her.
The hug was more for her than me – or so I told myself.
*
"You're too much. You know that?" Tate reached for my hand as we walked toward the sorority house. His bike was parked in student parking just outside the large building and would be covered in snow within an hour if we left it there.
"Me? Just because I saved your ass tonight?" I turned and slid my hands up his chest and clasped them around his neck.
"It's way more than that." He leaned down and brushed his lips by mine. "Did you think about my offer?"
"To spend the night with you?" I pursed my lips to hold back the yes I wanted to scream. We weren't dating and had yet to really do much more than play with each other's emotions. Having known him for no more than a week, I wasn’t ready to commit to anything, though my body screamed for the opposite.
"Yes." He brushed his nose by my jaw and pressed his lips to my ear. "I'd give just about anything to hold you all night. I want to whisper 'thank you' for being so good to my mom and me tonight along every inch of your body, Val. I need to."
I closed my eyes and let out a shaky breath as I pressed myself tightly to him. I stifled a groan at the thickness of his erection pressed against my stomach. How good it would have felt to go up to my room and strip down for him.
"I want to so bad, but I can't." I opened my eyes and found a look of understanding instead of the one of condemnation that I expected.
"Then let's sneak into your room and just talk for an hour or so. I don't want to let you go just yet. Don't deny me." He leaned down and nipped at my lips, causing electricity to shoot out from deep inside of me.
"We won't just talk, and you know it." I ran my hands along the sides of his face. "Will we?"
"I promise we will." He kissed me softly before stepping back. "Even if you want something more. I'll play the mature one tonight."
I smiled, unable to help myself. "Alright, but I'm serious. No sleeping together when we're not even dating."
"Let's start dating, then." He gave me a cheeky grin and reached for my hand, pulling me against him as the snow continued to fall.
I laughed and glanced up at the dark sky. "Soon. You've been quite on and off with me. Figure out what you really want, and if you think you can handle dating a Scott, we'll talk."
"Handle it? Don't you know that us biker guys love a challenge more than anything else in the world?" He smiled and my resolve began to melt.
"No, but that's a good thing to know for the future when I want you to do something. I'll just challenge you." I laughed at the cute look that swept across his perfect features. I ran my fingers over the tats the dipped into his shirt. "I wanna see all of these."
"And you shall, but not tonight. I should get home to my mother, and you should get some sleep. I hear a rowdy biker guy's going to try to sweep you off of your feet soon." He lifted his eyebrow at me and smirked.
"I sure hope he does. If not, I'll have to sweep him off his." I lifted to my toes as his hands moved along my face, cupping it softly.
His lips were cold, but the kiss hot and demanding. I breathed in deeply and gave myself over to him as I slipped my fingers under his jacket and shirt, needing to touch his skin.
He inhaled sharply, and the sound of the groan that left him echoed over my nerve endings. It left me in a state of need that I wasn't sure how to deny.
"I want you, Val," he whispered against my lips. "Tell me I can have you soon."
"You can." I kissed him once more before moving back. The door opened behind me and the sound of a gaggle of girls interrupted the serenity I'd been lodged in the middle of.
"Good. I'll wait until that time comes, but don't make it too long, okay?"
"Or?" I lifted my eyebrow and stepped back toward the door as some of my sorority sisters moved around me and gave Tate the once over.
"Or I'll come take what's already mine." He shrugged and zipped up his jacket. "You were incredible tonight. The craziest, bravest, hottest girl I know."
"You don't get out much." I laughed and tried to ignore the stares I got from the other Gammas.
"We should remedy that." He winked at me.
"See you tomorrow?" He watched me intently, leaving me feeling beautiful and special.
"Maybe." I turned and walked to the door, laughing as he referred to me as a tease. I wasn't one, but for him, I was willing to figure out how to be.
I closed the door behind me and pressed my back to it as Katelyn looked up from the couch where she sat.
"Hey, you. What's up?" She tilted her head to the side. "Why are your cheeks so red?"
"It's cold, and I guess I'm blushing. Tate was complimenting me."
"So that's where you've been." Katelyn sat her magazine down and turned her attention on me. "And? Tell me everything."
"There's not much to tell. He took me out for a sandwich this afternoon and then to his house for the evening." I let out a long girly sigh and fell onto the couch beside her. "He's so damn dreamy."
She laughed and tugged at a strand of my hair. "Do not tell me you're falling for the punk biker mechanic. Your parents are going to flip their shit."
"Yep, and I honestly could not care less. I haven't wanted anything for myself quite as bad as I want him." I closed my eyes and replayed the moments outside just before coming in.
"And, he's worth losing everything over?" Her words forced me from my daydreams.
"I'm not sure, but I intend to find out."
Chapter Eighteen
Tate
"Hey, boy." Jerry glanced up at me as I walked into the shop, feeling like a new man. Something about even contemplating having Val in my future made all the difference. I wanted to find a way to show her I was the good man I hoped she believed me to be. I'd come up with a million ways to convince her to be mine, but it all seemed rather trite. She deserved far better than me, but I wasn't humble enough to give up an inch as she granted it to me.
"Hey, Jerry. How was business yesterday?" I pulled on a ball cap and moved up to start working to lift and old Ford truck that sat in the middle of the garage.
"Busy as hell. I told you that I need you to get serious about coming in more often. I can't do this seven days a week bullshit, anymore. We're going to have to hire someone else or get you guys to step it up." He gave me a stern look.
I let out a sigh, but nodded. "I understand, Jerry. I'm just trying to figure out where my future is. I have 18 months of school left, and I honestly can't imagine throwing that away, but I realize the opportunity you're giving me is a great one, too. I really do."
"I know, boy. Chew on it some, and maybe we can work around the school thing and just give you some more hours. You only go a few hours a day, right?" He handed me the wrench I was looking for.
"Yeah. It's only four hours a day." I started to include the fact that swim team was going to take up quite a bit of time, too, but decided against it. No one would understand my need to swim, and to combat their disapproval or lack of understanding was only going to leave me edgy, which was something I didn't need.
"Good. We'll figure it out. Just let me know when you decide if you want more responsibility and money. Okay?" He patted my back and left me there to stew in my thoughts.
I barely had time to study with the 40 hours I was squeezing in at the shop on top of school and the swim team. Now that I'd made the decision to pursue a relationship with Val if she agreed, she was going to have to have some of my time, too.
A growl left me as my shoulders tightened due to the stress of trying to work everything out in my head and coming up short.
Sharon's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Tate, some guy is here to see you, hun."
"Alright. Tell him I'll be right there." I reached up and unscrewed the bolt I had been tugging at while Jerry was talking. After getting it undone, I moved back and laid my tools down and pushed them out of the way.
I wasn't expecting anyone, but then again, I rarely was. Sharon knew Sam, so she would have mentioned that if it was him.
An older man with salt and pepper hair and a tight smile turned as I walked up.
"I'm Tate. How can I help you?" I started to cross my arms over my chest, but decided maybe looking closed off wasn't my best move. Besides, the guy looked important. Maybe he was from the college or the police station. Maybe they needed me to come down and talk about testifying against Daniel.
"You can start by realizing that trash like yourself doesn't have a place in my world." The old man's expression grew angry as he poked his finger into my chest.
"Whoa. I'm not sure you have the right guy, mister." I pushed his hand back. "Don't poke my chest again."
"I'll poke you as many times as I want, and you'll not do a damn thing about it." He poked me again, and I smacked his hand away.
"I'm warning you, old man. I can be respectful all day long in the face of a lot of shit, but someone picking on me isn't happening." I took a step toward him, and damn if he didn't move toward me.
"I'm Valentine's father, and you, little man, are messing with the wrong girl. You'd better back the fuck up or I'm going to make your life a living hell. Do you understand me?" He looked me in the eye. Suddenly, everything made sense.
Someone had told the great David Scott about me and Val, and he was here to force me out of her life before I really ever got invited into it.
"Not sure what you're talking about. Val and I are friends, and-"
"No, you're not. She doesn't have friends that we don't approve of, and you're not on the list. Stay away from her or, not only will I get your mother's piece of shit abusive boyfriend off the hook for what happened yesterday, but I'll shut this shop down, I'll have your mother fired from the hospital, and I'll get you ejected from UMN so fast it will make your tiny head spin."
"Fuck you," I mumbled as terror raced over me. The man wasn't at all intimating physically, but he could pack a serious punch with his power.
"Yeah, that's what I figured you'd say. Funny how you poor kids only have a few words to grab when you're in a bind." He smirked. "You've been warned, Tate. Don't come near my daughter again."
"And, if she comes near me?" I couldn't help but push him.
"Then, you push her away. Hurt her. I don't care, but you'll suffer far more than she will from this stupid, pity-relationship. There's no way she'd be with a guy like you, and you'll do yourself a favor if you back off now. No need to get your hopes up; she's a Scott, whether she chooses to act like it most of the time or not." He tilted his head slightly. "Good day."
I stood there in shock, unable to move or say anything. I'd never in my life had someone be so rude to me, and certainly not some chick's dad.
"That's not good," Sharon mumbled from behind me, and I realized she was there, which only left me more embarrassed.
"Wow. He was a total dick." I ran my fingers through my hair and turned toward her.
"I've heard he's a complete asshole, but I didn't think he would be so low as to get involved with his kids’ relationships." She shook her head. "Who does that shit?"
"I guess the great and mighty Scotts." I shrugged and started toward the back.
"What're you gonna do?" Her voice followed me.
"Fuck his daughter. What else?" I opened the door the garage and walked out as rage burned through me. I was just being a cock, too, but truth be told, I had no clue of what to do. If the man really had the power to turn my life upside down like he said he did, then I was screwed. The fact that he knew so much about me was insanely unnerving.
I couldn't just let Val go, though. Right?
She was more woman than I'd ever encountered and the idea of pushing her away again felt like it would be the biggest mistake of my life.
The memory of watching her with my mother the night before swept over me, leaving my heart hurting deep inside of my chest. Val had far too many layers to count, but after seeing her not only help me manhandle Daniel, but act kind toward my mother, I wanted to peel each one – to know her, to memorize everything about her. To love her.
"It's not in the cards," I mumbled to myself and put in my earbuds. The day wa
s going to be spent trying to figure out what the fuck to do while I worked to fix as many cars as I could. I'd talk to Sam later before swim practice. He'd know what to do.
*
"He said what?" Sam was almost screaming as he sat in the truck next to me.
I ran my hands through my hair and closed my eyes. "Yeah, I know. I'm honestly not sure what to do about it. I can't go up against him. I'll lose. Fuck, my mom will lose everything, too."
"I can't believe that bastard said he would get Daniel a free ticket out of jail. What kind of guy does that shit? A monster. That's what kind." Sam pulled up to the gym and shook his head at me. "You need to tell her, Tate. She has no idea her fucking family is sneaking behind her, ruining her life."
"Maybe they’re not ruining it, but saving it. She's far better than me. We both know that." I shrugged and reached for the handle. "Thanks for the ride."
"Hey, you're wrong. She's a good woman from what you say, but you have the ability to make her a great one. Tell her what's up. Don't turn your back on his. I'm serious. You'll regret it." He gripped my shoulder tightly.
"Thanks, buddy." I got out of the truck and jogged up to the natatorium, trying to let all my angst go. Val had texted a few times that morning, and I'd responded more fully before talking to her dad, but only in short responses after. I hated to leave her thinking that something was wrong, but it was. I had to let her go, even though she really didn't belong to me yet.
I was grateful for her denying me sex the night before. It might have been trite, but I knew that if she'd let me take her to bed and hold her all night, I'd not be able to walk away. I'd have felt too connected to her.
"Hey, you." Martin lifted his hand to me as I walked into the warmth of the natatorium.
"Hey, man. How's it going?" I gave him a high-five before dropping my stuff beside everyone else’s.
"Good. We're just warming up. Get to it. Coach was asking where your ass was an hour ago." He smirked and nodded toward the group of guys we'd be swimming against. "They're at the top of our division right now. I think we can take them down."