Unacceptable

by Kristen Hope Mazzola

  Maverick waved over at us. “Sorry for the trouble. He’s an ass.” They all climbed into a rental car before Abel could start yelling. I guess musicians aren’t really tough-guy-bar-brawl types, wouldn’t want to break a hand right before a show. That would really suck some big ole monkey balls for sure.

  Holt followed them out with a concerned look on his face. “Abel. They need you inside. Now.”

  Lady blue balls for sure.

  “We’ll finish this later.” Abel jogged into the bar after Holt and vanished into the abyss in the back.

  With the bar empty and my nerves pretty rattled, I called it a night. I grabbed my bag and got my tips out of the jar, and decided to head to my cozy motel room. My vibrator was undeniably going to be making an appearance that night.

  Chapter 4.

  I turned the key in my jalopy of a Camaro and…nothing.

  Clunk.

  Click.

  Clunk.

  Click.

  Damn it all to fucking hell.

  I popped the hood and leaned into the engine, praying that I would see a loose valve or a miracle would happen. I knew deep down that there wasn’t jack shit I could do to fix it. I was probably looking at a shot starter or something frustratingly expensive to fix.

  “Hey do you need some help?” Looking over my shoulder, I saw Abel’s tall frame ambling over to me from his motorcycle.

  I rolled my eyes and leaned back over my engine. “What’s it to you?”

  “Hey, what’s with the attitude?”

  Abel’s boots crunched on the gravel as he got closer and closer; my stomach knotted and churned.

  What the hell is happening to me?

  I spun on my heels and glared at him with a furrowed brow. “Your awesome douchebag stunt last night, ring a bell?”

  He let out a deep throaty chuckle. “I was drunk and I saw a pretty girl getting hit on by a hipster. Can you blame me for being a little jealous?”

  “You were totally out of line.”

  “So do you want help with this or not?”

  I sighed. I was at a loss. “Yeah. I think so.” I groaned, leaning on my front bumper.

  “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for last night.” His hand landed on my shoulder for a fleeting moment and my heart fluttered.

  Deep breaths.

  Deep.

  Slow.

  How does he continue to do this to me?

  “Thank you.”

  “So what’s going on here?”

  I nodded at my busted, annoying-as-shit, piece-of-dog-crap engine. “She’s ready to kick the bucket.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck as he leaned over the engine. “Mind if I take a look?”

  Before I could even respond, he was under my hood, poking and looking around.

  “It’s been giving me some problems starting and this morning it’s only clicking.”

  “Hmmm.” He wiped his face with his flannel sleeve as he stood up straight. “Try to start her up?”

  His dark blues choked me as they bore into mine for a second. “S-sure.”

  Even though I wanted to still be pissed about how he’d acted the night before, I couldn’t help but feel flattered. Sure I had liked guys in the past, found some attractive, but I was always the take ’em and leave ’em type of girl, never sticking around long enough to get hurt or form real feelings. This felt different. It felt real. There was a spark that had been lit the day I walked into the Unacceptables’ bar and it was smoldering into a wildfire that I felt the control of slipping out of my grasp.

  I dove into the driver’s seat and turned the key.

  Click.

  That’s all she wrote.

  “Again!” He shouted from around the popped hood.

  Click.

  “All right.”

  Abel came around to the open door and leaned on it. “I’m pretty sure you’re gonna need a new starter. We can try to push start it since it’s a stick, but I really don’t think that’s the answer to your problems.”

  “Fuck,” I whispered to myself. “That’s going cost a lot more than I can afford right now.”

  “It doesn’t have to.” His lips turned up at the corners before he continued, “I can take care of it for you.”

  I jumped up from my moping in the driver’s seat. “Yeah? Really?”

  He nodded, his smile growing, showing off his perfectly chiseled facial features.

  Damn, he’s hotter than a swamp in Mississippi in August.

  “You don’t think that bar is the only thing I take care of do you?”

  I shrugged. “You’ve never mentioned anything before.”

  “Well, sugar, I run a garage a few miles from here. How about you let me take you to breakfast while one of my guys comes and tows this to the garage?”

  My original reaction was to run, thinking this guy was too good to be true. He surely had to be a freaking serial killer or something, but damn those eyes, his smile, the muscles that his grey flannel shirt clung to so perfectly under his cut.

  Even though he had been my boss for almost a week, I barely knew him. His time at the bar was fleeting, and in that moment I found myself doing something I had never done before: taking help from a stranger—a beautiful stranger, and my boss, but a fucking stranger nevertheless.

  “Ok.”

  “Let me make a call. Leave the keys in it. My guys will be here quick to get it for you.”

  “That’s really nice of you, Abel.”

  “Don’t mention it, Crickett.” He laughed after he said my name, which was more common than I would have liked to admit.

  “Don’t be mean,” I called over while he paced as he spoke to someone from his garage, lighting a cigarette.

  “No. I am telling you what you’re going to do.” Smoke escaped through his flared nostrils as he growled into the phone. “Get your ass down here with Lou and pick up her car now. Not after you eat your damn breakfast or take your morning shit. Right the fuck now. Do you forget who you work for?”

  Abel’s voice was so gruff and stern while he was talking to whoever it was on the phone; I was kind of taken aback.

  Once the call was over, I walked over to Abel. “You know if this is any trouble, I can figure something out.”

  “Really, could you?” His voice was still stern as he shoved his cell into his pocket, throwing the half gone cigarette into the gravel and mashing it with his boot. He cleared his throat before he continued, cooling his tone quite a bit. “This is no trouble at all, Holt was just being a little prick. Sometimes you have to put the young guys in their place.”

  “Holt? He works at your garage too?”

  “Yeah, he works with you and is apprenticing at my garage. Good kid, just needs direction.”

  “Oh shit. My shift.” It had slipped my mind; the whole reason I’d been trying to start my car was to grab some groceries before I had to be at the bar at noon.

  Abel put his hand on my shoulder. “I’ll make a call.”

  He walked a few steps away from me. “Holt. Change of plans. Tell Lou to get a guy with him over to Crickett’s car. You’re taking her day shift today.”

  Abel walked back over and flashed his killer triumphant smile. “Done. Now let’s go eat. I’m starving.”

  I stared at his bike pretty nervously; I had never ridden on one before. Apparently it was written on my face. “Ever been on one of these before?”

  I shook my head.

  “This will be fun then.” He grabbed a second helmet from the back compartment. “Here.” He handed one over to me. “I’m going to get on first and then help you on, ok?”

  I nodded. Holy hell, I was nervous. First week of truly being on my own and my car was broken down and I was about to spend the morning with a member of a motorcycle gang who I fucking worked for. When I’d left home, this was not what I had pictured at all.

  What the hell is going on?

  “Put your arms around me. Hang on tight.”

  “Well, you don’
t have to tell me twice.” I nervously laughed, flinging my arms around his middle as fast as I could.

  “Don’t be nervous.”

  From my shoulders all the way to my toes, I was tense. How on God’s green Earth does he expect me to not be nervous?

  Abel pulled my hands more around him until my fingers were locking, then rested his on mine for a second. “Trust me.”

  He pulled out of the parking lot where I left my car, keys in the ignition, and we were on our way down the road heading to an unknown destination. Even though I was pretty nervous, completely out of my comfort zone, that shit was pretty exciting. I knew it was high time for me to be this free and the wind whipping through my hair while my arms were wrapped around Abel’s Adonis-like frame made me feel that much more liberated.

  We pulled into a parking lot of a tin-can-looking building with a bright flashing neon sign: 24-Hour Diner.

  Abel helped me off the bike. “They have the best milkshakes in town.”

  My knees were shaky and I almost fell over, stumbling right in into Abel’s side and practically tripping both of us.

  “Hey, I got ya.” He wrapped his arm around me. “That happens a lot when people ride a bike for the first time. To the milkshakes!” he exclaimed as we made our way up the steps to the front door.

  “Thanks.” I couldn’t help the wide ass grin that was taking over my entire face. The whole situation was making me happier than it should have. I should have been pissed about my car and the night before, but actually I was excited to spend time with my beautiful stranger.

  We sat in a booth and I started to look over the menu, but Abel quickly took it from me.

  “Hey!” I grabbed for it but he snatched it out of my reach.

  “Let me order for you. Trust me.”

  “There you go with that ‘trust me’ shit again. Have you forgotten that I don’t even know you? Or that you cock blocked me last night?”

  “Cock blocked? Really? You would have slept with that douche-nuzzle?” He narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.

  I shrugged. “Probably not, but it would have been nice to make my own decision about that instead of being thrown into a wall by my boss who I have barely had a full conversation with, then being informed that he has it in his head that he has some sort of claim over me.”

  “Well, if you don’t feel the connection yet, I’ll give you some time. Let’s start with the basics and get to know each other.”

  The waitress brought over two coffees and asked us if we knew what we were having. Abel looked at me and I waved my hand. “I’ll have whatever he suggests.”

  “Two chocolate mint milkshakes and southwestern omelets, June. Thanks.”

  “You got it, Abel.”

  With a warm smile, June headed off to the kitchen.

  “Come here a lot?”

  Shaking sugar from the big clear cylinder into his coffee, he nodded. “My mom used to work here when I was a kid, so I’ve spent a lot of time right here in this booth.”

  I grabbed the sugar from him and cleared my throat. “So, you were about to tell me about yourself.”

  “Hmm.” He nodded with coffee in his mouth. He swallowed quickly then dove in. “I’m from here. I’m an only child. My favorite color is green. I love mint, and that’s why they have a chocolate mint shake here. Your turn.”

  I took a deep breath, wondering how deep into my situation I should get. “Well, let’s see. My favorite color is blue, all kinds of blue. I don’t know what my natural hair color is because I have been dying it since I was twelve. I love chocolate and mint together so I am pretty stoked to be trying this amazing milkshake.”

  June came back with two huge glasses of chocolaty goodness. “The omelets will be up soon.”

  “Thank you.” I smiled while eyeing the large shake in front of me. It was a meal in and of itself; I should have refused the omelet for sure.

  Abel was just sitting there, staring. “Are you going to drink yours?” I laughed a little while putting a straw into my milkshake.

  “I’m waiting to see what you think.”

  His deep ocean eyes were breathtaking. I loved sitting there; it made it completely acceptable to stare at them.

  “Well, here goes nothing.”

  I took a sip and it was like an orgasm in my mouth. I even moaned. Out. Loud.

  My cheeks burned as I looked up to Abel.

  “I told you.”

  I smiled, wiping my mouth. “That might be better than sex.”

  “Darlin’, if you think this is better than sex, you’ve been fucking the wrong guys.”

  “I probably have been and there have been so few, I’m probably not a very good judge.” I laughed. “I can’t believe I just told you that.”

  He shrugged. “We’re not strangers anymore.”

  “No, I guess we’re not.”

  “So where are you from, Crickett?”

  I swallowed hard again. Talking about my past was awful but I knew I needed to get over it. I was in a small town where people asked questions and genuinely wanted to know the answers. Abel’s gorgeous eyes were fixated on mine as his lips curled around the end of his shake’s straw. We were having a light conversation, he just wanted to get to know me; I hated how scared I was to even mention the shithole that I was only days from climbing out of.

  Deep breaths.

  Smile.

  Pretend like you’re not scared shitless to let words fall into the air.

  “Arkansas.”

  His eyes got a little wide as the distance of my trek sunk in. “What brought you all the way out here?”

  “I needed a change of scenery, I guess. Ain’t nothing good was coming out of that place for me, so I was either going to rot with the rest of them or I was going to get the heck out of dodge.”

  He licked his lips slowly, getting a spot of chocolate that was next to his piercing. “Well, I’m sure happy that you stumbled into our little town to make your fresh start.”

  “Yeah? Why?”

  “Because that means I get to watch the caterpillar turn into a butterfly.” He pointed to my collarbone where a bright purple butterfly was inked into my skin. “Don’t worry. I’m not this sappy all the time.”

  With a wink he slurped on his milkshake as our meals were placed on the table. The rest of breakfast went on with light conversation as I picked at the huge omelet that was like another orgasm in my mouth. I could definitely get used to how good the food was in this town. To say the least, I’d freaked out for nothing. Abel was easygoing and sweet with a deep, gruff side that made my heart flutter and my panties wet every time his deep drawl cloaked over a sexual innuendo followed by him biting those sexy-as-hell lip rings.

  “Well, your car does need a starter. I was hoping I was wrong, but oh well, it’ll be taken care of.” Abel sighed as he shoved his phone back into his front jeans pocket. “Did you have plans other than work for today?”

  I shook my head, taking my seat on the back of his bike.

  “Good, ’cause she isn’t gonna be ready until the morning. One of my guys has to run to grab a part for it and I’ll probably head that way tonight to make sure she’s done right.”

  “I feel bad that I’m causing all this trouble.” I rested my head on Abel’s shoulder, way too intimate of a move for someone I had just met, but damn I was drawn to him.

  “Wanna hang with me for a bit? I just have to grab Raine from school in a few hours, but I can show you around town, maybe convince you to stick around while you’re trying to find whatever it is you think you’re missing in your life.”

  “Raine?” I asked as Abel guided my arms around his middle.

  I could feel him take a deep breath in before he answered, “My daughter.”

  After Abel showed me around the small town of Vilas, playing tour guide from the front of his bike, we made our way up a long gravel road off the side of a mountain.

  “Where are you taking me now?”

  We slowly
pulled up a driveway to a large two-story old farmhouse without a neighbor in sight. Abel hit the kickstand and let me get off the bike.

  “We gotta get Raine here in a few minutes so I needed to stop in and grab my truck.”

  It took me by surprise that he wanted me to go with him to get his daughter from school. “Abel, you can just take me back to the motel. You don’t have to—”

  He held his hand up, cutting me off while he shook his head. “You’re going to love her and she’ll get a kick out of being around another girl for once.”

  I could feel curiosity starting to get the better of me about why Raine’s mother wasn’t in the picture and why there wasn’t a ring on this gorgeous man’s finger, but I left it alone. If he wanted me to know what happened to her, he would tell me.

  He grabbed my hand and a chill raced from my fingertips to my pussy, which immediately woke up and begged to say a very intimate hello to Abel. He led me over to a brand new lifted Ford F250 and my panties soaked on the spot.

  “That’s one gorgeous truck.” I blushed as his hand got tighter.

  “Like trucks, do ya Crickett?”

  I bit my lip and nodded. There was no way in hell that this guy could get any sexier.

  The eyes.

  The piercings on his lip.

  The sleeve of tattoos that covered his hard-as-heck muscles.

  The slow, deep drawl.

  The bike, the boots, the truck. The soft side that bit back under his tough as nails exterior.

  I was fucking infatuated in one fell swoop, right as our lips touched as he pressed me up against the shiny white paint of his Ford. His fingers gripped my hipbones as a low moan escaped my throat. Slowly our tongues met as his soft lips parted mine. By the end I was practically gasping for the breath he had taken away from me.

  I sighed, leaning into his chest as he rested his chin on the top of my head. “There’s something so perfect about you, Crickett.”

  I pulled away from him, locking eyes with his smoldering ocean gaze. “You don’t even know me.”

  “I have never wanted anything more than to know you.” He kissed my forehead. “C’mon. I don’t want to keep Raine waiting.”

  We hopped into the truck and within minutes we were pulling into the elementary school pickup line. A little blonde ball of energy raced for the truck once it caught her eye. She shoved a flower she had just picked into her bright pink backpack.