“Mind if I join you?” Jack requests, stepping into the humid night air with me.
“Sure.”
I didn’t know he smoked.
Jack lights up a cigarette and leans against the building next to me. “So tell me, Sunshine, why do I get the feeling you’re uncomfortable around me?” he muses without pretense.
Whoa. I didn’t see that coming. Guess I’ll have to pull out my inner bitch after all.
“For one, my name's Ivy. And it’s not that I’m uncomfortable, but I constantly feel like you're hitting on me.”
He blows out a puff of smoke and smirks. “That’s because I am.” He waits for my reaction to his forwardness.
Fuck.
“Look,” I throw down my cigarette and crush it with the toe of my shoe. “I don’t play games, so I’m going to give it to you straight.” I hesitate to look up at his shadowed face and try to force the butterflies in my stomach to still. “I’m not interested. I came here to focus on my music and graduate. I have no interest in dating. And by the looks of it, you don’t date. Either way, I’m not interested in a hook-up either.” I shoulder past him to go back inside.
This is going to be an unpleasant evening if I don't walk away.
“Ivy,” he calls out, and I whip around to face him. His baseball cap covers his face as he looks down at his feet. Then, he looks up at me and continues, “If you’re not interested in me…that way…I’ll back off. But, I still want to get to know you. Can we start over?”
Throttled by his honesty which I'm inclined to believe, but could also be a lie, I'm compelled to ask, “Why are you so interested in me, anyways?”
He pauses before answering. “When I saw you at the race yesterday, I had to know who you were. I can see there's something different about you. Something you seem to hide. And when you brushed me off, it was the first time a girl has ever, straight up, ignored me. At first, I figured you might…not prefer men.” I raise an eyebrow in question, fold my arms over my chest, and wait for him to explain. He throws his hands up and speaks with urgency as if he knows I will slap him. “But then, I talked to Eric. When he clarified, I just wanted to try and talk to you again. You don’t seem like any other girl I’ve ever met. You seem to be the type of person that doesn’t take any crap.” He releases a heavy breath. “It’s refreshing,” he shakes his head in disbelief of his own confession.
My butterflies stir into a frenzy at his words. Well, crap. Did I jump to conclusions too fast about him?
“I’m still not interested in anything, but I think I could tolerate starting over,” I joke and smile to lighten the mood. Jack flashes me his incredible smile. I stick my hand out as a peace offering, “Ivy Harris.”
He takes my hand in his, “Jack Roe. Nice to meet you, Ivy.” It's warm, and his touch sends a stronger tingle through my palms in a welcoming invitation.
What am I doing to myself? How am I going to be just friends with this guy? This is going to be torture. Well, no going back now.
Under protest to reveal the longing our touch creates, we release our grasp and saunter to the entrance of the restaurant. “So, friend, will you let me drive your car?” he chides.
“Would you let me drive yours?” I tease with a dubious smirk.
He pauses as he grasps the handle of the glass door, lost in thought. Then, he smiles and opens the door as he says, “Maybe.” I laugh. I know he would never let me drive his Skyline, just as much as I would never let him drive my Evo. She's my baby. Only I can have that privilege.
I wake up early to a hammering at the front door. Throwing on an oversized Def Leopard shirt that falls mid-thigh, I run to answer the persistent and obnoxious pounding. “What?” I grumble, opening the entrance in time to see a delivery truck pulling away from our driveway. A large box lays on the porch.
Yes! My new driver side headlight’s arrived. I had to order it online two weeks ago after a semi threw a rock at me on the highway. It split the lens, and I can’t have that. Bringing the box inside and sitting on the edge of the couch, I check to make sure they sent the correct part. As I pull the headlight out of its bubble wrap, Alice walks in.
“Oh, cool. It came,” she acknowledges, scratching her head and yawning.
“Yeah,” I smile with elation.
She walks back to the kitchen to make coffee for us. “Are you going to replace it today?” she yells through the house.
“Oh, yeah,” I boom low and deep, imitating the Kool-Aid man. I place the headlight back in the box to go get dressed.
By mid-morning, I have the front end of my car on jack stands with the new headlight in, so I start changing the oil. My music blares through the headphones of my iPod, and my tools are strewn about, cooking in the sun. I lay back on my creeper and roll under the car to place the drain pan into position.
After removing the drain plug, I wait for the oil to finish pouring out while mumbling the lyrics to my music. I reach out with a blind hand to feel for the filter wrench when someone snatches my foot and shakes it. Thinking it's Alice, I remove an earphone plug from my ear to hear her better. “Hey, Alice! Will you hand me the filter wrench? It a metal triangle with prongs and a red handle.” I'm uncertain if she can figure out what I'm talking about, but she reaches under the car and places it in my hand. I loosen the filter and use my hand to unthread it the rest of the way. After it drops on top of the enclosed drain pan, I realize I can’t reach the new filter either. Replacing the drain plug, I call out, “Can you hand me the filter? It’s in a small orange and black box.” Alice reaches under the car to hand it to me. “You're quiet. What’s up?” I note from under the car as I thread the new filter on by hand.
“I thought you didn’t know much about cars?” Jack’s voice booms from above me.
I cascade from beneath the car and grab a red shop rag to wipe my hands off as I get up. “I told you I knew how to change my oil,” I remind him with a playful smile while trying to conceal my surprise of his arrival.
“These are nice tools just to change your oil.” He eyes my extensive roll-out toolbox, pulling drawers open and snooping inside. “I don’t know any average Joe who has a creeper to change their oil.”
“I don’t like to get dirty,” I joke.
“Uh-huh,” Jack retorts, disbelieving me.
“Help me let her down?” I coax with a smirk.
“Sure.”
I pick up my tools and set aside the drain pan full of oil while Jack sets the Evo down. After refilling the engine with fresh oil, I close the hood and hear the front door to the house slam shut. Alice comes bouncing down the stairs with her backpack hung over her shoulder. “Where’s Eric?” she asks Jack.
“He got held up and asked if I could take you,” he tells her. There's a look that passes between them as if there's more to be said I'm not privy to hear.
“Oh. Ok. You ready?” Alice looks back and forth between Jack and me.
“Yeah.” He appears undecided as he hesitates. “Ivy, what are your plans for the rest of the day?”
“I just have to drop this oil off for recycling.”
He pauses a moment. “How would you feel about taking a drive with me? I could come pick you up after I drop Alice off at the library.” Alice smiles at me as she slides into the passenger seat of Jack’s Skyline.
“Ok. Let me get cleaned up. I’ll see you in a bit.” My attraction to Jack is nerve-racking, but I need to get used to being around him if we're going to be friends. I consider a drive might help me clear my head and reduce the angst his presence causes.
After Jack and Alice leave, I start my car to cycle the new oil through and go jump in the shower to get cleaned up. I lose track of time and end up taking too long in the shower. Coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my body, I catch Jack in the hall outside of my bedroom, getting ready to knock.
“AHA!” I scream, squeezing the towel tighter to me as Jack jumps in surprise.
“Sorry! You didn’t answer the door,” he e
xcuses. His eyes darken to a deep green upon the realization of my current state.
I have an unexpected ache for him to grab me around the waist and pin me to the wall with his body. I shake my head to reject my daydreaming. “I lost track of time. Let me throw some clothes on, then we can go,” I rasp with nervous tension. Jack doesn’t seem to notice my embarrassment and leaves to wait for me in the living room.
I towel dry my hair in a hurry and let it fall down my back. I should see if he’ll let me drive.
Laughing to myself, I emerge in a pair of fringed shorts, my black White Stripes tee, and black Vans. Jack give me a small grin. “Ready?”
“Let’s go!” I blush from yelping with too much excitement. Jack appears entertained at my excitement. I turn for the front door to avoid further embarrassment.
As he drives towards the outskirts of town, I prompt, “Where are we going?”
“Nowhere. Sometimes, I just like to drive. It clears my head.” His tone is sullen, deep in thought.
“Tell me. What does a guy like you have to clear his head about?”
He gives me a teasing smile, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
The setting sunlight hits his eyes in just the right way, allowing me to see their bright green hue sparkle again. It's the first time I've seen him without his hat. My core tenses with desire at his alluring gaze, and I look away in haste, snickering at his taunting.
We drive through the countryside, passing pastures of beautiful horses. The music blasts with the windows down, and the wind whips over my face with the pleasant warmth of the fading summer. The aroma of fresh grass and pine trees is peaceful and refreshing—a far comparison to the stench of the city I grew up in. As we cruise past sunset, I'm more relaxed being around Jack, but it doesn’t stop the urge to touch every inch of him.
I’m hopeless, I scold myself.
Crossing into the next city, we stop for gas. Jack retrieves his ball cap from the back seat and snugs it over his head before exiting the car to start the pump. I step out of the car to smoke a cigarette. What am I doing? Torturing myself, that’s what! How much longer can I keep this up? Gawd, he’s hot! And he smells so good; like lavender, sandalwood, and a hint of sweet honey. The more I hang around him, the more drawn to him I am. This is ridiculous! I need to back off.
Jack finishes pumping gas, then joins me for a cigarette. He leans on the passenger door in front of me, and I admire his physique. Taut muscles, tribal tattoos, the mysterious look his low cap gives him by shadowing his smooth face from the spotlights, his relaxed posture, and his signature sexy smile he regards me with… I’ve got it bad.
“Do you mind if we make a pit stop?” he requests with a suspiciously cunning grin.
“I guess. Where to?”
What are you up to?
“It’s a surprise,” he evades, shrugging his shoulders and flicking his cigarette before getting back into the driver’s seat. I follow his lead and slide into the passenger seat, the supple leather hugging my body as I buckle up.
Jack drives onto our biggest rival’s college campus and parks in an empty parking lot connected to two brick buildings. It feels wrong to be on enemy territory. “What are we doing here?” I ask him as if he's out of his mind. He gets out of the car and walks around to my side. I'm dumbstruck.
He opens the passenger door for me—ever the gentleman—and prompts, “Come on. I’ll show you.”
We journey through a dark alley adjacent the parking lot, and I hear music in the distance tantamount to a party. Is he seriously taking me to a party? If anyone finds out we're from Red Meadow, we could get our asses kicked! Not that they’ll actually hurt us, but I’ve heard rumors, and I'm not in a mood to fight tonight.
The further we trail into the campus, the louder the music emanates. There are lights ahead of us, and I can’t wait to get out of the creepy darkness. When we top a grassy hill, a huge field spans before us, lit up in the same blinding manner as an airport runway. A stage is set up at the end of the field. There are at least a thousand people on the lawn, jumping with fists in the air. “Jack!” I yell, surprised. “It’s The Killers!” I grab his bicep and jump up and down, changing into a giddy fan-girl with a wide smile. Realizing that I'm touching him, we both pause in alarm with my hand in a lingering grasp around his hard muscle. A tingling sensation travels up my arm, along with a sense of calmness. Our eyes meet in an intense gaze. Attraction seethes between us so powerful I want to kiss him.
Jack brakes the tension between us with his million dollar smile and grabs my hand to lead me through the crowd. “Come on.”
“All These Things That I’ve Done” plays in the background. The warmth of his hand on mine is nothing compared to the burning attraction I have towards him. We push our way through the crowd, which isn’t hard for Jack. His size alone tells everyone to move out of the way. He pulls me to a halt when the crowd becomes too dense, twenty yards from the stage.
I'm ecstatic with his surprise. I glance over at him watching the band play. This was his plan the whole time!
Jack steps behind me and places his hands on my hips. The warmth of his skin seeps through my clothes. “Ready?”
“For what?” I yell over the crowd. Without hesitation, Jack lifts me like a feather above his head and sets me on his shoulders. I howl and pump my fists in the air as he holds my thighs to keep me stable. The view is heart-wrenching. I long to be on a stage. To rock the faces off the crowd and watch their sweaty bodies jumping in unison to the shred of my guitar. The anticipation of hearing the crowd sing my songs and cheer for more. It's a perpetual intoxication I ache for. The revelation of my emotions makes me more determined to get over my stage fright.
After a few songs, I tap Jack's hand burning on my thigh, to let me down. Without effort, he pushes me over his head by my hips and sets me gently down on my feet. Wow! He’s really strong! For the first and single time, I feel like a cheerleader, dismounting a pyramid. At this moment, standing next to Jack, I have no worries about being on rival territory. He makes me feel safe.
We’re among the last people to leave the lawn when the show ends. Plastered with sweat and clothes sticking to our skin, we come back through the alley to get to Jack’s car. We're alone again, and my ears ring from the silence following the earsplitting blasts of music. “What did you think? Good surprise?” he asks.
“It was amazing, Jack! I didn’t even know they were in town!” I can’t hide how delighted I am, and I don’t want to. I can stop pretending around him and just be myself. The walls I've built around me sway and one of its bricks fall away.
“They weren’t supposed to be in town, but they broke down on the way to their next show. A friend of mine overheard one of their roadies talking about them giving a free show at the college,” he informs me as we arrive at the car.
“Well, thank you. I don’t know how I’m going to make this up to you, but I will,” I vow, my voice calm and sincere. Jack’s face falls into hard concentration, and his body stills with immediate rigidness as his hands fist at his sides. “What?” I hesitate, believing I said something wrong.
“Get in the car, Ivy,” he demands in a low voice, looking over my shoulder and past the car at my back.
“What?” I turn to see what has his attention. A guy stands in the empty parking lot, staring at us. I swear I hear the stranger growl like a vicious dog.
Jack speaks with ease, his eyes never leaving the now approaching stranger, “I need you to listen to me carefully, Ivy. Take my keys and get out of here as fast as you can. Call Alice and tell her you're on your way home. I'll meet you there as soon as I can.”
“What the hell's going on? How are you going to get back?” I look back and forth between him and the stranger. The stranger’s shrouded in darkness, concealing his features. My skin prickles with electricity, giving me goosebumps all over my body as he growls at us again. “Who is that guy?” I mumble.
Jack pushes his keys into my hand. “Go, now!”
Looking out of the driver window, Jack had slammed the guy into the side of the brick building and is holding him by the throat. The red brick is spider-webbed around the stranger’s head and shoulders, his feet dangling in the air. I can see Jack’s lips moving, but I can’t hear what he's saying. Opening the door, I slip out of the car and shut it behind me with discreet caution. Jack lowers the stranger down the wall and lets him run off into the dark.
“What the hell was that about?” I yell at him.
Jack shrugs his shoulders, trying not to make a big deal of the situation. “Just an old friend, sending a message. I guess you could say we had a fallin’ out.”
Three more guys accompany the stranger back around the building. The first stranger is wearing jeans and a black shirt. His dark hair falls over his left eye as his slender body leads his buddies charging towards us. The guy next to him has a red shirt with skulls and is followed by two more guys in a blue polo and a white button-up dress shirt. They’re all similar in build with dark hair, and I suspect they could all be related. With grins on their faces mismatching their scowls, I know we're being jumped.
“Jack!” I yell, pointing over his shoulder. Jack spins around in time to punch the first guy in the jaw. He flies back, landing by the far corner of the building. In passing, I muse Jack's underestimated strength. The following thug in a red shirt charges Jack. Jack catches the punch before it can touch him, twisting the guy's arm behind him. I can’t keep my focus on Jack anymore as I realize the other two men are dashing in my direction.
The Helio Trilogy: Volumes 1-3 Page 3