"Hi." I can't help the blush that crawls up my cheeks at the sight of that man leaning against the wall, leathers beside him.
"Why do girls take so long to shower?" Jake chuckles.
I roll my eyes. "I don't speak for 'girls' but it's really just my hair." I whip the long locks over my shoulder. "It takes forever to wash."
He pretends to check his watch. "Well, it hasn't been forever yet, but like 30 minutes."
"You don't need to time me." I chuckle, twisting my hair up into a bun.
His hand halts my movements. "I like it down."
I bite my lip. I never leave it down. You are clearly someone I'm comfortable with if you see me with my hair down. I sigh. Somehow I feel comfortable with him. I drop my hair and shake it out. "Fine. Are you coming with me or are am I following your car?"
"Bike." He corrects.
"What?" I stare at him, confused. He shoots me a boyish grin.
"OH... yeah, following your bike." I reach down into my bag, searching for my keys. "Oh, crap." I walk over to a bench by the door and search again.
"Problem?" Jake saunters over, hands in pockets.
"Do you have any idea where I might have left my car keys?"
"Sorry, I haven't seen them...How would you feel about taking my bike?" He bites his lip.
"Umm...I've never ridden before."
"There's a first time for everything?" He winks.
"I guess..."
"So you want to?" He lights up.
"Hmm. I'll think about it." I mutter, searching through my purse. It might be lots of fun to ride on the back of his bike, but I'm really wanting to find my damn keys. Is there a chance I left them IN my car?
"You don't have any idea?"
"Well, Keila said that you left them in the change room." He shrugs.
I run off to check. They aren't there. I sigh. Calm down.
"They aren't in there." I stress as I walk over to him. I pack up my stuff, and exit the gym, hoping I didn't leave them in my car. WAIT. Where did I put my car?!?
"Okay. Before you freak out, because you put your car right there, and it's no longer there, how would you feel about riding my bike to the restaurant?"
I take a deep breath. "Where the heck is my car?!"
"Um...okay, don't freak out, but Dakota said it was okay.." He shifts his boot-clad feet.
"She took the car?! And left me here?! With a strange man?"
He frowns. "Okay, rude. I'm not strange. And Keila simply borrowed your car. She wanted to leave to go to work, and we rode in together... and Dakota thought it was a good idea if-"
"Dakota thinks everything is a good idea!" I sputter, slightly in disbelief. "That's who Dakota is! NOT ME! She's the one that managed to convince me to skinny dip at Spencer Lashsky's party in Grade 10! She's the one always telling me: 'Kasei you're not alive unless you're living, and you should skip practice...we need to go clubbing, Kasei! HEY let's get tattoos? I make your life fun, what would you do without me?' geez." I run a hand through my hair. "Without her I'd be sane, that's what. A little boring, but sane!"
Jakes lips are sucked into his mouth as if he's trying his hardest to not laugh and have the redhead sass turned onto him. "Feel better now that the rant is all out of you?" He chuckles.
"Maybe a little." I admit. "I love my best friend but she shouldn't sign me up to be splattered on the edge of the highway."
"I promise you're precious cargo and I won't let that happen." His hand is resting on the small of my back as we approach his motorcycle. "If you don't want to, I'll call a cab for us..."
"I dunno." I bite my lip. "I don't have equipment." It's bigger than some of the other bikes I've seen, even belonging to the Hawks. It looks incredibly powerful, and incredibly fast. There is no way I'm getting on that without safety features.
"Keila left her leathers and helmet." Jake tugs his leather jacket on and zips it up, watching me, waiting for my answer.
I look between the bike and the handsome man in leather, biting my lip for a second before I shrug. Eventually, I'm going to want to get on the back of one of their bikes. Might as well be his, might as well happen today.
"You know what? You're right. I gotta try it." I shake my head as a grin slowly morphs across his cheeks.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, but don't let me fall off."
"I won't." His dimpled grin is doing things to me. "Okay. Put this on, Kase." He hands me a leather one piece suit.
I raise my brows. "There's no way I'm going to fit into something of yours. You are way too big."
"That's the second time you've said that to me and I haven't even shown you yet." He teases.
"Jake..." I blush.
"I know, I know. Controlling myself. Anyway. Try it." He holds it out. "It's Keila's, and this is her helmet. You guys have to be pretty close in size, right?"
"I don't know if you're under the impression that we share clothes?" I giggle. "But I agree that it's gotta be pretty close." I know for a fact I'm a cup size or two bigger, and as I step into it, I already feel like this won't zip up.
He shrugs and sets the helmet down beside me, pulling out his phone that rings.
I'm just wearing leggings and a tank top, but this is tight against my frame and Jake looks up as I finally get my arms in and try to zip it over my bust.
He swallows hard. "Tuck. I'm gonna need to call you back." He hangs up the phone, eyes dragging up and down my body. "Holy. Shit."
"I told you this would be too tight, Jake. I can't zip this up." I huff.
He clears his throat. "Here." He zips it up for me, his knuckles brushing against my chest. Our eyes meet and I stare into his gaze for a few seconds too long, unspoken words and sparks bouncing between us.
"um..." I clear my throat and pull the helmet onto my head, doing up the snap.
He pulls on leather chaps, throws our gym bags into the storage compartment behind my seat and closes it with a sharp click.
"What do ya think?" I chuckle, my hands on my hips. "Wait." I grab my ankle boots and bend over, putting them on and zipping them up. The leather suit is skin tight, and meets my wrists and ankles. I'm actually surprised at how comfortable this is. I feel a little superhero-y in this. "Okay. Done. So...?" I spin around in a circle and he wolf whistles in application.
"It's official. I'm never letting my sister wear that EVER. AGAIN." He shakes his head slowly, eyes burning a trail over my body.
I blush, thankful that he can't see my cheeks, thanks to this helmet.
He puts his helmet on as well, and straddles his bike, kicking up the stand. "Okay. You throw a leg over the bike, and hold on to me. You can put your hands on my shoulders, or around my waist. Waist is safer."
"Um...Okay." I do as I'm told, and sit down as he turns the engine on. It rumbles underneath me. "Wow. It sounds powerful." I practically yell over the engine.
"It is powerful, baby. Rest your feet here." He points.
"Got it." I yell back.
"Hold on tight and lean with me as we drive."
"Okay."
"Are you ready?"
"Go slow, okay? I don't want to fall off." I say in his ear so he can hear me.
He booms with laughter. "Don't let go." He backs it up and then suddenly he's pressing the gas and I'm tightly wrapping myself around him as we're speeding down the highway.
My heartbeat jumps to my throat and I squeal, holding onto him tighter. I know my smile is almost cracking my face in two but I don't care. The rumbling of the motor has my whole body abuzz and there's a thousand words on the tip of my tongue, but nothing comes out except: "I hate that Dakota is right."
I didn't think I said it loud enough for him to hear me, but his abs tremble with silent laughter against my fingertips and suddenly I have the urge to see him. I didn't spend enough time looking at the artwork on his chest, feeling the dips between the muscle of his torso and tracing my fingers through the spattering of hair against his warm skin. I need him shirtless again. The layers aren't doing me any favours right now.
I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts as we slow down all too soon and park in the Pizza Hut lot.
"Jake." I gasp, ripping off my helmet as he stands and faces me.
"Enjoyed yourself?" His helmet comes off too and one hand ruffles his hair as the dimpled smile comes into view.
my legs are shaking and my heartbeat is still thrumming an unfamiliar rythym, and suddenly I'm in his arms. I'm holding him to me and kissing him and nothing else matters in this second because all I can do is have my arms around him and my lips against his as if I belong.
"Kasei." He breathes as I pull away. "How am I supposed to control myself when you do that?"
"I'm sorry. Holy shit. That was EXHILARDATING!" I unzip the leather, freeing my boobs from the uncomfortable confines as I look at the bike and then him again. "It literally feels like you're part of the road! The rumble shakes your very core and every turn you think just maybe you'll fall and then we don't." The words come rushing out of me, faster than his motorcyle a minute ago. "I need to do that again, that was so great! I'm sorry for doubting you."
"You should be." He chuckles. "But I understand it's scary when you don't know."
"I thought..." I trail my words off, watching as he puts both of our helmets away. "I'm glad you enjoyed it so much." My arms wind around his neck again, hugging him to me and he buries his face in my hair as he speaks. "I can assure you, this won't be the last time I give you a ride." He chuckles.
I pull away, crinkling my nose as I swat him. "Of course you're making dirty jokes." I roll my eyes.
Jake laughs loud. "I wasn't thinking that, but I'm glad you were. Guess who has a bad mind now?" He shakes his head and opens the door for me.
"It actually wasn't scary." I gush. "I mean at first I thought they were going to be peeling me off the highway..."
"I told you I'd keep you safe." He has a small smile on his lips.
"Also you smell SUPER good." I add quietly.
"Well, thank you. You smell delicious too. But so does the food, so..?" He gestures to the hostess stand.
"Table for two." I say, excitedly taking Jake's hand and pulling him after her.
He freezes and I look back at him, he's staring at our joined hands, amusement dancing on his lips.Oh, crap.
My face turns a bright red. "I didn't mean..." I trail off. "Don't think that I just..." I clear my throat, a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry."
"I don't recall saying a word of complaint, Kasei." He grins. "I rather like how you feel holding me."
"Um, right, okay..." I clear my throat. "This way."
Undeniable, Kasei. You like him.
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i like him too ;)
cass