Page 22 of Stealing the Biker

There are a few club members hanging at the bar, but there’s not any scantily clad women throwing themselves at everyone. I don’t know if I’m relieved or disappointed.

“Are you okay?”

“Other than dad showing up outside of my school, I’m fine.”

“He did what?”

“I’m fine. He waved at me. Like some creepy horror movie villain. Super weird. Don’t worry. Jimmy kept me safe.” I glance over to where he’s waiting for me by the pool tables. “Love you. Jimmy promised to teach me how to play pool.” I rush over to him before she can argue.

Jimmy’s gaze is transfixed on the felt-covered table as if he thinks it may open up and swallow him whole at any minute. I don’t have to think too deeply to guess where his thoughts are. “Boo,” I whisper in his ear, tapping him on the shoulder and he nearly jumps out of his skin.

“Don’t be sneaking up on me like that.” he chuckles under his breath.

“I’m ready for my lesson.” I bat my lashes at him, playing innocent.

“You’ve really never played before?”

“Nope,” I pop the p, tugging my bottom lip slightly with my teeth.

His cheeks redden as he grabs a stick from the rack mounted to the wall and rubbing the tip in blue chalk. “Take this.” Our fingers briefly brush as he hands me the cue stick. “Let’s go over the basics. This is your stick. This is the cue ball.” He holds up a smooth white ball before placing it at one of the ends of the table. “These are our balls. You have your stripes and solids.” I watch as he arranges them in order inside a red triangle shaped object. “This is racking the balls.”

I’m not completely clueless, but I don’t tell him that. I like that his focus is on me.

“Now what?” I ask as he sticks the rack back into a cutout at the end of the table, where he placed the balls.

“The object of the game is to sink your balls into the pockets before I do. But first you’ve gotta break them to see if you’ll be shooting stripes or solids.”

“How do I do that?”

“Easy.” He comes around to the end of the table where the cue ball sits. “You’ve gotta line up your shot. Like this.” He moves in behind me, hugging me from behind, showing me how to angle the cue stick. The scent of his spicy cologne and the leather of his jacket fill my senses as the heat of his body warms me down to my toes. “Now pull back and slide forward.” He steps away to allow me to do it on my own and I immediately miss the heat of him pressing against me.

“Do you think they’re talking about us?” he nods in the direction of my mom and my sister.

“Not you. They’re probably laughing about my terrible aim.”

“You’ll get better with practice. Try it like this. Nice…,” he wraps his arms back around me, guiding the stick, his fingers covering mine, “and easy.”

Jimmy pulls away quickly as the five ball sinks into the left corner pocket. I smile at Jimmy, but his face has lost all humor. I follow his gaze to the girl with strawberry blonde hair marching toward us with her face all pinched like a bulldog ready to go on the attack.

“So this is why I haven’t heard a peep out of you all day,” she screeches, getting in his face.

I place the stick on the table as she wags her finger in his face, chewing him out. I don’t want to eavesdrop on their conversation, but it’s kind of hard not to.

“I can’t believe you forgot. Of all days. Not even a text. I thought I’d wake up to flowers or at least a card. But nope. You completely forgot my birthday. Don’t even try to deny it.”

Guilt gnaws at my insides. Today’s her birthday and her boyfriend was kissing me. Jimmy and I are both lousy people.

I glance at Jimmy, who’s looking down at his shoes, his face flushed with embarrassment. I get how pissed she is, but even I know better than to pop off at the mouth in front of the club. Especially when Jimmy is only a prospect. It’s not a good look for him that she’s screaming the bar down.

I look around the clubhouse, wondering if anyone will intervene.

“I’m sorry,” he stammers. “With everything that happened today, it just slipped my mind. I’ll make it up to you.”

“You always say that, but never deliver. What was so important that you couldn’t be bothered to spare me a second thought? Have you even thought about me today? Huh, Jimmy?” She pokes him in the chest again and I want to slap her and tell her to shut the hell up, but it’s not my place. I’m not his girlfriend. Unfortunately for him, this crazy chick is.

Sabrina huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. “Well? Yesterday, you promised me we would have dinner together.”

“I know I did. And we will. I’ll make it up to you.”

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