Page 28 of Stealing the Biker

“She lied to me.”

“You don’t have to explain. It’s really none of my business.”

“It’s not?” he cocks his head to the side. “Cause I got the impression that you liked me. That you wanted me to ask you out?”

“I did.”

“Great. I was thinking we could go to homecoming together.”

“No, thank you.”

“If you let me explain.”

“Let me stop you. I’m not interested in you in that way. I was. Sure, but now I know what kind of guy you are and, well, I don’t want involved in whatever it is you’ve got going on.”

“You want to meet me in the closet later?”

“You can’t be serious?”

“What can I say? I’m highly ambitious. When I see something I want, I go for it. And well, let’s just say I always get what I want.”

“Yeah, you and me,” I point back and forth between the two of us, “not happening.”

“Was worth a shot.” He leaves with a look of confusion and, for the first time since lunch started, I feel a bit better. I finish eating my meal before heading back to class, my mind still replaying every interaction I’ve had with Jimmy these past few days on repeat. I’m not stressing about my cracked out father or the little sister I’ve yet to meet. Nope. I’m as selfish as they come. All I can think about is the kiss with Jimmy and how I wish he’d break up with his girlfriend.

That’s the fantasy.

Realistically, I know he’s going to stay with her. They have a history I can’t compete with.

When school ends, I find Jimmy waiting across the street, leaning against his truck, smoking a cigarette. A dirty habit,but he makes flirting with danger look damn good. His dark hair slicked back. His leather jacket fitting him just right. Tattoos slightly exposed on his neck. My mind flashes back to my fingers, tracing his girlfriend’s name on his skin. I called it romantic. Now I find it stupid. He broke the golden rule of getting a tattoo. Never get anyone’s name inked on you permanently.

I hate her and her stupid name.

Hate that she met him before I did. That she gets to kiss him anytime she wants.

Screw that.

I strut across the crosswalk, determined to remind him that when he kissed me yesterday, he loved it as much as I did, and he initiated it. That means he does like me even if he doesn’t want to admit it. He pressed his lips to mine and shoved me up against the door like he couldn’t get enough. Like he could become addicted to the taste and feel of me.

He flicks his cigarette to the ground, snuffing it out as I approach him. I shove a piece of strawberry bubblegum into my mouth. “Hey,” he barely gets the word out before I launch myself at him, giving him no choice but to wrap one arm around me while his other braces the door of his truck. I don’t pause or give him a chance to push me away before I go up on my tiptoes and press my mouth to his in a soul searing kiss.

He tenses up, but he also doesn’t deter me when I glide the tip of my tongue along the seam of his smoke tainted lips. His fingers inch up my side, clenching the purple and black checkered flannel with possession. My backpack hits the asphalt, and everything and everyone around us fades into a dull existence.

I pull away first, needing to catch my breath. “Hi,” I whisper and grab my backpack as he stares at me with an amused smirk.

“Kiesha….”

I press two fingers to his lips. “Shh. Don’t talk about her. I know.”

“You don’t know what I was going to say.”

“Can you give me this for right now? Let me have this happy little bubble when I’m with you. One where my troubles and yours don’t exist. The outside world can’t touch us, and we can pretend.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I know what I’m asking is a lot and that it could blow up in my face at any second. I know the risk, but I’m willing to take the chance.”

“Not here. If Link or Prodigy think I’m taking advantage of you, this won’t just end badly. They’ll kill me and my chances of making the cut.” He opens the door for me, and I scoot to the middle, placing my backpack in the passenger seat.

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