Page 14 of Yours To Keep
“You should always look your best when you’re entertaining a superior, Iris,” she replies and I swear I flash back to dinner at her parent’s house.
“Fuck, did you just channel your mother, angel?” I joke, but fire flashes in her eyes. I pissed her off with that comment, and I’m not sorry. Life isn’t a show, and she doesn’t have to perform 24/7. Wanting to push her boundaries tonight, I step closer to her. Her breath hitches, even though we both pretend to ignore the attraction between us. “Oh, did that piss you off, Magnolia? You are a grown ass woman. And you can wear whatever you want whenever you want.”
I stalk towards her, my boots heavy on the hardwood floor. She backs away, not in fear, but almost instinctively. I keep going, backing her into the wall in her living room. Her breaths are coming in small pants, and I almost wonder if my chasing her down is turning her on. Fuck, this woman is a dream.
“Look at me, Magnolia,” I snap, my tone assertive as her eyes collide with mine. “You are a beautiful woman. And you can wear whatever the fuck you want to wear. Say it.”
“I don’t-” she starts, but I lean into her, pressing her body against the wall until we’re nose to nose.
“Say. It.” I demand.
“I’m a beautiful woman,” she whispers, her voice sounding weak and fragile. She turns her face to the side, obviously uncomfortable.
“Mean it, Magnolia. Mean it like I do.” Gripping her chin, I turn her face back to mine. The challenge in my gaze is clear. Her confidence has been demolished over years of verbal abuse from her mother, and anyone else who was too stupid to see her for the goddess she is. She squares her shoulders, standing taller and taking a deep breath. Her green eyes pour into mine as she lifts her chin.
“I am a beautiful woman. And I can wear whatever the fuck I want.” The strength in her voice is shaky, but it’s there. All I need to do is continue to build it up until it can weather anything that comes her way.
“That’s my girl,” I tell her, smirking when she shivers at my praise. “Now, are you comfortable in this?”
She nods silently, her eyes never leaving mine.
“Good, then put your shoes on and let’s go before we’re late.” I can see the conflict in her eyes. She wants to argue, but she knows she won’t win. I step back, and she moves around me, sliding her feet into a well-worn pair of maroon Vans and picking up her bag by the door.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she mumbles under her breath, and I laugh.
“Welcome to a new era, Magnolia. We’re gonna call it your revolution,” I smirk, wrapping my arm around her shoulder as I lead her out the door and down the stairs.
“How far are we going?” She asks as I direct her towards my bike. I can feel her body slowly tensing up the closer we get.
“Ever been on a motorcycle before, angel? I’m gonna guess no,” I joke, bumping my shoulder against hers. She smiles weakly, curiosity dancing behind her eyes as she shakes her head.
Something about being the one to introduce her to so many new things gives me a sense of pride I don’t really understand. I know this relationship is supposed to be fake, but I feel like we’re dancing on the edge of something real. That thought scares the fuck out of me. I hold my helmet out to her, helping her slide it on and strap it securely. She looks so fucking adorable, relaxed and anxious all at once.
“Just lean when I lean, hold on tight, and keep your legs away from the exhaust, ok?” I tell her, climbing on my Ducati and holding out my hand to help her on behind me. I’ve never let a woman sit on the back of this bike. It means something to me that I’ve never considered with a woman before now. But I push that emotion down, not willing to address it right now.
She gives me a thumbs up, her fancy manicured nails a stark contrast to the darkness surrounding us. I pull away from the curb, her arms immediately squeezing me so tightly she can feel my every breath. Her nails dig in to the muscles of my chest as she clings to me like a human backpack. I speed up, hearing her squeal and tighten her grip on me. I’d make this ride last all night if I could. The feeling of her clinging to my back, knowing she’s relying on me to protect her, it’s almost overwhelming. For once in my life, I want to. I want to show her I can be something more than what everyone else thinks I am.
I take the long way to Jack’s house, accelerating more than I need to around every curve. Each time I hit the gas, her grip on me tightens, driving me fucking insane. I want this siren, maybe more than I’ve ever wanted a woman before in my life.But Magnolia isn’t a one-night stand kind of girl. I’ve never even seen her out with another guy, so I’m sure our levels of experience aren’t exactly matched. If she doesn’t care, neither do I. But I can’t imagine being with me would be very good for her reputation.
Way sooner than I’d like, I’m pulling into Jack’s driveway. He has a good sized cabin on the edge of the water just outside of town. Ultimately, this is the life I’d like to live one day. Own and manage the bar, and live in a place like this. It’s quiet out here, the back porch sitting at the perfect angle to watch the sunset every night. I’ve spent more nights than I can count sitting out there with him, just talking about all the shit he’s learned in life over his nearly seventy years.
I park, killing the engine and tapping the side of Magnolia’s thigh, letting her know she can climb off first. The feeling of her skin under my hands is something I can only compare to a lightning strike. So beautiful, but so fucking painful when it hits you, nearly lethal. I know I’m not worthy of a woman like her. That’s a given. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting her in a real, not-fake-dating kind of way. Which is so fucking stupid, a pipe dream, but I can’t help it. She pulls the helmet off, taking her hair down and shaking it out with the biggest smile plastered across her face.
“That was amazing!” She says, bouncing on her toes with excitement.
“I’m honored to be your first, angel,” I joke, and she instantly turns red, a strangled cough sputtering from her mouth. I didn’t think it was that funny, but I guess maybe she did.
Unless…
She immediately looks away, her eyes studying the tree line behind the house like she’s ready to bolt at any second. No way is she…I mean, I know she’s inexperienced when it comes to guys but…
“Magnolia, are you a virgin?” I ask, her eyes immediately snapping to mine as a squeak catches in her throat. Before she can answer, the front door swings open, Jack coming out on to the porch to greet us.
“There y’all are! I’ve been waiting for hours,” he shouts, coming down the steps to meet us.
“This conversation isn’t over,” I whisper just before he reaches us, holding out his hand to shake mine. “Hey, old man. We’re half an hour early, so don’t pull that shit with me.” I pull him in for a back slapping hug and he returns the gesture.
“Yeah, well, it’s been a long while since a beautiful woman graced my dining table. So I’m impatient,” he smiles at Magnolia, her gaze still locked on me. The expression she wears is completely unreadable, but I’m sure she’s panicking on the inside.
