Chapter 3 - Vince
Fucking hate waiting until Monday to apologize. Actually feeling the need to apologize at all was irritating. Yet the woman has not found her fine ass out of my head since I meet her Friday. Her curves were meant to be caressed, bitten into, spanked, and nameless other things I had every intention of doing. Fuck, my dick is getting hard just thinking about it.
If I ever had a teacher as hot as her I would have found a way to stay in school all those years ago. Every spare moment in the past three days I found myself beating off to thoughts of her. Those child bearing hips in my hands. That slim waist leading up to those palm size, perfect tits. Tasting that long neck up to those kissable lips. Did I mention those mile long legs in those fuck me heels she wore? When I get her in my bed that’s all I will insist she wears, and those black rimmed glasses that sat atop the bridge of her button nose. Fuck, and those eyes that saw right through me. They had been bright, like a beautiful spring day, green as I’ve ever seen the grass be. Made me think of happier times when life wasn’t trying to always fuck me over.
But I could tell she was fighting hard against my charm and what I was sending her way. Hiding behind her scowl, and trying to avoid eye contact only made me want to try harder. To ruffle her, and take her dark auburn hair right out of that tight up-do to see it go wild. To see her wild. Fuck now I can’t hide this boner, it’s actually uncomfortable pressed tight against my jeans.
A kid looks me over with eyes bulging like he's never seen a man on a bike before. I raise my eyebrow at him, “You know Ms. Halaway?”
“Uh yeah,” he says slowing to a stop.
“Want to make five bucks?”
Passing curiosity turns into interest, “Yeah.”
I hand him the note and the single rose, "Make sure this is placed on her desk. Even better if she never sees you, got it?" He nods like a bobble head. I pull out the five dollar bill, even though it hurts knowing that small amount is breaking me. I do it anyways. I have a feeling she is worth all five hundred pennies and much more than I’ll ever earn in a lifetime.
When he walks off I get the uncontrollable urge to be sure she gets it. Going around the building to her windows I stand at the edge. The kid is fast and I only see a glimpse of him as he dashes out. She was addressing her class and didn’t even notice the kid I paid. He had slipped in with only a few students noticing. When half of her class bursts out in giggles she turns to look behind her. I watch her lifting my gift off of the corner of her desk, looking puzzled. She scowls, looks up to her students, and starts to ask who had dropped it off. Kids being kids and with no brown-nosers in this class, they all shrug like they didn't see a thing. After a moment the students quiet down.
She waits another few minutes before reading the note. Pushing up her glasses as she starts to read. Her brows crease and I find that I like the little marks it makes between her brows. The desire to kiss them away takes hold. Her lips curl upward a little, but then a pain like someone is twisting a knife in her gut displays on her features. She shakes her head as she walks around her desk, she opens the top drawer and deposits the rose and the note into it. Her attention is back to her students.
Her casual brush off pisses me off. She doesn’t think I’m serious. Whatever has her haunted I will show her I’m different.
⨳ ⨳ ⨳
Her face changes when she sees me. She glances around to see if we're being watched, but I’ve been here long enough, the starring has almost stopped. All of the students are gone and the last of the few teachers left are walking to their cars. It’s later than I thought she should be leaving. But I suppose when I was a kid I never cared to check what my teachers were doing after my school day ended. I’d know for next time and yes, there was going to be a next time.
“Um, what are you doing here?” her voice hesitant.
“I said in the note I’d see you later,” I try and make my voice sound confident. From the way she’s looking at me it doesn’t matter. I've already rattled her.
Grabbing the helmet I had brought, I thrust it out in front of me. She stares at it like it’s a snake about to strike.
“What’s it for?” she looks to me with those beautiful eyes, and I get the urge to strip the fear right out of them.
“For you to wear. I would like to take you somewhere,” suggestion is in my voice, even if I knew there shouldn't be. Ruffling her further isn't going to get us anywhere fast. Especially between the sheets. Easing her into the idea is not going as planned.
She looks past me and to the bike, and shakes her head, “There is no way I’m getting on your thing,” she puts her hand up to her mouth on a gasp, her cheeks turning a bright pink. I wish I knew if she blushed in other places. She moves her hand back down, “On your motorcycle, there’s no way I’m getting on your motorcycle,” I drop the helmet to my side.
“Oh sweet cheeks, you can ride either one any time you want,” her cheeks grow even brighter.
“Look, I need to talk to you about Teddy. So, to do that I need to take you somewhere we can talk,” God, I was lying through my teeth, but to have her alone would be worth it.
She points behind her, “My classroom is back there, it seemed fine on Friday.”
“For you, but for a school dropout, it’s the last place I want to do any talking,” well it wasn't a complete lie, there would be no talking if I had my way. One day her classroom would be fine. Short skirt, knee high socks, those fuck me heels. I look down, and what do you know those saucy red numbers are there on her feet. Jesus, I need to stop torturing myself. I shake my head and look back up.
Because I needed to get this woman out of my system. I don't have time for distractions. I have no money to support a relationship, so the next best thing is to fuck her until we knew the taste of one another by heart. The feel of every curve, soft or hard seared into our fingertips. Noises the other could make imprinted on our eardrums. Marks and scars to remember the good times when we lay in bed alone at night once it was all over.
Her eyes seem to glaze over for several long seconds but she still says no.
“I won’t let anything bad happen to you while you are with me. I promise.”
Her soulful eyes stare into me and something inside me clenches. It’s more than the impulse to keep her safe or protected, this is more of a feeling of possession. I wanted to posses this woman, and not only her sweet body. Fuck, didn't I say not seconds ago that I don't have time for that shit? I need to learn to give myself better pep talks.
Not waiting for her permission, I grasp her hand and bring her flush against my front. Her hands come up bracing herself against my chest. Our mouths are a breath away. My eyes dart to her full lips for a second, and when that pink tongue peeks out to do a quick swipe against her lips, I almost groan aloud. I’m sure when I look up to her my irises are almost non-existent, and where my mind had gone is written on every curve of my face.
“Get on the bike,” I release my hold on her and let her choose. If I had my way she would be bent over it. She doesn’t move away, in fact, for a second I could swear she moves closer.
But to soon she straightens and separates herself, "There is a diner in town, I can meet you there,” she whispers trying to compose herself, “Danny's I think it's called."
I couldn’t help but feel a bit frustrated with her answer, "Yeah sure I know the place. I have lived here my whole life. See you in ten," it takes me three tries to get my bike to roar to life, but once I do, I'm speeding towards the exit. My anger fueling me more than the engine.
I'm used to people being wary of me, it comes with the territory, even the ladies that fall into my bed. They fall so willingly because they believe they are taking a ride on the wild side. They see it embedded in my eyes. I admit that at times I can be exactly what they believe me to be. The rough tumbler both in and out of bed. In reality, I am a man just trying to get by, filling his bed to not feel so damn lonely. Sometimes you need a touch of a woman to feel alive. At least I know I do and my hand can only satisfy for so long. I was okay with that until I walked into her classroom. I wanted her trust, I wanted to be more than the bad boy that everyone saw all the damn time. I wanted for once to be me. In my haste, I forgot that those things are earned. How I could forget baffles me more than thinking that it should be a given. My anger fades.
The club was the best lesson when teaching about being wary with who you trust. Granted it's a family, a drama filled, bitch fest of a family. In this family there are fights, grudges held and old knitting grannies have nothing on a bunch of men gossipers. But like every other family, there is respect, a fierceness to defend our own though even that wasn't freely given. I suppose I'm so damn tired of working so hard at everything. I wanted something to fall into place without the work that goes into earning it.
When she arrives at Danny's I already have us a table in the furthest corner, and ordered a couple of waters. Her smile is tentative and unsure as she takes her seat in the booth opposite of me.
I open my mouth, but she speaks first, "Look, I'm sorry if I offended you somehow, but...."
I cut her off with a hand, "It's all good, don't sweat it. I was out of line thinking you would hop on my bike with only meeting me once. You were being smart."
After a second to long of a pause I look up from my menu, "Why do you look so surprised?"
Her brows furrow, "I didn't expect you to be understanding."
I choke down the anger, but the words are out before I can stop them, "Don't judge by a book's cover."
She looks as if I've reached over smacking her in the face. The flush on her cheeks, despite my anger has my dick hardening. She opens her mouth to respond, but that's when the waitress comes over to take our order.
The time it takes the waitress to take down our order has given us both time to cool. Her voice is collected when she speaks, "Second time tonight I seem to be in a position to apologize to you. I didn't mean to offend. I was however judging off of what I've found by meeting you once. You're short tempered, and jump to conclusions."
Well I walked right into that shit. She was right, and here I thought it was the leathers turning her off. There may be hope for us yet. As long as I can have a sassy, hotter than hell woman calling me out on my shit.
Just as I'm about to respond someone pats me hard on the back. I look up to find Mac. He's holding out a hand to Sara accompanied with a smile.
“Hey there. I’m Mac, how do you know Vince?”
“I’m actually a teacher over at the high school, Teddy his brother is one of my students.”
“You don’t say,” Mac inquiries.
Ms. Halaway and Mac exchange pleasantries for a few seconds, but before long his wife Tracy calls him back over to their table to help with their kids. We all look over at her. Her dirty blonde hair up in a messy bun, a pinch between her eyebrows, and an obvious pleading look. One boy and a girl shouting at one another insisting the other crossed an invisible line of personal space, an amazing feat considering they are on opposite sides of the table. The boy looks like his father about the age of sixteen, but with only a profile view it’s a little hard to tell for sure, his eyes glued to his phone as he argues. The girl a healthy mix of both her parents, easier to tell as she looks to her daddy to defend her, she looks to be ten.
“Looks like you should go lay down the law,” I say, now facing back to Mac and Sara thrusting a thumb over my shoulder.
Mac nodes with a little smile, “Vince I'll see you later at the club?” Mac questions.
When I nod he turns back to Sara, “It was nice to meet you,” he pats my back again making me lean forward from the force. I was going to get him back for that later, “Keep this kid out of trouble will ya.”
I snort, and Mac walks away chuckling. Ms. Halaway follows him with her eyes for a minute before returning back to mine.
"So why haven't I seen you around town? How long have you lived here?" I ask trying to get us on any other subject.
"Two years," she says smoothly.
"No shit?"
Her giggle catches me off guard, and the sound rattles something inside me. It is such an innocent sound, "No shit,” she says with a smile.
"Are teachers allowed to cuss?” I gasp in faux horror, “I don't remember having any teachers cuss back in my day."
"Back in your day? You're what 25?"
The waitress comes back and places Ms. Halaway's salad, and my sandwich in front of us. The waitress smiles down at me, in an obvious attempt to get my attention, but I purposefully ignore the blatant come on. Candy is not someone I want to be sticking my dick into...Ever. Even if she wasn't, it was damn rude of her to be so blunt about wanting me when I'm clearly with another woman. But Ms. Halfway doesn't even seem to be aware of Candy. Her focus is singular and it's on me, waiting for my answer.
Without looking I tell Candy that's all we need, she stomps off in the direction of the kitchen, but I could care less.
"Try 32."
"You're older than me?!" her cheeks redden again, and the pad of her thumb is taken between teeth. Fuck she is sexy.
"Oh? How much older?" I ask questioningly
She lets go of her thumb, and her smile is back, "It's rude to ask a woman her age."
"That’s kind of old fashioned of you to only include women don’t you think? I deserve the trade of information since you now know how old I am."
"It's not old fashioned. Most men age well as they get older," she waves a hand in my direction, "It's obviously true."
"You couldn't possibly know if I've aged well."
"I would be willing to bet anything that you did," she says laughingly.
"A gambling woman huh?" it was despite my best interest, because according to most of the population I indeed grew well into my age. But I couldn't resist, "If you're wrong then you have to hear out my proposal."
The playful woman that sat in front of me seconds ago vanishes. Her eyes dart from mine, and her fingers go into her purse. What set her off? It was an innocent enough statement. She couldn't know what the proposal would be. She pulls out her cellphone, one of those old school flip phones. I didn't even know those things existed anymore.
Her hand comes up in the air waving over Candy, "Can I get a to-go box?"
"Sure," Candy says in her disgustingly sugary voice. She's too happy to help her leave. Bitch.
Candy flounces off. I put my hand on Ms. Halaway’s arm, and her whole body stiffens, "Wait? Is something wrong?"
"It's not you. I have several missed calls, and I need to go home. I'm sorry," the next few minutes are left in silence, and tense as hell. She packages her salad, and leaves me with a halfhearted smile before she bolted out of the diner.
My appetite for my food has gone with her, but I ask for a to-go box anyway, Teddy may want it. Pay the bill, while brushing off another attempt from Candy, and head for my bike.
As I mount I notice that she is still in her car. Her head on her steering wheel, looking at nothing in-particular. And I know if I were to walk up and tap on it, she would be out of here faster than an angel out of hell . So instead I wait for her to pull out and I follow behind. I don't want to be creepy, but I still feel the need to make sure she makes it home safely.
Chillowakie is a small town, yes, but I know better than she does what roams these streets at night. She pulls up to a two story that is very well manicured, on a well maintained street. I slow to a crawl to make sure she is fine and through her door before seeing the street in my rear view mirror.
The next day I am back, and this time I'm determined to have the meeting end on a different note. She's not as hesitant as she comes out this time, she even has an embarrassed smile. Before she speaks I hold out a hand.
"You owe me after yesterday. I swear on Teddy that I will bring you back to your car safely."
For a long pause I'm sure she will tell me to go to hell and get into her own car. But at the last minute guilt clouds her features. Grasping hold of my shoulder she moves her leg over my bike, and before I can tell her too she is flush against my back her arms around my torso.
She’s ridden before I can tell in the way she sits behind me, and the way that she is pressed up against me. It has my dick thicken and strain against my zipper. Her curves hidden under those black slacks, and that white fluttery blouse are no barrier for my mind to envision her without them.
Doing a 1-kicker I speed off toward my planned destination. It’s a five minute ride through the tangle of roads out here in the middle of nowhere and down a dirt path. The ride is one I’ve done many times before, and it is usually one I do alone, but something tells me it’s time to share it with someone. We stop when the path slims and you only see slight indents in the brush where my feet have traveled before. I kick the stand, hold my hand out to help her get off, but she doesn’t need it. As soon as she's clear I shift off, and get into my saddle bag pulling out the two beers I had stored there. I don’t bother speaking but lead the way.
“I’m not following you to my death am I?” her voice steady when she calls out to me.
“Guess you’re going to have to trust me to find out,” I smile as I tease.
It takes no time to hear her feet behind me, and it only takes another minute to come to the clearing. A gasp catches in her throat.
“Vince, it’s beautiful,” she says with amazement.
Fuck, the way she says my name. I want her to say my name like that always, with full of wonder, and untainted by who I am and what I’ve done.
“How have I not heard about this place?”
“It’s mine, well our families land, and we don’t advertise it,” I state.
Five acres, a perimeter of wood encasing it, and untouched in the real sense that speaks only of the lack of destruction of beautiful things. Purposeful intent to destroy or accidental and I hope neither will be the case. No, this field is where I’ve come to think, shouted my dreams, cried my tears. No, this place is where all of me is echoed, and I will always have it that way if I can help it.
“So many flowers!” her voice carries on the wind, but I hear it nevertheless.
I let her appreciate her surroundings a little longer before I walk a little ways out. I sit in the tall grass with splashes of color from the wildflowers that grow here. She follows behind. Handing her a beer, I peer at her through lowered lashes as I take a swig of the one in my hand. She doesn’t drink hers, and now that her eyes had their fill of her surroundings she picks at her label avoiding my gaze.
“Teddy says you’re the best teacher he's ever had, what made you start teaching?” I'm not sure that’s true, but after yesterday I need to try and stay on safe subjects.
Her posture stiffens a fraction. Is there anything safe with this woman? “I was a tutor in high school, and I liked sharing my knowledge.”
“What’d you teach?” I ask while watching her body language respond.
“English as a major, but I could instruct several different subjects if someone needed it,” she responds while not maintaining eye contact.
“I can tell you one thing, if you were my tutor I wouldn't have been able to concentrate on learning any subject but your body,” shit, I could never follow anyone's rules, not even my own.
Trying to save my ass I blurt out the next thing I can think of that doesn't involve her body naked, “Why didn't you already know that our parents were out of the picture?”
Her mouth turned down at the sides and a spark; the same spark I saw Friday when I pushed a little too far, but this time Teddy wasn’t here to stop me.
“Why are you pressing the issue?” she asks.
“Why won’t you answer the question?”
She sighs, "Because I’d have to ask for permission to look at his file, and since Teddy is such a good kid I never had any reason to inquire,” the steel in her voice aroused me. I could picture her in those fuck me heels, glasses perched on her nose, stick in hand pointing at her chalk board in only lingerie. Telling me where I needed to dot my I’s and cross my T’s, and if I didn’t behave where I could shove them.
Get your shit together son…,"Why didn't you tell me or at least to mind my own damn business?"
"Believe me I wanted too, but Teddy took care of that for both of us."
I give a short laugh as I rub the back of my neck in embarrassment, "Yeah that kid is the only one that reels in my anger."
"He's a great kid."
"Yeah," I run fingers through my hair, "He is."
“Why did you bring me out here?” she asks.
“This is part of the apology package. I was an ass, and I guess I didn’t want you to remember the first impression or the second I gave you.”
Her eyes grow unfocused, almost dreamy, before she shakes her head and the reasonable tight laced woman comes back to me. We sit several minutes in silence, appreciating the surroundings, the company, both or neither I wasn’t even sure where my own head was. One thing was for sure I liked her in my space, in fact I liked seeing her here in the only place I felt like I could be myself.
“I’d like you to take me back to my car,” her voice wavers like she’s not sure if she’s convinced of on her own decision.
“I don’t want to.”
“Are you kidnapping me then?”
“Not today, but one of these days you’re not going to want to leave,” I was going to be sure of that. Never have I felt this peaceful beside someone else, and I didn’t want to let the feeling go. Even if it broke every damn rule I set for myself. We already know I’m good at breaking rules.
"So this isn't about the proposal you brought up yesterday at the diner?"
"It's not on the table anymore," it was true. The more time I'm in her presence I know this is more than a casual conquest. I want her, and if I can make her see who I am it will fall into place.
I get up, and take hold of her hand. Without letting go I lead her back to where we’ve parked my bike. Pouring out the remainder of my beer onto the dirt road, I reach over to take hers out of her hand and dump it as well, I put the empties in the bag.
“Are you OK to drive?” she asks.
“I’m way under the limit Sweetheart,” handing her the helmet, “But you can wear this on the way back in case,” I maneuver the bike while she places the helmet atop her head, and wait for her to hop on.
I take a longer way back, reluctant to drop her at her car. During the drive back I swear she holds me a little tighter than necessary, and hesitates a little longer before jumping off. I don’t let her get far, wrapping my arm around her middle. I'm a hair's breadth away from her lips, and the moment I lean to connect her lips with mine she turns her head. Her cheek is warm, and soft but not my aim. I pull back and I let my arm drop from her.
“You don’t have to play hard to get with me,” I say.
"I can’t get mixed up with you," she says not convincingly.
"Why not?" I ask.
She waves her hand up and down the length of me, "I can’t, you’re not right for me. You come from the wrong side of the tracks, you’re involved with the local MC Club, and I can’t get involved with someone like you. I'm sorry."
A scowl replaces the curious smirk I felt playing on my lips seconds earlier, "You want to judge me, fine come walk a mile in my shoes then. Secure those laces sweetheart, you are in for a really fucked up ride…," I struggle where to start. To tell her that she is all shades wrong about me. I want to shout: THIS WAS NOT MY CHOICE! But in the end it wouldn’t matter anyway, "Actually you're not worth my fucking time."
And fuck I wish it were true. She means something to me, but I wasn't going to stand for being pushed away every time I try to open up. That for me was already too damn hard.
Kicking my bike back to life. In the rear view as I ride away I can see her take a step forward, an arm reaches out to me. Or maybe to snatch the words back from the air, but it’s too late for that, fuck her.