“Here he is,” Rachel whispered to her excitedly as another hot guy walked slowly over to them.
He wasn’t as sexy as the one that Lizzie had seen across the bar, but he was certainly Rachel’s type. He had long dark hair and a goatee to match. He had big skull rings on his fingers and he gripped the neck of his beer bottle with big hands.
“Lizzie,” Rachel said proudly, “This is Blaze.”
Lizzie looked up at him and held out her hand, unsure of what to say. What she really wanted to ask was whether it was his real name… but knew Rachel would kick her under the bar.
“Hi,” she managed finally, “Nice to meet you.”
Blaze gave her a short smile and wrapped his arm around Rachel’s neck, then he whispered in her ear and began to kiss down her throat. Lizzie looked away uncomfortably and sipped her drink. She suddenly wanted to get the hell out of there.
“Umm,” Rachel said as she got to her feet, “We’re just going to dance, I’ll be right back.” Blaze hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her into the crowd before turning and heading towards a door at the back of the bar.
Dance? Lizzie thought. Great… ditched within five minutes.
She pulled out her cell phone and flicked through her contacts, trying to find a cab company that she could call and come to get her the hell out of there as fast as possible. She knew she shouldn’t have listened to Rachel. She should have climbed into bed with the rest of her reading list and crammed as much as she could before the beginning of the new week. Lizzie had never allowed herself to be led astray, and she was angry at herself for letting it happen at such an important time in her life. Even if she did need the break, she should have had more sense.
She cursed herself and was about to get up and push her way through the crowd when she felt the presence of someone powerful next to her. He slid onto the empty stool that Rachel had left and the leather of his jacket brushed up against her arm. Lizzie didn’t need to look up to know that it was him. There was no mistaking it…
His big, rough hands were wrapped around a glass of whiskey and she could smell it on his breath as he leaned forward and whispered “Hi,” into her ear.
Her whole body shook as she slowly looked up into his eyes, and he smiled at her slowly, seductively, as if they were the only two people in the room.
“Hi,” she stammered back.
He reached down and grabbed hold of her stool and pulled it closer to him so their knees were between one another.
“I’ve never seen you here before,” he said. His voice was deep and gruff and he never once took his eyes off hers.
“That’s because I haven’t been here before,” she whispered.
There was an intense energy coming off him, and she felt intimidated and turned on at the same time.
“Why now?” he asked as he lifted his drink and took a large gulp before slamming it down on the counter top. One of the bartenders instantly began to pour him another.
“My friend…” she began, “She asked me to come with her.”
“Is that the one with Blaze?” he said condescendingly.
“Yes,” Lizzie said quietly.
“New kid,” the guy said as he tapped the counter top again and then pointed to the bottle she was drinking, “Another?”
“Umm, thanks,” Lizzie smiled in agreement.
The bartender instantly put another one down for her, and she realized her hands were shaking as she reached out to grab it.
“He’s alright I suppose,” he said. “Eager to please.”
Lizzie let her eyes wander down his amazing torso that was just showing underneath the leather and black vest he was wearing with his jeans. He also wore a big pair of leather boots, and he clamped a cigarette between his teeth before he lit it with a fast click of a silver lighter.
“And what’s your name?” he asked as he exhaled smoke over her shoulder.
“I’m Lizzie,” she whispered.
“Sounds like a little doll,” he sneered.
She had never heard that before.
“I’m Jake,” he said.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she stammered. Her heart was beating so fast she could hear it in her ears.
“Come outside with me,” he said as he got to his feet.
Lizzie knew from his tone that he wasn’t asking her, he was telling her. So she stood up to and let him push her in front of him and direct her through the crowd to the main door. She looked back over her shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rachel but she was nowhere to be seen.
Jake led her away from the clubhouse and to his bike, which was parked further out around the back. He lit another cigarette and climbed onto it. It was a huge machine, and Lizzie couldn’t believe how shiny it was and how it glinted in the moonlight.
“You getting on or what?” he said as he kicked his foot and the engine roared. Lizzie looked back towards the clubhouse again and bit her lip.
“I… I should really…” she began, knowing that what she should be doing was running in the opposite direction. But to where? Rachel had left her and she didn’t have a cab number in her phone…
He leaned out towards her and held out his hand. Lizzie looked into his eyes. There was something there that seemed safe amongst all this danger. She let her fingers slide into his, and he pulled her towards him. She cocked her leg over behind him and held onto his waist. The machine vibrated powerfully and strong between her thighs, and she gripped it with her bare flesh.
“Hold on,” he said as he turned his head to the side. Lizzie wrapped her arms right around his and clutched for dear life. She was terrified, but she wanted to experience it. She wanted to let this stranger take her away, even if it was just for an hour. He pulled out onto the highway and floored it. The wind lashed through her hair and she laughed. It was incredible. She gripped him again and could feel the flex of his muscles beneath his vest.
“Wow,” she screamed, “This is amazing!”
He shouted something back to her as they took a bend, but it was so loud with the wind whipping around them and the sound of the engine, she couldn’t hear. She dug her heels into the side of the bike and surrendered to him. She felt alive and free. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.