Resistance (8 page)

Allie tugs my hand
, sending me full bore into the middle of the rink. I’m going to hit someone. I just know it. I’m going to take out a small child at this clip. Allie laughs as I flail and appears in front of me with her hands out to slow me down. I clutch her shoulders for dear life and let her lead me.

“I think I need a break
!” I shout over the music to Allie who is pretty much dragging me along at this point.

“Ok
ay. Will you get me a soda?” she asks, unaware of my embarrassment.

“Sure.”

“Get it from Pepper,” she teases, making googly eyes at me.

“Uh
…” I let out, trying to focus on staying upright.

“She’s pretty. I remember thinking she's nice
, too. You should talk to her,” Allie prompts. Sometimes I really wish the kid wasn’t as smart as she was.

“What do you remember?” I ask
, trying not fall on my ass.

“She got a big Magnolia tree. It was when you and
Mom were taking different days at the shop, so, like, a while ago. Mom worked, I talked to her. She was nice but sad. She was really sad,” she chatters.

“About what?”

“I dunno. I didn't ask.”

I release her hand as we near a break in the wall for my exit and clutch the railing for dear life
.

“Kay
,” I manage to say as I perilously make my exit and find a bench. I remove the roller skates with a sigh and rub my feet. Grown men were not made for this. We just weren’t. A smile creeps over my face as I watch Allie whiz around the rink a couple times, bopping to the music and practicing something called “Shooting The Duck,” whatever the hell that is.

Pepper looks lost in her book as I approach the counter. A few strands of her hair have fallen out from her bun and hang perfectly around her face as she reads. Her long legs are crossed at the knee and the kindle rests atop one. Even hunched over like she is
, she’s different. She licks her lips as she taps the screen, turning the page, and I stifle the groan that wants to come out of my mouth. She’s got to have something very wrong with her. I never seem to be attracted to nice, boring chicks.

“Hey.”

She looks up, startled from her reading.

“Good book?” I hedge
.

“Uh, yes
,” she replies with a blush. A blush? Really?

“What is it?” I ask
.

“What’s what?”

“The book?” I ask.

“Oh, nothing
…” she returns quickly, a small blush creeping up her neck. Hot. Why is everything she does so attractive? I must be really hard up. Maybe I’ll call Kylie later.

“Ah, I see
. Mommy porn,” I retort.

“What?” she squawks
, making me chuckle. She closes the case and sets the Kindle aside.

“I need two Sprites please, and a phone number
,” I order, feeling slightly cocky.

“Coming right up.”
She smiles before shuffling around to grab cups. When she returns with two full sodas complete with lids and straws, she blinds me with a radiant smile.

“
Whose number would you like?” she asks while ringing me up.

“Yours
,” I say. Damn, wasn’t that clear?

“I don’t give mine out
,” she deadpans.

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t date, so why would I give my number out?” Pepper is nothing but resistant. What am I doing wrong? She stares at me over the brim of my sodas, her eyes seeming to delve right into my mind with no effort at all.

“Why do you think I want your number for a date?” I say coyly
.

“Because you’ve been thinking about me for the last month
,” she says nonchalantly. What the hell? How could she possibly know that? I do my best to hide my reaction. Women are strange. Their intuition is like pure magic.

“That’s a rather bold assumption
,” I finally say.

“Maybe
,” she says, smirking. She has one perfect dimple on her left cheek when she smirks. I want to kiss it.

“What if I just want a repeat of our last encounter with no date?” I ask. She sighs and leans over the counter towards me. She eyes my lip ring lustfully as I lean in a little bit to make sure I can hear her. This is it. This is where she agrees to see me. I’m so pumped up I can hardly stand it
.

“What if I don't?” she answers. Deflated. I am completely deflated. Had I read the signs all wrong? Wasn’t she flirting? I know for sure she definitely had an orgasm that night.
Yeah. Definitely.

“Pepper. Listen. I’m going to be honest here. I don’t give a shit if you want a repeat or not. I don’t give a shit if you want a date or not. I’m not able to take no for an answer.” Maybe assertive alpha male is what she wants. Women totally go for that
.

“Not able? Explain.” There is a hint of a smile playing on her face. Good
.

“I have thought about you. A lot. Just one date. No, wait, not a date. Will you please hang out with me for an afternoon? I'll take you on a bike ride and we can just talk.” What am I doing? I sound like such a whiny douche. She’s got my game all
off. Hang out? I really want to slam my head on the counter but I resist the urge.

“Bike as in bicycle?” she questions. Her thumb traces her bottom lip as she waits for my answer. She is so distracting
.

“No. Motorcycle.”

“You ride.” It’s more a statement than a question but I answer anyways.

“Yes.”

“What?” she asks.

“Harley Fat Boy.” It never gets old saying that. I feel pride every time those words leave my mouth
.

“I’m a Sportster gal myself
,” she counters. I think my heart just stopped. Like stopped and fell out my asshole. She can’t possibly be real. Screw all my previous thoughts, I will take the chump’s way and
hang out
any day of the week with her if that’s what it takes.

“You ride?!” I say
, completely shocked. She nods her head. I watch her nibble her bottom lip and mull something over.

“No date. I will, however, go on a ride with you if you promise to stop somewhere good for breakfast pastries
,” she says.

“Deal. When and where should I pick you up?” I am doing the biggest fist pump ever on the inside right now
.

“I'll meet you. You’re on your bike and I’m on mine. Got it?” she says
, cocking her head at me.

“Uh, ok
ay.” I stumble over my words slightly. Not what I was hoping for but it’s better than nothing.

“How
‘bout tomorrow morning around ten? I could meet you here or at Bloodlines, since you know where that is?”

“Know where that is?” I scoff. “I co-own it with Clara. You know, the lady who did your tattoo?” Her eyes widen a smidge before she pulls her look back together. I wonder what she’s thinking
.

“Fine. Let’s meet there then.”

“Kay, well, see you tomorrow at Bloodlines,” I say, grabbing my sodas and feeling like somehow I just won the hot-woman lottery.

“Hey!” she calls. I whirl back around and smile at her. She totally thinks I’m sexy. I knew it!

I smirk coyly.

“You forgot to pay
,” she states in a deadpan tone. Her head is tilted to the left and she's staring expectantly at me. I am the biggest idiot in the entire world. That is the only thought my brain allows at the moment.

Chapter 7

I got almost no sleep last night. I think
maybe
from three to five I slept. Allie woke up to a full breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and eggs at eight a.m. By nine we were finished eating and I’d dropped her at her friend’s house for a play date. I am an anxious wreck. Seriously. I want our non-date to be so awesome that she craves more time with me. That smile. She could light up a whole damned town when that smile reaches her eyes. I need a good plan for this date. I want it to be perfect. I want it to be so good she has no choice but to go on a second and third date with me. I don’t know exactly how to do that, though, since she seems immune to my normal wooing. I’ve been pacing the shop for the last thirty minutes, driving Clara nuts.

“Jesus
, Sawyer, sit the fuck down. If she sees you with your head pressed against the glass waiting for her she's going to think you’re a total loser,” Clara barks at me as I pace past her. “What’s so special about this chick that’s got your panties all wadded up anyways?” she snickers over the band
Adventure Club
filtering through the speaker system.

“You
r talking isn't helping,” I retort, irked. I hear the roar of the engine before I see the black Sportster pull up to the front of the shop. She’s right on time. She swings a leg gracefully over the bike to stand. Her black leather pants leave little to the imagination and her cropped leather riding jacket hugs all her curves. I think I just came in my pants. Thank God I filled the saddlebags on my bike earlier with our brunch stuff. I’d never be able to remember everything I wanted with her here, distracting me. She pushes through the door and waves to me as she comes towards the front desk.

“Hi
,” she breathes, blowing her bangs from her face. That gorgeous black hair hanging down her back shines under the lights.

“Hi
,” I say and grin stupidly.

“Magnolia, right?” Clara greets as she comes to a stop next to me. Pepper looks stricken with panic for a moment and she tenses noticeably. Clara doesn’t usually make people flinch for at least the first year of knowing them
.

“No
. Sorry, name’s Pepper,” she finally offers, extending her hand. “You did a Magnolia tattoo on me, though.” She smiles. “And I’m happy to report that I still love it.”

“Huh.” Clara looks perplexed. “I could have sworn your name was Magnolia
, too.”

“Nope
,” Pepper clips.

“Right
. Okay then,” Clara says with a smile. It’s not a genuine smile, though. It’s a catty smile. What the hell is going on right now? I watch the girls stare each other down for a moment before stepping in. I lean in and kiss Pepper’s cheek softly. I know this isn't a date but fuck it. She recoils from me only enough that I would notice but still…it stings.

“You ready?” I ask
.

“Yeah
,” she replies. I watch as she turns and starts for the door. Her ass is damn near perfect. Her black hair swishes as her hips swing back and forth in those leather pants. Damn.

“Sawyer
!” Clara calls out to me. I pause and turn to her.

“Yeah?”

“We need to talk when you get back,” she says seriously.

“
Okkay…” I drawl. I hate it when Clara goes all cryptic on me. Just spit it out already. I turn around and meet Pepper at her bike. She keeps a safe distance from me, which irritates me, but I plan on wooing her with delicious breakfast treats once we arrive at the spot I picked. Plus, the blanket I packed will require us to sit snugly together.

“So I know a great mountain road that leads to a spot with a crazy beautiful view. Does that sound good to you
? It’s only about a forty-minute ride,” I say. Her mouth rounds out then closes, and I swear she's mouthing something to herself.

“Yeah
, that sounds nice. I haven’t really explored the area much so it’ll be nice to find another nice ride,” she says before tugging her helmet on and straddling her bike. She starts it and flips her visor down, my cue to get on and get going. I pull on my helmet and pair my phone with it before starting her up. Softly, so I’m not too distracted to be safe, Klaypex’s “
Lights
” starts playing. I turn the ignition and let the bike come to life under me. I flip my visor down, zip my jacket, and glance to my side. Pepper nods at me and I take off towards the outskirts of town.

She's a skilled rider. It’s becoming difficult for me to keep my dick under control. Her outfit combined with seeing her on her own bike is doing ridiculous things to my gut. She’s playful, pulling around me every once in a while until I catch up to her. The road bends and winds,
but I don’t speed on this particular road because it’s a gorgeous view and it’s not really safe. Pepper doesn't seem to care about either, though. She takes the corners fast, leaning expertly into the curves of the road and her bike. Although it’s hot, it also makes me nervous. A straight shot is coming up so I throttle the engine and shoot past her. She turns her head my way briefly as I pass but otherwise pays me no attention.

Ten minutes later I slow and pull of
f to the side of the road onto a wide dirt patch. I kill the engine and wait for her to do the same. Her hair spills out around her as she removes her helmet and shakes it out. If I could pause time, rewind, and watch that moment all over again, I would. Repeatedly.

“So?” I ask
.

“That was definitely a great road.”
She grins and hops off her bike. I do the same and grab the stuff from my saddlebags. She takes the blanket from me as I pile all the goody bags into my arms.

“Thanks.”

“Sure.” She shrugs.

“Do you mind a short hike?”

“No. Lead the way,” she chirps.

I lead us up the
half-mile path to a flat rock that overlooks the road we just travelled. You can almost see the whole of Blacksburg from it. When we reach the landing I set the bags down and reach out for the blanket. She hands it over without hesitating. I spread it out and sit.

“Are you going to sit?” I ask
, admiring her perfect form. She nods and plops down next to me, careful not to let our limbs brush together.

“I don’t bite
, you know.” I chuckle, trying to lighten the situation. Tension rolls off her.

“Sorry. I just...”

“It’s okay,” I say, cutting her off. I don’t want this hangout to go bad before good so I grab the bag with the plates and napkins first and set them out before reaching for the other bag and putting out all the treats I picked up. I had no idea what she liked so I got a whole bunch of everything.

“Are those cheese
Danish pastries? And scones?” she squeaks out in awe, her golden eyes large and round.

“Yes. Among some other things
,” I answer. Thank sweet baby Jesus that she likes some of these things. Her hand snatches one of the cinnamon rolls dripping with frosting and a cheese Danish. A small moan rises out of her when she bites into the cinnamon roll. Is it wrong to think watching a chick eat is erotic? I stare as she chews and delights in the food.

“Good fucking God this is the best
frickin’ cinnamon roll I think I’ve ever eaten!” she exclaims before taking another bite. I laugh and dig into my own selection. Masteron’s Bakery has never let me down.

“So tell me about yourself
,” I prompt.

“Not much to tell.”

“Okay, I know this isn’t a date or whatever, but we can’t talk? We can’t maybe be friends?” I ask. Yup, that’s right. I friend-zoned myself for the bigger picture. I have to have some angle to work myself into her life. She cocks her head to the left and blows her bangs up before laughing.

“Sawyer Crown, you do
not
want to be friends,” she chastises. Always blunt. Always calling the situation out. I’m so fucking gone for that shit. It’s so refreshing.

“Shut up and tell me something about yourself
,” I tease.

“Well, should I shut up or tell you something?” she volleys back at me. Damn. Add quick wit to the long list of things I’m already enamored with. I shoot her a look, a playful one. She smiles and pops another bite into her mouth
.

“The view up here is really spectacular. How’d you ever find this place?” she asks curiously while taking in the view
.

“It was an accident
, really. A couple years ago the bike broke down right where we parked. I had time to kill while I waited for a ride. I saw the path when I was peeing.” She snorts and covers her mouth with her palm. “Anyway,” I continue, “I was bored, so I followed it and this was what I found.”

“That’s a nice story.”

“Your turn,” I say.

“Huh?”

“Tell me a story about you.” I hand her a bottle of water and open one for me as I wait.

“Um, I moved to Christiansburg a year ago. You already know where I work. What else is there?” she says plainly
.

“What else is there? My guess is a whole lot. Where are you from, how many siblings do you have, what’s your last name? Favorite color, food...I could go on
,” I say with a chuckle.

“Jesus
,” she sighs. I sense maybe I went a little too far but I didn’t really ask anything too personal. “I’m from around. No family, they’ve all passed. Black, I guess, and ice cream. Oh, and my last name is Philips,” she finishes, shoulders dropping. I watch as she holds eye contact and takes a long, deep breath.

“Pepper Philips, huh
? I’m sorry to hear about your family,” I offer up, feeling really shitty for obviously bringing up a sad subject. Way to go, Don Juan.

“Listen
, Sawyer, you’re really hot. I actually like you. You seem...I don’t know...like a good man, but I don’t date. I have one friend, my bike, work, and the gym. That’s my life. That’s all I want.” I start to speak but she holds up a hand to stop me. “I understand that doesn't really sound appealing to many people but for me, well, for me it works,” she finishes rather passionately.

I want to kiss her. I want to change her mind. I want her to let me be in her short list of life inclusions. We stare at each other in silence a few beats. There is nothing up here to distract
us. Just the sound of the wind and rustling leaves. I lean in and wrap myself around her. Without warning, I plant my lips firmly on hers and kiss the shit out of her. It takes only a moment before she gives in and kisses me back. I trace my tongue over her bottom lip and she opens for me. Her hands find their way around my neck and she pulls me down with her as she lies back. My erection is out of control and painfully cramped in my jeans as her hips come up and grind against me. Her legs wrap around my waist as I move from her mouth to her ear and dip further down, following the tendon that runs from her jaw down to her collarbone. I palm one breast over her jacket and curse the day leather-anything was made. She sighs loudly as I hungrily nibble and kiss her exposed areas. I work my way back up to her mouth and hover just out of reach from her lips.

“Seems like you want me
,” I whisper at her, grinning.

“I like a good fuck
,” she counters seriously. Not gonna lie, that hurt. I push up, unwrapping her legs from me, and sit back on my heels.

“What’s so scary about the idea of letting me into your life enough to see if this goes somewhere?” I ask. I instantly want to take the question back. Pepper stares at me
, looking horrified. I feel like I've crossed some personal line.

“Why does it mean I’m scared or have some sort of issue just because I don't want the same things you want?” she grinds out angrily
.

“It doesn't!” I shout back
, flabbergasted. I have no idea how I was just making out with the hottest thing on the planet and now we’re fighting. She huffs and leans back on her elbows. Staring off into the distance, her lips move just barely.

“What are you doing?” I question. Her gaze snaps to mine and she brings her fingers to her lips. She looks slightly embarrassed
.

“Counting
,” she says quietly. “It helps me stay calm when I’m anxious.”

“Counting
…” I repeat. She nods her head and then starts laughing, hard.

“What the hell is so funny?” I ask. Maybe she’s crazy. Really crazy
.

“I just...God dammit
, Sawyer! I like you. I don’t know how to do this, though. I keep everyone out on purpose. I’m not really a good person to be around,” she explains rather cryptically.

“Explain that
,” I demand.

“I...fuck
,” she says and blows out a breath. “Just trust me, please. I don’t have much to offer. If it weren't for Greta I wouldn't even be here with you right now. I was going to bail but she talked me out of it at the gym last night.”

“I like Greta.” I smirk. She smiles back. That’s a good start I guess
.

“She’s like me. Detached. It’s why we work together as friends. She doesn’t ask questions and I don't either. I really know very little about her except that she likes ice cream as much as I do and she also
does MMA training. That’s rare in a woman,” she explains. I decide to let our previous conversation go for now. She’s talking about herself and I’m going to run with it.