Losing Control (4 page)

Okay, that kind of offended him. “What about me doesn’t look the marriage type?”

“That tattoos, the cut,” she said as if it should have been obvious.

He cut her off. “I’ll have you know, Liam and Tyler have very rewarding relationships.”

“But they’re older than you, that’s all I’m saying.”

“That’s it, no more questions for you,” he told her. “I want to ask some of my own.”

She tensed visibly. It was obvious that even though she’d been all about asking him questions, the thought that he could do the same made her uncomfortable.

“Hey, if it’s going to make you uncomfortable, you don’t have to answer.” He didn’t want to give her the out, but he did anyway.

“No it’s only fair. I’ve just never had someone to open up with like this before, and because it’s you…it unnerves me.”

He chanced a glance at her. “What do you mean I unnerve you?”

She bit her bottom lip and met his glance. Even though they were in the car on the interstate, neither one wanted to look away from the other. She broke the gaze first. “I care what you think about my answers. You’re the first person in a long time that’s made me care what you think about me.”

That threw him for a loop. This strong girl who always gave him attitude cared what he thought about her. What the hell was he going to do with that?

Chapter Five

T
he rest of the ride had been completed in comfortable silence. It was almost as if her blurting out that she cared what he thought put them both at ease. As they traveled into the heart of Nashville, she again asked where they were going.

“South Street.”

Now that she knew the name, she did get a little excited. “I’ve heard of that place before! Some girls I have class with went last weekend. This is really a good surprise.”

The smile on her face was enough for him. It was probably the first genuine smile he’d ever seen from her. One that spoke of girly excitement and complete surprise. He answered her with one of his own, proud that he had lit up her face like that. “I’m glad you’re excited.”

She watched as he negotiated the traffic when they got off the interstate. She clenched her thighs at the exit and tried not to look as he maneuvered them into the correct lane.

“Do you get nervous in traffic?” he asked, laughing.

“Yeah. You, though, handle it very well.”

The tone of her voice when she said that made him want to stop the car and get them in the backseat fast. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he could handle her just as easily as he did the car.

“Lots of practice on my bike.”

She didn’t want to distract him as they merged into the regular downtown Nashville traffic. Within minutes, he made a left and they were in the parking lot of a restaurant.

“Here we are,” he said as they parked, and each got out.

She met him around the side of the car where he waited on her. She shivered in the coolness of the January air, and he tucked her beside him, placing his arm around her shoulders. This felt way more like a date than she had ever imagined it would, but it felt good at the same time.

They walked inside, and he motioned to the hostess that there were only two of them, asking for the smoking section. They were seated quickly, and a waitress came to take their drink order. It was obvious as soon as the waitress came to the table that she thought Jagger was a nice looking man. Bianca watched as the woman thrust out her chest further and saddled on up next to his side of the table.

“What can I get for ya?” she asked, all but ignoring Bianca.

Jagger looked uncomfortable as he got up from his side of the table and went to sit next to Bianca. “I’ll take whatever beer you have on draft, and what will you have?” he asked, putting his arm around her again.

This waitress had pissed Bianca off. The why of it she didn’t want to examine, but at the same time, she wanted this woman to know that he was here with her and would leave with her. Planting a saucy smile on her face, she leaned in to Jagger, put her head on his shoulder and her hand on his thigh. With the blunt tip of her fingernail, she caressed the blue jean material using an up and down motion. “I’ll have a margarita.”

Glaring at Bianca, the other woman flung her hair behind her as she went to put their drink orders in. It didn’t escape Bianca’s notice that she shook her ass as she walked away, probably hoping that Jagger would watch.

“You like me that much, huh?” he tried to joke, lifting himself up from the seat and adjusting his jeans.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that the jeans were now tight over his crotch. “You seem to like me,” she grinned as she lightly ran her hand over the hardest part of him.

He grabbed her hand and held it away from his body. “Don’t start something that I know you don’t want to finish right now. You’re not that kinda woman. Both you and I know that.”

That hit her like an ice-cold shower. He was right. This wasn’t her. Embarrassment rode high on her cheeks as she drew her hand back from his lap and all but folded up back into herself.

“Now, honey, that don’t mean I don’t like it.”

The waitress came back with their drinks and took their orders. When she left, they sat in silence. Jagger’s arm rested on the back of the booth, and he lazily twirled a piece of her hair as he thought of what to say. Things had become awkward all of a sudden, and he didn’t want them to ever have to sit in that kind of silence.

“Just to clarify, I liked that you were touching me.”

She took a long drink of her margarita and then turned to face him. His blue eyes were so clear that she could see herself in them. “I liked touching you, but you’re right. I’m not that kind of woman, and I was about to disrespect myself just because some chick pissed me off.”

An hour later they had eaten their dinner and were debating on what to do as Jagger waited on the waitress to bring back their change.

“It’s cold, but would you mind walking down Broadway?” she asked, her eyes bright with excitement at the idea.

For the first time since he met her, she looked her age. She was excited to be spending the evening with a man and it not be expected that he would at least get to second base. To make this night never end, he would do whatever she wanted and love every single minute of it.

“I would love it.”

Traffic was light in Nashville, and it made getting downtown to park relatively easy. Jagger parked the car and pulled a knitted cap out of his jacket pocket, putting it on before he exited.

“Can I have the keys?” she asked as, they met each other around the car.

He handed them to her and watched as she popped the trunk. Reaching in, she grabbed a larger jacket along with gloves.

“I was wondering if you had a heavier jacket somewhere,” he grinned as he watched her dress in the warmer gear.

“Yeah, I kinda hoped you would say it would be okay to walk around downtown. I love downtown Nashville. If I was a big city girl, this is where I would live.”

He reached out, grabbing her hand, and they took off walking down Broadway. “So tell me, how’s Western’s education program?”

She laughed. “I knew it wouldn’t take you long to get nosey. I could just tell it about you.”

He did his best to look hurt, but she knew better. “I’m just curious about you. How is that wrong?”

Her gaze met his again, and the feelings he inspired in her were so intense, she drew her eyes away from his and instead focused on the earrings in his ears. They were black metal circles, gauged, but she wasn’t sure of the size.

“It’s not. Western’s program is hard. It’s really a five-year program, and I feel like I’m going so slow compared to other people. I’m on schedule to graduate in May. I’ll be the oldest first year teacher ever, but it’s better than giving up, right?” she deadpanned.

Jagger rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand. “There’s not a timetable on dreams. If you have them, you can always achieve them.”

“That’s pretty profound for a guitar-playing member of a motorcycle club,” she giggled.

“Hey, sometimes I’m deep. I’m friends with Tyler after all.” He winked at her, grinning at his own joke.

The giggle turned into a full body laugh. “I’ve talked to him a few times. He’s like Yoda. He never really answers a question.”

“I know!” Jagger joined in the laughter. “You kinda get used to it though. It’s just who he is.”

“It must be great to have friends like that, that you can go to whenever you need something. I have a couple friends that I’ve made at Wet Wanda’s, but there’s no one that I feel like I can really go to if I had a problem.”

“You can come to me now. In fact, I want you to.” He took a moment to think, his face scrunched up in thought. “Aren’t you from Bowling Green?”

“No, I’m from the big ’ole city of Brownsville.”

“Oh wow! You really are from the sticks,” he teased.

“You have no idea. I’ve never really been super close with my family, but I do have a few cousins that I talk to every once in a blue moon. They still live in Brownsville, and even though it’s only about forty-five minutes away from Bowling Green, it sometimes feels like it’s a whole world away.”

He could understand that. He felt that way inside the club every once in a while. It was light years from the home life he’d grown up in. Even though they had welcomed him into the family, he still felt uneasy at times, grasping to find his foothold and his place. They were a lot alike in that regard. Grabbing her hand, they continued along the river front until it was just too cold for them to continue. They turned around, heading back towards the car.

Jagger pulled up to the clubhouse and shut the engine off. “I had a really good time with you tonight, and I’m glad we’re going to be doing it for the next few weeks.”

“Speaking of,” she reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope, “I was able to get $75 for you this week. I’ll try to do better next week.”

He grabbed the envelope and reached up to caress her cheek. “Don’t get it too fast, darlin’. I really enjoyed tonight.”

She leaned over, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “I did too.”

Chapter Six