Help Wanted (6 page)

He thought his feelings were crazy because he really didn’t know anything about her or anything she might be going through at the moment. He was just probably having those thoughts because everyone was trying to shove the two of them together for some odd reason.

He wasn’t interested in dating Keira or any other woman for that matter. All he wanted to do was raise his son and get his new business off the ground. Both should be fairly easy, but they wouldn’t be, so he had to find a way to make both things work.

“Dave, I know you’re only trying to help, but stop with the matchmaking. You are worse than True and you know that I love Hayward’s wife to death, but she lives to fix people up.  I don’t need that in my life.”

Dave placed his sleeping son back in the car seat next to his chair and covered him with a blanket. Leaning back in his chair, he crossed his legs at the ankles. “Jim, I know that your divorce from Kathy was a hard battle. She tried to pull every dirty card that she could to keep you from getting joint custody of Trevor. I wouldn’t want to get involved with another woman either after that, but you can’t let that bitch win. She has a man in her life and hasn’t given your failed marriage a second thought.

“Why aren’t you ready to show her that you can do the same thing? I’m fine if you don’t want to get into anything romantic with Keira. However, I can’t see you not married again with a couple of more kids.”

Jim was touched that Dave cared so much about him. He really was a good friend. “I’m glad you want me to be involved with someone again, but I can’t see me wanting another woman in my life any time soon. So, how about we drop it for now?” he suggested “Let me drop you and the baby back off at Clinton’s house. I need to go to the shop and take care of a few items. Mr. Winters had an amazing set up, but I want to make
Choppers
more of my own style.”

“Do you think Keira will get upset about you redoing her father’s business? Or has she gotten over him selling it to you?”

He wasn’t sure where Keira’s mind was at the moment, but he hoped that she didn’t give him any problems at his shop. Because she had to realize she had no say in what went on inside there now.

“I don’t know the answer to either question. Keira is a very complex woman. She’s kept me guessing since I first met her. I’m pretty sure that isn’t going to change.”

Picking up his tool kit; Jim made his way towards the office door. It was a bittersweet moment for him to know that this would be the last time he would be inside this space. He had spent the last twelve years of his life being a construction worker while he saved up money for his dream job.

He was finding it a little hard to finally believe it was coming true. If he’d been a crier, he might actually have shed a few tears, but he wasn’t, so there would be no tears from him today.

“Come on, Dave.  Let’s go. I need to get to the shop and back home before Trevor comes over. He’s spending the weekend with me.”

“Why?” Dave asked as he picked up the car seat off the floor. “I thought Kathy hated when you spent extra time with Trevor.”

“Would you believe that she’s going to Las Vegas with about six of her girlfriends?” Jim opened the door. “I swear I don’t think she spends half the child support money I send her on our son. He constantly needs something new when he comes for his visits with me. Just last week I had to buy him a new backpack for school along with a pair of tennis shoes.”

“Have you complained to the court about Kathy’s misuse of the money?” Dave asked as he followed him out of the door. “I wouldn’t let her get by with that if I was you.”

“I was going to, but I know my ex-wife. She would find a way to have the joint custody changed to piss me off. The last time I lost my cool in court the judge almost threw me in jail. The only reason he didn’t was he decided to take pity on me. Kathy had been pushing my buttons all while we were there. So, I can lose a little money to see my son. I can buy Trevor anything he needs as long as he tells me about it.”

“Damn man, I didn’t know it was that bad,” Dave stopped beside Jim’s car.  Opening the back door, he placed the car seat inside, secured it and then closed the door back making sure it locked.

“I hope that Charisma and I never get divorced. I don’t know how I would handle it. She’s everything to me.”

“Dave, I wouldn’t worry about that. I’ve seen the way Charisma looks at you. I believe you’re in store for a very long and happy marriage.” Moving around his best friend to the trunk, Jim opened it up and placed his tool kit inside. After the trunk was closed, he made his way back towards Dave.

“I’m ready to hit the road if you are,” he said patting Dave on his wide shoulder.

“I’m ready. Tonight is our last night staying with Clinton and Jenisha. Our house should be completed and ready to move into tomorrow.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Jim said as he got into the car. He waited while Dave got in and buckled his seat belt.

“Charisma is very excited about it. We didn’t realize how fast her house would sell especially with how the real estate market is with the economy the way it is now.”

“How do you feel about moving from Florida to California?” Jim asked as he started the car and pulled out into traffic.

“At first, I wasn’t too thrilled to move from Florida because my whole life was there. Plus I just landed that nice position at CCD that I worked my ass off at college for. However, when Clinton offered me a higher management position I accepted. Charisma was thrilled she wouldn’t have to close her sports agency business and relocate to Florida. I think it all worked out for the best.”

“I’m glad that I’m no longer in a relationship. I don’t want to have to worry about compromise.” Jim stopped at a red light.

“Buddy, you’re too funny.” Dave laughed shaking his head at Jim.

“Why are you laughing at me? What in the hell is so funny?”

“I’m just waiting for you to fall in love. I bet you will fall harder than the rest of us.”

“If I was a gambling man I would take that bet. Yet I’m not, so you’re lucky.” Jim pulled back into traffic.

“I have no doubt that I would win hands down,” Dave tossed back as Jim continued to drive to Clinton’s house.

Chapter Nine

“Ms. Winters, can I ask you what you’re doing in my shop again? This is the second time I walked in on you doing something that you shouldn’t. Care to share why I don’t have the right to have the locks changed against you?”

Keira hung up the phone and leaned back on the counter drawing Jim’s eyes down to the deep v-neck in the front of her t-shirt. He had always been a breast man and Keira’s were about the most perfect he had ever laid his eyes on. He felt his cock stir against the zipper of his jeans and was happy his shirt was pulled out to cover up his semi-erection. The last thing he needed was for Keira to notice that she was turning him on. He wasn’t going to let them cross that line.

“Don’t get all territorial on me, Mr. Russell.  I wasn’t going to destroy anything in the shop.  I had to make a phone call and instead of going back home I used the phone in here.” Moving from behind the counter, Keira walked toward him. “You come off like this badass, but you’re nothing more than a cry baby and worry wart. I’m leaving. So, you don’t have to worry about me being here anymore.”

Before he knew what he was doing, Jim grabbed Keira by her upper arm and pressed her back against the wall. She was pushing his buttons and she knew it. “I wouldn’t toss around words like that, Keira,” he whispered getting closer to her face. “Besides, I don’t think you’re telling me the real reason you came inside my business.”

He let go of her arm and slowly trailed his fingers down her body until his hand came to stop at her hip. Jim didn’t miss the soft gasp that flew from between Keira’s lips. He secretly wondered if they tasted as good as they looked. Keira tried to push him away with her hands, but he grabbed the left one with his hand and held it down next to her leg.

“Stop trying to act like you don’t like having me this close to you.  I’ve been around the block too many times not to notice when a woman is attracted to me.”

“I’m not attracted to you” Keira said with a shake of her head.  “It’s all in your mind. Now move back from me.”

“Are you saying that your nipples aren’t hard for me? It isn’t cold inside the shop, so what is the other reason?  Why are they outlined against your t-shirt like this?”

Cupping her left breast in his hand, Jim brushed his thumb across the hard nipple. “God, you feel so good in my hand. I wonder, would you taste even better in my mouth.” He slowly lowered his head and was about to draw the hard nipple into his warm waiting mouth when a loud buzzing sound interrupted them.

* * * *

 “What in the hell?” Keira pushed the covers off her head and glanced around her bedroom as it dawned her that she was only having another one of her nightly dreams about Jim Russell.

God, I have to stop fantasizing about him. He has been in my thoughts since I invited him to stay for dinner
.

 She couldn’t believe she was actually having sexual thoughts about Jim.  He was so far off the scale of the men she usually dated and found attractive.

That long, thick brown hair he wore back in a ponytail gave him a very rebellious look, and that sexy goatee and all the tattoos that covered his arms only enhanced his sex appeal. Jim was the perfect image of a Haley Davidson riding bad boy.

She wouldn’t tell the girls, but she was a little intrigued by the man who bought her father’s business. Jim came across like he didn’t have a clue in the world and if someone didn’t like him then to hell with them. She would bet that he wasn’t scared of anything.  She, on the other hand, was a totally different story.

Just the thought of getting back on an airplane panicked her. Charisma was constantly on her case about it, but she just wasn’t ready to get back onto a plane yet.  She wasn’t sure she would ever be ready to tell anyone about the dreams or the horrible guilt she still carried around about not telling everyone the entire truth about the crash.

Chapter Ten

“Good morning, Jim, I thought you might like a cup of coffee.”

Jim spun away from the blank wall at the back of the room and glanced at Keira standing behind him with a steaming cup of coffee in her hand. He had been thinking about a way to design the empty space to make it a part of him.

“Thank you,” he said taking the cup from her. He tried not to notice how good she looked in her tee shirt and red shorts. He already woke up this morning with a hard on after having a hot dream about her.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you this morning. You look like the type to sleep late on the weekends.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Mr. Russell,” Keira said as she turned away from him. “I hope you have a nice day.” Keira was out the door before he could stop her.

“Way to go, you idiot,” Jim said to himself. “Keira was trying to extend the olive branch further and you just snapped it in half.” He took a sip of the coffee and was a pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted. Most people didn’t know that he liked his coffee with one sugar with a splash of cream. Even fewer people remembered his preference after he informed them, but last night at dinner he had told Keira and she remembered it. Keira was slowly making him see a new side of her. Maybe she wasn’t as self-absorbed as he first thought she was.

Standing back from the wall, Jim took a long look at the blank space. It just didn’t fit in with the image he wanted for
Choppers
. He had to turn this building into the most talked about spot for motorcycle repairs in town and the outdated layout of the place wouldn’t let that happen.

“Have you gotten so old that you have to stare at an empty wall for entertainment?”

“Dave, you’re going to make me put that irritating bell back above that door.” Jim jumped then looked back over his shoulder at his friend. “I have to be prepared for unwanted visitors.”

“I can leave if you want me to.”

“No, have a seat.  You know that I’m kidding with you.  My morning just got off to a bad start. I’m glad you came for a visit. I wanted you to see
Choppers
.” Jim moved away from the wall and took a seat in one of the two chairs in the building.

“What brings you here?” he asked Dave.

“I wanted to check in on you and Keira. I had to make sure that neither one of you had taken each others’ heads off. Charisma was also worried about how you were getting along with Keira, despite the fact that her best friend had shared a home-cooked meal with you. My wife knows how hard-headed and stubborn the two of you are apart, and so together she thought it might turn into WWIII.”

Jim loved how the women took care of each other, but Keira wasn’t in any danger from him. Charisma should know that he wasn’t the type of man to ever lay a hand on a woman.  “I haven’t done anything to Keira. She was in here before you came to pester me and bring me a cup of coffee. He held up the cup to Dave before placing it on the counter. “We’re getting along fine with each other.”

“That’s good to hear. Charisma and the girls will be happy to know that.  Have you asked her out yet?”

Jim pushed his coffee cup around on the counter and cursed underneath his breath.  Dave wasn’t going to let it go. His buddy was turning into a worse matchmaker than his wife.  “Why do you keep trying to fix me up with Keira?”
Why doesn’t everyone get it through their heads I’m fine with being single. 

“It isn’t me.” Dave held up his hands in protest. “I was only wondering why you wouldn’t mind just going out with Keira. I’m not asking you to propose to her.”

A sneaking feeling started to work its way up Jim’s spine. There was another reason that everyone was trying to get him out on a date with Keira so badly and he was going to find out what it was.

“Dave, why don’t you tell me the real reason you want me to go out with Keira?”

Dave stared at him like he was debating on telling him the truth. Jim knew that his buddy was an honest guy, so he wouldn’t be able to lie about it.