Inevitable (12 page)

I had been fifteen when I first met him and he had slowly, and very carefully, taken over my whole world. “We love each other and we need nothing more than each other, and people who don’t understand that, know nothing about true love.” I could hear his voice in my head telling me, in the accent that I now deplored, as we shared a milkshake in a local café. He had said that people who were against us, and there were many, well those people knew nothing about young love and how two souls were destined for each other, even if they were six years apart in age.

Ioan came from a large family, a very old-fashioned family, where the only woman they would ever consider taking to their marriage bed would be a pure, untouched virgin. It had taken me a long time to understand the dynamics within his family, too long. I hadn’t appreciated in the beginning just how subservient the females were in his household. But that was the idea, they had hoped I was young enough to not have the life experience to work it all out, until it was too late. They hadn’t banked on me being the nosy bitch I was.

Gradually I had been pulled away from my loving family. My parents had talked to me often, about our age difference and the fact that he was very carefully convincing me that all I needed was him. They had told me how concerned they were that I was distancing myself from my friends, from them and my siblings, and my sporting interests. How they were positive he was slowly brainwashing their previously strong, confident daughter. Of course, every time we had this conversation, I once again became the strong, confident young woman they remembered and shouted them down. I accused them of never being in love like we were. I screamed at them, that they should be ashamed of being so blatantly racist. I told them they were jealous, they had no idea how serious we were about each other, and I calmly informed them if they forced us apart, I would quite simply run away with him and move back to his homeland, making sure they never saw me, or any subsequent grandchildren, ever again. Ioan had made sure he was already in possession of my passport, long before they had built up the courage to start questioning me about my relationship with him. He had told me it was in case they stopped us from seeing each other, we could at least run away together, it was only later that I found out it was something else completely.

Oh, how I thought I knew him inside out. I had never been so wrong about anyone or anything in my life.

The only one who had never asked me to choose between him and them was Frankie, and because of that we became even closer, if that was possible. When I finally had the guts to walk away, she was the one who helped me pick up the pieces of my very young life. Frankie was the one who convinced me to talk to my sister, Jasmin. I don’t know what I would have done without them both.

I brought myself back to the present and realised that my hands were very gently rubbing the front of Nathan’s jacket. I immediately stilled them. I knew, had it not been for the music playing in my ears, I would have probably heard him snigger at me for my involuntary behaviour.

The music he was playing all seemed to relate to our ridiculous situation,
how unbelievable was that?

I relaxed and closed my eyes. I was so tired from having had barely any sleep in the previous forty-eight hours. I could hear the dulcet tones of
Nickelback
singing but slightly fading away,
trying not to love you
. The song was half way through when it suddenly stopped and I heard Nathan speaking.

‘Right, this is our scheduled stop, it’s time to get some much needed caffeine into our systems and my stomach needs food. Loads of fucking food is definitely preferable. We have at least another two and a half hours left of riding and I need you to be awake to do it.’

The bike slowed and I waited for the instruction to get off, it didn’t come. Instead, after I had dismounted on my own say so, the only command I received was the non-verbal offer of a large tattooed hand, stretching out behind his tall body as he set off slowly towards the diner at our rest stop. I hesitated for a mere second before I placed my much smaller hand in his. His stride started to lengthen as soon as he had me tightly within his grip, and I felt more relaxed with our connection.

The diner was fantastic. It was just what I had always imagined a classic fifties era diner to look like. It was all done out in red and white, with red and white checked tablecloths and tieback curtains. The booth seats were covered in red vinyl and the tables had a Formica top to them. The place was clean, all the chrome accents in various places shining out their welcome to us. The smell of homemade apple pie hit my senses as soon as we entered, and my mouth watered in anticipation. Nathan wordlessly manoeuvred us over to a vacant booth, our fingers staying entwined together. Even when we had to squeeze past others, he just adapted his hold on mine slightly, in order that he could lead me through without us separating. I followed behind him, loving the feeling of his calloused finger pads gently stroking against my skin, it was almost an unconscious caress and I lapped it up.

Nathan sat down and carefully positioned his recuperating leg, before pulling me down next to him. The warmth in the diner with the sun shining through the windows meant that I was going to have to remove my jacket soon, but not just yet. If he didn’t want to break our connection then neither did I. I had made a decision that I needed to soak up as much of this gorgeous man as I could over the next few days, or for however long we were forced to be together. I knew that us being together would come to an end and he would go back to Candy. He had carefully positioned himself in the corner of the seat and had one arm casually running along the back of the darted and buttoned seat back. His other hand still held on to mine. I looked down at his leg, as he was twisting his booted foot around in circles, first one way and then the other, it seemed like he was trying to get some relief from it.

I nodded, gesticulating at his leg, ‘Is it stiff?’

The roar of laughter that came from his mouth was so spontaneous and infectious that I joined him. I couldn’t believe I had led myself into that one. His arm moved quickly from along the top of the seat and he grabbed hold of his cock through his leather trousers. I felt my breath hitch slightly at the sight of his large hand almost rubbing himself, as he showed me the now obvious outline through the beaten up leather.

‘Semi, I’d say,’ came a minty whisper into the shell of my ear, ‘as it always seems to be when I’m near you.’ He very lightly brushed his lips against my cheek and moved himself back to his original relaxed position in the corner of the booth. I closed my eyes briefly and had to physically stop myself from touching the burning area his lips had left on my face.

‘Can I help you both? … What can I get you?’ A voice came suddenly from the side of me, from a rather pretty waitress. She was carrying a glass pot, full of steaming coffee and she proceeded to fill the two cups that she had placed down quietly onto the table. In my peripheral view I noticed that even her clothing was from the fifties era. I lifted my gaze up from Nathan’s “semi” to her eyes and smiled, noticing her name badge on the way. Quickly I grabbed for the two menus that had been placed on the table in front of me and Nathan, desperately hoping she hadn’t been a party to our previous conversation. I started to search the menu frantically for something I fancied. It was so difficult when I knew that the only thing I fancied was the cocky bloke sitting next to me, wearing a shit-eating grin at my suddenly flustered behaviour. He was the only one that ever made me feel that way. I almost flung the menu over towards Nate.

‘Ermmm… Can you give us five minutes, please?’ I questioned.

When I heard nothing in reply, I looked up again towards Jen. She had stopped pouring and was stood stock still and I followed her observation which ended at Mr. Bloody Semi.

Shit! She recognised him. It was the one thing that stupidly hadn’t even entered my head. I hoped she couldn’t see the outline of his cock from where she was standing. I could see the local paper headlines in my mind. “World Superbike rider caresses his cock in local diner.” I immediately spat out my hot gulp of coffee. The one I had just taken in a bid to break her stare by moving my arm in front of her.

Note to self, do not laugh and try to drink at the same time!

The spray from my mouth went all over the table. On the plus side being hit in the cheek with someone else’s regurgitated coffee made you gasp and withdraw your stalk like eyes.

‘Sorry,’ I smiled my remorse up at her.

‘It’s Ok, Ma’am.’ She removed the cloth from her shoulder and after patting her face dry, she started to mop up the mess I had created.

‘We don’t need five minutes, Jen. Would you please bring us three Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, two pieces of apple pie, a cup of tea and I’ll have a coffee refill please,’ Nathan bestowed on the pretty girl.

I watched as she broke out in an embarrassed flush all over her cheeks. She moved away from us with an added swing in her pert backside for extra measure. This it seemed, was the one thing I hadn’t taken into account. Of course he was going to be recognised, from New York all the way through to California. Women were going to be throwing themselves at him. I hated the bloody thought of it already. Jen joined her colleague behind the counter, it was fairly obvious she had shared her snippet of information as they both turned to stare at Nathan. He grinned back and then winked at them.

‘Look at them… you gotta love girls who are willing to dress up.’ He waggled his eyebrows at me.

‘Really?’ I shook my head at him in disbelief, taking all his deliciousness in. The cheeky, lopsided grin, with dimples under his scruff. Even the sparkle had returned to his eyes.

The most wonderful thing had happened; the mask had slipped.

The cheesesteak sandwiches were to die for, and topped off with homemade apple pie it meant I was seriously going to have to exercise the first opportunity I got. I could almost feel the calories sinking to my boobs.

The diner was comfortable, we had a good position to see who entered and exited at all times. I realised Nathan’s choice in seating hadn’t been an accident, he was deliberately taking notice of all the people who came anywhere near us. I felt safe with him and it was so good not to have my legs splayed apart on the bike, I thought with a chuckle. Slowly I began to relax as Nathan explained a bit about the set-up back at the track. Up until now, all I had known about was Brock. He was Nate’s team manager and best friend; it would be good to finally meet him. I understood they had a few mechanics in their set up too, but Brock would be the only person there who was going to know my real identity.

My stomach was full and I leant back further into the seat, and looked once more around the diner. The pièce de résistance was a juke box in the corner. It had obviously been updated as it no longer accepted dimes but quarters, the sign above it said. Nathan wordlessly slipped his hand into his pocket and sorted out a couple of appropriate coins and he slid them over to my fingers.

‘Don’t say I never give you anything, darlin,’ he smiled.

I jumped up like an excited child, clutching the coins I made my way over to scan through the domed glass at the list of authentic records on offer. I picked one I hadn’t heard in years, not since I had spent Sundays at my grandparents’ house. My grandma always had music playing in the background and she loved this one.

I slowly made my way back to where Nathan sat. He had both arms up over the back of the seat. I couldn’t see under the table, but I could imagine his long lean legs stretched out and crossed at the ankle. His gaze never left me. No one had ever made me feel the way he did, his gaze burned right into my core. I realised that I had once again added an extra wiggle just for his perusal, and I immediately and spontaneously smiled back at him. Behind me
The Paris Sisters
started to sing
I love how you love me.
I couldn’t have exposed my heart any more if I had opened my chest and placed it in his hands.