Be Bad For Me(15)

"Has anyone ever told you that you are so beautiful, that you'd put an angel to shame?" he asked.

She shook her head as her blood quickened.

"Well, you deserve to be told everyday that you're beautiful."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you for being here with me."

She looked at his lips and suddenly got the urge to kiss him. She turned  away and pretended to be interested in finishing her ice cream.

He rested back in the booth and asked, "What do you do for fun?"

"Umm … " She thought about it for a second, and then said, "I guess just hang out with my friends … "

"That's all?" he asked, disbelieving.

"Well, we go out to the movies and parties. We go out of town on special  occasion sometimes." The fact of the matter was she really didn't do a  lot of the things that she liked to do because she was busy trying to  make time for Anthony whenever he was available and whatever Anthony  wanted Annette and Anthony to do, that's what Annette and Anthony did.

"Well, what would you like to do? What is the one thing you want to do before you die?"

"Maybe visit another country, like China, Paris, or even Jamaica … " she said.

He smiled. "I visited Jamaica last year. It's breathtaking. The culture  there is amazing. And so was the food. I like to go somewhere at least  once a year, you know, to relieve stress and for me-time."

"It must be nice. I guess for me, I just don't have anyone to go with. I  don't think any of my friends have been outside of the US."         

     



 

"Well, that's when you need to find some new friends, like me. What  about your family? What about your parents? Me and my father went to  Cuba two years ago and that was cool … getting to know him and stuff like  that." He saw the sudden sad expression on her face and stopped. "What's  wrong? Are you and your parents cool?"

"My parents are dead." She didn't know how many times she had explained  to someone that her parents were deceased or how many times she would  have to do it in the future.

"Dead? I am so sorry, I didn't know that." He touched her arm in sympathy.

"It's okay. I was four when they died, so I don't remember anything really. My aunt brought me up."

"I'm sorry that happened. Well, I'm just now really getting to know my  father. He was in and out of my life since I was three years old. My  mother never wanted him around when I was young."

"That must have been hard," she said.

"A little. Growing up a man is a little hard to do when your father isn't in your life. But I think I faired pretty well."

"Is Troy your only brother? Is he your only sibling?" she asked.

"I still don't know. My dad fathered a lot of children. I'm an only child of my mother."

"Oh?" she said.

"What other things do you want to do? Travel overseas and what else?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I'm young and I want to feel young forever,  you know. I've always been mature for my age and sometimes I feel like I  want to bust out and do something wild and unexpected." She couldn't  believe that she was telling him all of this. It was so easy to talk to  him. So easy to dream and not have someone laugh in your face.

"Go ahead … something wild like what?"

"Maybe … skydiving or scuba diving. Or something drastic like drag racing."

"Wow? Really? You're quite an adventure seeker, aren't you? Sky diving  and Scuba diving … you might have to convince me on that one, but I'll  take you drag racing any day."

"Really?" She was getting too excited.

"Really, we can go drag racing right here in Georgia, right outside of  Atlanta. In fact, a couple of my friends go every chance we get. At  least twice a year."

"Of course, I don't want to do the driving … yet … "

"I'll do the driving … you can enjoy … how about it? I can set something up in about a week or two."

She was getting ready to say yes when all reality rushed back to her and  suddenly she felt tied down again. "I don't know. I don't think I can."

"You don't have to say anything, I know … you have a boyfriend. Well, if  you really want to do it, I can still set something up for you and some  of your friends. You can have your own racing lessons. I know the  owner."

"Jordan, that won't be necessary."

"Why can't you have fun the way you want to? He has his fun and so can you."

"Thank you. But, it wouldn't be right to accept that offer from you. It  wouldn't be fair," she said. Anthony would have a fit if he found out  that another man was behind setting up something like that for them.

"Okay … but promise me that one day you'll go drag racing, whether it is with me or your boyfriend or someone else."

"I promise … "

"You like motorcycles?" he asked, his eyes lit up, as if suddenly getting an idea.

"Yes! How'd you know?"

"Well, if we can't go drag racing just yet, then one day I will take you for a ride on my bike."

"You have a motorcycle?"

He nodded, "You ever heard of the Heat Ryderz MC?"

"Bianca mentioned them last week when I was talking to her. I don't remember well, but I think she said that TJ is a member."

"Yeah, Heat Ryderz is what some people might call a cliché or ‘members  only' gang. We're a very close-knit group. We actually consider  ourselves brothers. We get together and do "all the things". We travel  across the country several times a year to attend celebrations for  bikers."

"You do look like the type … "she said, giving him the once over.

"What do you mean … the type?"

"You know … muscular, rough, tatted, good-looking … " she said.

He laughed, again. "That's funny. Because when I saw you, I thought you  looked like the type as well. You look like you belong on a bike with  me. You know … the type to be bad for me."         

     



 

She blushed. "And I have never ridden a motorcycle before."

"Then you will. I'll take you out one weekend and show you why they call  us Heat Ryderz and how we're known for pounding the streets on this  side of the city."

Her phone rang suddenly and she opened her clutch purse to check the  caller id. It was Denise. She would call Denise back once she got home.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Jordan asked.

"No, actually, that was a good girl friend of mine."

"When I call you tomorrow and unblock my number, will you answer it?"

"Depends … "

"On what?"

"On a lot of things." She said and she wasn't teasing, either. She  didn't want anything to come between what she had with Anthony. She was  so close to getting him to realize that their relationship was ready to  move to another level … a more mature level. It had taken her two years to  come to this and she didn't want to wait another two years because of a  set back.

"Look, if you think I want to come between you and your boyfriend, I  don't. I'm just really feeling you right now and I have no problems with  being just friends. I can tell you want to have the fun that you've  never experienced before and I know I can give you that. I want you to  ride with us one weekend and see how it feels and maybe, just maybe, you  might want to learn to ride a bike of your own and become a Heat  Ryder."

"That's sounds all good and stuff, but … "

"But … "

"Listen, my friend, Denise, she was interested in you. I'm sure that if  you meet her you would like her. I'm in a committed relationship,  Jordan. If I wasn't, then I would take you up on every offer. Here, she  just called. Here's her number."

I reached for my phone, but he put his palm over my hand.

"I'm not interested in any of your friends, Annette. I'm interested in you."

"Oh … ," was all that she could say.

"Yes … oh. I'm going to call you and if you don't want to answer your phone, that's okay."

"It's not that I don't want to. I can't."

"Well then, if you can't answer your phone, I understand, and that's okay, too."

"Thank you for understanding."

"But promise me another thing."

"What?"

"That you accept my apology for the poor customer service displayed by  my brother and that you'll come back with your car the next time you  need a repair or regular maintenance. And you should call me directly to  make the appointment."

She smiled. "You mean you don't take walk-ins?"

He busted out laughing. "You're funny."

As if on cue, they both got up and tossed their ice cream cups in the  trash. As he walked her back over to her BMW with his palms pressed to  the small of her back, she wished that this evening would never end.  This evening was no doubt a better time than she would have had at the  comedy club with Anthony.