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Something To Live For Chapter 2 - Heat by Fair Drea Turning over in her parents' massive bed, Jaiden greeted the bright morning with a groan. At the foot of the bed, hanging precariously over the edge, was the comforter. She had kicked it off sometime during the night and now lay tangled in the sheets, her oversized t-shirt clinging to her sweaty skin. �Ack�time to turn on the fans and air-conditioning,� she muttered aloud. After lying there for a while, unmoving with her limbs spread akimbo, she gained enough motivation to crawl out of bed and stumble tiredly to the bathroom where she began her morning ritual. Shower, dry hair, brush teeth, apply the tiniest amount of make up and change into her clothes, which, that morning consisted of a pair of worn jeans with holes in the knees and a plain black tank top. With the chore of getting ready out of the way she went downstairs, her bare feet slapping against the hard wood floors and then the blissfully cold tile as she entered the kitchen. On the menu that morning was a glass of orange juice, two pieces of toast, each liberally smeared with extra chunky peanut butter, and a bowl of Golden Grams. Sitting at the table and munching away at her meal while vigorously attempting to ignore the stifling heat, Jaiden wondered if there would be any chance of seeing Vinnie today. She wouldn�t mind seeing him, that was for sure. There was something to say for a guy who could effortlessly put a smile on her face and make her heart skip a beat or two. Don�t do it Jaiden, a tiny inner voice nagged, Your daddy said he was a heart breaker and face it sweetie, if you knew him better you�d realize you�re no different from any other woman he�s shown an interest in. �Says you,� she grumbled, fully aware of the fact that she was holding a conversation with herself. That had also become part of the morning ritual. Living alone in a house as big as hers and having no one to talk to took its toll on a person, so Jaiden had resorted to talking to herself. It in no way erased the loneliness deep within her but it eased the pain a little. After finishing her breakfast, she put her dishes in the sink and headed for the door that lead out to the garage. On her way she passed a small shelf that had been mounted on the wall in what her mother liked to call the �road dirt room�. Four coat hooks were attached to it and an assortment of lotions and perfumes were arranged on the top. Her brother, bless his heart, had stuck with giving her perfumes, body sprays, and lotions for gifts since she had turned thirteen. Apparently, to his way of thinking, all women cared about after thirteen was the way they smelled. As a result of this assumption Jaiden now owned more feminine beauty products then some companies that specialized in selling them. She had long ago run out of space in her room and the bathroom so she had taken to leaving bottles around the house. �In case I forget to put some on while I�m upstairs,� she had explained when her mother had asked her what she was up to. Today it was Juniper. She sprayed some on her neck and wrists, then sprayed it into the air, walking into the cloud of mist as she slipped on a pair of plain white flip-flops. Not exactly the required footwear when it came to riding, but she loved the feeling of the wind on her feet and even thinking about wearing boots when it was this hot out made her shudder. She did, however, grab her boots along with a pair of socks from the attached laundry room and shove them in a book bag. Doing the same with her purse, she snatched her shades from her �scent shelf� and walked into the garage, locking the door behind her. Due to the lack of windows the temperature in the garage was considerably cooler than it had been in the house. Heaven, Jaiden thought as she pushed the button for the garage door and walked to her bike. �Mornin� angel,� she murmured, running a hand along the bikes smooth exterior. It didn�t respond out loud, but in Jaiden�s mind it purred under the girl�s attentive touch. Sliding onto the bike, she took her helmet from its customary resting place over the handle bar and pulled it on. Then, starting the engine, she revved it a few times merely to hear the thrilling roar of the engine before putting up the kickstand and taking off for work. The traffic was sluggish that morning; the intense heat reflected in the almost tired way people drove their cars down the crammed streets. The thought of stopping for coffee crossed her mind but she dismissed it after checking her watch at a stoplight. She was late already and had no desire to ruin whatever good impression she might have made on her third day of work. Pulling up to the garage a full ten minutes late and with no coffee in hand, Jaiden noticed a group of three ragged looking men in flannel shirts and stained jeans a ways down the block. They were regulars to this area and usually came around this time of day. For the most part Jaiden tended to offer a friendly nod or just flat out ignore them but today they had a tiny black lab puppy with them and being the typical female that she was, she had to admire how irresistibly adorable the tiny creature was with his perfect face, floppy ears and paws that were slightly larger than they maybe should have been. The smile that had started to form on her face quickly vanished though when the man with the leash roughly yanked, causing the puppy to fall and yelp as his friends laughed. It was when he lifted his foot to deliver a kick that Jaiden decided to act. �Hey!� she shouted, tearing off her helmet and jumping from her bike. She ran to the group of men and pushed past them, picking up the puppy and unhooking the leash in one fluid movement. She wrapped the small trembling body protectively in her arms. �What the hell is wrong with you?!� she demanded, leveling a glare on the man. The man glared right back, an ugly sneer on his even uglier face. �What the hell is wrong with me?� he barked incredulously, �What the hell is wrong with you lady!? Give my dog back!� �No!� she growled, twisting away from the hand that tried to grab at her. �Hand the stupid mutt over lady!� �Why? So you can get your kicks out of harming a defenseless animal?� Noticing the two friends inching towards her she moved back. �People like you need to be drug out in the street and shot.� The man took a menacing step forward. �And women like you need to learn to shut yer damn mouths,� he snarled, lifting a hand. �Hurt her and you�ll be suckin� laser buddy.� Relief flooded through Jaiden when she heard the familiar voice of Mr. Vincent Van Wham. Vinnie, I could kiss you right about now, she thought, working diligently to keep the smug grin off her face. That fist was still poised in the air and large enough to do a pretty considerable amount of damage. She really didn�t feel like giving him a reason to use it. Standing a few feet away from the men with Modo at his side, Vinnie waited patiently for the man to drop his hand. Seeing that it wouldn�t be happening any time soon (either the guy had a lot of guts or was a few bricks short of a load) Vinnie dropped a hand to the gun holstered at his hip and arched a brow in interest. �You takin� me up on my offer?� �Man, forget the dog,� one of the friends hissed, already starting to retreat. The other friend was doing much the same thing, working the frayed bill of his hat nervously between his hands. �He�s right. It ain�t worth it Jim. Let�s get the hell outta here.� Jim, as his friends called him, glared at Jaiden a moment longer. She wouldn�t back down though. She returned the look, defiance straightening her spine. Finally, he made a rude noise and went after his buddies who had long since abandoned him. �Jerk,� she muttered as his back as she hugged the puppy a little tighter. �Jaiden ma�am, you okay?� Modo asked, resting a big hand on her shoulder. Releasing the breath she had no clue she was even holding, she turned to face him, giving the large Martian a gratifying smile. �Yeah, I�m fine. Guess I should learn how to pick my battles, huh?� �Went to all that trouble for this little guy?� Vinnie asked, reaching over to scratch the puppy�s head as his gaze lingered on the retreating Jim. Jaiden nodded solemnly. �Someone had to,� she murmured. With the men gone and the puppy now curled safely in her arms Jaiden could easily feel all of the poor creatures ribs. �I think he needs food. He�s way to skinny.� �Charlie�ll have somethin� You take him in and I�ll get your bike.� She smiled up at Vinnie. �Thanks. And thank you both for um�coming to help me out. I appreciate it.� �Not a problem doll,� he said as they walked the short distance back to the garage and Jaiden�s bike, �damsels in distress are what we do best.� Only a fool would miss out on an opportunity to reply sarcastically to a comment like that. �Gosh�you�re clever,� she gushed, pretending to kiss the puppy so that she could hide her impish grin. �Come up with that all by yourself?� Modo made a choked noise that sounded suspiciously like a barley suppressed laugh and Vinnie glared at him, trying to control his own amusement, a hard thing to do considering how much he liked a woman with a good sense of humor. He had to give in though and it was with a smirk on his face that he muttered, �I�d take that personally if I didn�t think you were so damn cute,� before going off to retrieve her bike. �So what are you going to do with it?� Modo asked as they walked into the cool shade the garage provided. Jaiden glance up at the tall, gray furred Martian accompanying her and smiled. �I think I�m going to keep him. Show him how good life can really be, you know?� �That�s awfully kind of you. I get the feelin� he�s gonna be one spoiled little pup.� �Oh, you bet he is.� She held the puppy up before her so they could both see it. Deep brown eyes stared curiously back at them. He seemed to understand that he had no need to fear them, that his life was going to be a safe one now. �Does he look like a Bandit to you?� she asked. Modo stared at the puppy thoughtfully and then reached over to scratch behind a floppy black ear. The puppy immediately leaned into his hand, his black pointed tail wagging. �I think it�s a pretty good name,� he said, chuckling as the puppy licked his furry palm. �Alright then, Bandit it is. Let�s hope his adorable face can earn forgiveness for my being late.� The Last Chance lacked as many vehicles as it usually did that morning, holding only Charlie�s motorcycle, the bikes of her three new friends, a beat up roadster and a plain black fat boy. Throttle sat on the ground next to his bike, immersed in the menial task of annual maintenance and Charlie was at the counter looking over what was needed on her current repair job. Hearing the voices of Jaiden and Modo, she glanced up and smiled. �Hey kiddo. You�re late.� �I know,� Jaiden said, glad to see Charlie was nowhere near upset about her tardiness. �Traffic was murder and then I had to rescue Bandit here from the bad flannel guys.� �Oh! What a cutie!� Coming around the counter, Charlie cupped the puppies face in her hands, gently rubbing behind his ears. �Lord, he�s a skinny one, isn�t he?� �Yeah. I was kind of hoping we could do something about that. I don�t suppose you�d have anything we could feed him, would you?� �Hmm�actually, I do. About two weeks ago I had to watch a dog for a friend of mine and she left a can of dog food behind. It�s not for puppies or anything like that, but I�m pretty sure it should do the trick.� �Perfect.� Nuzzling Bandit, Jaiden kissed his wet nose and smiled. �Hear that baby? We�re going to get some food in you!� His tail wagged in response as he tried to return the favor by licking her face and the two women laughed. �I�ll go upstairs and get it. Be back in a few,� Charlie said, turning on her heel and going up the stairs to her apartment. Jaiden placed Bandit on the ground, certain that he wouldn�t stray far and shrugged off her backpack. Seeing that Modo had left her to join Throttle, she sat down and opened her bag, pulling out her socks and boots to switch them with her flip-flops. In the task of tying her laces she looked up, seeing Vinnie bring her bike in. Unbidden a smile curved her lips and with her luck of course, he glanced up and saw that smile, returning it with a charming one of his own that made her heart skip wildly. He thought she was cute. And not just cute�damn cute. Those words had pleased her far more than she wanted them too and had made her feel overheated. This wasn�t good. �I�m in trouble,� she muttered to herself, watching him as he made his way across the garage to where his brothers sat. Feeling something tug incessantly at the shoelace in her hand, she tore her gaze away from Vinnie and looked down, laughing at what she saw. Bandit sat on his haunches beside her, the shoelace of her boot dangling from his mouth. �Are you going to help me tie my boots sweetie? Come here.� She picked him up and set him in her lap where he sat obediently, watching her tie her boots with his ears perked. �You�re such a good boy, Bandit,� she praised the small pup when each boot was securely knotted. �Alright, lets see what the little guy thinks of this stuff.� Smiling at Charlie as she appeared from around the counter with two bowls, Jaiden set Bandit aside and stood up. �I hope he likes it. There isn�t much else we can do for food until I can get to a store later,� she said. Charlie set the bowls down a foot away from Bandit and they waited, hoping the scrawny animal would at least try to eat a little bit of food. He sniffed the bowl of water and then, expressing little interest in it, moved onto the food. It took a few sniffs but soon enough, Bandit was eating like the starved little puppy he was. �If he finishes that off I�ve still got half a can left so he should be fine for the day,� Charlie said, smiling as she watched Bandit chow down. �That�s good,� Jaiden murmured. Feeling relieved that Bandit was getting the food he so badly needed, she turned her attention to the counter top and the sheets of paper littering the surface. They were mostly just work orders and a few lists of inventory but there was also a blue folder, one she�d never seen before. �What�s this?� she asked, picking it up. Charlie looked up and grimaced upon seeing what the younger women held in her hand. �Okay, before you open that, two things. One�I have complete faith in you. Two�what the guy offered was way higher than what I was going to quote him and half of it goes to you.� Giving her an oddly intrigued look, Jaiden flipped open the folder and she could have sworn she heard her jaw hit the floor. �Oh�my lord�� �That�s what I said,� Charlie muttered wryly, scanning the two-page illustration. It was a drawing of the fat boy that now sat in the garage. Drawn by the owner of the bike it may have lacked precision but it got the point across. A massive, intricate dragon covered every available inch of the bike. It was incredibly detailed and the owner had colored it to the best of his ability, leaving what he was unable to show in his art in a detailed list at the bottom of the page. The man had even gone as far as to include Polaroid�s of similarly painted bikes. �How long did you tell him?� Jaiden breathed, trying to get over the initial shock. She had seen things like this done before, but never had she actually done such art. �I told him a week and a half. Is that enough time?� �Should be.� Handing the folder back to Charlie, she rubbed her hands over her face, then back through her hair, combing through the thick mass with her fingers. �So how much did he offer to pay?� Smiling, Charlie pulled a sheet of paper out from behind the drawing as she leaned against the counter. She laid it over the first page of artwork, already eagerly anticipating the young woman�s reaction. It wasn�t every day a person found out they would be making more in a week than they did in two months. �Now�don�t scream too loud,� she warned. Jaiden leaned over, her eyes going wide upon seeing the price. �Holy sh-� She quickly covered her mouth to cut off what she was about to say, looking up at Charlie and shaking her head in denial. There was no way someone would pay so much for a detailed paint job, even if it was as difficult as the one she was about to take on! But Charlie only nodded, chuckling at the younger woman�s shocked reaction. �And half of that goes to you,� she reminded her. Looking down at the price again, Jaiden started laughing, the sound muffled by the hand that still covered her mouth. Her laughter drew the attention of the three mice across the room. �What�s with her?� Vinnie asked, pointing the wrench he held at Jaiden. �She just got a temporary raise,� Charlie replied, �a big one.� Curiosity piqued, the bros joined the women and Charlie handed Vinnie the sheet of paper with the price on it. His reaction was much like Jaiden�s, except he didn�t bother censoring himself like she had. �What�d you do to get that?� �It�s not what I did,� she answered, calming down but still smiling, �its what I have to do.� �Yes. And she gets half of that amount when the job is done,� Charlie added, holding up the folder. �This�is what she has to do. Her mission�should she choose to accept it.� Vinnie took the folder and with his bros looking over his shoulder, opened it. �Whoa mama,� Modo muttered, �You�re gonna do all that Jaiden?� The brunette shrugged, looking a little helpless. �I guess so. I�ve never done anything this big before but I�m willing to try. Especially for that kind of money. I wont be able to help out much with the repairs though.� �Don�t worry about it Jai,� Charlie said dismissively, �Things have slowed down and if I really need it, I�m sure the guys will be able to help.� �Okay, if you say so.� Jaiden pushed away from the counter and stared at the bike across the garage. Her mind was already creating the image, showing her what needed to be done and where. For starters, it needed to be washed and then taken apart so she could apply a base coat and avoid spraying anything that needed to remain unpainted. It was going to be tedious and exhausting, that was for sure. But whatever didn�t kill her would only make her stronger. Yeah, remind yourself of that when your hands cramp up from holding that airbrush for so damn long. Her thoughts, troublesome yet very true, took her down a few disheartening notches. �Guess I�ll take her out back and hose �er down so I can get started,� she murmured. �Is it just me or did that girl just do a complete emotional one eighty?� Modo asked once Jaiden and the bike had left the garage. �No, I saw it too bro,� Vinnie agreed, wondering what had switched her mood so quickly. �Ya know, if I was gettin� paid half of thirteen hundred bucks�I�d be smiling for well over a week.� Sighing, Charlie pushed her way past the guys. �You could try seeing things from her point of view, Vinnie. It�s a tough job and sure, money like that may look good on paper, but it�s a lot of pressure for someone who�s never done something like this before. When that much money is involved, there isn�t much room for mistakes. Plus, she�s been doing detail work for years now and her hands are starting to pay for it. She can only take so many hours before they cramp up.� Vinnie�s shoulders drooped along with his ears and he muttered a dejected, �oh.� �So why does she keep it up if her hands are hurtin� that bad?� Throttle asked. He was still looking at the drawing, taking up Charlie�s vacated spot against the counter as he seriously contemplated giving his bike a new look. �Well�remember that bike that was in here yesterday? The one with the panther?� �Yeah.� �She did that.� �Are you serious?� Vinnie asked, clearly impressed. �That was a sweet looking paint job.� �Hence the reason she does it,� Charlie stated. �She�s good and it�s something that she loves doing. It�s kind of like how you guys like to go out and busting heads. Sure, it might get you killed and more often than not you come back hurt�but it doesn�t stop you from doing it, now does it?� None of them commented and she smiled. �My point exactly.� The low rumble of a motor broke the silence and Jaiden drove back in on a much cleaner bike. Cutting the engine she leaned back in the seat, crossing her hands over her chest. �Alright, who�s going to help me tear this bad boy apart?� �Sweetheart�you�re askin� the right crowd,� Vinnie answered. An hour later they were finished and the casing lay upon a paint stained cloth tarp that Jaiden had spread out before they started. Now, as she stood piecing together a large paint gun and gazing over the gleaming black pieces, she held back an amused chuckle, thinking about how eager the three mice had been to tear the bike apart. Like kids opening Christmas presents. She was incredibly surprised that they hadn�t tried to take the entire thing apart. Shaking her head, she pulled a protective mask over her nose and got to work. �You know what I was thinkin� bros?� Regretfully taking his gaze off Jaiden, Vinnie gave Throttle a bored look. �That it�s freakin� hot out?� he suggested. �Close.� Throttle wiped a bandana-covered wrist across his forehead, knowing it wouldn�t do him any good. One downfall of having fur�if you started to sweat there wasn�t much you could really do about it. �I was thinkin� we should all hit the beach once the girls are done working. What do you guys say?� The beach was definitely sounding like a good idea right now. They�d all be working for hours and sometime around one the cool garage had turned on them, going from a comfortable 70 degrees to unbearably stifling. �Throttle�I think that�s the best idea you�ve ever had,� Vinnie muttered. �Nah. What about the time he wanted to try uppin� the voltage on the bike�s blasters?� Modo pointed out. �That was a pretty good idea.� �Yeah, up until he melted Charlie�s garage door.� The three shared a good laugh at that memory and Vinnie looked back over to where Jaiden was sitting. She had long ago finished the base coat, using what she called �chameleon black� paint. It looked metallic black for the most part but when viewed from another angle it would slowly turned into a deep, metallic green. Now she sat on the ground beside the tarp, working on a stencil that would be the main outline of the dragon as she waited for the paint to dry. Bandit padded up to her, dropping a paw onto the hand she was using to draw and Jaiden laughed, lightly scolding him as she rubbed his head. The scene brought a fond smile to Vinnie�s face and again made him realize how different she was from any woman he�d ever known. She even made him feel different; brought out some emotion he never knew he was capable of feeling. He still couldn�t figure out what it was, but he knew one day he�d be able to. Right now he just knew he�d never felt it with any other woman before. With Charlie there had been mild attraction and a lot of flirting. Same with the girls back on Mars, even the few he�d shared a bed with. But something about Jaiden made him want to treat her differently and if he let himself, he knew he�d have no problem at all falling for her. Hell, he already was. �Would you look at him?� Modo muttered to Throttle, nodding towards Vinnie. Throttle looked up from what he was doing and shook his head, chuckling softly. �Hey Vin,� he nudged the younger mouse with a booted foot, �this mean you�re done buggin� Charlie-girl?� Vinnie angled a smirk at Throttle. �Sure bro, she�s all yours now,� he quipped, unaware of how close to home he�d struck with the careless comment. Throttle�s grin faded and he cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably. A subject change was in order and he needed one quick to keep the attention off of him. God forbid his best friends found out the one secret he did keep from them. �So you�re serious then? About goin� after Jaiden?� he asked, tightening a bolt that didn�t really need the attention. Vinnie shrugged once, a quick lift of his broad shoulders. His gaze once again sought out Jaiden. �Maybe,� he murmured. If she�ll let me. �Hey guys. You look hot.� The three glanced up to see Charlie standing with her hands perched on her hips, smiling down and them and of course it was Vinnie with his big mouth and even bigger ego that responded first. �Tell us somethin� we don�t know, babe.� Charlie rolled her jade green eyes. �You know what I meant.� �We were actually thinkin� about headin� out to the beach once you ladies were done workin�,� Throttle said, cutting off any further comments from Vinnie. �Whadaya think Charlie-girl?� �I think�that it�s closin� time boys.� Striding across the garage to where Jaiden sat unaware of any future plans, Charlie grinned when Bandit lifted he head from his paws and yapped once in warning. It was clear the puppy would some day be a large and fierce protector of the woman who now owned him. The yap alerted Jaiden and she lifted her head, pushing sweat soaked bangs off of her equally sweat soaked forehead. �Hey,� she muttered, exhaustion edging her voice. �Hey, we�re closing. It�s too damn hot to sit here all day and the guys were thinking we should all go to the beach. You up for it?� she asked, crouching to pet Bandit as she waited for an answer. Jaiden tapped her chin thoughtfully. �Hmm�home to the air conditioning I haven�t turned on yet�or to a beach with cold water. Tough choice.� �I�ll take that as a yes.� �Yeah. I owe Vinnie a rain check any way for last night. I just have to stop at my house for a few things. Then, of course, there�s the matter of getting Bandit there.� Charlie smiled at the younger woman. �Let the major spoiling begin. I�m sure one of the guys could take him. Go ask the one with the vest,� she suggested with a wink. Laughing softly, Jaiden scooped up Bandit and abandoned her work for the day as Charlie set about shutting down the shop. The brunette approached the mice slowly; reluctant to intrude upon their conversation so that she could impose on them. Although unintentional, she already had once today and she wasn�t exactly the kind of person who depended on the help of others. She usually avoided it at all costs. Maybe there was another way around this. She could leave her shoes here and- �Hey beautiful. What are ya thinking so hard about?� Vinnie said, breaking her concentration. Head snapping up, Jaiden blushed, realizing that she had zoned out. �Oh, um�I need to ask Throttle a question. Well, a favor actually.� The tan mouse stood, one fluid movement that reminded her more of a cat than a mouse. �What can I do for you ma�am?� he asked in that deep baritone she would have been melting over had her interest in Vinnie not ran as deep as it did. �I need to run to my place to get a few things but I�ve got no way to carry this little guy around. I was thinking I could get him in my bag but he�s a bit too big for that. Could I persuade you to give him a one-way trip there? I�ll take care of getting him back.� �I could do that. Not sure how but-� �Easy Throttle,� Charlie cut him off as she walked up to them. She stopped in front of the tall Martian and smiling, pulled his vest closed over his well defined chest and zipped it half way up. Turning to Jaiden she gently took Bandit and slipped him through the opening where he surprised them all by curling up instead of squirming and trying to wriggle free of the overheated confines. �See how well that works?� �And oddly enough,� Jaiden murmured, tilting her head to the side as a attentive gaze worked its way up and down the figure of the tan and slightly bemused mouse, �it doesn�t take away from your rugged physique.� Throttle had wrapped his arms under Bandit to keep him from slipping out the bottom of the vest and was now looking down at the bundle of black fur that lay curled against him. �Yeah well�it�s not going to work for long,� he muttered. �This little guy is making the heat ten times more uncomfortable than it already was to begin with. How about we all get out of here?� Jaiden grinned and patted his arm, something that was becoming somewhat of a habit around her new friends. �Thanks Throttle. I�ll see you guys there.� �Man, where is she,� Vinnie muttered, crimson eyes scanning the deserted road that ran past the lake several yards away from the beach. Sitting beside Throttle on a large quilt she�d brought along, Charlie hid a sly grin behind the curtain of her mahogany hair. Like his bros, she had easily figured out that Vinnie was very interested in the newest addition to their small, close-knit group. Maybe a little more than just interested from the looks of it. �Relax, she�ll be here soon,� she said, sharing a knowing look with Modo and Throttle. A motor, faint but noticeably the one that belonged to Jaiden�s bike, sounded off in the distance and Charlie had to bite down hard on her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing when Vinnie�s head jerked up and his ears twitched. Good lord, he had it bad! Minutes later Jaiden pulled up, driving onto the grass and parking her bike beside Charlie�s. �Hey guys!� she called, waving as she slid from her bike. The flip-flops were left beside the front wheel and on bare feet she walked down the grassy incline to the beach. The effort Vinnie put into keeping his jaw from dropping was nothing short of enormous. She was dressed for the occasion, wearing a dark metallic blue bikini, the bottom of which peeked out from beneath a pair of dark brown board shorts that had white stitching along the hems and complimented her deep tan. A blue bandana held her hair back, leaving long bangs to sweep low over her brow and a topaz gem winked at her navel. She was, by far, the sweetest torture he�d ever known. �Why are you all sittin� here? I figured you�d be in the water by now.� She stopped next to Vinnie, hands perched on her gently curving hips, a brow arched in question. The words came out more breathlessly then she would have liked but she couldn�t help her reaction to their appearance. Gone were the rough and tough Biker Mice, the jeans and leather boots. They�d exchanged them for simple, bold colored board shorts, Throttle wearing black, Modo wearing red and Vinnie in a dark blue. She definitely appreciated the change. Needing no further invitation, Vinnie stood and turned the full power of his charming smile on Jaiden. �I don�t know what these guys are doin� babe, but I was waitin� for a race.� �Oh really?� Her delicate brow shot further up and her lips returned his smile. �I don�t think you�d win. I was in track all through high school.� �Guess we�ll just have to see, won�t we?� They stared each other down a moment longer, each of their hearts pounding away like jackhammers. Two pairs of eyes narrowed, bodies tensed in anticipation and then Jaiden took off, her feet kicking up tiny tufts of sand as she raced across the beach. �Hey! Who said you get a head start!?� Vinnie yelped, running after her. Her laughter carried to him. �I�m almost two feet shorter then you Vincent! I think a head start's only fair!� She called him Vincent. Now why was it that his full name coming from her sounded so much better than it did coming from the mouths of others? Shrugging it off, Vinnie picked up speed, easily catching up to her before she reached the water. She tried to throw him off by shoving him, he countered by grabbing the offending hand and with a hard yank she was in his arms. Limbs tangled, laughter mingled in the sultry late afternoon air and the two toppled into the water. �I give it a week�week and a half tops,� Throttle estimated, watching the scene with a smile. The two came up for air, Vinnie still holding Jaiden and Jaiden not appearing to mind at all as she laughed and pushed soaking wet hair out of her face. �No way. Vinnie moves faster than that,� Modo said. �I mean look at them.� �I say three or four days,� Charlie added her two cents, laughing when Jaiden made a valiant effort to throw Vinnie off balance by wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling on his shoulders with her hands. �Oh yeah, definitely three or four days. So� why are we still sitting here?� �Good question,� Throttle said. Then he did something that not only surprised him but also Charlie. Standing, he took a cue from the younger mouse, skipping the race part and going straight to the grabbing. He hauled Charlie up in his arms, cradling her slight weight and smiling down at her surprised face. Those wide green eyes had his pulse racing in a matter of seconds making the idea of getting in the cool water more and more appealing by the minute. �Come on Modo. Let�s join em.� Charlie didn�t argue. Truth be told, she couldn�t. Words had failed her the moment those large, capable hands had brushed her bare skin. Her arms moved on their own accord, winding around his neck and finally she was able to manage a smile, a teasing one that she aimed right at her current mode of transportation. �You hurl me in buddy and you�re going to live to regret it.� �Yes ma�am.� After hours of swimming, a few rounds of chicken and several questionable water games, Jaiden waded out of the water and over to her bag. Bandit lay beside it, looking worn out after having spent most of his time chasing waves and playing at the water's edge. �Hey sweetheart,� she murmured, giving him a quick pat on the head before digging a large blanket out of her bag and spreading it over the sand. She sat down, placing her hands behind her for support and bending her legs slightly. Her cool violet eyes watched the four still in the water, sparkling with amusement. Charlie was the current target of an onslaught of splashing and was using poor Throttle as a shield. Her gaze traveled leisurely over to Vinnie and her heart kicked, making her breath hitch. It wasn�t difficult for her to figure out what was going on. She was incredibly attracted to the white furred Martian. And why not? He had an amazing body; it was almost a sin really to have so many muscles. He was fun, optimistic and he could make her laugh. There was also the fact that every time she got close to him the air would sizzle, her breath would catch and her heart rate would take a drastic increase. But could anything ever come of it? God, she hoped so. It had been a long time since she�d been with a man�a very long time. Even longer since she had felt this way about one. Actually, she could never remember feeling this way about a man before�not until she met Vinnie. Sitting up she ran her hands over the skin of her arms which was suddenly very warm to the touch and she let herself sink further into her thoughts, losing herself in them so much that she never noticed the others come out of the water, never noticed a certain mouse heading in her direction until he was seated beside her. �You�re doin� that deep thinking thing again.� Jaiden�s head snapped up, turning in Vinnie�s direction. �Was I?� He nodded and pulled a knee up, draping an arm casually around it. �You were worlds away darlin�.� �I have a tendency to do that sometimes.� Nervous, she put her hands to work pulling her wet hair over her shoulder and ringing out the rich brown strands. Something warm settled between her shoulder blades only moments after she had pulled her hair away from that very spot and she bit back a startled sigh. His hand. Warm fingers brushed over skin almost cautiously, evoking a delicious shiver that traveled from the base of her skull all the way down her spine. �What�s this?� he asked curiously. Vinnie traced the edge of a delicate cross formed from bands of silvery blue, black and deep violet. The tattoo was a good four inches long but instead of looking large and gaudy it looked fragile, as if whoever had created the art work had put a great deal of care into making it perfect. A deep gold ribbon circled the cross, starting at the top and looping around three times. Black graceful letters were printed on each of the three pieces overlapping the cross. They said, �In loving memory of �Steel Will� Sterling, Samara Sterling and Dylan Sterling.� �I got it three weeks after it happened,� she said softly, turning her head towards him and smiling in fond memory of the day. �An old friend of daddy�s did it. Talked to me the entire time, trying to keep my mind off what he was doing. It was more like I was in a therapy session than in a tattoo parlor.� Vinnie ran the tips of his fingers over the delicate design before dropping his hand back to his side. �It�s really beautiful. Kinda surprising for a tattoo.� She laughed at that, a gentle sound as soft as the breeze. �Yeah. Have you ever thought of getting one?� �Thought about it�never really had time to.� �I�m guessing barbed wire around your oh-so-muscular bicep?� An indulgent smile curved his lips. �At one time I was thinking that would be a cool idea.� He looked over at her, studying her profile and enjoying the way being near her made him feel. It was all nerves and heat and he loved it. �I was actually thinkin� about getting something like Throttles�but a little more�elaborate, you know?� She nodded once and they fell silent, both watching the small waves lap gently onto the sand as the sun sank low in the horizon, a burning ball of bright pink and orange. The first stars came out of hiding, winking to life in a pale, dusty blue sky. �Give me your hand,� Vinnie commanded softly after the silence had dragged on for several minutes. Jaiden threw him a startled look. �What?� �Your hand.� He held out his own expectantly. �Give it to me.� She hesitated for a moment, trying to read those fathomless red eyes. Then, slowly she lifted a hand and he took it, gripping it between both of his. Flashing her a quick grin he pressed his thumbs down into the palm of her hand and she melted, a shuddering moan of pleasure passing her lips. �Oh god�� �Feel good?� he asked. In lieu of an answer she allowed her body to relax and leaned against him, laying her head on shoulder. She managed a small nod, but that was about as far as she got. What he was doing just felt way too good. His fingers expertly rubbed away the aching tension that had seemed to collect over the years, his fingers hitting just the right spots. It was like he knew where it hurt the most. He worked the cramps out, worked out the kinks and aches until her hand felt as if it had never touched an airbrush before in her life. When he took the other one she sighed happily. Pleasure spread through her body, hazy and warm, circulating through her system, seeping into her veins. �Mm�I love you�I�m kidding of course,� she quickly added, having only said it because he was doing such wonderful things for her. Vinnie chuckled and continued working. �Oh, you will some day. Women can�t resist my charm.� �I�m sure they can't,� she muttered dryly. Tilting her head up so that she could look at him, she smiled upon seeing the look of concentration on his face. He looked incredibly cute when he was focused on doing something. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him so too but she settled instead for something a little less risky. �Thank you�I needed this more than I can say. But how did you know?� His hands circled her wrist as his thumbs rubbed next to the joint of her thumb. �Charlie said doing all that detail work was hard on your hands. I pay attention to stuff like that.� The sweetness of his words brought a lump to her throat, a lump that only thickened when he met her gaze and his fingers stopped rubbing. One hand left her wrist, traveling in a slow, butterfly caress up her arm, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. �I�ve never seen eyes as beautiful as yours before,� he murmured in a husky voice. His eyes lowered to her lips and her breath caught. �Hey guys! We got a fire going. You gonna eat with us or not?� Modo called out from several yards away where he, Throttle and Charlie had been watching the two with growing amusement. Vinnie�s hand immediately stopped its progress up her arm at the sound of his bro's voice. He watched the hazy clouds recede from Jaiden�s eyes as awareness hit her and her body tensed. With a quick grin and a wink he brought his hand back to hers and lifted it, dropping a kiss on the soft skin of her wrist. �Come on�I�m starvin�,� he said, getting to his feet and pulling her up with him. The spell was broken but she still felt overheated. Oh lord, he was going to kiss her! She was almost sure of it. Almost. It certainly looked like that was what he had in mind. Shaking off the lingering threads of heady emotion she picked up Bandit, and walked with Vinnie across the beach to where their friends were waiting. [ Previous | Next Chapter ]] |