“No problem.” He unrolled a section of tape and tore it with his teeth.
Emma had no idea why she found that sexy, but she did. No, she knew exactly why. This guy ticked off all the things she loved but avoided because they were bad for her: a motorcycle-riding, tattooed mechanic with a sense of humor and a killer smile.
After wrapping the hose, he pulled a dark blue bandanna from his pocket and wiped his hands. Then he extended his right hand. Another tattoo on the inside of his forearm. A pair of crossed hockey sticks. “Sean.”
She shook his hand, which still bore the grease marks of his work. “Emma.”
“Nice to meet you, Emma. Why don’t you start it up and we’ll make sure this’ll hold?”
She went to the open door and bent to turn the key. The engine roared, but no steam puffed out.
He closed the hood. “If you want to take it to another place or have your brother fix it, this’ll work for a little while. Don’t push it though.”
“If you give me directions to the place you work, I’ll take it there now. It only seems fair that you get the job.” She paused, thinking about the time. “Unless you’re closed and won’t be able to take me.”
“The boss is always there late.”
“I don’t want to put you out. You were already nice enough to stop. You can get on with your weekend.” It was a Friday evening of a holiday weekend. The unofficial end of her summer, and she was looking at having work done on her car.
“Not a problem. Follow me.”
She nodded and got back behind the wheel. She watched as he put his helmet back on, covering his slightly messy hair. As she put her car in drive and pulled back into the lane, she followed Sean and tried to ease her tight muscles. Even after laughing with him, her tension hadn’t dissipated.
The heat in her car was stifling, and her clothes clung and pinched at her. She knew it was all in her head, her frustration poking her, but she rolled the window down anyway. They pulled off at the next exit, and Emma tried to think how she’d get home. Her mom would be working and couldn’t afford to leave. Nicky would never answer his phone now that she’d called him on his garbage. He’d probably dodge her for a week hoping she’d cool off.
Looked like she’d be calling a cab.
True to his word, Sean turned into a lot for a garage a few minutes later. He waved his arm to point where she could park. After turning the car off, Emma grabbed her keys and stuffed her phone and charger in her bag and got out. Sean stood at the back of her car, waiting. She handed him the keys.
From the door of the garage, a guy in his forties wearing a blue jumpsuit called, “O’Malley? Thought you were done for the weekend.”
Sean turned to the man. “I am. Brought you a customer.”
The guy wiped his hands on a grubby rag. “Don’t think that makes up for you blowing off work yesterday and showing up late today.”
“Wouldn’t think of it,” Sean mumbled. He turned back to Emma. “That’s Dominick. He’ll take care of you.”
She followed Sean over and listened as he filled Dominick in on the problem. Dominick wiped his hands on his thighs and pointed to the office. “Let’s get your paperwork done. I should be able to get this done by tomorrow afternoon.”
Finally, something went her way. She turned to Sean before following Dominick. “Thanks again.”
He nodded and turned away.
As she followed Dominick, she considered her options. Mom lived only about a mile away, but the thought of walking in these heels didn’t appeal to her. Plus, she’d be stuck at her mom’s house all night, which didn’t sound any better.
It would take two buses to get to her apartment. In rush hour. The buses would be packed. She’d be stuck standing in her heels while surrounded by sweaty bodies. A cab was the way to go, but she hated wasting more money for cab fare.
She authorized Dominick to do the work and walked back out into the warm air. She looked to the street and thought again about walking to her mom’s.
“Need a ride?”
Sean’s question startled her. She’d figured he’d be long gone by now. “Don’t you have something better to do than take care of a woman you don’t know?”
He shrugged. “Thought maybe you’d want to get a drink. You look like you could use one.”
“That’s an understatement.” The fear of losing her job had weighed on her all day. This was only her second year. She still didn’t understand how the funding worked, but she knew attendance for the first few weeks of school was vital to keeping her job. She’d thought taking a position at an inner-city school would give her job security. So many people didn’t want to work there. But if the budget was cut, she’d be the first to go.
Without teaching, she’d go back to living like her mom. She wanted more than that. She’d worked too hard to go back to that kind of life. She took a deep breath. “Do you really have a sister or did you just say that to put me at ease?”
“I have a sister. Her name is Norah.” He pulled out his phone, scrolled across the screen, and turned it to face her.
A picture of Sean standing next to a girl who could’ve definitely passed for his sister. They had the same eyes. When she nodded, he added, “I don’t lie.”
Emma knew better than to believe him. Guys like him lied. As evidenced by his boss, he was exactly how she’d pegged him: irresponsible. But guys like him were also a ton of fun. And right now, she could use some fun. She needed to forget everything about this day.
* * *
Sean waited for Emma to decide. She shifted from one foot to another. Those heels were fucking sexy but didn’t go with the rest of the package. The suit said business, but the shoes said party. Not that he was some shoe aficionado. He’d just spent enough time picking up women in clubs to know they wore shoes like that to draw attention.
Emma had definitely grabbed his attention on the side of the road. Her fury had radiated off her as she beat on her car, slamming doors and yelling at no one. In the ride to the garage, she seemed to have lost some steam.
She looked at the phone still in his hand and then at his bike.
If he wasn’t mistaken, he caught the telltale glimpse of longing. He knew that look. Someone who really wanted to be on a bike, like maybe she missed it. The look was familiar because he felt it every time he saw his bike in the middle of winter.
“I’m not dressed for going for drinks.”
“I’m not complaining.” A chick wearing a suit wasn’t his type. They were a little too adult for him. But those shoes . . . As a bonus, her short skirt would definitely ride high as she straddled the bike. And him. His blood rushed south with the thought.
“Can we make a quick stop so I can change?”
“You live close?” Not that it mattered. He’d drive her wherever as long as it led to drinks and hanging out.
“No, but my mom does. I can borrow something there. She’s only about a mile away.” She edged closer to the bike.
Sean handed her his helmet. She took it without bitching about messing up her hair. Good thing to know about her. She accepted necessary protection and didn’t mind messy hair. He easily thought of similar situations.
She tied her hair into a ponytail at her nape and slid the helmet on. As she adjusted the helmet to fit as best it could, he climbed on and held out a hand to her.
“Have you ridden before?”
She nodded. “It’s been a while though.”
“I’ll take it slow. Where are we going?”
“Take Fullerton east. I’ll let you know when to turn.” She hiked her skirt up to an almost indecent spot and swung a leg over. “I’ll tap you when we’re close.”
He almost asked if she’d tap when she was close to coming during sex, but thought it might end their date too quickly. He wasn’t sure what to make of Emma. The girl wearing the buttoned-up suit didn’t match the one who wanted to ride and hiked her skirt like it was nothing. Getting her to relax was going to be interesting.
The sun dipped low in the sky, but was still strong enough to warm his skin. He was so used to wearing a helmet, he’d almost forgotten how good it felt to ride without. If his brother Jimmy ever found out, Sean would be in for another lecture, but at the moment, he didn’t care. What Jimmy didn’t know wouldn’t hurt anyone.
Sean eased onto the street and followed the directions Emma had given him. The neighborhood was alive for a Friday night. Kids ran across lawns and into the street. Smells of food cooking on grills reminded him he hadn’t eaten dinner. A couple of houses had cars up on blocks in the driveway, for those few houses lucky enough to have a driveway. Some people sat on front steps hoping to catch a cool breeze to break the heat of the day. Cars lined the street and he was glad he drove a motorcycle. Parking around here would be a bitch.
Emma tapped his chest and he pulled over at the corner in front of a fire hydrant. He held out a hand to help her and couldn’t help but look as she tugged her skirt while climbing off. She removed the helmet. Her ponytail loosened and locks flew around her face.
“It’s a few houses back.”
“I’ll wait here.” He took the helmet from her and watched as she pulled her bag from across her body.
A little more than ten minutes later, she was on her way back. The sight of her knocked the wind from him. Snug jeans and fitted tank top covered her, and she had a sweatshirt tied at her waist. She’d traded the heels for a pair of sneakers. Her hair was now completely down and long, brown waves flew around in the breeze. For a moment, he considered that she’d lied about it being her mom’s place because he didn’t know any moms who dressed like that. But her bag was overstuffed, he assumed with her clothes.
He pushed off the bike. “That was fast.”
She offered a crooked smile. “I really need a drink. The radiator hose was the last in a line of things ruining my day.”
“Hop on and you can tell me all about it over a beer. Or wine. Or whatever.”
“Tonight’s a whiskey night.”
Sean liked the sound of that. They mounted the bike and she put the helmet on. Before he started the engine, he asked, “Any place in mind?”
“No. You pick.”
Since he normally didn’t drink in the area, he drove closer to his neighborhood and parked beside his favorite dive bar. It was dark and relatively quiet. They could shoot pool or play darts or just listen to music. He helped Emma off the bike and locked his helmet down. Then he led her into the bar and directly to a corner table.
“This okay?” he asked before sitting.
She glanced around. “Fine.”
She swung her bag over her head and plopped it on the free chair between them.
A waitress came to the table. “Hey, Sean. Haven’t seen you in a while. You could give a girl a complex.”
When he chose the bar, he hadn’t thought about Amanda possibly working. “Hi, Amanda.”
He became acutely aware of Emma watching Amanda and him. He prayed Amanda wouldn’t say anything else.
She smiled broadly and looked at Emma. “What can I get for you?”
“A shot of Jack and light beer.”
“Miller,” Sean added.
“Bottle or tap?”
“Bottle,” both he and Emma said.
Amanda tucked a tray under her arm. “That question was for the lady. I’m pretty sure I know how you like it.” Then she spun on her heel and walked off.
Emma’s mouth eased into a small smile. He wanted to believe she was just being friendly.
“So how long did you two go out?”
“Uh . . .”
Emma waved a hand. “Forget I asked. It was obvious though. You might want to rethink bringing dates here if you’re going to run into your ex.”
He searched for the words to let her know that Amanda wasn’t exactly an ex when Amanda reappeared with their drinks. She set them down quietly without comment, thank God.
Emma picked up her beer and took a swig. “Well, you obviously didn’t screw her over too badly, or you’d probably be wearing your beer.”
“It’s not like that. We had a good night together. Maybe two. Doesn’t quite give her ex status.”
Sean pointed to the shot and asked, “So what makes this a whiskey night, other than your brother screwing up your car?”
“Work stuff.”
“What do you do?”
Emma grabbed the shot and slammed it back. When she set the glass back down, he noticed a butterfly tattoo peeking out from the tank top on the back of her shoulder. She looked at him. “I’m a teacher.”
He froze. He hadn’t expected that. One look at the suit she’d worn and he’d assumed some kind of office job, secretary or something. She was a teacher. He laughed as she took a gulp of beer.
“What’s so funny?”
“I can’t imagine any teacher I ever had doing a shot of Jack in a bar like this.”
A dark look passed over her face, but then she covered it with a smile. “I guess we all have some surprises.”
He reached over and brushed her hair off her shoulder. “I can guarantee I never had a teacher as hot as you. I never would’ve gotten out of school otherwise.”
Emma snorted at him and then took another drink of beer. “You already got me to the bar, buddy, no need for compliments.”
Sean’s hand slid away. He didn’t know how to read that. Women usually liked some sweet talk. “Being honest. If you were my teacher, I’d spend all my time imagining you naked.”
“Show me a good time and you might not have to imagine it.” Her voice was low and a little husky.
“You mean rigging your car to get you to safety, giving you a ride on my bike, and buying you a drink wasn’t enough?”
She laughed. That too was a low, sexy sound. “I might be easy, but not that easy.”
“I can guarantee a good time once you’re naked.” She didn’t look convinced. “In the meantime, we can shoot some darts in back. Or play pool.”
“Okay, let’s go.” She grabbed her bag and her beer and slid from the chair.
Sean hadn’t expected her to take him up on the offer, but if that showed her the good time she wanted, he’d play. She made a beeline for the dartboard. As she yanked darts from the cork, he asked, “Is your brother older or younger?”
She paused and glanced over her shoulder. “Older. Why?”
He watched her mark three hundred and one on each side of the board. She’d obviously played before. Another thing he didn’t normally picture a teacher doing. “Making conversation. Any other siblings?”
“Nope. How about you?” She pointed at the board.
He nodded. “Three brothers and one sister.”
“Holy cow. Five kids? Who does that?”
He accepted the darts she handed him. “Irish Catholics. I live in a neighborhood full of ’em.”
“Where do you come in?”
“Dead middle. Two older brothers, one younger, and the baby is my sister.”
“Uh-oh.”
“What?”
“Middle-child syndrome. Always being forgotten, struggling to get a piece of attention.” She pointed a finger in his general direction. “Explains the whole rebel thing you have going on.”
Rebel? He didn’t think of himself as a rebel. Rebels stirred up trouble. He did what he wanted and expected everyone else to do the same. “You’re off base.”
“I bet your oldest brother is super responsible.”
She had him there. Jimmy was the most responsible guy he knew. Sean had always attributed it to Jimmy taking care of them after their mom had been killed. “There are extenuating circumstances.”
One of her eyebrows arched up. “You and the older brother next in line are middle children. If you’re the rebel, my guess is he’s the clown.”
Sean froze as he lined up his first shot with a dart. “It’s a litt
le eerie how you did that. I’m not much of a rebel, but Kevin has always been the clown.”
She bumped him out of the way. “Ladies first.” She let a dart sail across the room. Triple-point eighteen. “And the two youngest are coddled by everyone in the family because they’re the babies.”
She threw her other two darts for a double twenty and a nineteen.
“How did you do that?”
She pointed at the board again. “Good aim.”
“No. The things about my family.” Sean paused and remembered Leena, who had picked him up at a bar last summer. It wasn’t until after he’d gotten her home that he’d discovered that not only was she one of Jimmy’s exes, but she was weird. “Did you ever go out with Jimmy O’Malley?”
“No. Who’s Jimmy?”
“My oldest brother.” He took his mark and threw the dart. Fifteen. First shot and she was already kicking his ass. He halfheartedly finished his turn.
“As far as I know, I’ve never met an O’Malley. Pretty sure I’d remember.” She took a swig of beer. “As far as understanding birth order, I did a paper on it a few years ago. Fascinating stuff. I bet I could do a whole thesis on the dynamics of a family like yours.”
He laughed. “My family isn’t that interesting.”
She stood to take her turn as he yanked his darts from the cork.
“Hey, by your explanation, your brother would be super responsible like mine. He’d never say he’d fix your car and not do it.”
She smiled. “Extenuating circumstances.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shannyn Schroeder is a former high school and middle school English teacher. She holds a BA in English and MAs in Special Education and Gifted Education. After having her third child, she decided to stay at home. She’s since worked as an editor for a couple of e-publishers and currently works as an editor for an education company that publishes online current events assignments. She juggles writing around the kids’ schedules.
In her spare time, Shannyn loves to bake and watches far too much TV, especially cop shows. She started her first book on a dare from her husband and has never looked back. She came to reading romance later than many, but lives for the happy ending, and writes contemporary romance because she enjoys the adventure of new love.
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