“What’s next?” Kerrigan called out to her halfway standing halfway sitting brother. Asher sucked in a deep breath and then he blew it back out. He stood straight and was about to head to the kitchen.
“Uhmmmmm we’re going to eat our first course then we will move on to the next course,” Fiona said in a very intimidating voice. Kerrigan looked over at Asher, and he shrugged then he sat down. Fiona pulled the bowl and tray from his hands. She spooned out some cucumber salad into his plate and then she placed a lettuce wedge on his plate.
“Now Kerrigan, if you like second helpings until we get to the next course, here you go.” Fiona sat the serving dishes in the middle of the table. Kerrigan glared at Fiona and Fiona snarled right back at her. Asher cleared his throat; Kerrigan yanked a bread stick out of the bowl. Candi with an I looked down at plate like she’d never seen food before.
“Natasha said for you to come by and get your birthday present,” Kerrigan grinned at Fiona.
“She said you could let yourself in with the key you have” She raised her eyebrows at Fiona. Asher closed his eyes while he chewed. Fiona shook her head at Kerrigan.
“You’re pathetic,” Fiona told Kerrigan
“And you’re a fucking Bitch!” Kerrigan told Fiona. Fiona pushed her chair back from the table and stood. Asher placed his hand on her wrist, and Fiona yanked it away from him. She walked across the room into her bedroom, and Asher followed. He pulled the door behind him. He walked over to Fiona. She was standing in front of her large window.
“Fi.” He called to her. Fiona turned around to face him and then there was a knock at the door.
“What?” Asher called back towards the door. Someone opened the door, and it was Candi with a big grin on her face.
“Hi, I need to use the bathroom.” She told them. Fiona pointed to her bathroom door, and Candi went in. Asher turned back towards Fiona.
“Look I’m sorry about all this, I was only trying to help this all fucked up situation,” Asher told Fiona. There was another knock on the bedroom door. Kerrigan didn’t look at either one of them she just walked in and went over to the bathroom, opened the door and locked the door behind her.
“Seriously?” Fiona asked Asher. He pulled her into his arms, and she just stood there with him holding her, and her arms were at her sides. They started to hear moaning and then groaning.
“Shit!” Asher breathed.
“Please tell me they aren’t?” Fiona asked him and he nodded. Fiona's mouth dropped and then the porn in the bathroom was on full blast. Candi was screaming fuck me so loud, and Kerrigan called her a fucking slut over and over. Fiona felt sick to her stomach; she grabbed her purse out of her accent chair and walked out of her bedroom. Asher walked over to the bathroom door and beat on it.
“Come on Keri!”
“She fucked in my house I’m fucking in hers!” Kerrigan yelled back through the door. Fiona slammed the front door leaving Asher and the two girls fucking like porn stars in the bathroom. Asher sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. A few minutes later Candi came out of the bathroom with an embarrassed look on her face. Kerrigan came out a minute later looking shameless. She bustled over to Asher and punched his shoulder. Asher didn’t budge, and Kerrigan had never seen him like this before.
“Hey Asher, I was just messing around in there.” She told him. He looked up at her.
“So, you didn’t just fuck a slut, in the girl I love bathroom?”
“What?” She said with a nonchalant face.
“Yea, that’s what I thought.” Asher stood from the bed and dropped his back, staring at the ceiling.
“You love her?” He dropped his head back down towards Kerrigan, and he nodded at her with an emotionless face.
“Well, shit.” She said flopping down on Fiona’s bed.
“I didn’t know that Asher. I was paying you two back for fucking in my house.” She explained in a rush.
“Kerri, we were discreet, and no one heard us.”
“So, you still did it in my house.”
“I’ve done a lot worse in your house, and you know it. You just don’t like her.”
“No, I don’t like the pomp and circumstance Bitch.” Asher took in a deep breath and then he headed for the living room.
“Ash, do you love her?” He turned to face his sister.
“Yes.”
“Why? She’s a hoity-toity Bitch.”
“She’s different, and she sees more than the tatts and the bike.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“She sees me, Kerri.”
“She got you dissing the bikes now? That Bitch!”
“No, she doesn’t even mention it. She knows it’s a part of me, and she’s okay with that.”
“You sure? Because I can’t see Mrs. Toity climbing on the back of your bike.” Asher didn’t answer her he just turned and kept walking into the living room. Asher straightened up the table and cleaned the kitchen after Kerrigan and Candi left. He turned on the T.V. and ended up drifting off to sleep on the sofa while he waited for Fiona to return.
Meanwhile, a few blocks over Fiona sat in a frozen yogurt shop with the latest issue of Elle. Fiona was trying to relax with her favorite clothing magazine and a cup of Taffy Sour. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and ruined her moment of tranquility. She checked the text messages.
“Have you come up from the air over there yet?” Hil sent.
“Don’t ask.” She replied.
“What happened?”
“Let’s just say, met the fam & now eating froyo alone.”
“Where R U?”
“Sweet CiCi’s Downtown.”
“On my way.”
“K.” Fiona closed her magazine and had three more spoons full of her fro-yo when Hil walked through the door.
“Now tell me what happened.” Hil insisted. Fiona gave Hil the cliff notes version.
“Oh, girl that’s messed up. His sister sounds like a Bitch.” Fiona shrugged. They sat there sharing Fiona’s froyo.
“And you know what the messed-up thing is?” Hil shook her head ready for Fiona to finish.
“The thing is I don’t even know how I got into all of this. I’m not even sure I like the guy.”
“Oh, well then. Uhmmmm.” Hil stammered out.
“What?”
“Have you made him breakfast yet?”
“What?”
“Breakfast have you made it for him yet?”
“No, why?”
“Because once you cook him breakfast you can’t go back.”
“What are you talking about Hil?”
“Breakfast is the seal.”
“What seal?”
“The relationship seal.”
“What if I’m just hungry, and he’s still there, and I make us both breakfast. I mean nothing by it but breakfast?”
“Seal.” Fiona knew Asher had already sealed her as his girlfriend, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to seal him.
“You’re full of it.” One of the froyo workers wiped the table next to them. Fiona had an idea.
“Excuse me.” She asked the girl wiping the table.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?”
“I’m 23.”
“Okay, we’re in the middle of a discussion and would like to pick your brain on something.”
“Sure thing.” The girl told her.
“So, when you’re dating a guy exclusively-” Fiona interrupted Hil.
“Wait a sec; no one said anything about exclusively!”
“Uhh Fi, you met the guys entire family and all of his friends.”
“Yea that’s exclusive.” The girl giggled. Fiona just glared at her. She didn’t like where this conversation was going.
“Well you’re dating a guy, and things are very serious-” Fiona interrupted again.
“Things are sexual, not serious; things are very sexual.”
“Okay well things are very sexual, and you’ve
met his whole family and all of his friends.” Hil looked over at Fiona, and she nodded in approval.
“Okay so the question is with all of that, what does it mean if you cook him breakfast in the morning?”
“You’re putting the dot over the I and the cross over the T on the relationship.” The girl told them. Fiona rolled her eyes so hard her head started throbbing. Hil nodded at the girl looking back at Fiona. Once she saw Fiona’s face, she stopped nodding. Fiona stood from the table and pushed her chair in. She pulled her bag off the chair, turned away from them, and headed out the door. She was up the street when Hil caught up with me. She said nothing they just walked in silence. When they got to the street where Hil cut across to get to her neighborhood. She pulled Fiona’s shoulder and stopped her. She reached out both of her arms for to give Fiona a hug. She walked into her and then I turned away without saying a word. When Fiona got home, she walked into a quiet apartment. Asher was lightly snoring on the sofa; she walked over and carefully sat down next to him. She didn’t want to wake him but failed at that. As soon as she sat back onto the sofa, his eyes popped open. He touched the side of her face, she closed her eyes so she could feel his hand.
“Still mad?” She shook her head no at him.
“I’m sorry, I just thought it would be a good idea getting you both in the same room in a different setting. That obviously didn’t work.”
“Obviously,” Fiona repeated with a rolling of the eyes. Asher pulled his hand away from her face.
“You said you weren’t mad anymore.”
“I’m not,” Fiona told him turning towards the T.V. They sat there quiet for a moment.
“Do you want me to leave?” He asked her. Fiona turned to face him again; she shook her head no at him. She looked into his eyes this time.
“Fiona, I need you to kiss me like you mean it and then ask me to stay the night,” He told her. She turned back towards the T.V. Asher sat up on the sofa, he hunched over in a big stretch then he yawned wide. He was just about to get up from the sofa when Fiona stopped him. She placed a hand on his arm, and he turned back towards her. She didn’t meet his eyes, but he sat back on the sofa anyway. He sat there waiting for her to make a move. Fiona finally turned and leaned over into him. Asher threw a hand up between their lips. Fiona jerked and stopped.
“What is it?” She asked him confused.
“Look at me.”
“I am.”
“Yes, now you are.” He put his hand down and she closed her eyes for a few seconds then she reopened them. Her eyes pierced into his and then their lips touched. Fiona kissed Asher, but he didn’t join in. She stopped then she pulled away from him.
“I don’t have time for this.” She tried to get up off the sofa, but Asher had a strong grip on her.
“What’s wrong?”
“You won’t kiss me back; I don’t have time for these games.” She tried to squirm out of his grip.
“Stop it.” He told her in a serious tone. Fiona stopped trying to get out of his hold.
“You see that the way you’re feeling. I wouldn’t kiss you back, and you got all pissed at me. That’s how I feel with you, Fiona.” She relaxed in his grip, and he eased his holdings on her. She sat there letting it all soak in. Fiona got up, and Asher let her go. She dropped to her knees on the couch; he sat beneath her. Fiona touched both sides of Asher’s face never losing eye contact with him.
“Will you spend the night with me?” Asher nodded with a hard swallow. She put her lips to his, and he kissed her back hard. After a 15 minute makes out, session Asher peeled his self from her. She protested, but he looked out the window and had a brilliant idea.
“Do you own a pair of boots that you don’t mind scuffing up?”
“Uhmmm yeah, I guess so, why?”
“Just wear something comfortable, jeans, sweats, pajama pants it doesn’t matter.”
“I’m not wearing sweats or pajama pants with boots!” He laughed at her.
“Okay wear jeans boots, a ratty shirt if you have one, and a jacket. I’ll be back in about 30 minutes.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.” Asher grabbed his keys and ran out the door. When Asher returned to Fiona’s apartment, he called her from downstairs and told her to come down. When Fiona got to the front step, her mouth dropped open. Asher was sitting on the meanest, biggest, and baddest bike Fiona had ever seen. It had flat black paint job and the shiny rims.
“Come take a ride with me?” He asked with his hand out to her. She walked slowly to bike and then she stopped and crossed her arms across her chest.
“But it’s going to be dark soon.” She told him. Asher laughed and then he smiled wide at her. He realized she was truly frightened of the bike. Asher lost the smile, and he turned serious.
“Fiona this is really important to me, I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. I’m not a reckless driver, never have been.” He assured her. She seemed to loosen up little, and she walked over to him and the bike. He handed her a helmet, and then he zipped her leather jacket all the way up.
“Is this you dressing down?” Asher teased. Fiona looked down at herself while she snapped the helmet’s buttons.
“You said to wear a ratty tee; this shirt has slits all through it. You said to wear comfy pants. These leather leggings are the comfiest pants I own.” She snapped at him.
“And the boots? They look more expensive than my bike.”
“You said something I didn’t mind scuffing up, and these boots mean nothing to me.” Asher couldn’t help but notice the heat in her tone about the boots. He knew there was a story behind her anger, but this wasn’t the time to ask her.
“Where’s your helmet?”
“I don’t need one.” He assured her.
“It’s against the law.”
“It isn’t; the driver doesn’t have to wear a helmet. It’s up to the rider.” Fiona dug under her helmet, and Asher stopped her hand with his.
“No!” He growled at her.
“If you don’t have to wear one neither do I.” She stomped.
“Did you just stomp your foot?”
“Shut up”
“Get on.” He laughed.
“My fat ass probably won’t even fit on the seat.” She fussed. Asher pulled her close to him and squeezed one of her butt cheeks.
“That perfectly proportioned ass will fit just fine on my seat. He pulled her close and the helmet made them kiss awkwardly, but they managed. Fiona got onto Asher’s bike and unexpectedly they had plenty of room on the seat. Asher started the monster.
“See it’s harmless It's purrs like a kitten,” Asher told Fiona
“Yea, it sounds more like a Jaguar to me.” He laughed and then he pulled both of her hands around his waist.
“Hold on to me tight.” He told her, and she nodded.
“What kind of bike is this anyway?”
“It’s a Harley Davison Softail.” He told her. He revved up the bike, and then he kicked the kickstand. The bike moved forward a little and Fiona gripped Asher tight. He chuckled at her.
“If your hands get too cold, tuck them under my jacket.” Fiona gave him a thumbs up and then they purred away.
Chapter 7
When the bike finally stopped, they were next to a lake. Asher turned the bike off and everything was so quiet. No one was around, and the sun was setting. Asher kicked the kickstand out, and they sat there on the bike. Fiona pulled her hands from around Asher, and he placed his hands on top of hers. He didn’t want her to pull away from him.
“Where are we?” Fiona asked.
“East Bank Landing.”
“Huh?”
“Last September, Metro Parks opened East Bank Landing, it’s a two-plus-acre park on the banks of the Cumberland River in the shadow of Nissan Stadium.” Asher pointed towards the Stadium. “It was a park here before, but now it’s mostly used for its grassy slopes for the teenager’s pleasure and a car turnaround at the top.” Fiona n
oticed a shimmery view of the skyline in clear sight.
“So, which are we?” Fiona asked Asher. He smiled and then he placed his hands on top of hers.
“We can be whatever you want to be Fiona.” She blushed a little and tried to brush it off.
“Can’t I take this helmet off while were sitting still?”
“Are you going to put your arms back around me when you’re done?”
“I will.” She told him in a whisper. He removed his hands, and she removed the helmet. Asher took it from her when she was done, and he snapped it around his handlebars. Fiona slipped her hands up Asher’s shirt and put her arms back around Asher’s waist. She laid her head on his upper back, and they watched the sunset. When it was completely gone, he asked her if she was ready to go.
“Can we stay a little longer?”
“Sure.” He told her. Asher was grinning on the inside. He was happy she wasn’t scared of the bike anymore. He was part of the bike, so this was a big weight gone for him.
“Can I ask you something?” She asked.
“Anything.”
“Will you tell me about your Father?” Asher took in a long breath.
“My mom met him at a bike rally that my uncle took her to. I like to think it was love at first site for them both. I think my Mom loved him much more than he loved her. They had me right away, and I think I was his first-born. Everyone used to tell me how he used to act with me. They said I changed him; he wanted to be around, and he wanted to have a life with us. I remember being happy; we used to have breakfast and dinner every day. That tattoo with the black heart and the sword piercing through it represents him. My Dad was a serious rolling stone before my Mom. He had women all over the place, but my mom loved him and made a home with him anyway. When Kerrigan was born, something changed in him again. He started showing up later and later and then one day he stopped showing up altogether. He drove 18-wheelers and motorcycles. Whenever I used to hear an 18-wheeler pull up in the neighborhood, I ran out the door expecting to see him. I saw how it use to break my mother’s heart, so I eventually stopped looking for him.” Fiona squeezed Asher tighter, and then she kissed him softly on the back of his neck.
Tatted Up Page 7
