the hell is going through your mind right now. You’ve said no every time he’s asked you out. What’s changed?” she asks, sounding both impressed and confused. “I mean, I think I’m more of a Saint or Renny girl, but I guess Temper is pretty hot for an older guy.”
I hold my arms out. “This is my life, Ivy. All my plans are gone, and I’m going to be working at this bar for the rest of my damn life. There’s no becoming a successful lawyer, no traveling and definitely no moving to a different state anytime in my near future. This is the only excitement I’m going to get, so I’m going to take it, and not let another year pass me by thinking about this man yet being too scared to do anything about it.”
“You aren’t going to be working here forever,” she tells me, frowning. “I know it’s hard now, and you’ve had to give up a lot—” She stops and takes a deep breath. “You know what, you’re right, you just have a good time tonight. Live in the now and enjoy yourself. Let that big bad sexy biker spoil you a little. Just be safe, and message me to check in.”
“I will,” I promise, smiling. “And thanks for not telling me I’m an idiot for doing this.”
“No judgment here,” she replies, arching her brow at me. “But do remember, we don’t know where this guy has been so...” She reaches across to the corkboard where there are condoms pinned on it. “You might need some of these.”
My mouth opens and closes. “You know that corkboard is a joke, right? The pins are put right through the condom packets. Oh my God, please tell me you haven’t actually used one of those before. It’s a joke Ben copied after seeing it somewhere.”
She blinks at me, confused. I take a deep breath and explain, “The pin is going through the packaging, making a hole in the condom, so whoever uses it will probably get pregnant.”
Green eyes widen. “I’m going to kill Ben. And no, I haven’t used any of them, but...” She pulls one out of her pocket and throws it into the trash.
I scrub my hands down my face, making sure to avoid my lipstick, and then start laughing. “What the hell am I going to do with you?”
Sierra sticks her head into the staff room. “Your biker is here waiting for you.”
“Thanks,” I say, puffing out a breath. “And he’s not my biker.”
They both ignore me. Ivy follows me out and stands next to me as my eyes land on Temper. He looks good, and has even changed out of his T-shirt and into a black collared shirt. It’s cute that he’s put in a little effort, and when he smiles at me I can’t help the butterflies I feel in my stomach.
“Hey,” he says, moving toward me.
“Hey,” I echo, going around the bar to him. “You’re early.”
“I told you I would be.” He grins, glancing over at my sister. “I’ll take good care of her, I promise.”
“You better,” she threatens in a dry tone. “Have her home by midnight.”
“I’m not Cinderella, Ivy,” I reply with a small laugh, winking at her and accepting Temper’s hand.
He leads me outside to his motorcycle. I’ve never been on one, but I’ve always wanted to, and I’m not going to lie and say I haven’t thought about being pressed up behind him from the very first time he asked me out.
“You’re going to need this,” he says, handing me a leather jacket, helping me into it and zipping it up to my chin.
“Whose jacket is this?” I ask him, eying him wearing his own. The one I’m wearing feels and smells brand-new, and looks really expensive.
“Yours,” he replies, smiling down at me. “I knew you’d need one for tonight.”
“So you went out and bought me one?”
Who does that? And how did he know my exact size? The jacket fits like it was made for me, so he must have a good eye for women’s clothing, or he just got lucky.