Going along to get away

You should go back to work, right? You have so much to do, and you're already on thin ice with Jeremy. Sitting down on the job was a mistake. What if this gets you fired? What will Jeremy do to you now that he's caught you slacking off?

What if you didn't have to worry about all that anymore?

You take one last look over at Jeremy, and a feeling of disgust ripples through the pleasant warmth that fills you. You look back up into Bear's big bearded face, and that disgust vanishes, swallowed by the warm fuzziness, and a longing for... something. Something that tugs at your heart, and fills you with fear at the same time.

"A ride sounds great, Bear. Let's get outta here." RC, what are you doing?

Bear's smile makes you sink even farther into that warmth, quieting your increasingly **** doubts. "You got it, sweetheart." He looks up at Jeremy as his hand squeezes your thigh. "Thanks for the food, bud, and the company. We'll be sure to tell Frank you took care of us."

Bear's hands guide you out of his lap as he and the rest of his crew stand from the table. His hand on your neck moves to your shoulder, holding you close to him as you all leave the shop. You look up at him as Jeremy's half-hearted protests follow you to the door, and then vanish. The cool evening air makes you reflexively pull even closer to Bear, and you marvel at how warm he his. What did you ever find so repulsive about him?

Maybe it was the way he and his friends treated you like meat, RC. Be careful.

You reach four impressive motorcycles parked at the corner of the strip mall's lot. You've always wanted to ride one of these, and you feel a tingle of excitement that you're finally getting the opportunity. The fact that you're also skipping out on – and probably losing – your job, and doing so with this total stranger who's awakened an entirely new feeling inside you, adds an electric buzz to the warmth inside. This is an adventure!

If you say so, RC.

Bear squeezes your shoulder as the other men start pulling on riding jackets and helmets. "Alright then, sweetheart. I've got a spare helmet you can wear, but you're gonna need something a little more substantial than that polo to protect you. My crew rides hard. Billy, you still got that old jacket in your saddlebag?"

Buzzcut pops open a compartment on the side of his bike. "Yeah I still got it, Bear. But I don't want to get any grease stains on the inside." He gestures at your torso, where your work shirt still has the evidence of your poor laundry discipline.

Your cheeks burn, and part of you feels like you should banter back, make some joke about these guys already being pretty greasy, show them you're not just some quiet little girl. But the reflexive comeback gets stuck in that warmth, and instead you just lean against Bear, looking up at him. You're not used to looking up at a guy like that. It's kinda nice.

"You got something else you can wear under that jacket, sweetheart?"

Your eyes go wide. Your backpack with your other clothes is still in the shop. There's no way you can go back in there to retrieve it. Not with Jeremy in there. Not after you've already taken the foolhardy step of walking out on the job. How pathetic would that be?

"Um... not really..."

Bear takes his arm from around your shoulder and steps away. You suddenly feel very cold. "Well I think we're stuck, then, sweetheart. It'd be irresponsible of me to take a sweet young thing like you riding without proper protection, but I'm not gonna **** my boy to get his jacket all dirty."

You look over at Billy, who's holding his extra jacket and smirking. You look back at Bear, and you feel a **** urge to be close to him again. You've already come this far. You can't back down now because of something as stupid as your work shirt. There's only one thing to do.

Taking a deep breath, you toss your visor aside. Before you can have second thoughts, you pull your work shirt off and drop it to the pavement. Standing there in the parking lot in front of your (probably former) place of employment, in the middle of a group of strange men, wearing nothing but your black jeans and bra, a shiver runs through your body. Part of it is the chill of the evening air, but that's not all. You can't tell if it's fear, or excitement.

Billy is grinning like an idiot, Phil is smirking, and Slim's eyes are dancing across your exposed skin, that small smile finally revealing some teeth. All the attention is making your skin buzz, and you fight the urge to cover your chest with your arms as your cheeks burn hotter. Bear just nods at you, and his brown eyes sparkle with warmth. "Atta girl. I knew you had it in you, sweetheart. Suit up, let's get rolling."

Bear's words bring that warmth flooding back, quieting both the evening chill and that shiver of... something. You wish you could hug him, but you don't want to act like a silly girl in front of these guys. Pulling on Billy's jacket, the feeling of the lining against your bare skin is an exciting new sensation. Bringing Bear's helmet down over your head, muffling the sights and sounds of the outside world, focuses your thoughts on just how insane this all is. Could you have even imagined this morning that this is how your day would end up?

Day's not over yet, RC.

That warmth flares inside you as you climb onto the back of Bear's bike and wrap your arms around him. He gives you a brief instruction in riding, reminding you to lean with him during the turns, and to hold on tight no matter what. You can't believe this is really happening. As he starts his ignition, and the bike comes to life, rumbling between your legs, a new heat joins the fuzzy warmth. This large, powerful man and his large, powerful bike are about to take you away from your boring life. You realize you have absolutely no control over where he's taking you, and as the bike pulls out onto the street and away from everything you know, you hear a moan fill your helmet.

Is that you, RC?

Your first motorcycle ride is everything you'd hoped it would be. Speeding along the backroads on the outskirts of town, running red lights, weaving around slower traffic. Bear is a massive, solid presence in front of you, making you feel safe. His bike is pure excitement between your legs, churning up the warmth inside with that thrilling new heat. The sky around you grows dark as the evening wears on. You're not sure how much time has passed, but as the bikes finally pull to a rumbling stop you realize it's fully night now.

The five of you are stopped by the curb at an intersection you've never been to before. To your right is a parking lot full of pickup trucks and motorcycles, and past them the neon lights of a bar. Bear pulls off his helmet. "What is it, Slim? I thought we were heading back to the clubhouse."

Slim pulls off his own helmet and shakes out his greasy hair. "Oh I dunno, Bear. I just thought it'd be nice to stop for a little drink, first. All this riding's got me thirsty." He's looking at you as he talks, and you wonder exactly what it is he's thirsty for.

Phil pulls off his helmet as well. "C'mon, Bear, what the fuck? This one still owes me a proper apology. We agreed she'd give it to me at the clubhouse. I don't want to deal with the crowd at the Tavern."

Bear turns his head so you can see the side of his face. "Up to you, sweetheart. My boy Slim wants to stop for a little refreshment. Now I know you're not quite of age, but they know me at the Tavern here and they're not gonna question any company I bring along with me. Could be fun, but the crowd here does get a little rowdy." He chuckles. "Or we could just roll on back to our clubhouse and you could meet the rest of the gang, and give Phil that apology you owe him."

Rest of the gang? The thought of meeting more of these guys, and the menacing tone of Phil's voice, has you suddenly doubting your reckless decision to go to their clubhouse. Hanging out at a "rowdy" bar like this could be exciting, but it could also be a whole new level of dangerous.

"C'mon, sweetheart, we don't got all night." Bear revs his engine, and the sudden vibration between your legs makes your head spin. Whatever decision you make, it won't be one made by your rational mind.

Should've thought of that back at the shop RC. Too late now.