The Fan Ch. 06-07

Author's Note: This story is based on fiction, and all characters are 18 years of age or older. The setting for this story takes place in 2006 when MTV was in its prime as the source for musical information. Kind reminder that this is a novel length fantasy with a semi-slow burn. If you haven't yet read the first two installments, I encourage you to do so in order to immerse yourself in the romantic fantasy.

I would like to thank the various editors who have also taken part to make this story what it is today. A very special thank you goes out to my main source of inspiration, encouragement, feedback, and support, thatsbogus - a fantastic writer in his own right. I encourage you to check out his collected works if you haven't already. You will not be disappointed. Thank you for joining me and happy reading!

Chapter Six

"All you have to do is listen to (your heart)... instead of (your head)."

"Guess what?!" Chase barged into Jax's room way too early Sunday morning without knocking. Acting, as ever, like the annoying older brother he didn't have.

"Good God, Chase. What time is it?" Jax blinked rapidly into the still dark room. Has the sun even risen?

"About six, why?" Chase asked nonplussed at Jax's disgruntlement.

Jax just grimaced in his direction and buried himself back under his blankets.

"What are you doing in here at six in the morning?" Jax barked out.

"Dude, Rachel just called me. She talked it over with one of the lawyers last night and they decided that there is no way they are going to let Danni in the same room with you after what she pulled yesterday. They called MTV early this morning and told them flat out that they weren't risking your million-dollar face and voice box to that slap-happy idiot and got out of the contract. It's canceled."

"What do you mean, canceled, what's canceled?" Jax asked, emerging from the blanket.

"The show this morning, follow along."

Jax rolled his eyes at his oldest friend but then sat up, more awake now.

"Chase, slow down and talk me through it please. What part of the show is canceled, the whole thing or just the taping this morning?"

"Just the taping this morning. MTV still wants you to take a contestant to the opening show with you, but they aren't going to have the girls record their closing segments or be present for the announcement, at least not Danni. All you have to do is head down to the studio in Memphis to record your part by doing a little tele-interview with Drake. I'm in here so early to ask you if you still plan on choosing Rowan, but duh, of course you do, and to ask if you want to have her there for the announcement. MTV wants her reaction and to pretend that this is the way it was originally planned."

"I see," Jax sighed. He had stayed up too late thinking about Rowan and plucking out an idea for a song on his guitar for such an early morning wake-up call. But he was jazzed at the idea of not letting Danni anywhere near Rowan again, so he didn't mind the rude awakening all that much. "Let me get up and get dressed, ok? Maybe a little breakfast and we can head down to the studio. At least a cup of coffee."

"So that's a yes to having Rowan in the studio to record her announcement?"

"I mean, if she even wants to. She probably has a pretty gnarly bruise on her cheek. She might not want to go on camera. We should ask her."

"I'll call and ask," Chase said, moving quickly to the door and Jax called him back.

"That's ok, I'll do it."

Chase smiled at that and gave a mock salute. "Aye-aye captain."

"Get the fuck out of here, Chase. I love you, but get out." Jax growled.

"You don't want to hear the even better news that I have for you?"

Jax rolled his eyes and sighed. "Well go on then."

"I got a later flight for Rowan. You said she was ok with an early one as long as she got home by Monday at eleven, right?" Jax nodded. "Great. Since it takes about four-ish hours to get her from here to there, I was lucky enough to find a flight out from Memphis at six thirty tomorrow morning. It's direct though, so she'd get home before noon. She's all booked with a first class seat. I also cancelled her flight for this evening, so I hope she wasn't planning on using that one."

"Wow, Chase. Now I feel bad for cursing at you. Thank you."

"Anything for you, my brother. Just promise me that you'll kiss and tell me this time. I am supremely jealous. She is so fucking hot."

"All right, bad feelings are gone now. Get the fuck out."

Chase laughed as he left the room.

Jax dragged himself from his bed. He hadn't slept much last night due to his brain's inability to turn his thoughts of Rowan off. It didn't help that yesterday was an absolute roller coaster of emotions. Now he was at the point where he just felt physically and mentally exhausted. As he stepped into the shower, he explored all of those emotions retrospectively and realized he wouldn't change a thing. He was supremely glad to have met Rowan, glad to have been able to talk to her and confirm that they were on the same page with what they wanted. But at the same time, he was feeling like a complete asshole for asking her to make a choice between extending her stay or going to work to begin with. He should have anticipated that she had to go back to school and work, that she had a rent check to write out by the first of next month. Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought. He was so out of touch with any other reality but his own.

Over a cup of strong coffee at the kitchen breakfast bar, he called Rachel himself to see what was what before calling Rowan. He loved Chase, but he sometimes got hazy on all the details. After a brief conversation which cleared things up, he called Rowan.

"Hi!" Her sweet voice made his heart skip a beat, and he smiled.

"Good morning, beautiful. How are you this morning? How's your face?" He pictured that face and what it must look like in the early morning light... bright golden hair shining, green eyes soft and sleepy, plush lips parted in a warm smile. Jax smiled at the internal image and took a sip of his coffee.

"Actually, it's not that bad. The ice pack your mom gave me yesterday really helped."

"That's great news. I'm so glad to hear that. So, hey, there's been a development in the schedule for today and I've got some news about your flight home."

"Oh?"

"Yes, so we are going to go ahead with the pre-taping of the announcement the same as before. Drake is going to record his part in New York, but here's the change. Danni is not going to be there for the pre-taping, and Mica flew home last night."

"Really? How'd that decision come about?" Rowan asked in concern. "I hope we didn't mess anything up for you after all."

"Hey, you didn't mess up anything. What happened yesterday was not in any way, shape, or form your fault. If there's any blame, it's on Danni, ok?"

"Thank you, you're right," she sighed, "but I still feel bad about it. You and your parents didn't deserve for that to go down. It wasn't right."

"Exactly, which is why after what Danni did to you yesterday, my people were able to convince MTV's people to alter the contract with her, which I am all for. It was against my better judgment to even let her back in the same room with you, so this is really the best possible outcome. I'm calling to ask if you would like me to attempt to alter your contract too. You get to decide if you want to be there or not too, considering how you were mistreated yesterday. No one would blame you for not wanting to bow-out early."

"Even though I am very tempted to take the opportunity to get out of being on camera again, the bruise isn't that deep and with the right makeup, it won't even be visible. I'll be ok. Don't go through any trouble on my account."

"You're not wrong that it would take a bit of finagling to get you out of it. A contest without any contestants is a hard sell, right? But I would go to bat for you if you wanted. I'll quit myself if that's what it would take to make sure you're comfortable."

"That is so sweet, Jax. It really is. Thank you, but, really, I'll be ok. You deserve this promotion stuff for your album and tour. It's such a great album, Jax, the world needs to hear it. If I can help in even some small way to make that happen... I'll be there. I want to do this for you."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Jax smiled. He briefly contemplated telling her that the tour was going to happen no matter what. The majority of the 40 shows in the first North American leg of his tour were already sold out with three months left until the opening show. But it was so sweet that she was willing to put aside her own discomfort in the faith that it would help him, he didn't have the heart to correct her. "All right, I'll let them know that you're ready to go. You should meet the driver in the lobby by eight to take you to the studio. Also, Chase managed to track down a flight out at six-thirty tomorrow morning so you can make it to class in time. Thank you for being willing to cancel your tutoring hours for me."

"Hey, that's for me too. I am beyond excited to spend more time with you and explore Memphis."

"I can't wait to see you, and to show you."

"I can't wait to see you either. How long do you think it will take, this whole taping thing."

"Not sure, no more than two hours potentially. If we are lucky it will take just about an hour."

"Nice. Should I pack all my things, or will I be coming back to the hotel before my flight?" She asked.

"Good question. Hmmm... I guess that would depend on where you want to end up tonight." he let the suggestion hang in the air, hope and trepidation intermingling on his tongue.

"I see," she said a little breathily, her voice dropping an octave as a touch of huskiness crept in. His blood immediately responded to it, his cock perking up its hopeful head. "Ok. Well... I guess I'll pack my things then and just let 'the night' take me where it may."

"Ok, awesome. I'll let you go so you can pack your things now and bring them with you to the studio, that way we won't need to stop back at the hotel. I'll see you soon," He hoped his stupid, silly grin couldn't be heard through the phone, but then again, he kind of hoped it would.

About an hour later, Jax found himself pacing the diamond patterned border of the studio carpet at Sun Studio in Memphis, waiting impatiently for Rowan to arrive. He checked his watch for the umpteenth time. It was barely eight am. The car service would just now be picking up Rowan from the hotel. He forced himself to stop pacing and sit down in that same leather armchair from the day before while the rest of the production staff swirled around the edges of the room, testing mics, checking connections, focusing cameras... It was the same dance he had seen a thousand times in his career. At the moment, however, he felt sick of it all because it was a reminder that he was who he was and she was who she was.

They were from two different worlds. She was from Earth, sultry and real, wholesome and whole, and he was from outer space, untouchable in his perpetual orbit, flying through space and time without touching down until it was finally his turn to burn up in the atmosphere. The differences between them were astounding, seemingly insurmountable, and he felt somewhat desperately hopeless at the cruel irony of it all. What did it mean to be him, the master of his craft and universe if he couldn't have exactly what he wanted, be exactly who he wanted to be?

Jax blew out a breath. Fuck, he thought. That was narcissistic and egotistic as hell. He had a great life, everything he'd ever wanted. What kind of asshat would be upset about living the life he did? A complete solipsistic selfish prick, that's who.

The door to the studio opened and Jax sprang up out of his chair. There she was. Both the object of his desire and his current source of torment. When she saw him, her brilliant smile knocked him back on his heels. She was absolutely dazzling.

"Hi," she breathed, eyes only for him. He let his eyes rove all over her, biting his lip. She was dressed in her trademark colors, though today her top was a deep burgundy made of a silky texture which clung to her skin and the open knit cardigan was blush pink. Her jeans were dark and her black peep-toe heels impossibly tall. She took a step toward him on those thin spikes as if she were going to run into his arms and then a sound from the craft table in the corner of the room made her pause. She stopped in her tracks and gave him a slow smile, holding out her hand instead. He took it without hesitation and then pulled her into his arms. She was slight and curved, warm and fragrant. He let her wash over and through his senses, easing the torment of his previous thoughts. This made sense. This felt right. He was thankful for this brief reminder.

He let her go before her nearness started to have that same impact on him as it did before. He was wearing black jeans today with a black blazer and a dark maroon twill knit to honor her favorite color that was longer at the hip. He hoped the combination of the jeans and extra material from the blazer and knit weave of the light sweater would hide any shenanigans his dick might get up to.

"Hi yourself," he said, clearing the croak that had crept into his voice. "You look good. I love these colors on you."

"Thank you. Maroon looks good on you too." She let her eyes drift over him, taking in the length of his sweater, and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Smart," she said, barely concealing her smirk and he laughed.

A production assistant stepped up, interrupting their light verbal play.

"Hello, Miss Winters, so glad you could make it. I see you don't need hair and makeup, lovely. Let me fill you in on what we are up to this morning..." he led her through the steps, outlining the day giving Jax the opportunity to let his mind drift while he watched them. She smiled that sweet smile and asked clarifying questions to ensure she didn't mess anything up, acting more like a pro than half the actors he knew. Her hair was loose and wavy, and moved with each nod of her head. He wanted to bury his fingers in the rich tresses and pull them to his face, inhale that intoxicating smell which had haunted him all night long.

"Mr. Trentwell? Mr. Trentwell? Are you ready?" He shook his head, snapping out of his reverie, catching Rowan's knowing smile before he turned his head to address the production assistant.

"Um, yes," he cleared his throat. "Sorry. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"It's ok, Mr. Trentwell. We are ready to start filming." Rowan moved off to the side, out of the camera lens for the first part as planned and he took his place in the leather armchair. The monitor on the wall flicked to life, rolling the pre-taped footage from New York which included the prompts for him. The producer snapped the block, calling action.

"Hi, thanks for that intro Drake. This has been one wild and crazy ride. Thank you to all the fans who submitted a video, thank you to everyone who voted, and of course thank you to the three contestants who made it out to Memphis. I appreciate each and every fan out there, and I would not be who I am without your support. So again, thank you so much." He paused as scripted to allow for commercial break before continuing.

"I know there were so many deserving submissions and the three of the contestants you voted for were much more than deserving too. It was a tough decision, but at the end of the day, the one fan that I am choosing to attend my opening show of my new Love Mimic tour is the one and only Rowan!" He stood and gestured to the right and Rowan walked toward him, stepping strong and sure on the plush carpet despite her mile-high heels.

"Thank you, Jaxon!"

"Tell the world how you feel, sweetheart," he stepped back while she stepped forward.

"Um, wow, yes. Ok, I feel so grateful. Thank you to everyone who voted for my video and had the confidence in me. I promise to not disappoint you and give you a full report on what it takes to be Jaxon Trentwell for the day of his opening show of his new tour Love Mimic this January in San Francisco. I hope all of you join me then! Thank you all so much, and thank you MTV, and thank you, of course, to Jaxon." Rowan beamed for the camera and the call for cut rang out in the room. Rowan turned to Jax. "Was that believable? Did I sound surprised enough?"

Jax laughed. "Totally." He turned to the producer. "What do you say, man? Are we good?"

"I think so."

"Really?" Rowan asked, surprised. "You told me it would take about two hours."

"In my experience it usually does. I guess they are cutting back on what they had planned without Mica and Danni."

"Yes, this is all we need. Thank you both very much. Has the assistant gone over the next steps, Miss Winters?"

"No, there's more?"

"Just your flight details and hotel check out times."

"That's all right, I got it from here," Jax stepped in, taking her elbow. The producer's eyebrows raised, but he refrained from making a comment and Jax ignored him. Let him think what he wants. He had the next twenty or so hours with Rowan before time and space intervened and he was going to take full advantage of that time.

"Did you pack your things?" he asked, turning toward Rowan.

"Yes, it's still in the car that brought me here."

"Then that's all we need. Can you have someone meet me at my truck to transfer her luggage?" he asked the assistant who nodded, turning away to do as asked.

As he led her to his black Dodge Ram truck at the back of the studio, he felt giddy and grinned like a fool. She smiled back and laughed.

"What's funny?" he asked, as the car from the hotel pulled up alongside his truck. He beckoned to the driver who quickly and efficiently transferred Rowan's luggage to the back seat of Jax's truck without a word.

"Thanks man," Jax said, and then opened the passenger door for Rowan. She stepped up into the tall truck and he smiled appreciatively at the view from behind.

Once she was settled securely into the seat, she looked down at him and answered his earlier question. "I feel so awkward all of a sudden. Why is it that I feel so guilty, like we are getting away with something?"

He shut the door behind her then stepped quickly around and got in, locking the doors and starting the car.

"Right? I feel that way too. We have some stolen time here to take advantage of, a true gift. What on earth are we going to do with it?" He asked suggestively and she dropped her gaze, looking up at him from under her lashes with a look that was so smolderingly seductive it burned him up from the inside out.

"Well... I'm open to suggestions. What did you have in mind?" She leaned forward in her seat, her elbow propped on the arm rest, gazing up at him with those green, green eyes, darkened now with desire and his mouth went dry. Oh so many things, he thought. Most of which involve that luscious mouth and delicious body. As those images flashed through his mind, he felt the answering pull in his groin. But just as he was about to move in and capture that teasing pout, he caught a tell-tale flash from the corner of his eye and jerked back, cursing softly under his breath.

"What?" Rowan asked, looking around in concern until her eyes spotted a man with a camera. "Is that what I think it is, or is he from the show?"

"Nope, it's what you think it is," Jax said, resigned as he pulled out of the parking lot and away from the paparazzo who was still snapping away.

"But here in Memphis? I thought there were only paparazzi in LA or New York."

Jax laughed. Her innocence was adorable.

"No, no... they are like little parasites. All over the place and wanted just about as much."

"Does that mean you have to take me back to the hotel now?" Rowan asked, resignation tinged with disappointment laced her words.

"No, it just means we shouldn't paw each other out in the open."

"Paw each other? Was that going to be one of your suggestions, Mr. Trentwell?"

Jax laughed. "God, you're cheeky."

Rowan smiled and then stuck out her tongue in response.

"Brat."

"You know it," she teased back.

"I do have an idea though. Since it's just barely nine am, what do you say to we head back to my mom's house for a bit, out of the paparazzi's eye. We could have some coffee, explore Bartlett. I'll make reservations for us at BB King's on Beale Street where we can have guaranteed privacy, or semi-privacy for an early dinner and a little dancing before you have to fly out. We could even ask Chase and Rachel along as a paparazzi buffer if we needed to."

"That sounds fun! I've heard about BB King's. It's a blues club, right? One of the oldest in Memphis?"

"Yeah, very historic. If you only have time for one stop on Beale, that would be the place to go." Jax turned onto the highway, stepping on the gas. They chatted about anything and everything as they drove and in what felt like no time, he was punching in the combo for the gated entrance at the bottom of his parent's drive.

When he opened the door to the kitchen from the garage, they discovered the whole household munching away on breakfast at the kitchen table. Lisa jumped up from her place at the table and pulled Rowan into a hug.

"Well hello there! What a lovely surprise!" Rowan mumbled a response against Lisa's shoulder, her face momentarily crushed in the hug. "Oh! I'm sorry, honey! Are you hungry? Do you want some coffee?"

"I'd love some coffee if you've got some to spare."

"Yes of course. Jaxon honey, do you want a cup too?"

"Sure, mom," he smiled at her bumbling. He knew her reaction was from the surprise of Rowan showing up unannounced and he felt guilty. "I'm sorry I didn't call ahead and tell you I was bringing her home, mom."

"Oh, nonsense. It's ok! She just has to put up with my naked face, but girl to girl, I'm sure she understands."

"Of course I do, Lisa, and you look stunning with or without makeup."

"Well thank you, sugar. I appreciate that." She handed her a cup of aromatic coffee and directed her to the carafe of creamer and little jar of sugar. Rowan added creamer and sipped the coffee gratefully. Jax sipped his own mug of black coffee and stood behind her, stepping close enough to feel the warmth of her hips caress the front of his jeans.

"So Chase filled us in on the change of plans, and I for one am so glad that Rachel was able to work her magic to keep Danni away from you both. That woman was dangerous," Lisa said.

Jax nodded his head. Chase got up to refill his cup, passing by them in the tight space to reach the coffee maker forcing Rowan to take a step back which brought her plump ass into contact with his dick. He groaned into his mug, her heat instantly making the blood surge there.

"This is good coffee, mom." He said, to cover up his inadvertent noise. Rowan shifted but didn't step away, rocking from foot to foot, very subtly, rubbing those sweet round cheeks back and forth over his growing erection and he shook his head into his cup. That little brat!

"Why thank you, honey."

"Please, finish your breakfast, mom, dad, Chase."

"You're not going to eat?" Pat asked.

"There's plenty of pancakes and sausage here," Lisa added, gesturing to the plates on the table.

"I ate a quick bite before I left this morning, but what about you, Rowan?" Jax asked, his voice clipped as Rowan continued to shift slowly from side to side, rubbing her tight little ass all over the front of his pants.

"I had some fruit in the hotel lobby while I waited for the car to the studio, but thank you so much," Rowan's voice was cool and calm, but a little thick, giving evidence to the effect her attempt to tease Jax was having on her as well.

Jax thought furiously about how to move away from her little torment or get her back in some way. Currently there was absolutely no option to lean into her and tease back in the middle of his mother's kitchen.

"Well, I'm glad you kids ate then. I'll put the leftovers away when we're finished here. There's plenty for a mid morning snack before lunch if you get hungry later. So how long do you get to stay with us, sugar?" Lisa asked Rowan.

"Actually, I managed to find her a flight out tomorrow morning, so she can spend the day with us," Chase chimed in, observing closely the little, subtle dance Rowan's hips were making against the front of Jax's pants.

"Oh, how lovely! I wish I had known that a bit earlier. Your dad and I were going to head out for bridge club this evening. I'll cancel it, though, so we can spend some more time with you and Rowan, Jax."

"Oh, please, mom," Jax's throat cracked on an errant breath... the soft globes of Rowan's sweet ass was simply taking his breath away. He cleared his throat and took a breath "keep your plans, mom and dad. The plan is to show her around Bartlett and Memphis. You know, see the sights while she's here to see them."

"All right then. We'll let you kids have fun. You are of course welcome to stay the night here, Rowan. I'll make up the spare room for you and Chase can bunk with Jaxon if he plans on staying over."

"I think I'll make a stop in on my folks this evening in Memphis before we have to leave town. I haven't gotten to spend much time with them since this has been a working weekend. If that's ok with you, Jax?" Chase asked and Jaxon smiled in appreciation. It was extremely ok with him.

"Sounds great to me. Your mom would be out for my blood if you came home and didn't stop to see her. Please save my life by going home," Jax answered and Chase winked back.

"Before you head home, though, I was thinking we could make the trip to Beale Street and get some chicken and go dancing at BB King's around five if anyone was up to joining us for an early dinner. We could use the cover." He snuck his left hand in between his hips and hers and pinched one curved cheek hard enough to make Rowan jump. She sloshed a bit of her coffee over her hand and coughed.

"You okay there, sweetie?" Chase asked, his eyes sparkling at the play-by-play.

"Yes, um..." Rowan turned and headed into the kitchen to wash her hands. She took one last swallow of coffee before emptying her cup in the sink and rinsing it out. Jax grinned. And round one goes to Jax.

"Thank you so much for the coffee, Lisa. It was very good and very strong."

"Yeah, that's one of mom's greatest achievements, her potent coffee," Jax agreed.

Lisa smiled with pleasure over the praise. "You've still got a while before supper time. You should take her around to see the countryside. It's a nice day for a motorcycle ride."

"You have a motorcycle?" Rowan said, perking up.

"How do you not know that?" Lisa asked, though not fiercely, merely puzzled. Rowan shrugged her shoulders. "You honestly didn't know that Jax had bikes?"

Rowan shook her head. "Should I?"

"Well aren't you a wonder, I don't think I've ever met a fan like you, Rowan. You are for sure a breath of fresh air." Lisa said, smiling with affection and sincerity. Rowan looked confused, but smiled back before turning to Jax.

"I hope that doesn't offend you."

"Not at all, trust me. It's like my mom said, very refreshing to meet someone that doesn't automatically know everything about me."

"I'm just not that kind of fan. I mean, I do admire your work, but that's it really. Not that I didn't want to know more about you, it's just, how does one know fact from fiction? Anyway, I don't think that anything else besides what you yourself offer is my business, you know, like your music, stuff like that."

Jax nodded and Lisa smiled, her face and heart beaming with admiration for this angel of a girl.

"Which is wonderful, honey and why we like you so much."

Rowan smiled and gave Lisa a hug. "Thank you so much for making me feel welcome. You are probably the nicest person I have ever met, no joke."

"Awe you, you're too sweet." Lisa patted Rowan on the back.

"Hey, where are your dogs?" Rowan peered with a hopeful look around for the two beautiful labs from the day before and Jax smiled.

"They are outside, where dogs should be," Pat said with a gentle grumble.

"Oh you hush. They are perfectly trained puppies, and you know it." Lisa smacked Pat's arm playfully. "You can go and visit with them. I think they are on the deck having their own breakfast."

"Yay!" Rowan popped up out of her chair and they soon heard the sound of the deck doors open then close.

While Rowan went outside to say hi to the dogs, Jax called his assistant Rachel, asking her to make the reservation for them at BB King's. Once that was done he went in search of her, finding her sprawled on the deck, laughing madly as the dogs jumped and showed off for her, competing for her scratching fingers. Jax paused before the doors that led to the deck, observing their play through the glass while a tender feeling spread from inside his chest to suffice his entire body with warmth. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he almost jumped when his mother came to stand beside him at the door.

"Enjoyin' the view?" Lisa asked teasingly.

"Yeah, yeah," Jax teased back, poking her side till she batted his hand away.

"But seriously, she is an absolute delight, Jax."

"She sure is," he sighed.

"Do you like her?" Lisa asked.

"Of course I do, what kind of question is that?"

"No, I mean do you like her, like her."

Jax squinted sideways at his mom. He knew that tone of voice. He knew what she was trying to do. She wasn't that great at masking the hopefulness in her voice.

"Mom, come on," he said exasperatedly.

"What? It's just a question, a legitimate question."

"That's a pretty big question though, not to mention something a sixth grader would ask."

"Okay fine. Here's a more grown up question, do you think you could date this girl?"

"Date, that's..." Jax paused, pulling air in through clenched teeth, "I don't know. That's a tough question and I'd be lying if I told you I haven't been thinking about it."

"Of course you've been thinking about it. She wouldn't be here if you weren't," Lisa said with a smug smile.

"Well, if you knew the answer, why'd you ask?"

"I don't know. Maybe to hear you say it?" Lisa squeezed her son's ribs with one arm and leaned her head against his shoulder. "It's been so long since I've seen you look at a girl like you look at Rowan, Jaxie, and it's got my hope flag flying."

"Oh mom, what kind of hope is there though?"

"What on earth do you mean? Look at her? She fits right into this place, and right into you. And you're smitten as a kitten. You just said so yourself."

"I know, but..." Jax rubbed his face with one hand, urged to confess all his anxieties to his mother like a ten-year-old kid would so his momma could fix everything for him just like she did back then. "I mean, she's beautiful, smart, stunning inside and out, and we've got this kind of easy and undeniable connection and chemistry. But... she's a fan so she could be really pushing that, being extra sweet and nice. How do I know what's real and what's not?"

"Oh Jaxon," a note of exasperation accompanied Lisa's words.

"Don't 'oh Jaxon' me, you've been there for all the other ones, you know what I'm talking about." At that, Lisa smacked Jax on the arm lightly.

"What?" he said indignantly.

"You know what," Lisa scolded gently.

"Hey, be nice or I'll stop talking."

"Don't let those past experiences get in the way of something that might have the potential to turn out to be really good. This gal is completely different from the other gals you've dated, I can tell. There's a wholesome goodness I see in her. Something that can't be faked and you would be very stupid if you let those dummies that hurt you get in the way of you seeing that."

Jax breathed deeply and nodded slowly.

"Yeah, you're right, of course, I know you are, but it's like," he paused, rubbing his chin with a hand. "It's like, I don't know what to believe. On one hand I feel like I can trust her. Along with this pull, I feel like she's real, and honest, and good, and all the things you think too. But on the other hand... I've been burned before by girls who want the celebrity and not the man. They may not have been fans, but I've been used just the same, mom, and you know that."

"Look, Jax, I think that you have a legitimate concern especially with what happened last time with Carmen. No one would argue that point with you, but I can't help but feel that this girl is different. I mean, look at her," Lisa gestured to the scene happening outside on the deck. "There's a certain innocence about her, don't you think?" They stood in silence for a few minutes, every now and then smiling as Rowan ran about the deck and then into the yard with the dogs, shoeless, jumping and playing in the morning air. She picked up a stick and threw it, laughing with glee as they fought to be the one that brought it back to her.

"That does not look like someone who is out to trick you, Jaxon. But, you know, if you're that concerned about it, I'm sure I could get a copy of her background check from Sandy at the MTV headquarters in New York. I bet she could fax them in a jiff, and then you can find out if it's all true, all the stuff she's been saying. If you read the file and it checks out, well, then maybe you could trust her better."

"I can appreciate your suggestion, mom, but it sure doesn't feel right to snoop around and look at her private life as if it were a free and open book. She might get upset if she even knew I entertained the idea of looking into her background."

"Now why would she be upset? Only if she had something to hide, right? And there weren't any red flags that came up anyway. And you didn't look into her background, Jaxie, MTV did. You've done nothing wrong."

"I don't know mom, it still doesn't feel right," he said anxiously.

"Let's just look at it. I'm kind of curious myself now, knowing how you feel about her. It's already done and you didn't ask for it to be done. If it makes you feel better, you could tell her about it. She might even already know. Usually you have to get people's permission to do background checks. It wouldn't be going against her wishes if she signed a thing saying it was ok and knew about it, right? Besides, I think the main reason you're distrustful is that she knows more about you than you know about her, whether she says it or not. You're a celebrity, everywhere people look is a magazine with your face on the cover and an article on you inside. If you did this little check up you could, I dunno,"

"Even the playing field?" Jax suggested.

"Yes, exactly."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Jax nodded, feeling somewhat slightly mollified. "She is pretty though isn't she?"

"Very pretty. Speaking of that, what happened between you two last night? Anything that I need to know?"

Jax smiled softly. "Even if something did happen, there is nothing that I would tell you. What I will tell you is that we realized some things about each other and are both willing to see where this thing between us might go."

"I'm so glad to hear that, sweetie, I am." Lisa squeezed Jax again.

He was quiet and contemplative while he watched her outside. "It's just..." he tried to continue, bit his lip and laughed at himself. "Who am I kidding, mom. She's amazing and I do want to keep seeing her, very much, but... how would that even work. It would be impossible?"

"What do you mean, honey?"

"Even if there could be more between me and this wonderful girl, how would it work? I've got the tour that takes two years of commitment, minimum, and she's got school, family, a normal life." He shook his head sadly, his eyes dimming a little. "Even if something more did come out of this and everything worked out..." He shook his head and sighed.

"She's got plans, mom. You heard her last night over dinner. She has dreams for her life already that she's more than half-way into turning into a reality. She would have to give all that up to be with me. How could I ask that of her and how could I do that to her? It's not even possible for me to give up my fame to be with her. I can't just not be me anymore. I would literally be ruining her world if we started a relationship. She would be hounded by paparazzi... and God," he swallowed, a little chill running through him with the memories of what those picture hungry sycophants were capable of. "There would be no escaping my world once she's in it."

"Jaxon," Lisa sighed. "I'm so sorry, son, that you're thinking that way. I know it's tough and I know you didn't ask to be this big celebrity and all, but you're not thinking about what she might want. If you decide not to pursue this thing that is between you, that is so obvious everyone can see it, especially your mother, then you'll be making that decision for her. Is that really fair to do?" Lisa stroked his back soothingly. Jax looked down at her and she reached up to pinch his cheek. "Look, regardless if you know her well or not, if she's right for you, if it is meant to be more than friendship, let it happen. Don't overthink it and throw what could be a great thing away. And especially don't let someone like Carmen have any control over you anymore. Don't let her scare you, son. All you need to do is listen to here," she pressed a finger against his heart, "instead of here." And then pressed a finger against his forehead before kissing his cheek.

"Thanks mom, you always have the right thing to say."

"You're welcome, sweetheart. You two have fun, I've got some things to tie up before you leave next week. Sounds good?"

"Great, thanks mom."

She patted his back in that sweet, motherly way and moved off into the depths of the house, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Even though he didn't want to admit it to himself, she was right. He was still afraid of Carmen and what people like his ex could and have done to him. He cursed under his breath as the memories came flooding back.

He had met Carmen during an MTV VMA after party during the debut of his first solo-album. Though she was older than him by just under five years, he found her infinitely attractive with that new-celebrity glow about her, just high on life and fame because she had just landed her first large cinematic feature. At the time, he mistook that celebratory glow as passion, admiring her tenacity for her career to the point that the admiration translated to attraction. Instead, he should have seen it for the warning sign that it was because when her star didn't take off as fast as she'd liked it to, she'd used their relationship to plant herself a bit more into the spotlight.

At first he didn't notice because it was small things that seemed coincidental, like suggesting they go to a specific restaurant that was a known paparazzi hang-out spot and then playing dumb that she didn't remember. Even feigning indignation when their relationship was offered up to the world through the pictures of them kissing or cuddling were then sold to the tabloids. Or accepting every invitation sent his way for all the award shows or gallery openings in town to meet as many producers, talent agents, actors, or directors as possible despite his demanding touring schedule. All the while spending his money on outrageous designer dresses for each different appearance. Oh, it was all for his benefit, she'd say, to make him look good at having her model-esque frame draped in a custom Versace piece on his arm, and who wouldn't want the free publicity to promote his album and tour?

Then it started to be big things that he couldn't ignore anymore. She'd throw lavish parties at his house in LA without asking and sometimes when he was off touring. Going behind his back to work with his people, hiring caterers, designers, wait-staff and inviting the who's-who of Hollywood elite via his agent and hers so she could not only rub elbows with them all, but stage little dramas that showcased her acting for their benefit. It took him longer than he would like to admit, but eventually he realized that while he was in love with her for who he thought she was, the vivacious actress with a hunger and passion for the arts and world of entertainment that he himself possessed, she was in love not with him but with the connections for her career that his fame could provide.

He was ashamed to admit it, but she used him like that for the better part of two years. Shame because he was used, yes, but also because he just hadn't listened to his gut and let her use him for so long. All of the hurt and anger he had felt over the entire relationship was entirely his fault. Now, he didn't trust himself to not get hurt like that again.

He broke it off with her just over eight months ago and here he was, faced with the impossible choice again. To trust, or not to trust. To open himself up and leave his heart vulnerable once more, or listen to his gut that urged him to walk away now, not only for his sake but hers as well.

He opened the door and stepped out onto the deck, taking a lung full of the crisp, soul-cleansing country air, letting the smell and feel of home wash away his tempestuous thoughts. His dogs bounded up the steps of the deck and into his waiting arms. He thumped them soundly on the ribs, cooing to them only like a papa can. They shook all over with his attention. They didn't hold it for long, though, because his eyes were drawn from them to Rowan as she climbed the steps up to the deck. She looked radiant and refreshed, the country air flushing her cheeks beautifully.

"I love your dogs, they are so wonderful."

"Thank you, they like you too." Jax straightened himself and walked over to her. "You are so short." He said once he was toe-to-toe with her. She rose up on her tiptoes, placing a hand on his upper arm to steady herself.

"There, is that better." Jax swallowed, his mouth dry as a bone, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Very nearly perfect, but then I don't mind that you're short, it's a nice change from... uh, well..." Jax stumbled, scratching the back of his head, his cheeks pinking. Rowan smiled and set herself back down on her heels.

"From the ex you mentioned on the phone yesterday?" she said and Jax nodded somberly. Rowan's smile faltered a bit at the look on his face, but she didn't push, just recognized the discomfort mentioning his ex brought. She traced a slender finger down the side of his cheek then followed the line of his jaw. "You'll see, short girls are better," she said softly, pinching his chin between her thumb and forefinger. "They have to invent different ways of doing things in order to survive in a tall world, so we have much better imaginations and therefore, are much more fun."

"Is that so?" he said, a touch of hunger replacing the discontent from earlier. He bent to lean in for a kiss but before he could fully close the distance, Rowan bounced away with a flip of her long golden hair to stand before the railing.

"Of course it is, would I tell a lie?"

"Well I guess I have to believe you then." He came to stand beside her at the railing and she smiled up at him cheekily making him chuckle. She turned away and gazed out over the expansive lawn and further. Her eyes soaking up every detail: the changing leaves of the trees, vibrantly green grass, late flowers scattered here and there illuminated by the faint sunlight filtered through the light, cheery cloud cover.

"It is so pretty here; I can understand why you might miss this place when you're not here."

"Yeah, there's nothing like it, that's for sure." They stood in companionable silence for another few moments taking in the atmosphere. Jaxon reached over and laced her fingers with his.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"Of course! No need to thank me."

"Oh yes, there is. Thank you for not pushing me about her just now. It means a lot."

"Hey, it's your story to tell. I am hopeful that we will get to that place where we can both share those uncomfortable things about our pasts with each other. I mean," she snorted, "look what happened yesterday on the phone! If that doesn't hint at there being more between us, I don't know what does."

"Right? Agreed," Jaxon laughed and squeezed her fingers.

"I thought there would be this awkwardness between us today after... well... that, and while I do feel shame like any good girl should over kissing on you the very same day I met you, and..." she blushed deeply, looking up at Jax beneath her lashes with those emerald green eyes before looking sharply away, "... and... you know, the other stuff,"

Jax chuckled and rubbed his thumb along the soft flesh of her thumb. She had the smoothest skin.

"But you know what?" she continued, "I don't. I don't feel shame, well not much anyway, and I don't feel awkward. Is that weird?"

"Not at all. I don't feel awkward and I feel zero shame because what we did felt right at the time and absolutely necessary. If I didn't kiss you last night, I was going to explode. Same as on the phone. If it feels right and necessary, is it all that wrong?"

"I guess not." She smiled winsomely up at him and his breath caught in his throat. Nope. It does not feel wrong at all being this close to her, watching the fall breeze play with her hair, smelling the gentle perfume of her skin. He turned toward her and bent his head, capturing her soft, sweet lips with his own. He felt that same immediate and powerful pull within him that headed straight to his dick, even though this kiss had none of the lust-filled ferocity of last night. It was a gentle slow-burn, stroking that desire just as strongly. He tilted his head and deepened their kiss, releasing her hand to pull her closer, sparking at the contact of breast on chest, and hips on thighs. Her tongue was feather soft and sugar sweet and subtly erotic to the point where he knew at any moment, should he want to, he could urge her into something more, something stronger than just a sweet kiss on a fall day in Tennessee.

It pained him to keep it in this gentle space, but he pulled back. The desire to show her more of this place that was such a part of him as well as get to know her overpowered his desire to embarrass both of them by making out on his parents' deck, not only could they be caught at any moment, he didn't need to add any more reason to fly that "hope-flag" she had for him any higher. It would be more painful for her if this didn't go any further than today.

"Hey, do you want to check out the bikes?" Jax asked, his eyes glued to Rowan's lips. It seemed all he could think of was her pretty, pert mouth and the way her body felt against his.

"Sure!" She smiled and turned to the house, stopping beside the door to push her feet into her heels and grab her cardigan from a nearby chair. She hastily put on against the chill she had gotten from the cool morning. Jax let his dogs in and sent them off to settle in their beds by the fireplace, then led the way back into the kitchen and out into the garage, flicking on a light as he went. He made his way around the jeep and his parent's pickup truck to the far side of the garage where three bikes sat, all Harley Davidsons. "Wow, these are pretty. Which one's yours?"

"This one here, the big one." Jax sat on the one furthest from the door, a huge, shiny monster of a bike, yet classic at the same time. Rowan took a hike around it, admiring the black and silver paint, the dual mufflers and the large engine. She ran a finger over the chrome handlebars and then the black grips.

"Oooh, a Harley Sportster, these are nice, very sleek. What engine do you have in this, a 3500 or what? Bigger I bet." Jax did a double take and smiled in delightful surprise.

"It's a, uh... wait, what?"

"Engine, this looks like a big block. I'm just curious to know how big."

"You know about this stuff?" Rowan looked at him from beneath lashes and pursed her lips.

"What, can't I know about this stuff?"

"Well, yeah, but, I... Well, it's just a pleasant surprise then." He snagged her arm and pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her hip and she leaned into him. He smiled at his silly desire to hold her. He seemed to be unable to keep his hands off of her now that he had the space and privacy to do so. She was soft and firm in all the right places and he felt peace touching her.

"So tell me then, where did you learn about bikes?" He stroked her hip and lower back absentmindedly as they talked.

"Both bikes and cars I learned about from my mom and my dad. My dad was a career mechanic for something like forty-five years, he even taught at a junior college for a while. Also both my parents own bikes and ride them. They taught me."

"You know how to ride?"

Rowan nodded. "Yeah, I also have my own bike that I ride to work and school when the weather is nice; it used to be my mom's."

Jax sat there amazed, but happy with what he was hearing. This girl had more facets than a diamond.

Rowan left his side, leaving him oddly bereft, and climbed onto another smaller bike beside his. He watched her, feeling that strong pull toward her with a Harley between her legs as much as he did with his arm around her or his lips on hers. She looked so sexy sitting there. All she needed was some custom leather and the fantasy he didn't know he had would be complete... he bit his lip, damn.

"Do you want to go for a ride? You could ride my mom's; I don't think she'd mind."

"Sure, but I warn you, I've never driven a Harley, only the knock-off versions."

Jax laughed and Rowan smiled.

"I'm sure you can handle it. What kind of bike do you have?"

"It's a Honda Shadow and get this, it's lowered and not in a good way." Jax's brow rose quizzically. "And it's got a small block, a 1500."

"You lowered it?"

"I had to lower it so that I could touch the ground." Jax smirked. "Don't laugh! I didn't want to lower it, but it was my mom's. She's shorter than me and she had it lowered so she could touch the ground. She said if I lifted it, she wouldn't let me have it."

Jax laughed, "That's adorable."

Rowan giggled too. "Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous looking, but it has a pretty paint job. It's maroon and silver, my favorite colors, very pretty."

"Sounds like it. So, that must mean you have a motorcycle license?" Rowan nodded with a smile.

"Nice." The doorbell rang, sounding through the house and he and Rowan got up from the bikes and headed for the door. When they got to the kitchen they discovered Chase had answered the door and was leading Jax's main assistant Rachel into the kitchen.

"Hey," Jax said in greeting. "Rachel, meet Rowan, Rowan, Rachel," he gestured between the two and the girls smiled. "She's my manager, handler, wanna-be body guard... She has a lot of titles, but she's also kind of like my sister. My mom and dad pretty much raised her since she was 13, so she's been bossing me around since then. It was a pretty easy move and going from bossing me around at home to bossing me around at work."

"I don't boss you around, but I do keep your head on straight. It would fall off if it weren't for me and you know it."

"Yeah, you're sure right about that," Jax acquiesced.

"Nice to meet you." Rachel smiled kindly.

"Nice to meet you too," Rowan said, stepping forward and extending her hand.

"I've heard lots of good things about you already from this dummy," Rachel poked Chase in the back.

"Who are you calling, dummy, you big butthead?" Chase snapped playfully back and Jax sighed.

"So sorry, Rowan. These two can never act their age when they are together, which, unfortunately is quite often."

Rowan laughed at the resigned exasperation on Jax's face. "It's ok. It reminds me of my own siblings. Nothing I'm not used to."

"Yeah, well, they aren't siblings, whether they act like it or not."

"Never mind the grump. He's just jealous his parents love me more," Rachel said. "So how did it go at the studio this morning?" Rachel accepted the cup of coffee Chase offered her and settled in at the kitchen counter beside Chase.

"Really well, I think. Jax said so anyway, but it was surprisingly quick," Rowan said.

"That is a good sign. Usually if they are unhappy with a take they make you do it over and over and over again, like literally any music video or commercial Jax's ever made, trust me." Chase said.

Rowan laughed. She grabbed the pot of coffee from the kitchen, refilling Chase's and Rachel's cups and Chase saluted her in thanks. She laughed again and tousled his hair. Chase smiled into his mug. "Has anyone told you what an angel you are?"

"Every person I meet in fact, but you're the first I believe."

"Rowan and I were just about to take a ride through Bartlett on the Harley. You two interested in a ride this morning?" Jax asked, hoping they would say no and cursing himself for even asking.

"No, I stopped by to go over your schedule next week with your mom and Chase while Rowan kept you occupied elsewhere. This way we can all plot and plan without your interruption." Rachel said.

"Okay, okay, I see how it is," Jax grimaced. "Plan away, but please give me at least two days off in a row. That's all I'm asking, just two days between things."

"I'll see what I can do," Rachel smiled gently at him. Despite all of her little-sister-like qualities, she really was a good manager. He didn't know what he would do without her pulling the strings on his schedule. He trusted her as family to put his needs first and not the almighty dollar, which is why he asked her to take on the role in the first place. She was smart and capable and had a strong enough personality to fight with his PR Rep and agent to win him as much down time as possible in order to maintain a modicum of work-life-balance in the midst of such a demanding schedule.

"Do you think I could grab my suitcase from the truck and change into something a little sturdier if we are going riding?" Rowan asked. "I don't have any riding boots or leathers, but I do have some enclosed shoes that might work."

"I'll get your case," Chase said, taking his coffee cup to the sink. "Is it in the truck bed?"

"No, in the back seat," Jax answered, "and thank you." He tossed his keys to Chase who slipped out of the garage door. He was back in no time with her suitcase in tow.

"Is there somewhere I could change?" Rowan asked Jax.

"Oh sure, follow me." He held out his hand and she took it with a smile. Jax pulled her out of the kitchen and down the hall, past two closed doors until reaching one on the far left. He opened it quietly and let her precede him into the room before following her. He flicked on a soft light revealing a plush, semi-spacious room with a king-sized bed in rich navy and white bedding in the far corner of the room. In the other was a small entertainment center with a modest plasma screen and two game chairs set before it. One door led to a moderate sized bathroom attached to a not so moderate closet.

"Wow, this is really nice."

"Thanks." Jax set her suitcase on the end of his king-sized bed and then thumped down in the middle with a satisfied groan making Rowan laugh. "Yeah, this has been my room since I was in grade school. This is home, you know."

"It must be nice to have a place you can always come home to. Has it always had that huge closet? Seems out of place for a childhood bedroom." Jax sat up in his bed, legs touching the floor.

"You've got a good eye there, Ro. I took a piece of the bathroom to make the closet. I had to have room for all my shoes."

Rowan laughed at his open humility, walking around the room for a bit to take it in.

"Wow, this is a lot of equipment." She said, indicating the TV and entertainment center.

"Oh this, this is nothing, uh, I have a huge game room at my house in LA. I love my PlayStation and play a game called Diablo that I'm addicted to. And golf games. We have game nights at my house and play board games like Cranium, Category, Catan, and Pictionary. I just, I mean, they're like a form of release, a way to let go of all the stress my profession can sometimes bring." She nodded.

"I get it, like reading for me. When you read, or play a game, like you do, it's a way to escape your own reality and adopt the reality of another even if it's for an hour or so. Everyone needs something like that."

Jax smiled, amazed once again at how they just understood each other so well. Somehow she knew exactly what he meant and then said in a way that he couldn't. He pushed up off the bed and crossed to the door.

"I'm going to go see if I can rustle up some riding leathers for you from my mother. What shoe size do you wear? She's a bit taller than you, but she might have some boots you could use that would be better than those three-inch heels you're always wearing."

Rowan laughed. "If you were my height, you'd wear the heels too, so don't judge, but I wear a size seven usually."

"Ok, be right back," Jax smiled and left the room, closing the door behind him. He made his way to his mother's room and knocked lightly. At his mother's muted reply he opened the door and headed in. She was seated at her vanity, putting on her 'face' as she called it.

"Hi, darling, what can I help you with?"

"Think it would be all right if Rowan borrowed some bike leathers for a quick ride around Bartlett? I was thinking we could head up to Ma's for some tea, show her the town a little bit like you suggested until dinner at BB King's."

"Oh sure!" Lisa bounced up from her seat and turned toward the large walk-in closet, leading him inside. She handed him a pair of boots, gloves, socks, and a jacket. "These boots are size 8, but they'll have to do. I noticed she has such dainty feet this morning, I hope they'll work."

"These are great, mom, I'm sure they'll be ok."

"Oh I'm so glad you're going to show her around. If only your grandparents were here, she could meet them too, but they are with uncle Mac in Jackson right now. So sorry they couldn't be home to visit with you."

"I'm sure I'll see them soon, don't worry about that. If anything, I'll just make Jackson a stop on the way home."

"Oh great! I know they all will be thrilled with that."

"Thanks, mom," he kissed her on the top of her head and she patted his arm.

When he got back to the kitchen, Rowan, Rachel, and Chase were chatting away at the counter. She had changed her top to a soft cashmere-esque drop-shoulder sweater in a rose-pink color for warmth, he assumed, considering the silk top she had on would do little against the fall-cooled air during their bike ride.

He stopped to stare at her leaning against the arch into the kitchen, marveling at the porcelain quality of the exposed skin of her shoulders and neck which he knew felt just as smooth and soft as it looked. She didn't have a heavy wash of makeup hiding that skin, and she didn't need it. Just a touch of mascara, and some rosebud-colored lipstick which matched her top perfectly.

Her hair was a golden mix of blondes, some pale white, some soft gold, some cornsilk yellow, all shining and glinting in the late morning light. She had rolled it into a knot at the nape of her neck for the ride, exposing the soft line of her cheekbones and jaw. The delicate pink lobes of her ears glinted with little rose-gold studs. The combination of her skin and hair color made her emerald eyes pop so vibrantly that they seemed to glow. How on earth was this woman not in a relationship, Jax asked himself for what felt like the hundredth time.

She was jaw-droppingly gorgeous, funny, smart, and supremely kind. He felt a kind of looming sense of dread or anxiety just thinking about the potential illusion of her availability and the very real potential to damage him completely. He just knew that on some level he was setting himself up for not necessarily failure, but some kind of heartache by letting himself not only hope for more with her, but get it too.

"Jax... Jax.... You okay there bud?"

Jax shook himself and finally registered his friend's voice calling to him. His cheeks pinked slightly. How long had he been standing there just staring at Rowan going over his own internal ramblings?

"Uh, yeah, sorry." He cleared his throat and stepped through the entrance into the kitchen, holding out the leather jacket and boots for her. "These are size eight, so they might be too big, but at least it's better than those heels. You'll be able to get on and off the bike safely."

"Thank you so much, and I'll be sure to thank Lisa for the use of them too," she took them with a smile, setting the jacket over the back of the chair and leaning to strip off her heels.

"So, are you going to answer my question or what?" Chase said with a hint of amusement in his voice, and Jax dragged his gaze away from the graceful movement of Rowan's hands as she donned the thick boot socks and the leather boots.

"Um, what question?"

Chase laughed outright and shared a conspiratorial glance with Rachel. Jax nearly rolled his eyes.

"Oh, brother, you have got it bad. Not that I can blame you at all, right Rowan?" Chase said as he sobered up.

"Um..." Rowan blushed and dipped her head to focus on zipping and buckling the complicated boots.

"Dude, shut up," Rachel, Jax's stalwart protector, glowered at Chase. "Stop being annoying for more than five seconds please. You're making Rowan uncomfortable."

"Okay, okay," Chase held his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm sorry Rowan."

"No harm done, it's ok," she said demurely.

"No, he's right to apologize," Jax said, fixing his friend with a cold blue eye. "Sometimes Chase gets his too-big feet stuck in his too-big mouth and chokes, but he means well."

"Thanks, man, and for what it's worth, I was only trying to get under Jax's skin to knock him off that pedestal he carries around," Chase said to Rachel who rolled her eyes. Chase turned back to Jax, "I had just told Rowan that she should invite her friend Diana to the show in San Francisco too, you know, to keep her company while we all are busy. It would also be a nice way to say thank you for getting her into all of this. If it weren't for her, Rowan wouldn't be here." Chase said.

"That sounds like a possibility, I'd have to check with the MTV people first though, because there might be some ruckus over the fact that another fan is coming along, you know what I mean?" Rachel said. "We might have a mutiny from the others who submitted videos if they see two fans coming instead of just the one that was voted for."

"Oh yeah, yeah, I didn't even think of that."

"But I don't see any problem with your friend coming with you to another show that MTV wouldn't be taping your attendance to, like one of the shows in San Jose. I think we're doing two there or something and you are of course invited to those too, if you want." Jax added.

"Thanks, that's a very nice gesture. I'll check with her and find out her schedule, and mine too of course, but definitely, that sounds like fun." Rowan smiled softly, warmth in her eyes and Jax smiled sweetly back.

"Here, let me help you with this," he said, suddenly very ready to get her away from Chase and his brotherly antagonism. "It might be too big for you, but the leather will protect you if we crash, and keep you warm. There should be some gloves in the pockets too."

"We're going to crash?" Rowan asked teasingly.

"If, I said if," Jax teased back.

"Thank you." Rowan took the jacket from Jax and put it on. The sleeves were much too long for her so she folded them back. "It looks like it fits."

"Well, it will do the job anyway," Jax said.

Rowan pulled at the zipper which slid up smoothly until it reached her bust and the boys laughed as she grimaced and tugged dramatically at the reluctant zipper.

"It fits my waist fine. Actually, a little loose around the waist, but this is as far as this poor zipper is going to make it."

"You got that right." Chase said under his breath and Jax gave him a slightly reproachful look which was spoiled by the smirk that played around the corners of his mouth.

"It'll work. You don't need it zipped all the way up anyway." Jax donned his own leather jacket and then put on aviator sunglasses reminiscent of Top Gun fashion, delivering a saucy smile to match. "I feel the need for speed."

Rowan laughed and proceeded past him into the garage.

Jax moved to a row of shelves against the far wall near the motorcycles and removed two helmets. "These aren't really like Harley helmets, you know, like the skull caps you usually see us Harley bums wearing, but on the bright side they keep the sun off your face and people from recognizing you. Here, try this on." He handed her a smaller black helmet and she tugged it on. Jax felt the fit by placing fingers between her chin and the helmet. "Looks like it fits."

Rowan nodded her head, feeling the motion exaggerated by the weight of the helmet and she reached up a hand to steady its movement. Jax chuckled and opened the visor for her so that he could see her face as they were talking. "Do you want to ride my mom's bike on your own, or ride just one, behind me?"

"I think I'll let you drive this time around. I've never driven a Harley. This way I can get the feel of it, the power and the shifting, get a sense for it and then maybe I could ride your mom's on my own. I'm a good rider, but not as experienced on different bikes."

"That's actually a very smart idea, hop on then." Jax pushed his helmet on and sat on his bike, pulling gloves from his pocket. Rowan did the same and put her gloves on before attempting to mount. When he had his gloves on, he steadied the bike for her since she had to literally climb up into the seat in the back with only his arm for assistance.

She settled in tightly against him so that her thighs clasped his hips securely. For half a second, Jax contemplated switching places. She was so much shorter than he that he could probably still operate the bike with her snuggled into his crotch, but he abandoned that idea before it had even formed properly for safety. She wound her arms around his waist instead of using the seat grips, and he felt the lush press of her chest against his upper back. Then again, he thought, maybe this wasn't so bad either.

Jax pressed a button on the handle of his bike opening the garage door. He let it rattle open for a moment before firing up the engine in order to save their ears a bit. He started his bike and it roared to life with a husky growl. Rowan gave a squeal of delight, making Jax smile. He turned the bike toward the open garage door and let it coast down the drive without giving it too much throttle. He pressed the same button again to close the garage door and then another to open the gates at the end of the drive. Once outside the gates, however, he didn't hold back and he gunned the throttle. Rowan's grip on his waist tightened in surprise and his body shivered from both the feel of the raw power of the bike and the feel of her dainty hands clutching at his stomach.

He shifted gears, picking up speed. Rowan chirped again and leaned into him, pressing her chest to his back to peer over his shoulder. The hum of the bike made speech impossible so she merely hung on and enjoyed the ride.

Jax turned off the main road and down an unpaved back country road that was less populated, taking the long way to the Bartlett General Store. The day was clear and bright, with only a cooling hint of wind that reminded them that colder days were ahead. The countryside was beautiful, the trees letting loose with showers of multi-colored leaves that drifted lazily to the road's wayside, only to flutter again with their passing as if waving them on.

The drive was a leisurely ten minutes and Jax felt a twinge of regret when the tin roof of the General store peeked through the trees. He turned off toward the store, however, slowing his bike now that they were back on public roads and then braking to a stop directly in front of the store. He kicked the stand out but waited to get off in order to steady the bike for Rowan who slid gracefully to the ground, smartly avoiding the hot mufflers as she did so. Jax swung his leg up and over to stand on the ground and remove his helmet. He turned to Rowan whose gloved fingers were struggling with the strap beneath her chin. He smiled and helped her unbuckle the helmet and then remove it, enjoying the feeling of being needed by her. She tucked the helmet under her arm and smiled enthusiastically up at him.

"That was awesome! I have never enjoyed a bike ride more. A Harley feels completely different than any other bike I've ever ridden."

"I know right? All raw power. It's thrilling." Jax enthused right along with her.

"It really is. Thank you for the ride."

"You're so welcome," he reached out and smoothed a stray strand of hair that had escaped from her low knot, getting lost for a heartbeat or two in her eyes. He cleared his throat sharply then turned to the store front.

"So," Jax opened his arms in a 'here it is' gesture and Rowan looked up at a log cabin with a tin roof and a front porch with wood railing. "Here we are, the world famous Bartlett General Store, they have good people and good food. Are you hungry yet?"

"I could eat something." Jax led the way up the front porch of the store, waving to the old men sitting in antique looking wooden chairs just off to one side and held open the door for her. She passed him and stepped inside. The décor looked like it hadn't been remodeled, or dusted, since the 1940's, with deer heads on the walls and rusted signs advertising cans of oil and gasoline. Jax waved at the woman behind the counter who smiled at him with an easy familiarity. This is why this place felt like home to Jax; everyone treated him like just another citizen of the small town and not an international superstar.

"At this time of day, they have good pie and these awesome apple bread muffin things... Hoo boy, I dream about them sometimes."

Rowan laughed. "An 'apple bread muffin thing' sounds delicious."

"Good, we'll get it to go and then take a ride out to this place Chase and I used to go as kids, you'll like it." Jax approached the far side of the counter where a sign that read "Deli" hung loosely over the top of it. "Hey, how you doing, young lady?" He smiled at the older woman behind the counter and she smiled back.

"Oh you sweet talker, you," she waved a kitchen towel at him. "How you doin', honey? It's good to see you 'round here again. You in for a long stay this time? Bet your momma is sure happy you're home."

"Oh she is, and I am too, but I'll be heading out next week unfortunately. Had to come by and see you though before I did."

"You are too sweet to this old Ma, now stop talking my ear off and order something."

"Yes ma'am," Jax smiled and batted his long lashes once more at her and then turned to Rowan. "We'll have two of your apple muffins, and oh! You got cinnamon rolls? Ma, you're holding out on me. One of these big gooey ones, that one right there in the corner."

Rowan smiled softly to herself at his enthusiasm for his home-town food, especially when he turned to her with open eyes and expression of pure joy.

"You are in for a treat, now." He turned back to the old woman. "Can we also get two sweet teas to go?"

"Are you sure? How are we going to carry them?"

"Oh, they'll come in mason jars with lids. Won't spill a drop. If you bring back the mason jars, you'll get the tea cheaper next time."

"Smart."

While they waited for their pastries, he turned to Rowan who was poking a finger at a stuffed racoon on the counter looking confused. Jax shook his head with a grin.

"You'll find all kinds of things like that in here."

"Yeah?" Rowan said, looking around interestedly and finding other stuffed creatures; an opossum, badger, a buck with a huge pair of antlers, and a few birds she couldn't name.

"Yeah, most of these are probably from the woods around this place too. I've seen all of these critters out there."

"You were one of those free-range children then?" She asked with a smile and he laughed.

"I guess so. When I was about 14, my granddad bought me a motorcycle, like a little two-fifty, and I would drive these back roads over to the general store; that's how I would get around. Otherwise we would just get on our bicycles or trek it on foot"

"Sounds like a charmed childhood in a charmed place."

"I am starting to realize it now, especially after all the traveling I've done. There is no place like home." Jax looked around, feeling the nostalgia pull at him. "We would come in early on a weekend morning, and all the old men would be sitting around, just having come in from deer hunting, talking about you know, oh, 'I shot a six-point' and whatever. It was nice growing up in an area like this. It makes you realize at the end of the day what's kind of important, which is peace of mind, more or less."

Rowan smiled softly at the note of longing in his voice, and he took her hand, feeling a warmth for her that had nothing to do with lust.

As they waited for their orders, Jax greeted practically every occupant in the store. Each and every one of the people were genuine and unpretentious. They didn't gawk at him, didn't stop and beg for autographs. They stared a bit, but after waving and saying hi, were on their way.

"Wow," Rowan said, "I can't believe how nice everyone is. They don't even know me and everyone waves and says hi. They all stop to chat with you and they're like, normal. People are not like that where I'm from." Jax nodded.

"Bartlett is a special place where everyone knows each other by name. Where you all go to church on Sunday and then sit around and catch up over tea. Where if you're driving and another vehicle passes, you automatically put your hand up and wave. It's rural and spread out to the point where you could go all day without seeing a neighbor unless you rode a half a mile to your neighbor's fence line. The roads are all one-lane and there are no stop lights. The local kids spend their time at The General Store or the local watering hole. There were just five TV channels when I grew up and no cable. Our getting a satellite dish when I was 10 was a very big deal. What's it like where you grew up?"

"I'm from a small town too, but it was not this small. We still had a major shopping center, a mall, and a theater. You could see your neighbors out of your dining room window, though, which made for a nice kind of community. I played outside a lot with the kids in my neighborhood. We rode bikes, slept over at each other's houses. We also had farms and orchards surrounding the neighborhood. Just across the levy that surrounded my little neighborhood was a giant walnut orchard. Diana grew up a few streets over on a ten-acre plot and had cows and horses. So, a little suburbia, a little farm community... all rolled up in one. My town always felt small, but being here, it seems big."

"Oh, so you're one of those big city gals, huh? My momma warned me about you," Jax teased and she laughed.

"Oh yea, I'm super dangerous."

"You have no idea how true that statement is, baby." Her eyes widened but he didn't get a chance to hear her answer as Ma chose that moment to drop their orders on the counter. Rowan pulled a flat slip of a wallet from the back pocket of her jeans and opened it to pull out money.

"Uh... What are you doing?" Jax asked.

"I'm going to pay for my food?"

"I don't think so," Jax said, placing his hand over hers that held the money. "This is the South and here, gentlemen pay for the ladies. Isn't that right, Ma?" he asked the old woman behind the counter.

"That's right sugar. Ladies ain't got no use for money in Tennessee when they are being escorted by a gentleman, no ma'am."

"But, that's just, that's a little bit archaic, isn't it?" Rowan asked as Jax paid the woman and they left the shop. "I mean, it's the twenty-first century. I can pay for myself."

"It's not about whether you can pay or not. It's um, it's about... how do I say this... it's about manners I guess, and down here, manners dictate that the gentleman pays and it doesn't matter who the lady is, by the way. It's not about the relationship or the people involved, it's just about manners." Rowan still looked a bit perplexed so he tried one last time to express himself. "What I'm trying to say is that paying for your dinner, or paying for lunch or whatever is just like opening the door for you or letting you go first, like, if there's a line for something. That's what I mean. It's just manners."

"I think I can understand what you're saying. I guess having lived in California my whole life it's hard for me to see from your point of view."

"There is a bit of a cultural difference between here and California, I ain't gonna lie, there is."

"I'm starting to see that, though the difference isn't bad or anything, just different."

"Yeah," Jax said. They tucked their treats and jars of tea safely into the space beneath the pad of Rowan's seat where he had also stashed a light flannel throw for their next destination. "You ready?" He asked her after helping her buckle her helmet back on. She nodded her head wobbly and he laughed, buckling his own before hopping back on his bike and then helping her on as well. He fired up the bike and away they went, the roar of the engine thundering in their ears.

Rowan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on Jax just before he gave the throttle an extra turn, making the bike rocket forward with a burst of power and speed. She laughed joyously, and Jax smiled at the sound of it, feeling much like laughing himself. Nothing in the world could ever match that feeling, that exhilaration one feels with a burst of speed and power, nothing perhaps except the feeling of being in love. The burning warmth that surrounds the heart, the fluttery sensations in the pit of the stomach, the weakening of the knees.... That was perhaps why he loved the thrill of riding a bike so much, it was so comparable to the feeling of being in love. For a long time, he was satisfied with the substitution, but now, sitting on this bike with Rowan's arms around him, the warmth of her at his back, he realized that there was in fact no true substitution.

Chapter Seven

"My dick didn't stand a freaking chance."

Jaxon took Rowan on a tour of Bartlett which was very short. He wasn't kidding about the one lane roads and rural setting. They passed fields of cattle, orchards, and rows and rows of corn nestled around cherry red barns and idyllic homesteads. Whenever they passed another vehicle, whether it was a kid on a dirt bike or a farmer in a truck, Jax lifted his hand for a wave.

He slowed down the bike for a moment so he could shout over his shoulder to Rowan, telling her to hold on as it was about to get bumpy, then he turned off road for a bit and it did in fact get bumpy as they wove in and out of trees and over the many fallen leaves and clumps of grass. Eventually the terrain leveled as they found their way into an opening by the side of a small yet swiftly moving creek.

Jax stopped the bike beside a massive willow tree that hung out over the water's edge. He waited, holding the bike steady so she could step off before disembarking and pulling his helmet from his head in time to see her lifting her own. The dappled sunlight filtering between branches softly illuminated the golden glint of her hair and porcelain skin as she removed her gloves. Her beauty made his throat tighten with an emotion he didn't yet want to name, so he set his helmet down, removed his own gloves, and reached out a hand for hers. The sun peeping through the trees was warm so she took off the jacket and set it over the back of the bike. Jax followed suit, laying his over the top of hers.

"Wow..." she slowly turned on the spot, taking in the natural beauty of the quiet, private space. "This is beautiful. What is this place?"

"Just somewhere Chase and I used to come to when we were kids. We rode all over these woods on our dirt bikes exploring. Found some nice little spots just like this. Kinda bumpy reaching it on the Harley, though. Sorry about that"

"Totally worth it. This place reminds me of that spot in The Never Ending Story, where the kid and his horse stop to rest."

"Huh," he said, looking around with an interested eye. "You know, I never thought about that before, but you're totally right. I guess I never noticed because whenever I'd hang out here, I wasn't focused on the scenery, more the seclusion."

"Oh?"

"Oh yeah, perfect make out spot. No car can get back in here, and the nearest neighbor is at least a good ten miles away." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and Rowan laughed.

While he retrieved their pastries and drinks from the jump seat, Rowan explored the hollow, stopping at the water's edge to dip her fingers into the icy water. It was peaceful there, with only the tinkling sound of the water rippling over stones, the occasional call of a bird twittering in a branch, and the distant sound of a squirrel scrambling up the trunk of a tree.

After laying the light flannel throw beneath the tree for them to sit on, he re-emerged from beneath the willow's bower to call her over. He stopped when he caught sight of her crouching at the water's edge. Jax swallowed around the mysterious lump in his throat as he watched her, taking in once more her sheer beauty; the subtle golds in her hair, the smooth skin, pink lips, delicate fingers tracing ripples in the surface of the clean, clear water. He shook himself and stepped forward from behind to tell her their little picnic was ready, but was distracted by the sight of something peeking from beneath the top of her cashmere sweater whose hem had been caught in the top of her jeans and pulled low.

Rowan jumped when Jax's hand, suddenly warm and slightly rough, reached beneath her sweater and then lifted the cloth up and away from her skin. "Uh, what are you doing?" She asked, turning her head to look back at him.

"This is a tattoo, right here, on your back. Why didn't you tell me you had a tat?" He couldn't quite keep a note of disgruntled incredulity from peppering his words. He mentally kicked himself, dropped her shirt, and turned away.

"I didn't know it was so important to you?" She stood and followed after him, offering an uncertain smile.

"It's not like it's important to me, I'm just surprised you didn't tell me. I mean, you've told me everything else we've had in common, why didn't you tell me you were tatted too?"

"First of all I had no clue what we have in common as I'm not that type of fan, something that I am getting tired of reminding you, by the way. Secondly, I didn't offer all that other information. Other people brought it up or asked me and I gave them honest answers."

"What about the bikes, you brought up knowing bikes." He couldn't help sounding like a spoiled child despite his earlier mental scolding, feeling himself get angrier, but now at the fact that he was losing control of his emotions.

"Your mother brought up the bikes," she said quietly.

Jax's brow wrinkled with a scowl and he stomped over to the bike in question to fiddle with the helmets hanging from the handlebars.

"Wait, I don't think I understand what's going on here. Are you seriously upset that I didn't tell you or something? Which if you are... well... it's completely baffling considering I didn't know it was information I was meant to volunteer."

Jax stilled his fiddling and took a breath. He had to get a hold of himself; he was doing just what his mother had told him not to do! But to be honest with himself, he didn't know what to feel. There was a part of him that suspected all of those things Rowan had in common with him were a bit of an act, just like every other person in the world who said they loved basketball or played golf and knew about motorcycles. But now? Now he would have to rethink it a bit. Sharing tattoo history would be another thing they had in common to add to the pile. The fact that she didn't automatically bring it up and thrust it into his face was confusing.

His thoughts were interrupted as Rowan gave his shirt sleeve a tug. "Hey, you mind including me in on the conversation?" Jax smiled and quick as a flash pulled her into his arms for a hug, squeezing her tightly. "Whoa, what's this for? Not that I'm complaining." She squeezed him back and they stood swaying for a moment, holding each other, feeling that spark and pull between them. He let her go before he could be swept away.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry for getting huffy. It caught me off guard that you aren't going out of your way to point out all the things we have in common. I had to get it sorted in my mind for half a second is all. It's a new experience spending so much time with a fan, especially one who isn't constantly trying to butter me up somehow and show off for me."

"Hey, that's ok. Apology completely accepted. This is all new to me too. I think we've done remarkably well so far, though, don't you? We just need to keep the thought in our heads that we are people first, a fan and a celebrity second."

"You're right. I'm being a big dummy, as my dad would say. Let's sit." They stepped beneath the protective bower of the willow's wispy hanging branches and sat on the throw Jax had spread out on the ground.

"You're not a big dummy, Jax. You're a gorgeous, God of a man who is used to being pandered to for your godliness. It makes sense that you'd be a bit thrown when that pattern is disrupted." Jax nearly choked on the tea he had just taken a drink of.

"Godliness, huh?" he managed to say once he had cleared his throat of sweet tea.

"Are you going to try to deny it? Isn't that the reason you had that little moment back there?"

He tipped his head in her direction, conceding the point.

"In some ways, yes, I am used to the pandering and God-like idolatry especially from fans, but not usually those who are close to me... I mean, you saw this morning what happens when Chase and I spend more than ten minutes together. There is no pandering to be had whatsoever. Honestly, I'd punch him in the face if he tried to kiss my ass in any way shape or form."

Rowan smiled then took the first sip of her tea, immediately pulling a face and nearly choking. Jax burst out into full laughter.

"Oh wow... this is tea?" She grimaced, holding the glass up to her eye, studying the deep amber liquid which shone in the light flickering sporadically between willow branches.

"Yes," he smiled, rubbing a hand over his mouth. "It's sweet tea."

"Sweet is an understatement. Holy hell. It's like drinking a jar of sugar."

Jax laughed again. "I guess it's an acquired taste. I grew up on it, so it's delicious to me."

"Oh! I'm sorry if I offended your culture." She raised the jar to her lips again but Jax saved her, lowering her glass with a laugh.

"It's ok, you didn't offend me. Even for those of us raised here it can be a bit much at times. Just depends on who makes it. Ma's is one of the best other than my own mother's of course."

"Well, this is for you then," she screwed the lid back on the mason jar and emphatically set the tea on his side of the blanket, making him chuckle once more.

"I should have had the California girl taste-test it first before buying you a jar."

"This, though," she said around the bite of muffin in her mouth, "is heavenly. Yum."

"Oh yeah," he agreed, eating his own muffin in two bites before opening the large cinnamon roll. He passed her a plastic fork and set the roll between them.

"Oh man, this is delicious too. I can feel my arteries thickening and I don't even care. Wow." She scooped up another generous forkful and he smiled. He liked a woman who enjoyed food and didn't deny herself the pleasure by worrying about the calories.

"So," he said once they had consumed nearly the whole of the roll.

"'So' what?" Rowan asked, tossing a few crumbs to a few late sparrows hopping nearby.

"So..." he gestured with his fork-free hand toward her top, "Let me see that tattoo again."

She looked at him shrewdly and he gave her his biggest pout, putting his hands together in the pantomime of begging and said "Please?"

"Oh jeez, how could I say no to that?" She raised to her knees, turning so that he could examine it more closely. She pulled the bottom hem of her sweater down so the top of her back was exposed revealing half of the tattoo. He slid a hand along her shoulders and hooked the collar to pull it down and away, raising goose bumps on her skin.

"Is that an iris?" he asked, intrigued by the swirling water color style of the tattoo.

"Yeah, with a plumeria and roses. The iris is for my grandmother, the plumeria for my mother, and the three roses are for myself and my two younger sisters. A little posy of women as flowers. We are our mother's daughters and all that."

"It's beautiful. It looks like it's painted onto your body rather than a regular hard lined tattoo. Is that your only one?"

"No, I have two more."

Jax's mouth dropped, impressed. "You have three tats?"

"Yes. Yhy's that so hard to believe?"

"I guess it's not considering that you're a biker chick and all."

"If you say so," Rowan laughed.

"What are they?" He asked.

"Besides the flowers I have horseshoes on my right ankle and stars on my left side."

"That sounds hot." Jax said, making Rowan blush. "What is the story behind the other two?"

"The horse shoes are for my best friend, Diana. She has the same ones on her left ankle angled in such a way that the horse shoes flow off my ankle and onto hers when we line up our feet."

"Oh, that's cool."

"Thanks, it was her idea. She grew up on a small farm and used to barrel race professionally. Horses are her thing. If I had won the coin toss, we'd have tire tracks instead." Jax burst out laughing, making the little sparrows hop away and back again.

"The stars are... well..." She plucked at a blade of grass, fidgeting. He gave her the time to work things out, but quickly found himself somewhat mesmerized by her fingers gently plying the grass from their roots. When he looked up again at her eyes she smiled softly, gently, but he noticed it didn't quite meet her eyes. "I'll save the story behind the stars for another day, if that's ok."

"Completely ok. No pressure. I'm here to listen when you're ready though."

"Thank you," she smiled again and this time her eyes did too. He wanted so badly all of a sudden to erase whatever dimmed those eyes in the first place, but he didn't push.

"So, how many tattoos do you have?" She asked.

"I have, what..." he tapped his chin and did some mental calculations, "five tattoos now. Yes, five. Do you want to see them?"

She smiled. "Maybe, but does that mean I have to show you mine?"

Jax smiled back. "Of course, tat for tat, you know how it is."

"Then I'll pass for now."

"Scaredy-cat. Poor, poor, scared baby," he purred low, drawing out the last word. Her pupils dilated and her nostrils fluttered. It was so fun turning her on. Then Rowan's eyes narrowed and she bit her lip.

"I know what you're doing..." her voice was a breathy wisp of sound, contending with the wind. Jax leaned forward to catch the last whisper.

"Yeah? What's that?" Jax licked a curl of cream cheese frosting from the tip of his finger and her eyes shot open, her lips parting.

"You are too old to pretend that you don't know exactly what you're doing, and exactly what doing that is doing to me."

"What, this?" Jax picked up another curl of icing from the remnants of the roll and licked his finger exaggeratingly slowly while he watched the most delicious blush crawl across her cheeks. Jax gulped, a throb of lust, hot and thick, rushed through him at the expression on her face.

"Damn, I think I just played myself," he swallowed thickly, feeling his own cheeks pink, and Rowan smiled up at him beneath her lashes. He studied her face intensely; the pleasing shape of her delicate jaw and brow, the pink hue of her cheeks, her fantastically lovely eyes, and the succulent shape of her mouth. Rowan wet her lips with her tongue, making Jax's mouth go dry. He knew right then that he had to kiss her.

He set the remnants of their small meal aside and rose to his knees, then reached for her. He dipped his head forward to press his lips softly against hers. His palm gripped her cheek and his fingers tangled in the hair at her temples before sliding to the back of her head. He pulled her closer and kissed her more deeply. Her lips were soft and pliant, her bottom lip plush and full between his. Rowan made a soft sound in her throat, driving all rational thought from his mind and he tentatively brushed her bottom lip with his tongue before stroking her tongue tenderly with his own.

Blood sang hot and thick in his veins, swiftly settling in his cock. He deepened the kiss, breaking whatever invisible string had been holding back the ardent desire he felt for her constantly since their very first meeting. That rush of lust which inspired so many moments of self-abuse yesterday. In this secluded spot underneath the willow tree with the whispering pines and singing brook, he let go, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her roughly to him. She arched her back and wrapped her own arms around him, also giving herself over to this rush and pull between them.

"Your mouth is amazing," he groaned huskily into her mouth. "You kiss with your whole body, I can't get enough." She simply whimpered in response, reaching for his mouth once more, lost in her need for him. He eased her down onto the blanket, lying beside her, half covering her to kiss her again.

Rowan slid a hand up his arm and over his shoulder to grip the back of his head, completely lost in the depth of their kiss. Their mouths were sweet from the icing, warm and wet as they melded together, each stroking and nibbling on the other's lips and tongue. Their hands were as busy as their mouths, giving as much pleasure to the excited senses. Rowan's hand moved from Jax's head down his back and up over his stomach and chest, rubbing and stroking the toned muscles she found there. Jax gave as good as he got but took it a step further, opting to delve beneath the clothing. His long fingers splayed across the smooth skin of her back and then cupped a curving hip before moving lower to grip her tight little bottom. He nearly groaned with the feel of it in his hand, the pleasing curve fitting perfectly in his palm. He gave it another squeeze and then moved down the length of her thigh to fit his hand beneath her knee, lifting her leg and pulling it over his hip so that they could be closer still.

Rowan gasped, throwing her head back when Jax's hips pressed against hers and she felt the hard length of him beneath his jeans. Jax took the opportunity her gasp of pleasure afforded him to press his mouth against the feminine length of her throat, testing the smooth expanse with his teeth and making her positively whimper. The sound of it made his blood rush through his veins. She was so sexy and open with her desire, no artifice, just raw sexuality, raw need. His free hand returned to her curvy behind and he pressed her closer still, so that their hot, blood-filled parts ground together, fanning the already smoldering flames of their desire.

Jax's mouth returned to hers, reclaiming her tongue with his. Rowan's free hand slid down, down the rippled expanse of his stomach to his navel, but before she could start tracing the light sprinkling of hair below she was interrupted by the phone in Jax's jacket slung over the bike. The crooning sound of his ringtone broke them apart with an abrupt start, bringing them back to their senses. They laughed, their hearts hammering in their chest.

"Fuck that phone, let the damn thing ring." Jax growled.

Rowan laughed harder, throwing her head back. Jax squeezed her ass before he bent his head once again to her mouth. His insides melted at the press of her mouth and the press of her hips. She spread her thighs a bit wider, tilting her hips up to slide her hot, hot crease along the hard, thick length of him in his jeans. He groaned an obscenity into her open mouth. She was liquid heat and he desperately wanted to feel her on his fingers, his lips, his tongue. He started to reach for the clasp on her jeans but hesitated. Just a few hours ago, she had expressed how she had felt ashamed for playing on the phone last night. He decided to let her call the shots on how far they'd go just now and refocused on simply kissing the breath out of her.

He reclaimed her mouth and caressed her face before gripping the back of her head. Rowan's hands gripped his neck and then shoulders, pulling him closer to her. She slipped a hand beneath the neck of his shirt delighting in the play of muscles on his shoulders.

Inspired by her touch, he let his hands do what they had been longing to do, wander all over her body. He started simple, at her smooth stomach, then moving up, pulling her top as he went, to cup one well-rounded breast through her lacy bra. Rowan whimpered against his mouth when Jax kneaded her breast, and he nearly exploded right then and there at the sound of it. The heavy weight of her felt wonderfully warm against his palm. He was amazed that his large hand was left unfulfilled, and he rubbed his thumb against the exposed skin at the top of her bra before using it to hook the ice-blue lace cup and pull it down and away from a taught pink nipple to stroke and knead with his thumb. Meanwhile his mouth skipped down her throat, over her shoulders, up the curve of her breast to her nipple. He lanced the tight bud with his tongue before pulling it slickly within his mouth to tease and nip with his teeth, feeling it tighten even more on his tongue.

"Oh my god, that feels so good, yes, please," Rowan wrapped her legs around his hips and ground up into him, arching her back, pressing her breasts further into his face.

"You're so fucking beautiful, so... oh, fuck," he felt that spike, that surge deep within that signaled an oncoming orgasm and he tried to back off, stilling his hips. He couldn't spend himself in his pants like some rutting teen, but Rowan wasn't stopping. She was lost to the sensation, the feel of his hard body spread over her, grinding into her, his lips and teeth scraping across her tender breasts... it was proving all too much for her, he felt her rhythm change, become a touch more urgent against him and he gave in, following her lead like he promised himself he would.

He renewed his attack on her breasts, thrusting his jean-clad cock up and against her wet heat, feeling the thrum of her moan beneath her breasts turn into a full-throated cry as she came in his arms. Her hips rode frantically against the front of his hard jean-clad cock, rocking in time to the pulse of the orgasm coursing through her, sending each limb trembling. He pulled back from her breasts in time to watch the last throes of her ecstasy play across her beautiful features, distorting them in the sexiest way. The sight, sound, and feel of her overwhelmed his senses and he spent himself in his pants above her, rocking in time to his own spasms, breathing heavily against her plump chest.

"Oh, Jax," she gasped, stroking his shorn head and panting.

"I know. I swear I just meant to kiss you, but..." he breathed heavily above her, resting himself on his elbows.

"I know, we can't stop ourselves."

"You kiss so... it's kind of indescribable, your mouth, your body... it's like you kiss with your whole body. My dick didn't stand a freaking chance."

Rowan laughed, throwing her head back. Damn she was sexy, even when she laughed, wholeheartedly without restraint, breasts bared to the willow bower beneath a clear autumn sky... no fear, no worry, just joy and freedom. That was probably one of the things he most enjoyed about her. Whatever she did, she did passionately, giving everything she had, even to a laugh.

He sat back to admire her for a heartbeat more before he pulled the lace cups of her bra back into place and lowered her sweater. She was so beautiful, all creamy skin made pink with need. She sat up too, the humor dissipating.

"Oh my god," she clasped her legs together quickly, her face flaming in embarrassment.

"What?" he asked, intrigued and a touch alarmed. He hoped she didn't feel ashamed like she had this morning over what just happened. "You okay? Not feeling any regrets are you?"

"No, it's... uh..." she found his blue eyes with her green, then looked away again. "I'm um... I'm soaked. When you moved away and I sat up, the air hit me and... I'm sure it looks like I peed my pants." It was Jax's turn to laugh. "Hey, don't laugh at me!" she said, starting to giggle herself.

"I can't help it, you're too adorable. And good, I'm glad you've got wet pants. Now we'll match."

"Yes, but my clothes are at your parents'. I hope to God no one will be in the kitchen so we can sneak into your room and I can change."

"Your jeans are dark. Only I will know you flooded your panties when you kissed me." He smirked, a note of mirth in his eyes.

"Hey, it was more than a kiss, but yes, I can't help it. You're too good at making me wet."

Jax hissed in a breath, and just like that he wanted to get her off all over again. But he knew that if he reached for her, he would physically be incapable of stopping himself from ripping off her clothes and burying his face and other choice parts between her thighs whether she wanted him to or not. He could smell that wet heat from here as well as his own emission. No, it was much better to get up and head back now before he lost all control completely.

"Even though I hate, positively hate to say this, we should head back."

"Okay," she pressed her lips together and then stood. Jax grabbed her shoulder though, turning her around to face him and keeping her from picking the flannel throw from the ground.

"Hey, I didn't say we had to go right this moment though." He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her slight frame, one hand reaching for a shapely cheek to grip. "Did you know you have the sexiest damn booty on the planet? I can't keep my hands off of it."

Rowan laughed, running her hands down his back until she gripped his behind tightly. "You know? Yours isn't so bad either."

Jax laughed and then kissed her softly before drawing back to look down into her lovely face, admiring the flush their teenage-like dry humping/make-out session had put on her cheeks. Rowan smiled and wrapped her own arms around him, raising up on her tiptoes to press her lips against his. It quickly turned from tender to passionate and Jax found himself falling deep, deep into her, his senses wrapped up in all things Rowan. He held himself back however and released her mouth, kissing her cheek and then forehead. She pressed her freshly kissed cheek to his chest and his beating heart which thundered a little faster than normal. He stroked the back of her head. Rowan sighed contentedly and he knew she was enjoying the tenderness of the moment as much as he was.

"Okay," Jax sighed heavily before letting her go. "No more stalling, we got to go." Rowen fixed her hair by straightening it back more neatly into the makeshift bun at the nape of her neck to protect it from the wind, then slipped back on her helmet.

They parked the bike in the garage but didn't enter the kitchen right away. Instead Jax took her hand and led her through the side door and around the corner of the house to the back deck. He scratched his pups' ears and then checked to see if anyone was in the family room. With the coast clear, he eased the door open and they snuck through to the hallway, his pups heading to the kitchen. Rowan stifled a giggle at their cat and mouse tactics and he joined her, feeling awkward but thankful that they would have a chance to change their clothes before interacting with his family again.

Once inside his bedroom, he eased the door shut behind them and locked it. They both let out a sigh of relief. She moved to the open suitcase on his bed and found a clean pair of pants and panties to change into.

"I'm so glad I packed more than I needed. I seem to be running through quite a few outfits."

"You can always borrow some of my boxers if you run out."

"Is that so? Am I going to need more changes of clothes before you take me to the airport tomorrow morning?"

"Oh, damn, yeah... I forgot about that." Jax looked at his watch. It was just about one. More than half of their time together had passed.

"Awe, I didn't mean to make you sad. We have all night, Jax. And I can take a nap on the plane." Rowan put down her change of clothes and stepped into his arms. He breathed in the top of her head. She smelled like sex, pine trees, and that unique scent all her own - roses and vanilla.

"It's weird, right, that I should be sad. I met you yesterday."

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. He felt that same pull bordering on desperation now that their time together was drawing to a close. "It's not weird. We did just meet yesterday, but look at everything we've experienced since then. It doesn't feel weird to me to want you as much as I do, and I feel incredibly special that you seem to feel the same for me. It'll be ok, Jax. You'll be so busy with your tour things and I'll be so busy with school and work that the time will fly as fast as it has today. We'll be meeting for your first show in no time."

"Is that really the next time I'll get to see you? That's about three months from now."

"Well, I've got breaks between now and then, but it all depends on your schedule, really. And it's not like we live in the dark ages! We have phones, we have video chat, and we live like a two hour plane ride from each other in California. When you think about it, it's not that bad, is it?"

Jax nodded. She was right, but it still felt so wrong to have found her and then lose her all within twenty-four hours. He wasn't going to be losing her to space, but time. His schedule was going to blow up and consume any chance they had at making even a long-distance friendship possible. He knew this, and he should tell her that, but the words stuck in his throat.

"Hey, let's change and then head to Beale Street a little early. You promised to show me Memphis, remember? We've got time for that." Rowan said, drawing him out of his morose mental wanderings.

"Ok, you're right. Let's get changed." The note of despair lessened which made her smile. She turned quickly and pulled her sweater up over her head exposing her slender expanse of her back with its hourglass curve at the hip and smooth, peachy skin. Jax sucked in a breath. How on earth did she plan on leaving this room if she was going to just take off her clothes right in front him?

She jumped at the touch of his guitar roughened hands sliding across the stars down the right side of her ribs.

"Damn, this is beautiful... sexy as hell." She half turned to watch his fingers traipse along the little milky way galaxy sprawling across her ribs before disappearing into the waistband of her jeans. It was a swirling froth of marrons, rose-bud pinks, mauves, and bubbling white and silver in a style matching the bouquet between her shoulder blades. Dozens of tiny stars weaving in and out of each other like a ribbon with fuzzed edges starting just below, scrolling across her right rib cage, then curling around her right hip. He turned her to follow its path, tracing the swirl of stars across her right hip bone. He unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, tugging them past her hips to her knees then pulled the edge of her little matching ice-blue thong down to find the end of the swirling ribbon which finished about an inch or so above the start of her hot mound.

"Wow, that must have taken a long time to ink," he rasped out, his voice hoarse.

"I sat for two four-hour sessions, one for the outlines and the other for the colors."

"It's amazing, and perfect for you... enhances your beauty, your curves. I couldn't imagine any other tattoo for you now."

"Thank you," she purred in delight as his hand hadn't stopped stroking despite finding the end of the ribbon. He looked up from the swirl of color and caught her expression full of heady desire which rekindled his own. He pulled her closer, bending his head to kiss her and she tilted her face up to his, meeting his kiss with just as much hunger. He pulled her against him, gripping her bare ass cheeks, feeling their soft firmness and kneading. One hand moved to cup her mound over her little ice-blue lace thong and he practically whimpered. She was so, so wet, just like she said. No false advertisement there. The lace was soaked with the juice of her desire and earlier orgasm, and she was so hot, just radiating heat.

He slipped a finger beneath the lace, tracing the plump folds to find a slippery path to her hard, hot clit. She gasped when he found it and circled once, twice. Her knees shook and nearly buckled. He held her upright with his other hand and kissed her more deeply, lavishing her lips and tongue in imitation of what he longed to do to her other lips down below. She gripped his shirt in one hand and cupped his hard length with the other, feeling for his shape with her fingers, finding his edges to get as good a grip as possible in order to squeeze and stroke him through the fabric. He groaned into her mouth, her soft, delicate hand felt so good against him, but he wanted more this time.

Just before he could push her down onto the bed and do what he had been fantasizing about doing since he first laid eyes on her, a knock sounded on the door. They jumped in the air, breaking apart. Both of them had completely forgotten that they were groping and gasping in the broad light of day in his childhood bedroom.

"Um, give me a minute," he called, his voice thick with need. Rowan's eyes were round as saucers, her face bright red.

"Oh my god," she mouthed and he smiled like the guilty child he was.

"Just checking to see if you were home, darling. The bike's here but you didn't come in. Are you okay?"

"Holy Pete, mom, yes. I'm fine, just changing. I'll be out in a minute."

"Ok, I'm glad everything is alright, honey. When you're finished changing, come join us in the kitchen for a round of cards and a drink will you? Bring Rowan too, darling." The sound of her moving on down the hall had him letting out the breath he had been holding.

"Oh wow, I forgot where we were. I'm kind of glad we were interrupted because there is no way I can keep quiet if it went any further than that and I would be so... just so mortified." Rowan breathed, turning her back and dropping her soiled pants and panties. Jax admired the view for all of thirty seconds because she whipped on a new thong, hot pink this time, and black jeans. She yanked a clean sky-blue waffle-knit Henley over her head and pulled her hair out of its braid, running her fingers through it to work out the kinks. She finished her outfit with a blush pink knit cardigan which contrasted nicely with the sky blue.

Jax sighed. She was so beautiful and it frustrated him to no end that he wasn't able to take this where he wanted it to go. She bent and picked up her soiled clothing, stuffing it into a corner of her suitcase. Jax had the wild urge to shove her panties into his face but resisted. Instead he subtly licked the finger of his right hand and bit back a groan. She tasted so sweet on his fingers. What would it be like to taste fresh from the source? She turned back around and Jax dropped his fingers.

"We better join them, don't you think? God, do you think your mom knows we were fooling around in here? Oh! I could just die, right now."

"It's ok, even if we did just have sex in here, she wouldn't judge. She's the best mom in the world, really. More like my best friend than my mom."

"My mom would throw a huge fit and kick you out of her house if she caught us alone in my bedroom with the door locked, and yes, even though I'm 23. She's really a prude about sex."

"Not all moms are, it's ok. She is not upset in the slightest, I can promise you that."

"Ok," she took a deep breath, "that's good." She turned to head into the bathroom and he held out a hand to stop her.

"Wait," he called softly, planting his feet and pulling her toward him. "I've been dying to do this," he said softly. Pushing the long fingers of his right hand into the knot of hair at the back of her head, he tugged at the tie holding it captive until long, golden, sweet-smelling waves spilled over his hand. He plowed his fingers through its thickness, luxuriating in the texture, the softness, the fragrance. He leaned in and took a deep breath, letting the feminine smell of the golden mass rip through his brain and stroke his senses. Rowan's mouth opened on a soft sigh, her eyes closed as she gave herself over to the sensuous stroking. He swallowed thickly and took a deep breath before lowering his mouth to hers. He pulled on her tongue with his own, causing her to moan softly into his mouth.

"That was mean," she whimpered as he pulled back.

"Why's that?" Jax laughed.

"You know why. You're getting me all revved up again when you touch me like that. Your hands are so strong. That felt insanely good."

"Someday I'll touch your whole body like that."

"Promise?" she looked back over her shoulder up under lashes and winked, then slipped through the bathroom door. He smiled at her retreating back and then sighed. How he wished he could promise that.

He reluctantly backed out of reach and crossed to his walk-in closet. He pulled out a clean pair of boxer briefs, green, and dark gray jeans. He grabbed a dark gray T-shirt and found another thick sweater, deep forest green this time with charcoal gray edging, and long in length to hide his crotch. He took several steadying breaths to quiet his cock and his nerves.

As he dressed, he heard the water in the bathroom sink through the wall of his closet and decided to do the same thing. Once she was out, he used the bathroom himself and washed his hands in cold water, splashing some on his face as well to cool his blood. Just before he opened the door, his eye caught on the edge of his shaving kit. He paused long enough to reach in and snag a few foil packets, dropping them in his pocket just in case. He had been unprepared for their intimacy in the willow bower, but if this evening went like he hoped it would, he didn't want to be unprepared again.

"Ready?" he asked when he exited the bathroom.

"As I'll ever be, I guess." He held out his hand to her. She took it, and they left the room together.