But not like that. Maybe it was just because in Asher I sa
w the first bit of brightness in so long. It weren’t all just physical, though I’d be a damn dirty liar to say that didn’t play a part. But I was intrigued by him, and I didn’t wanna have things messed up so soon.
Asher watched Hank drive off, then took a deep breath that pumped up his big chest.
“I shouldn’t stick around, I’m already causin’ trouble,” he said at last, and I’d already estimated that was comin’. He grabbed his bag from around the corner of the door and headed off toward the shed where he’d kept his bike. “I’ll work for my meal this mornin’ still, but then I should be goin’.”
“Asher, no,” I said with way more of a whine than I’d intended as I followed after him, still bare footed.
“I’m gonna go sort this all out with Marcus, get him off your back and it’ll be fine. I really could use the company, y’know?”
“And I really like your company. And your cookin’,” he said as we walked on through the sunny mornin’ into the shed. “But I really don’t wanna get wrapped up in the law, and your Sheriff don’t seem like the type to let things go. He’s probably already lookin’ up my name as we speak,” he said, dropping his back by the door and going to his motorcycle.
“So what’s the big deal with that?” I said, hoping once again to find out his secrets, why he was so concerned about people finding out who he was. Not that I’d be any different, not wantin’ a run in with the sheriff in a new town, but he was makin’ a thing of it.
“I’m nobody you wanna be mixed up in anyhow,” he said, and grasped his bike by the handlebars before he froze. A moment later he dropped to his knees and looked over the bike, lettin’ out a curse as he inspected the metalwork.
“Fuck!” he swore again, risin’ up and lookin’ away with his fists balled up in anger.
I had a sinkin’ feelin’ that we hadn’t caught Marcus on the way in, but the way out...
“W-what is it?”
He gave a kick to his bike and pointed down at the machine.
“That fucker,” he said, grittin’ his teeth in anger. “Well I ain’t goin’ nowhere anytime soon. Not unless you got a motorcycle shop I don’t know about somewhere nearby, and they accept payments in ‘thank yous’.”
Anger rose up within me.
I couldn’t believe Marcus would ever do something so horrible, so heinous, and my skin was just as red as a fire engine, I knew.
I could almost feel the steam coming out of my ears, and I clasped my hands into fists. I was loosin’ my cool.
“That little dick,” I cursed, so unlike myself. I just couldn’t believe it, though!
Whatever it was about my bein’ angry, it helped Asher catch his own cool again. His fists loosened, and he reached up to run a hand back over his hair then reach out to squeeze my shoulder.
The two of us stood together like that for a while in quiet silence, the buzz of the hot summer day in the air as bugs whizzed by the shed door, the warming air flowing into the shaded area where we stood. It seemed to last an eternity, but not long enough either.
“Hey, don’t let it bug you,” he urged, his voice returning to its usual calm again after that momentary flare up of his frightful anger.
“That’s all you got! That and the clothes on your back, and he just breaks it? You’re not payin’ for this, no way. He’s goin’ to give you every penny you need and an apology. This ain’t right, Asher, ain’t right at all, not after you’ve been so good and doin’ not a thing wrong. He just can’t see past your tattoos and muscles and the bike, that’s all, and that ain’t fair he’s judgin’ you for that.”
Nothing of those three things being the main thing that attracted me to him...
He took a deep breath again, focusin’ himself.
“It’s okay,” he said, but he wore a smile on his face once more. Somethin’ about my words must’ve cheered him up a might, because he lifted his free hand to my chin and directed his gaze to mine. “We’ll sort that all out in time, don’t you worry. But in the meantime…” he shrugged his broad shoulders. “Guess I’m stayin’ for now anyhow.”
There were things I coulda done, maybe. Offered him a ride in the back of my pickup, bring him and his bike to the nearest autobody shop, but I selfishly didn’t wanna overextend my helpfulness. Especially watchin’ his mouth smile like that again, and the feel of his hand on my chin. It was like fireworks were goin’ off inside me.
“Yea,” I said dumbly, but I couldn’t call upon no more words than that. I was transfixed.
His big, strong hand went from my chin up to my hair, where he petted my long locks so affectionately. Havin’ such a big strong man, smilin’ down at me all tender like was more soothin’ than I’d like to admit. Reminded me of better times, and times I’d never had neither!
“I can think of worse fates,” he said, and he sounded genuine, though part of me knew he had a real urgency about him when Hank had asked him questions. He was runnin’ from somethin’. Someone.
And I won’t lie, it should’ve made me more cautious. I knew just as sure as Marcus that from the looks of him he was trouble, but everything about him called out to me. Made me want him in a very real way that I couldn’t fight.