She couldn't believe he had come into her bar... HER bar!! A hundred bars in this town, and he had to come to hers. Fucker! Yea, he had broken her heart... Dumped her for that skinny blond chic. But she wasn't sitting around crying. Fuck that shit! Lizzy moved down the bar to stand in front of him. Fists moved up to rest on her hips... She wasn't some skinny girl. No, she had strong legs, hips, broad shoulders. Green eyes glared down at him. A strand of red hair had fallen out of her pony tail. She brushed out of her face irritably. He kept his head bowed, elbows on the counter, as he stared into a glass of soda.
"Jack!" She snarled. His head came up slowly. A two day scruff of beard covered his face. There were craggy lines on that face, that hadn't been there before. Brown hair was rumpled. His eyes met hers, then slid away, guilty. Anger flared up hot and raw in her chest. Suddenly her hand came off that hip, and she smacked him hard across the cheek. She hit him so hard it turned his head. The bar went quiet, as everyone turned to stare. Fred rushed over.
"What are you doing, Lizzy?" He hissed, furious. Technically it was his bar, she worked there. But still, Jack had no right to come in here...not after what he had done. Lizzy turned her fiery eyes on Fred, ready to go off on him.
"It's OK, Fred." Jack said, holding up a hand. With the other, he rubbed his jaw. A bright red spot showed up under the scruff. "She has a right to be pissed. I was an ass."
"You think?!!" She snorted. "Why are you here, Jack?"
"I came to say I'm sorry, Lizzy." He gave her a sad look, finally meeting her eyes. "I need to make amends."
"Oh, now you're sorry.... Now you're sorry?!!" Nostrils flared, and she swayed, ready to strike again.
"Go cool off, Lizzy." Fred said, pointing to the back hall. "Maybe you should leave, Jack." Lizzy stood her ground, staring them both down. Jack grabbed his leather jacket off the back of the stool.
"I was stupid, Lizzy, really stupid!" He said, backing away. "I need to talk to you. I'm sober now." He turned, heading for the door, riding boots striking the floor. Liz didn't relax until she heard the hum of a motorcycle engine starting up in the parking lot.
Gravel crunched under her boots, as Lizzy headed out to her truck. It was her baby, the old '79 Chevy, silver and chrome. Fred's Honda sat nearby. Theirs were the only vehicles left at the bar. She was exhausted after work... and all that drama with Jack. A movement off to the left caught her eye. A shadowy form...outside of the ring cast by the parking lot light. It was coming her way.
"STOP!" She commanded. The figure continued to move toward her... Bulky shape, moving with purpose. Ducking low, she had her Smith and Wesson 9mm out, arm extended.... Hand was braced against the hood of the truck. The slap of the slide, as she'd chambered a round, still echoed through the empty lot.
"Oh shit!" Jack hissed, freezing. "Oh God, don't shot me, Liz!" At the sound of his voice, she lowered the gun, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She studied him, as she emptied the round from the chamber, and fed it back into the magazine. There was no sign of his motorcycle here... must be down the road a bit. She tucked the gun back into the waist of her jeans. She didn't say a word, until she had it stowed away. He moved toward her, into the light.
"You're back." It was a statement. Her lips pressed tight. "You shouldn't go sneaking up on people in the dark, Jack."
"No shit!" He grimaced, eyeing her warily. "But Lizzy, I really got to talk to you..." He glanced nervously at the bar. Fred would be coming out any minute. Jack knew the man would not be happy to see him back here.
"Got nothing to say to you." She growled. "Unless you want me to hit you, again."
"You can do that if you want..." He said it so softly that she almost didn't hear him.
"What?"
"I said... You can hit me again, if you want too." A little louder this time. Liz stared at him for a long moment, then strode around the truck to where he stood. She brought her hand down across his face with a resounding SMACK. He stood still, absorbing the blow, eyes closed. Suddenly, she reached up under his open jacket, grabbing a fist full of muscle. It was right where the neck and shoulder met.
"Kneel down, and say you're sorry." She ground out the words. Her hand was pulling on him. Jack hesitated for one split second, then denim hit the dirt. Gravel pressed through the jeans against his skin. He stared up at her in the light.
"Is this what you want? Me on my knees?" He asked. She nodded silently, lust darkening her eyes. Stepping forward, she kicked his knees further apart with the toe of her boot. A hand reached down to run through his hair, then she grabbed a handful and roughly yanked his head back.
"Say it then... Say you're sorry now." She spoke in a low husky tone.
"I'm so sorry, Lizzy!" Came his murmured reply, as he choked back a panting sob. For a second, it looked like she might kiss him. But she thought the better of it, and stepped away, releasing him instead. He moaned at her absence, missing that kiss. He almost missed the words tossed over her shoulder, too...
"Follow me home."
Home was still the trailer, set out on the edge of the desert, on the five acre lot. The moonlight shone so bright, it cast shadows over the landscape. She parked her truck and watched as his Harley pulled through the gate. A canopy stretched along the front of the old renovated Airstream, casting a dark shadow. Moving toward the door, she left him to find his way in. Jack stopped to stare at the place. It used to be his home. She had kept it up nice. Three years ago... The memory hit him like a gut punch. He very nearly hit his knees again...
All they seemed to do was fight, some sort of power struggle, constantly. He was partying a lot with the motorcycle club. She was working at the bar. There was some dumb blond hanging on him every chance she got. Lizzy was pissed. He kept telling her to relax, trust him. She wanted him to tell the girl to get lost... Said it was his job to do that... to let the bitch know he was taken. He never told her that there was nothing going on with that girl. Just kept insisting that she should trust him, told her to back off. One night, things blew up something fierce. Another big fight, Lizzy crying in the small kitchen. He was drunk again. Yanking the trailer's title out of a file, he signed it over to her... threw it down on the table. Then he had packed up his saddle bags and drove off into the night. Stupid! Left her here, all alone... So far from friends and family. Riding on the side roads, he took two weeks to get up to Washington State. Then, still angry with her, he got a job as a lumberjack. Took him about three months to realize what a mistake he had made... Yea, he was pretty thick headed. Once it hit him... The reality of what he had done, he was too ashamed to go home, or even call. It took three years of kicking himself in the ass, before he decided to at least a try to come home.
'Here goes nothing' He thought, watching the lights come on in the trailer... But there had been something there, when he had knelt for her tonight... right? Had he misunderstood that look of desire in her eyes? He walked to the door and knocked. A muffled "Come in" from inside. Heart in his throat, Jack yanked open the metal door and stepped up the stairs. Liz was sitting in almost exactly the same spot as she had been the night he left... Only now she wasn't crying. Now, she had her arms crossed, regarding him with a stony stare. Yea, she had gotten tougher over these past few years... No doubt about that!
A pair of handcuffs sat on the table. He eyed them curiously. She had always been bossy... pushy even, but never kinky. His cock throbbed hard in his faded jeans. They were too tight to hide anything. She eyed his crotch with a raised brow.
"Been gone a long time, Jack." No trace of the sweet smile that used to light that freckled, sun kissed face.
"I was an asshole" He said, wondering how many more times he would have to say that.
"Was? Something change?" Such a hard look.
"Yea... I grew up. I realized how much I want you, how much I need you." Maybe this had been a bad idea, coming back. Maybe she just wouldn't take him back.... Wouldn't forgive him.
"Did the blonde bitch leave you? Is that why you're crawling back?" Stone cold.
"I never was with that girl, Lizzy. She just hung on me. I... I should have told you. Should have told her to get lost..." He felt drained and sad.