Jailbait

"Your motorcycle."

This time she did the evil grinning as she glanced down at the bike I was sitting on. I was as stunned as I was amused. Looking her up and down again, I noticed her stance wasn't that of a demure little sixteen-year-old. It was almost as if she'd read my mind and she was challenging me to try and make her blush. Even though I was sure she was Madeline, I didn't want her to know it, so I played it off.

"You must be Madeline." I took another drag of my cigarette because I needed it, then blew out the smoke slowly. "From what I've heard, you're the wild one."

I eyed her, knowing she might not take my choice of words too kindly, but I needed to get the upper hand back.

"Well, I am Madeline, but I don't know about the wild one. What've you heard?"

"Oh, I've heard about you." I smiled in a way I knew would not be appreciated, given the implication.

"I'm more outspoken and possibly too daring for my own good, while my sister's the quieter more level-headed one, if that's what you mean," she said with just enough attitude I was almost smiling again. "But if you're implying anything else, I can tell you where you can shove those bullshit rumors."

I chuckled, raising my hands on either side. "I didn't say it was bad. I've just heard a few things."

"Like what?" She crossed her arms in front of her, arching her brow.

"You're impetuous." I peered at her, surprising myself now about how close I'd paid attention to some of the things I'd heard about her. "Is it true you jumped into the river off the very top of Pike's Crest?"

"I did." She smiled proudly, but it was fleeting because just like that she was frowning. "Mama almost killed me when it got back to her. God, word gets around fast in this town."

"Well, it is dangerous."

Of course, she argued. She insisted it wasn't dangerous if you knew what you were doing. That she'd been jumping off cliffs for as long as she could remember. All the while, my eyes were in heaven, watching her every move and that spunk with which she delivered all her emphatic statements. It was a simple enough topic, but I was getting more curious about her now as my eyes continued to have a field day, taking in every detail of her: that cute little nose, the pouty lips, the womanly curves. Her mama would sure as shit have shot me if she knew the dreams I'd already had about them. And those long milky white legs. "So, is that why you came over here?"

"What?"

It must have been my ogling followed by the question because she looked ready to spit, and it made me laugh again. "To ask if it hurt to get my tattoos and about the thing between my legs."

And there it was. Finally, her face tinged with color, and she glanced around as if to see if anyone had overheard. "Actually no."

Interesting.

Just as she had from her first question, she had my undivided attention. She lifted a stubborn little chin and arched a perfectly groomed brow. "Your brother, Nolan, he goes to school with my sister and me. Apparently, he loves making her squirm."

Instantly, I was grinning again because I could only imagine. "Is that right?"

"Yes, it is, and it makes her uncomfortable. I think it's cute that one of the big bad Cortez brothers has a crush on my sweet bashful sister . . ."

Once again, I was sucked into every word she was saying: every detail of her threats about how my brother better stop embarrassing her sister.

"And if he doesn't?" I challenged.

"If he doesn't . . ." She got all serious suddenly. "He's going to be dealing with me."

"Why hasn't he already?" I smiled, bringing my cigarette to my lips but stopped before taking another drag. "I mean why don't you tell him? Why you telling me?"

"Because I knew he flirted with her but didn't know how uncomfortable it made her until just now," she retorted without a flinch. "And I didn't see him anywhere, so I figured you could pass the word along. Maybe talk a little sense into him in case he refuses. According to Maggie, he's insatiable when it comes to his teasing and flirting."

That had me laughing again. "Yep. Insatiable, that's my brother in a nutshell."

"Well, you said it yourself. I'm impetuous, remember? You and your brothers may think you know about me because of the things you've heard. Nolan has no idea. Bad boy or not, he'll live to regret the day he messed with the wrong girl's sister."

I stared at her for a moment because I could already tell, if I hadn't been able to stop thinking about the little Hellman twin before, it was going to be impossible after tonight. But I knew better than to even think about doing more than playfully flirting with her. So I toned it down. "I'll let him know. Tell your sister she doesn't have to worry about Nolan for too much longer. He'll be gone for at least a year soon."

"Thank you," she said, looking a little surprised by my change in demeanor, but then her curious eyes were at it again. "Where's he going?"

"Got an apprenticeship in Radcliffe with a relative. He wants to be a tattoo artist. The guy's a hell of an artist."

As determined as I was not to let my growing intrigue with her be so damn obvious, those blue eyes were like magnets. I kept getting sucked into them.

"Can I get a ride later, Nico?" I turned to Jenna and her friend walking by and smiled big because I knew what kind of ride she was implying.

Eyeing the short shorts she and the other girl were wearing, I couldn't help but smile. "Maybe."

Jenna smiled even bigger with a twinkle in her eyes that said it all. Coming here tonight would have the happy ending I'd been anticipating.

"I've never ridden on one of those before," Madeline said once the girls were far enough away. "Maybe I can get a ride sometime too?"

I stared her down, swallowing hard. She couldn't possibly mean what Jenna had meant. Shaking my head, I began to chide myself for being delusional—completely irrational—until our eyes locked again and neither of us spoke. The moment felt like the one back at the café when Ama called me on it. It went on for so long I had to remind myself to breathe normally. Then I was hit with clarity even as the fabric around my crotch tightened and I sat up straighter. What the fuck was I thinking? "Not a chance in hell. You're jailbait, baby girl. Your mama would have me hung if she ever saw you on the back of my bike."

For a split second, something flashed in her eyes. She turned to look at the girls who'd just walked by as her brow twitched. But then just like that, she turned back to me with a shrug. "So, Nolan's an artist, huh?"

I nodded, surprised by the change in subject but relieved since I was still a little dazed about that moment we'd just had. Before I could say another word, she continued. "I'm an artist too, and Nolan's my age. An insatiable artist, huh . . .?" Like earlier when she'd made her thing-between-your-legs comment, she smiled sinfully. "Maybe he's been flirting with the wrong sister."

The moment I realized what she was implying I was overwhelmed with an annoyance like none I'd ever felt. Even worse, trying to hide it proved impossible. Then I realized something else. It was what she'd been going for. A single encounter. One conversation and this girl thought she knew how to push my buttons?

"Don't worry about passing on the message," she went on casually. "I think I'd rather tell him myself now. If you see him around tonight, tell him to come find me. I look forward to talking to him."

Frozen to the spot, I stood there and watched her walk away without so much as a good-bye. Naïve had always been a word I associated with females. Young innocent girls who got taken by guys, especially older ones. But I knew now how naïve I'd been. Even as the older more mature of the two, for a moment I had to wonder if it didn't apply to me. I tried to convince myself but wasn't sure I actually believed I could laugh off the encounter with little Ms. Madeline Hellman and never look back.