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Chapter Two

   I look at Jess and laugh, thinking he was joking. He raised his eyebrow at me and continued to pull me. I protest loudly, hoping someone would hear me, but he just chuckled. 

   "I don't think you should do that, if we get caught, you'll get in trouble. We wouldn't want little miss perfect to get in trouble on her first day in a new school would we?" I huff loudly, finally agreeing to go with him. His face lights up with a grin and although I agreed to go with him, he still pulled me along the halls. 

   As we exit the building, he starts walking toward a nice four door Suburban. I raise my eyebrow at his choice of vehicle, wondering whether or not this was a joke. He looks at my apprehensive look and chuckles. He tends to do that whole 'I don't know what you're giving me this look for but I'm going to give a cute chuckle to say I do.' look a lot. He looks away and keeps walking toward the crossover. When we reach the off-white car, he makes an abrupt turn around the car while I follow him blindly to look around the vehicle. What stood in front of me was what I expecting in the first place, but it didn't look any less intimidating. A black, red, and blue motorcycle stood in the path, with a not too bad looking bad boy sitting on it. He was already on the beast, holding a helmet out to me. 

   "I hope you're not expecting me to get on that thing," I say with a grimace. He chuckles, again, and turns it over. I jump back with a squeal as the fumes wrap around my body like a cloak. I look at him, tapping my foot waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and tell me I got Punk'd. 

   "I'm not getting on that Jess, it's a death machine."

***********

   Jess pulls up to the beach shop as I finally take my hands off his shoulders. He winces and rubs his shoulders with a grimace on his face. I shoot an apologetic glance and throw my leg over the bike. As my feet hit the ground, my left knee buckles, my body swaying slightly as I yelp and grab ahold of Jess's arm and pull myself into him.

   "If you wanted me to get close to you Clutz, all you had to do was ask," he quips with a large grin. I roll my eyes and shove him away as he chuckles softly. He grabs my hand gently and laces his fingers with mine, a hot redness spreading over my cheeks as he pulled me along the pier dock. I lengthen my strides as much as I can to keep up with him, ignoring the tingling feeling running through my hands and up my arm. 

   "Why are we here Jess? I don't understand why you would make me skip school to go to some store on a pier." He ignores me and continues to pull me along, almost dragging me towards a small shop hidden woven between a long brown building and small condo. As we walk into the shop, the aroma of coffee beans and cinnamon flood my senses. The lights are dim and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. An old man steps out from behind a low counter, hobbling up to Jess and wrapping his frail arms around him.

   "Oh, Jess it is just wonderful to see you! It almost seems like you never visit anymore. And who is this beautiful woman you have hidden away behind you? Move over you big oaf so I can get a look at my daughter-in-law, eh?"  An annoyed look crossed over Jess's the face as the man pushes him out of the way. I smile warmly towards the man. 

   "Hello Sir, my name is Layana, and while I would love to have you as a father-in-law, Jess doesn't have the pleasure of calling me his own." The man chuckles softly, crinkles forming at the corner of his eyes and looks towards Jess. 

   "She's a keeper Jess, don't mess this one up." Jess snorts definitely and rolls his eyes at me mechanically, but I could see his lips curl up ever so slightly into a soft smile.

   "Papai, I'm sorry that I haven't come to visit more often after Mamãe died I-" The man waved his hand in the direction of his face.

   "Suficiente, I understand Filho. You are welcome here anytime though, and I expect you home for dinner, you hear?" I look between the two men and spot similarities. Jess and this man both have laugh lines formed around their eyes, their lips bowing in the same area. The man's eyes were a  vibrant green, while Jess's were not. 

   "I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that language, what is it?" I ask hesitantly. 

   "It's Portuguese. My dad, Luiz, taught me when I was adopted." I grin at the idea of a small Jess trying to learn a new language. 

   I walk around the shop a little bit, feeling Jess's eyes follow me. I run my fingers across a piece of wood, tracing the grain of the knots. I look over the top of the shelf, my eyes following down Jess's body while he wasn't looking. I start with his hair, thinking about how soft it must be, wanting to run my fingers through it. His jawline was defined, sharp and cutting. His arms were large, muscle bulging from under his shirt. He turns his body towards me and backs up a bit, now talking to his father. I raise my eyebrow as my eyes trail down his stomach to a bulge in his jeans. I knew that he couldn't have been aroused, seeing as we're in a shop talking to his father, so it made me think of how well endowed he must be. I look back up to his eyes and see him staring at me with a small grin, wiggling his eyebrows as he looks at me. I turn sharply away as a vibrant pink dust my cheeks.

   What in the world was I doing? I can't believe that I would just stare at him like that. It's not like he's THAT attractive. But I mean, there are his broad shoulders... and every time he stretches up I can see his happy trail and V line leading down to what could only be a really big- 

"Hey Clutz, whatcha doin?" I jump suddenly and whip around to the sight of Jess, standing very closely to me, blushing again at my thoughts.

   "No need to be embarrassed love, if it's any consolation, I was staring too." he smiles and winks at me, turning towards his dad to say goodbye. 

   "It was very nice to meet you Layana, maybe sometime you could come and eat with me and Jess, I would enjoy getting to know you better." Jess clears his throat as I say goodbye, putting his hand on the small of my back and leading me towards the door so we can get back to school before we are gone too long and someone starts to notice.