Teach me

6. Shawn Michaels pt.2

The walk across the street was comfortable. I dug into my ice cream as soon as I locked up my car.

    "So, you said you aren't from around here. Are you visiting someone?"  Shawn is the first to break the silence.

    "Not visiting someone here, this is just a pass through point." I nod my head. He takes the time to think about this. "What about you? Do you call this lovely Sin City your home?"

    "Oh, no. I'm here for my brother. He's sick so..." he trails off.

    "Oh, I'm so sorry." I say softly.

    "Nah, it's alright. The shitass told us not to worry so I'm not." I chuckle with him. "I plan on leaving tomorrow afternoon." we find a little bench that over looks a pond in the center of the park. Parents are ushering their kids into cars.

    "I should head out around that time, too. I got another 8 hours to drive." I kick the dirt from under my shoe from where I am sitting.

    "Well, I don't know about you but I prefer to live in the moment, because you never know when shits gonna hit the fan." He jumps up and reaches his hand down for mine. I look at it questioningly. I don't know if I trust him yet, but he did just save me from god knows what. "Both of us are going to be gone tomorrow. But, we are both here tonight. Let's go do something." He has a big smile on his face, one that just naturally rubs off on you.

    I follow him slowly to the store parking lot, throwing away our cartons as we pass a trash can. He stops in front of a matte black Harley Davidson motorcycle.

    "Oh, no no no. Nope, no thank you." cross my arms and look up to him.

    "What, scared of a little bike? I promise I won't let it hurt you." He chuckles.

    "No..." I fib. He passes me a bulky, black helmet and leans over to zip up my leather jacket. He slips on his jacket and throws a long leg over the seat of the bike.

    "Get on Emma Lane." He says simply

    "What? I don't even know you. You don't even know me!" I throw my arms in the arm, confused on why I am even considering this.

    "That is exactly why we need to go. We are burning daylight." He says and laughs. "I've always wanted to say that."

    "Well, what are we gonna do?" I ask.

    "Oh, Beautiful, I am gonna teach you how to live!" He reaches out his hand again.

    Mason would have never spontaneously decided to do something in a new city. He would have never eaten Ice cream with me on a crappy bench in a park at 8:30 at night. He would never get within 100 feet of a motorbike.

    But he isn't here to control what I do anymore. And Shawn is right; my shit just hit the fan, but I got tonight. Just as I go to slide my palm in his, he takes it back quickly.

    "Real quick; You are not by chance a minor running away from daddy because he didn't let you and Timmy rent a hotel room for prom night, correct?" I laugh hard at his accusation. Oh lord, I know I get mistaken for my age because of my unfortunate height, but damn, this is the best one.

    "God, no! I'm 21 and my 'Timmy' screwed my best friend, so I think we are safe." I slip on the helmet. God I can't believe I am doing this. I better not end up in a ditch somewhere or I will be pissed.

    "In that case," he takes my hand in his and pulls me closer, "Swing your leg over, and rest your feet there," he points to peg looking things, "and don't move them. And be careful of that pipe, it hurts like a bitch when it gets hot." This thing is a damn death trap.

    "Okay." I swing my leg over, and lose my balance, sliding all the way against him. "Shit, sorry." his grip tightens.

    "You're good. You need to be pretty flush against me." I see a little smirk out of the corner of my eye.

    "Cool it, cowboy. How am I gonna hold on and not fall off?" I ask seriously.

    "Wrap your arms around my chest and hold on tight. And lean when I lean. Try not to hold your breath. Okay?" I do just as he says, pausing when I feel his hard stomach muscles contract. Jesus lord this is gonna be a long trip.

    "Yeah, yeah. I think so. Mmm, where are we heading to?" I lean over his shoulder to talk to him. He looks back at me with those pretty dark green eyes and smiles.

    "Well we are in Las Vegas. Emma Lane, how do you feel about gambling?" He says and he revs up the death trap.

    "Never given it a second thought." I yell into his ear.

    "Oh, beautiful, we are gonna have so much fun! Hold on, I'll start off slow, okay?" He shouts back at me.

    I nod and tighten my grip, squealing slightly when we start moving. My head falls naturally between his shoulder blades as he drives. I take a deep breath and squeeze my eyes together.

    "Uh, babe," He taps my hands on his chest, "Not that I am not loving this position we are in, but try not to suffocate me, alright." He laughs and moves my hands down to his lower stomach.  I open my eyes and see that we haven't even gotten out of the parking lot yet.

    "Sorry." I say, pretty embarrassed.

    "You're doing great." He says before taking off- really taking off this time.

    I lift my head and see all the red, blue and purple lights from the signs go by in a blur. I shout and the top of my lungs, completely exhilarated. I feel Shawn's deep laugh through my palms, and I wish I could hear it over the whistle of the wind. I hear him yell with me as we head down the highway.

    And I take a deep breath, knowing that this, being here in the moment, is what living is all about.

    +++

    TADAAAA!

    So we have met Shawn! What are we thinking? Do we like the way Emma acts around him?

    Ugh, I love it!

    Okay I gotta go!