Riding through her hometown on the back of Jax Teller's motorcycle made Tara feel aware. Aware of the way the rumbling of the engine resonated through her whole body. Aware of the wholehearted trust put into keeping the two-wheeled machine upright. Aware of the eyes on both of them as they made their way down Main Street, Charming, California.

And Tara was very much aware of the boy seated in front of her; her arms around his torso. Once, as they stopped at the light at the end of the street, Jax tilted his head and looked back at her. Tara had never seen anyone with a smile like his. A smile that automatically made you want to smile back at him. When he winked at her before revving the engine and continuing through the green light, Tara could swear her heart stopped for a nanosecond.

Tara watched as they headed toward to end of Charming city limits. There were more trees at this end of Charming than in town. Once they passed the sign that announced they were leaving Charming City limits, Tara tensed. Where was he taking her? What ideas did he have in his head? Did he think she was just going to be willing to do whatever he wanted? With all these thoughts running through her head, Tara almost didn't notice when Jax slowed and turned onto a dirt road. It looked more like a path, it was so less traveled.

Contemplating how she was going to defend herself if need be, Tara decided she would just be straightforward with Jax and tell him she wasn't like half the other girls she went to school with. And if that meant she would be left, then she'd just walk back to town. She could do it. Maybe, hopefully, he wouldn't take them too far off the beaten path and she could walk back to the road and hitch a ride.

When the bike stopped and Jax cut the engine, Tara was awed by the sight and sound before her. It was so quiet now that the loud machine was off. Looking to her right, Tara saw that they were on the hilltop far above Charming. A meadow of tall waving, feathery grass punctuated with deep purples and brilliant golds from wildflowers such as knapweeds, thistles and buttercups. Butterflies and a few bees could be seen flying throughout, likely attracted to the sweet aromas of the blossoms.

At the end of the field there looked to be a drop off, like an overlook of sorts, which afforded a view of Charming to anyone who ventured out this way. Tara had never been up to this ridge. She had heard stories of days gone by, of how the town's teenagers used to use this area as a gathering place for things like picnics, parties, and of course, this had been used as the ultimate site for normal making out sessions. Or so the rumors told.

Tara waited while Jax dismounted the bike and held out his hand to help her off of it. As soon as she put her tiny hand in his, she felt apprehensive. Looking up into those crystal blue eyes Tara lost her train of thought for just a moment. Unbuckling the chin strap on the helmet, she handed it to Jax and smiled. Jax took the helmet and hung it on the handlebars of the bike.

"Listen, um, Jax," Tara began. "I don't know what you think is going to happen out here so far away from everything, but I can tell you I'm not that kind of girl."

Jax turned his back to her and knelt down, picking at something on the ground. He sat there for so long Tara was preparing to start walking the way they had come in. When he stood and turned back toward her, Tara was surprised to see a piece of grassweed hanging from his lips. Reaching out for her hand again, Jax looked into her eyes and asked, "Come with me?"

Fearing that she would hurt his feelings further if she refused, Tara took his hand and followed him as they strolled through the field. At the end of the field was a huge boulder. Jax lifted her petite body onto the boulder and then climbed up himself, making a seat beside where he had sat her.

"I've never brought anyone up here. This is my secret hideout. When things down there," he said, nodding his head toward the town beneath them, "I come up and here to think." Looking at Tara, he continued, "I didn't bring you up here to take advantage of you. I want to get to know you. I want you to get to know me. I won't even kiss you, unless you say it's okay."

Tara was completely taken aback at his statement. He wanted to get to know her? What did he want to know about her? There was really nothing to tell. No fancy home, no fun-filled weekends. All she did was school. And he said he wouldn't even kiss her without her permission? What did that mean? Didn't guys see kissing as innocent and no big deal? To Tara kissing a boy was a big deal. Did she want Jackson Teller to be the first boy she kissed? Well, first besides Opie. Tara and Opie had kissed a couple of times when she would hide from the wrath of her father, but they had both agreed it was more like kissing your sibling than a lover.

Looking over at Jax, who was looking out into the atmosphere Tara noticed his lips. His well-defined, kissable lips. Yea she didn't think kissing Jax would be like kissing Opie at all. She began to imagine how those luscious plump lips would feel on hers. When she began thinking of feeling his lips on her neck and feeling his breath in her ear, she had to clear her mind before her imagination got away from her.

Shifting herself to get a better view of what she was supposed to be looking at, the town below them and the beauty around them, she noticed Jax was staring at her. Oh god, what's wrong now? she wondered. Did I do something stupid? Can he read my mind and know what I was thinking? Tara looked at him and smiled nervously.

"So, what do you think?"

"Um…."

"About my little getaway. You're not going to tell Op are ya?"

"No. I'd never tell anyone about it. This is your secret place."

"Our secret place. I want to share it with you Tara. There's just something about you. I've known it for a long time now. I was outside with Opie at your house after your mom's funeral. I didn't know who you were, other than Opie's neighbor but as soon as I saw you, I felt a connection to you. Then I came with Opie to pick you up earlier, it was there again. I've never felt anything like that."

Tara thought back to the day of her mom's funeral. Opie and a group of his buddies were outside her bedroom window, smoking and goofing off. Thinking now, she did remember a young blonde haired boy in the huddle. Smiling, she looked at Jax and said, "Yea I remember seeing you."

They sat on the boulder and talked for what seemed like hours, and it probably was. They talked about everything. Tara felt so completely at ease with Jax. She listened to his stories about his over-bearing mother and his dad, who wasn't hardly ever around anymore. She sympathized with him as he spoke about the death of his younger brother, Thomas. And in turn, Jax heard her life story, the death of her mother and the rapid decline of her father with attention. He asked her about school and she asked why she had never seen him at any school function or event.

When the sun began its descent on the horizon, Jax stood up and jumped from their rock perch. Knowing she couldn't jump like he did without breaking a bone, Tara slid to the edge of the boulder, ready to ease herself down when Jax wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her from the boulder. Sitting her feet on the ground, Jax looked down into Tara's hazel-green eyes.

"Is it okay if I kiss you now?" he asked sincerely.

"Yes," was all Tara could muster as she looked up at him.

Jax's hands held her face and they locked eyes as he slowly moved in and placed his lips on her. Tara didn't know if Jax felt it, but she could've sworn the earth moved at the touch.