Happy Monday! A special thanks to poppyandbeeb for becoming my editor.

Chapter 3

The next morning Chibs opened the garage bay doors, taking sip of his tea and lighting his first smoke of the day and still feeling the drinks he had the night before. This was his favorite part of the morning - nobody at the garage just quite yet. His thoughts drifted to Elizabeth, wondering how far she had gotten before stopping for the night. He had hoped she would have called when she found his number but maybe she hadn't found it yet. Once she was settled, he could have Juice track her down. He wasn't exactly sure why she had invaded his mind but she had, had been there with him all night and this morning when he woke up.

It was nearly noon when he finally stood from the vehicle he had been working on, walking out of the garage to stretch his legs and lighting a smoke as he did. When he had finished, he threw the butt to the ground, snubbing it out with his foot. As he looked up he saw a familiar midnight blue mustang pull into the lot, a smile crossing his lips when he saw her get out. He started walking towards her; she met him half way holding her keys in her outstretched hand. "I took your advice. I slept on it, you're right I should have it fixed up now. It'd be dangerous if I were to break down again alone."

"Good girl." He said grabbing the keys from her.

"It's almost lunchtime. I could thank you for your sound advice."

"I could eat. Diner or tacos?"

"Tacos I had the diner for breakfast."

"Alright love just let me drop off your keys."

"Whatcha got there love?" Chibs asked once they were sitting across from one another, waiting for their food.

"Classifieds. I figured since I was going to be here for the month, I should get someplace to stay. At least something with a kitchen - I can only take so much takeout food. Maybe do some painting while I'm here."

"That's a good idea."

"Not a whole lot out there for a month-to-month basis and furnished though. Unless you know someone?"

"Aye that I do. I'll make some calls yeah?"

"Do you have to get back to work after lunch?"

"No, you have something in mind love?"

"I thought that if you weren't busy, you'd come with me to look at places. Don't really know the neighborhoods around here, wouldn't want to get stuck next to a bunch of rowdy bikers." Winking at him enjoying his boyish laugh.

"Aye Ellie I'll go with ya."

Chibs had made some calls after lunch and then they were on their way. They were currently looking at the third rental, Elizabeth walking through every room opening the blinds, turning on all the lights. To Chibs this place looked exactly like the first two. Small two bedroom attached condo, fully furnished but he could tell she was looking for something. "If ya tell me what it is you're looking for love, maybe I can help ya find it?"

"Lighting. If I'm going to paint here, the lighting has to be just right." She said as she opened the blinds to the back patio, standing in the dining room. "Fucking perfect, this is the one."

"Ya sure? Still two more on the list."

"Yes I'm sure."

"Alright then lass, we'll get ya back and sign some papers, then get ya settled in your rental car yeah?"

"Thank you again Chibs. It seems that you're doing all this for me and I've given nothing in return."

"Have lunch with me tomorrow then. I told ya I was interested in your company. That's thanks enough."

"I'll think of something, no debt left unpaid, that's what my Dad always said."

"Sounds like a smart man."

"He was." She said in a slightly sad voice, turning her attention to the back patio.

"Ya wanna talk about it love?"

"Nope, let's go sign some papers." Turning around smiling at him but he couldn't miss the way her eyes had watered up.

Three days later when she heard a knock at her motel room door, she opened it to find Chibs standing there. "Good morning Ellie love, what'd you need help moving? Ya only had two bags with ya."

"Those are already in the car; it's the other stuff I need help with." She said standing aside letting him into her room. She had already put her two bags of personal belongings in the trunk of her Ford Focus rental car for which Chibs had apologized profusely. When he gave her the keys, she had responded by telling him at least it was in the Ford family.

"Well what'd ya got here?" Looking at all the boxes the small room was filled with.

"Painting supplies. I think I might have went a little overboard but I had to go two towns over. Charming doesn't have an art supply store, so I wanted to stock up - save me the trip. The boxes can go in the bed of the truck, but the canvases need to go inside the cab." When she had called him the night before, asking him if he had a truck she could borrow to move into her rental, he had insisted against her protests that he would help her move.

They managed to fit everything in the truck so they only had to make one trip. "Where do want all this love?" He asked as she unlocked the door to her new temporary residence.

"In the dining room, it'll be my makeshift studio for now."

When the last box had been moved in, Elizabeth began working on unpacking the paint supplies; wanting to get started on painting as soon as she could. It was the one thing that calmed her nerves, settled her when she felt like she was buzzing all over like she wanted to just jump out of her skin. Chibs took a seat at the table, his back facing the patio watching her as she opened each box, delicately placing each item in some order. When she placed an empty canvas on the new easel, he asked. "What's going to be ya first masterpiece?"

"You."

"Me?"

"I'm going to paint you, so just stay sitting right there." She said grabbing her charcoal pencil.

"Oh love, you want to paint something beautiful, not an old scarred ugly bastard like me."

"You are beautiful, scars tell a story. They make us who we are, tell where we've come from. Change where we're going."

"And what story does your scar tell?" He asked motioning to the jagged six-inch scar running down the side of her leg just below and on the inner side of her left knee.

"That one tells the story of a little girl who ran after a dog one day tripping and catching her leg on a rock."

"Ahh so even after that you continue to battle rocks?"

"What can I say? I'm still a clumsy girl." She laughed back at him continuing her drawing. "What story do your scars tell?"

"Ahh it's a long one lass and one for another day. A lot more involved than a rock."

When she was done with her sketch, she stood back happy with the first part. "Okay you can move now."

"Ellie I'm not really into this art shite, but it looks like just a bunch of lines."

"All paintings start this way, even the Mona Lisa was just a bunch of lines."

"Aye love. It's time to eat, are you ready for our lunch date?"

"Date huh?"

"Well I put it in my calendar every day, so it's a date."

"You have a calendar? Don't really seem like the type to carry a day planner."

"It's in my head and right now my stomach is saying it's time for lunch with ya."

When they pulled up to the diner, Elizabeth went to get out of the truck, Chibs grabbing her hand before she could open the door. "Stay here. Going ta go someplace else and eat." He came back with takeout boxes. "It may be the same food but we're going to change the setting."

They spent another twenty minutes driving just to the border of Charming and then pulled off on a dirt road running through the trees. Another ten minutes and Chibs finally pulled over, "It's just a short walk from here." They walked in silence until coming to a clearing. Once past the bulk of the trees, a large crystal clear pond was revealed, grass growing all along the embankment.

"It's beautiful Chibs."

"Aye, probably make a better painting then me. Come, let's eat love."

They sat under the shade of a tree, eating sandwiches from the diner and enjoying the quiet ripple from the water and the summer birds chirping. When they were done eating, Chibs looked to her "Why'd ya decide to stay?"

"My car needed fixing."

"You were all set on being gone, something else change your mind?"

"Maybe something intrigued me about this small little town."

"And what was this thing that intrigued ya?"

"That's a story for another day." She said as she stood up looking back at him walking towards the edge of the water.

"What're you doing love?"

"Gonna go for swim, be a gentleman and turn around."

"I've been called a lot of things and gentleman usually isn't one of them." He responded but turning around. "Why'd you stay Ellie?"

"I told you, that is for another day." She said quickly removing her shoes and socks along with her khaki shorts and pale blue cotton T-shirt, leaving them on the ground and leaving her in her pale pink matching bra and underwear combo while she waded into the crisp cool water. "You can turn around now." Her body fully under the water, toes still touching the ground.

"Did ya maybe stay because you met someone here that intrigued ya?"

"I've only really met you, are coming in?"

"Did ya stay cause of me?"

"Maybe. Are coming in?" A teasing tone in her voice.

"Ya want me to go swimming with ya?"

"Yes, do you want me to turn around?" She asked, laughing as he immediately reached for his boots.

"Nah, love not modest."

"Hurry up old man." Teasing as she splashed water on him as he was taking his shirt off.

"You're gonna get it lass."

"Only if you catch me." She said in a sing songy voice as she swam away from the edge as he was going for his pants, leaving just his plaid boxers on. Picking up her pace when she heard him splash in the water behind her, she was almost to the other side when she felt his hand go around her ankle stopping her movements as he pulled her back to him. Turning to face him when he released her ankle, her feet not able to touch the ground anymore, she started to tread water swimming backwards had he still walked toward her.

"I caught you Ellie, what's my prize?"

"I didn't say there was a prize. Chibs?"

"Yes Ellie?" He responded desperately, wanting to feel her lips against his but she remained out of his grasp.

"Why do you call me Ellie?"

"Because ya said everyone calls ya Beth or Liz wanted to stand out."

"Chibs?" She asked her back hitting a flat rock on the shoreline, now feeling the ground underneath her.

"Yes love?"

"What's your real name?"

"Fillip Telford." Now standing inches away from her.

She reached for him, her hands going to his shoulders. "I like it when you call me Ellie." She said inching closer to him as he was leaning in. Closing the distance between their lips he could just about taste the cherry lip gloss she was wearing, when his cellphone, left across the pond, started ringing. She looked up at him smiling "Ahhh saved by the bell." Removing her hands from his shoulders to push away from him.

"Not so fast love." He said, snaking his arms around her waist, pulling her to him his lips softly caressing hers, deepening the kiss when he felt her legs go around his waist, his phone still ringing in the background. Their soft kiss, now turning into a heated kiss, had him pushing her back up against the rock, his hands roaming her silky skin until he heard his phone start to ring again, breaking the kiss looking into her eyes. "I have ta get that."

"Just let it go to voice mail." She whispered, going for his neck.

He groaned out when her lips grazed his neck "I can't love, might be work."

"Some sort of mechanic emergency?" Looking back up at him smiling.

"Yeah something like that." Removing his arms from her, he took her hand in his as they made their way across the pond to the shoreline before helping her out of the water. He grabbed his phone from his pocket as she started to dress. Not being able to help himself, he took a peak at her, cursing the damn phone as he saw what he had in his hands moments before. She was dressed by the time he snapped his cell phone closed and started to put his clothes back on.

"Sorry to cut his short love, I have ta get back."

He drove her back to her place and walked her to the door. Leaning down to kiss her and loving the feel of her soft hand as it grazed his cheek, he pulled her closer to him, getting a whimper from her as his tongue caressed her parted lips. When he pulled away, she smiled up at him breathless "You make me want to do bad things Chibs."

"Ya make me want ta do good things to ya."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Our scheduled lunch date."

"Aye."

When he got to the club, all the guys were sitting in church already. He hastily took his seat next to Tig. "What the hell took you so long?" Clay asked once he was seated.

"I was out at Brooks Pond."

"What the fuck were you doing all the way out there?"

"He was with the nice piece of ass that owns the Mustang." Tig said smiling at Chibs. "Let me smell your fingers?"

"What Mustang?"

"Jesus Clay, do you not pay attention to anything? The 'stang we've had for two weeks, engine, transmission the whole works?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah broke down, brought it back here. Owner's fucking hot. Chibs has been taking her to lunch every day since. He's got himself a girlfriend."

"Alright enough of the girl talk, where are we on the meet with McKeavy?" Clay demanded.

Late that night lying in bed, Clay rolled over looking at Gemma "You knowing anything about the girl Chibs is seeing?"

"Yeah little blonde tart. Met her, she'll be gone once her car's fixed."

"Eyes open on this Gemma. We don't need another chippy messing with our guys' heads, Jax's is already screwed up with the junkie and the doc."

"I know Clay, Chibs is a lot older than Jax, he's just getting his dick wet and then it's done. I'm sure once she finds out about the wife and the kid she'll hightail it out of here. Don't worry, this is my department."

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