Jax felt uneasy as he led Tara through the school parking lot to where his motorcycle was parked. He hoped she couldn't feel his hand sweating in hers. This was dumb. How many other girls had he made this exact same move on this school year alone? He'd never been nervous before. Most of those girls didn't even have names to him. He only remembered them as "the one with the killer legs" or "the one with the sexy lips."

Insignificant, uninteresting, interchangeable crow eaters in training who wore too much make up and not enough clothes. Those were the kinds of girls Jax Teller was used to. But this girl- this girl was a different breed altogether. Perhaps that was why he found himself so drawn to her. She was quite literally the only girl in the entire school who didn't fawn all over him. She never seemed to notice when he gave her "the look" from across the hall, and was the only chick in his History class who didn't choose her seat on the basis of its proximity to the table he and Opie had staked their claim on in the back of the room.

Jax was used to getting whatever, and whoever, he wanted. Nobody was immune to "the look." Nobody except Tara, it seemed. Shit, even half the teachers at Charming High were trying to get in his pants. He could probably graduate with a 4.0 without ever doing another assignment if he'd be willing to trade sex for grades. Older chicks weren't really his thing, though. Well, maybe Miss O'Neal, his Geometry teacher. Those tight little skirts she wore, the ones that were almost too short to be decent for a teacher, those were pretty hot.

Tara Knowles was an enigma. Jax had been going to school with her since kindergarten, but he knew absolutely nothing about her. She'd always pretty much kept to herself. She didn't seem to have any real friends, and Jax never saw her out and about town with her family. Come to think of it, he didn't remember ever seeing her parents at school functions either. Say what you like about Jax's outlaw family, but no one could accuse them of being unsupportive. They always showed up to everything.

Pain twisted in Jax's gut as an image of his parents and little brother at his 8th grade graduation tugged at his subconscious. Since that day, his family had been cut in half. He was almost getting used to his tow-head baby brother being nothing more than a memory, but his father's death was still fresh. He swallowed his pain and returned his thoughts to Tara's social life, or lack thereof. The only person he could ever really remember seeing her with was that asshole jock David Hale. He'd just assumed they were dating. Apparently, he was wrong. He smiled at the prospect.

"What?" Tara asked. Jax turned to the brunette beauty as they weaved through the rusty old cars driven by their peers, making their way toward the back corner of the lot where no one without a motorcycle dare step foot. Her hair was almost auburn in the sunlight, and her hazel eyes were dazzling. Jax inhaled sharply. He was already struggling with his thoughts around this girl, and it was getting harder to control them by the second.

"Nothin'," Jax told her. "Just thinkin'."

"What about?" Tara persisted.

"The Simpsons," he lied.

"The what?" she asked.

"The Simpsons. You know, the TV show. I was trying to remember if there's a new episode this week." Jax smiled at Tara in a way that she couldn't tell whether or not he was joking. She smiled back, her eyebrows raised.

"Like the cartoon?" she asked, needing further clarification. Jax nodded.

"Hell yeah," he confirmed. "Eat my shorts, man! I love that shit." Tara laughed, much harder and louder than she intended to. Jax was unable to mask the surprise in his eyes. Girls didn't laugh at Jax Teller, they laughed when he meant for them to. "What's funny?" he challenged.

"Nothing," Tara said, stifling another giggle.

"So where do you wanna go?" he asked. Tara shrugged her shoulders.

"This was your idea," she reminded him.

"Hey!" a voice boomed from nearby. "Who's that juvenile delinquent skipping class?" Jax felt Tara's hand jerk in his. He chuckled.

"You tell me, asshole," he called back. His best friend Opie Winston was seated on his bike, which was parked next to Jax's. His flavor of the week, Donna Lerner, was draped over him like a ratty old blanket. "My boy," Jax explained to Tara, who nodded nervously.

"What's goin' on?" Opie asked as Jax and Tara approached, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Not much, bro," Jax answered, hoping to keep their conversation short. He wanted Tara all to himself for as long as possible.

"Oh, hey, Tara," Opie added, smiling wider. He and Tara had been casual acquaintances since she'd tutored him in Algebra freshman year.

"Hey, Opie," Tara replied quietly. Donna rolled her eyes. Tara didn't acknowledge her. Jax smirked, wondering what the story was there. He would have to ask Tara later.

"You guys outta here?" Jax asked, sounding slightly impatient. He shot Opie a pleading glance. He wasn't sure if Tara had ever ridden a bike before, and getting her settled might take a few tries. He didn't want an audience standing around, making her feel self conscious. Jax normally didn't give his girls' feelings a second thought, but he found himself very concerned, maybe too concerned, with Tara's. Less than five minutes together and he was already feeling protective and territorial. That couldn't be a good thing.

"Yeah, bro," Opie said knowingly. "Yeah, we are." He nodded to Donna, who eagerly hopped on the back of his bike and wrapped her scrawny arms around his tree trunk-like torso. Opie handed her the helmet that was hanging from his handle bars, and she strapped it on in one quick movement.

"Catch ya later," Jax said, flashing his friend a grateful grin. Opie fired up his bike, gave Tara a polite nod, and sped out of the parking lot. Tara watched intently as Opie and Donna grew smaller in the distance, studying them. Jax's suspicion seemed to be correct. Motorcycles were a whole new world to Tara.

"Ever ridden before?" he asked, knowing what the answer would be. Tara shook her head. "It's cool," Jax assured her. "I'll take good care of you, I promise." He didn't mean for so much sincerity to permeate his words. The emotion in Tara's eyes was a mystery to him, as was pretty much everything else about her. But he could tell one thing. She trusted him. And Jax wanted nothing more than to be someone she could trust.

He helped her with her helmet, then demonstrated the best way for her to mount the bike before taking his seat. He held out a steadying hand to Tara as she threw one leg over the motorcycle and slid in behind him. He could tell that their close proximity made her uncomfortable by the way she held onto the sides of his shirt.

"You're gonna have to get a little closer and hold on a little tighter than that, darlin'," he instructed her.

"Okay," she agreed quietly, her voice quivering. She scooted closer so that her chest was just barely brushing against Jax's muscular back, and held his sides a little tighter.

"Like this," he said, taking her arms and pulling them tightly around his chest. She locked her hands just below his heart. Her breath was warm on his neck, and gave him goose bumps that he hoped she didn't see. He'd had dozens of girls on his bike before, and not a single one of them had ever had such an effect on him.

"Like this?" Tara asked. Jax nodded, biting back a satisfied smirk. Tara tightened her grip, resting her chin lightly on his shoulder. She smelled sweet, like flowers and honey. Jax inhaled deeply.

"Hold on tight," he said.

Tara was still clinging to Jax for dear life a good thirty seconds after he'd parked his bike and turned off the engine. He didn't mind. He loved the feel of her skin on his.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," Tara assured him, her voice but a whisper. "Fine." She released her death grip and slid off the bike, her legs wobbly. Jax followed, slicking his hair back and readjusting his jeans. Tara's hair was wild around her face, her breathing still uneven.

"So what'd ya think?" Jax asked as he unstrapped the helmet from Tara's head and set it on the motorcycle seat. She immediately took to the task of taming her hair, combing it with her fingers and trying to get it back into place. Jax kind of preferred it messy.

"It was…" Tara paused for a moment, searching for the right word. "…terrifying," she admitted. She laughed, embarrassed, as her cheeks flushed pink. Jax couldn't help but laugh, too.

"Aw, but we made it here in one piece," he reminded her. "It's cool."

"And where is here, exactly?" Tara asked, taking in their surroundings as her nerves settled. They were in the middle of nowhere, at the edge of an open field littered with trees.

"This is my spot," Jax told her.

"Your spot?" Tara sounded offended. Jax had no idea why, but he didn't like feeling like she was upset with him. He'd never been so concerned with another person's opinion of him, and it wasn't something he was comfortable with. "So this is where Jax Teller brings all his girls? How romantic." She made no attempt to hide her sarcasm.

"What?" Jax asked, amused. "Tara, no. This is my spot- the place I always seem to end up when I go riding with no destination in mind. I've actually never brought a girl here before. I come alone. Come to think, sometimes to write…"

"You write?" Tara interrupted.

"You seem surprised," Jax teased. "I'm not just some dumb biker, you know. I have layers." Tara stared at him for a long moment, contemplating his words.

"I'm starting to see that," she said, intrigued. "So how does this work? What do we do here? In your spot?" Jax took her hand in his, and walked quietly toward his favorite tree, a giant cypress that provided just the right amount of shade and offered a beautiful view of the California countryside. He liked that Tara didn't feel obligated to fill the silence with mindless chatter like most people would. She was content just to be with him. And he was beyond content just to be with her.

They settled in a grassy spot in the shade, seated opposite each other. Tara watched the tall grass as it danced in the breeze, while Jax watched Tara. She was so beautiful, but not in an overtly obvious sort of way. She didn't wear a lot of makeup or have big hair. She didn't wear skimpy clothes or have ridiculous curves. She didn't stand out in a crowd. She was like a hidden treasure. And now that Jax had found her, she was all he wanted. From her soulful hazel eyes to her perfectly sculpted lips; from her luscious, long hair to her porcelain skin; from her tight little body to her willful personality; he wanted all of her.

"So tell me about Tara Knowles," he said after a long while, breaking the silence.

"Not much to tell," she said simply.

"Awwww, come on," Jax pleaded, tilting his head to one side. "I've shared all kinds of secrets already today- brought you to my secret spot, told you about my love of cartoons and the fact that I like to write. Ya gotta give me somethin'."

"Okay," Tara began. "I'm an only child. My mom died in a car accident when I was nine- hit by a drunk driver. My dad coped by becoming a drunk himself, so I've pretty much been on my own ever since. I hate girls and their petty bullshit so I don't have a lot of friends. I spend all my time studying because I want to get into medical school and the only chance I've got is with a scholarship. Oh, and I ruined the perfect attendance record I've held since seventh grade to be here with you today. That enough sharing for you?"

"Yeah," Jax said. "That's a pretty good start. And Tara- I'm sorry about your mom. I had no idea." He tried to conceal the pain in his eyes, but was unsuccessful.

"It gets better," Tara whispered, placing a comforting hand over Jax's. She knew. Of course she did. Everyone had heard about the tragic demise of JT Teller, the unofficial King of Charming. It was front page fodder for weeks. Jax swallowed hard. Tara's eyes met his. Jax seldom allowed anyone to see his vulnerable side, for fear of looking weak. But this was different. Tara understood. She got it. Her face conveyed nothing but compassion and sincerity. Jax found himself overcome with emotion. In one fluid movement, he closed the gap between him and Tara. His lips were on hers before she could react. Caught off guard, she was hesitant at first. She pulled away just slightly.

"Sorry," Jax murmured. Tara studied his face, her eyes lustful. He leaned in slower this time, making sure she was ready. When his lips touched hers, it was electric. He moved his hands to the small of her back, pulling her body to his. Tara twisted her fingers in Jax's hair, her tongue moving hungrily against his. He laid her down gently in the grass, kissing her harder and faster as his hands explored her body. He felt her tense up as he slipped his fingers under her shirt. He stopped. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Tara whispered. "It's just…I've never…" Jax recoiled instantly, sitting up and crossing his hands over his knees.

"Shit, I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't know." Tara sat up also, readjusting her shirt.

"It's okay," she told him. "I want to." She wrapped her arms around Jax's neck and pulled his face toward hers. She kissed him eagerly, her body wrought with desire. Jax pulled away again.

"Believe me, so do I," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "But you don't want your first time to be like this."

"How do you know what I want?" Tara asked defensively, her feelings obviously hurt.

"Tara," Jax pleaded. "I like you. A lot. You're different. You're not just some crow-eater wannabe."

"Some what?"

"Nevermind," Jax said quickly, in no rush to explain the definition of crow-eater. "The point is, I respect you. I respect you enough to want your first time to be as special as you deserve."

"I'm a big girl, Jax," Tara insisted. "I get to decide how I want my first time to be. And I want it to be with you."

"I want that too," Jax laughed. "But not like this. Your first time should be with someone you love. Let me make you fall in love with me first." Tara blushed, diverting her eyes from Jax's.

"Okay," she whispered. Jax draped an arm around her as she rested her head on his shoulder. They sat in silence for a long while, the only sounds the afternoon breeze and birds chirping in the distance. Jax could have stayed like that all day if it weren't for the fact that he'd skipped breakfast that morning. His rumbling stomach interrupted the quiet. Tara giggled.

"You hungry?" he asked.

"Famished," Tara admitted. Jax stood up, brushing the dirt and grass from his clothes, then reached down to Tara. She took his hand and hoisted herself up. He pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her sweetly, just once, so as not to get too carried away again. He didn't want his raging hormones getting in the way of his attempt to be chivalrous.

"Come on," he said. "I know just the place."