Chapter 7

"We shouldn't do this." Tara whispers as Jax's lips get closer.

"Why?" He smirks, whispering back.

"There's lots of reasons." She replies. Because you'll take everything and I'll lose myself, just like my mother.

"Give me one." He pleads, rubbing her lips with the pad of his thumb.

"I can't." She whimpers. Telling him why would be exposing herself more than letting him kiss her. She doesn't have time to think more than that because he brings his lips across hers softly. Just once, like he's seeking her permission.

He gives her a minute, to pull away, to say something, anything to let him know she doesn't want this. But she doesn't.

Tara tries to tell herself to end this. That this is a bad idea. But maybe, just maybe, one kiss won't hurt. Maybe it won't even be everything she imagines and it will be easy to walk away. Oh, to hell with it. She wraps her hands around his neck and pulls him closer to her.

Tara Knowles can kiss! Is the only thought Jax can entertain as her lips meet his. He can feel her trepidation and her acquiesce. As her lips part, he decides to make it his mission to make her forget all about that trepidation. He notes her tiny murmur when their tongues meet and finds it sexy as hell. On some level, he notes that he's never felt like this before. But he doesn't want to waste time focus on that. He wants to focus on her and the incredible way she feels.

Tara is determined to match him stroke for stroke, to not let him be in control. If she's in control, then it is all on her. Her terms, her rules. "Jackson" She murmurs, when he pulls back a bit to catch his breath. But he doesn't go far, his lips have only moved to the corner of her mouth.

Jax loves the way she matches him stroke for stroke, trying to stay in control. And just as he gives it to her, she relents. He's not sure why, but he thinks it's sexy as hell. Does she know she's doing it? Fighting him for control and then giving it to him. Neither would ever be able to tell you how long they kissed. Time seemed to stop.

Finally it was Opie's voice, "You two planning on coming up for air?"

"Christ, Opie!" Tara jumps back immediately.

Opie grins at her and laughs outright when Jax shoots him a deadly glare for interrupting the best kiss of his life. "What?" He laughs. "I've been here forever. Smoked two cigarettes and had a beer."

Jax hates how Tara won't look at him. "Why don't you get us some more beer?" He asks his friend.

"Yeah, sure." Opie rolls his eyes, but moves from his chair.

"Tara?" Jax asks, as soon as Opie leaves the living room.

"Hmmm?" She faces him but doesn't meet his gaze.

"Look at me." He smiles.

"Yeah?" She sighs, giving into his demand.

"Are we okay?" He asks. He hates this feeling of uncertainty that has never pertained to another girl before.

"Uh-huh." She assures him too quickly. "But that can't happen again."

That sounded like the dumbest thing ever to Jax. "Why not? We both enjoyed it."

"I'm not that kinda girl, Teller." She states firmly. "We are friends. You find your crow-eaters to service you."

"Service me?" Jax asks indignantly. "What kinda guy do you think I am?"
"A man-whore." Opie says, dropping a cold bottle of Budweiser directly onto Jax's crotch.

Tara laughs. "Thanks Op." She reaches for the beer that he has opened for her.

"Don't take an open beer from anyone you don't know." Opie tells her.

She rolls her eyes. "Yes, dad."

"He's right." Jax says, "There are weirdo's out here. They'll spike your drink so you can service them." The last line is delivered bitterly. He stands and storms out to Opie's back porch.

"Jax!" Tara sighs. She looks to Opie, who just shrugs. "Shit!" She gets up and follows him out to the porch. She wraps her arms around her middle, against the cold. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

He removes his hoodie and gives it to her. She smiles because now she has two of his hoodies. "What kind of guy do you think I am, Tara?" For the life of him, he isn't sure why he gives a shit. He's never cared what other people think before.

"Thoughtful." She answers honestly as she puts on his hoodie. "Kind, caring, and a bunch of other amazing things."

"But also you think I'm a douche bag." He crosses his arms both from the cold and to protect himself against her answer.

"No" She defends. "I just know how you are with women. And it doesn't make you a douche bag because they are on the same page. I, however, am not that kinda girl, Jackson."

"I know that." He pulls her close and tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. "And I would never ask you to do something you didn't want."

"I know that." She smiles up at him sadly. "But I'm telling you we can't go there, Jackson. You are my only real friend. And I don't want to lose that."

"You won't." He promises, kissing her on the forehead. He can see the walls are back up now. And instinctively he knows not to press her, even though he desperately wants to.

"Can we go back in and toke up?" She asks with a smile.

"See, you really are my kinda girl." He leads her back into the house.
************

Piney comes in late the next morning and takes in the site of one Jackson Teller wrapped around Tara Knowles on the couch. Both are fully clothed, Tara in fact, is even in Jax's large hoodie. He's pretty confident that no funny business went on but it still makes him uncomfortable. These two kids have had a lifetime of hurt in their short life. He's not sure they should get involved. And despite whatever anyone thinks there clearly is something going on with these two.

"Alright," He yells. "Get the hell up."

Tara's big eyes open immediately but she doesn't move.

Jax groans, "Christ, Piney!"

"You're both lucky you are clothed." Piney's voice booms, grating on the two teenagers who had too much to drink the night before.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Tara asks, innocently. Then giggles and blushes when she realizes what Piney's mind is on.

"Don't be coy with me, girl." Piney grumbles. "You two get the hell up and clean my house." He looks around the living room at the beer bottles and ash trays. "It smells like booze and smoke in here. Where the hell is Opie?"

"Went to Donna's." Jax grumbles. Even though he's lying. He's pretty sure that Opie is upstairs with Donna, who snuck out of her house a few hours ago but he's trying to give them enough time to work something out before Piney walks in on something no one wants to see.

"Doesn't anyone watch their damn kids." The old man barks as he walks away. "I'm not playing, get your asses up and clean your damn mess!"