Chapter 16
Two weeks later…

"Big plans this weekend?" Donna teases. "Valentine's Day and the Prince turns sixteen?" She and Tara are laying on Tara's bed listening to the sounds of a fairly new band, Green Day.

"Partying it up at the clubhouse." Tara replies. "You guys are gonna be there, right?" That was the only reason she agreed to Jax's invite. Okay, well when he asked her with such hopeful eyes to spend his birthday weekend with him, she had no choice but to assure him she'd be there. She'd do anything to keep that happiness in those blue orbs. And that honestly scared the shit out of her. Actually, everything about Jackson Teller equal parts scared and excited her.

"Yea, we're gonna be there." Donna assures her. She looks around Tara's room. "Have your walls always been black?"

Tara laughs, "For the last year or so, yeah. Why?"

"Never noticed it before." The petite brunette admits.

"'Cause usually you're high." Tara teases. "What did you get Op for Valentine's Day? Do you guys exchange gifts?"

"I'll probably give him a blow job and let him pick out a new helmet or something." Donna replies casually. "What about you?"

Tara instantly regrets asking. "Uh, I got him a book, a sketch pad, and a manual for his dad's bike."

"And nothing else?" Donna looks bored.

"Like what?" Tara asks. "I've been thinking so hard. But I don't know….he's kinda spoiled and already has everything he wants."

"Except you…wrapped in a bow." Donna laughs.

Tara throws a pillow at her friend and demands she shuts up. But she will never admit to thinking those same thoughts for weeks now.
++++++++++++++

"You excited?" Opie asks Jax while they change the oil on a Honda. Crow-eaters and sweet butts have been coming and going out of the clubhouse all morning. The prince turning sixteen is a big deal.

"Excited about getting my bike, having Tara here, yeah." Jax admits. And because it's Opie he tells him the truth, "Wish the old man was here though. Always thought my first ride on my first bike would be with him."

Opie knows he needs to lighten the mood, "Yea, that would be funny…you, JT, and Tara."

The prince actually does laugh at that. "I guess things do change." And as much as he wants his father there, he wouldn't trade being where he is now with Tara for anything. She's the only thing that he sees clearly anymore. "I think Dad would like Tara."

"He'd hold the Queen in check for sure." Opie notes. JT was so much more laid back that Gemma…or Clay for that matter. Opie walked into one of the efficiency's earlier and caught Gemma blowing Clay. It was nasty. He was pretty sure they didn't see him but he sure as hell couldn't tell Jax what he saw.

"Tara and I are gonna hang out all weekend." Jax grins at his best friend. "She's gonna tell her old man that she's staying with Donna."

"Someone's bound to see her here though." Opie states the obvious. "You guys gonna crash at my place?"

"Probably." Jax gets up and starts putting the supplies back. "And with Donna here, I figure it will make a good cover, right?"

"I guess." Opie starts washing his hands. "As long as Tara thinks it's safe, you should be cool."

That's what had Jax worried. He wanted to spend as much time with his girl as he could. But he didn't want her to get into trouble with her old man. And he certainly didn't want her to get hurt.
+++++++++++++++

The party was raging inside and outside the clubhouse. The reaper décor clashed with the Valentine's Day décor in Tara's opinion but no one else seemed to mind. It was impossible not to notice the jealous looks from girls and women alike thrown in her direction. And when she catches Jax smirk at one she elbowed him as hard as she could, even if his arm was around her back and his hand in her back pocket.

"Ouch, what was that for?" Jax laughs, eyes glazed over from the weed and alcohol they have consumed.

"You know what that was for." Tara replies, rolling her eyes. She wonders if flirting is in his DNA and if he'll ever stop.

"Chill babe." He kisses the top of her head, sitting on the picnic table and pulling her with him. "I'm right where I want to be."

She eyes the bike in the center of the lot covered in a tarp. "So when they present it to you, are you supposed to be shocked? Like you don't know it's a bike?" Clearly one could tell what is was by the shape.

He wasn't sure why he found it so funny but soon they were both laughing. "What the hell is so funny?" Opie demands, bringing over a bottle of Jack.

"You wouldn't get it." Jax laughter dies down.

Opie and Donna rolled their eyes. Jax and Tara were always laughing over something that no one else could understand according to them, whatever. Donna was willing to bet that whatever they were going on about was stupid and only humorous because they were both tore the hell up. She rolled her eyes when she looked to the said couple and they were all over each other. She looked up trying to think of something to disengage the two and met Gemma Teller's gaze directly across the lot. It was only briefly because the woman went right back to staring daggers at an oblivious Tara.

"How long before you two get your bikes on the road?" Even though she directed the question to Opie and Jax, she kicked Jax for good measure.

"Not long." Opie replies at the same time Jax comes up for air, "Huh?"

Opie laughingly clears his throat, "Our bikes bro, how long before you think we'll have them on the road?"

"Well, I don't have a bike yet." Which sends him and Tara into another fit of giggles. "But it doesn't matter. Op and I will be riding around with the two hottest chicks in Charming soon enough."

It was a testament to exactly how high Tara was that she didn't even care he just referred to her as a chick. Everyone looked up when Tig gave a sharp whistle and the music was cut off. "Listen up!" Tig shouted after silence followed his command.

Clay soon took front and center. "Tonight is a special night. We are here to celebrate the Prince's sixteenth birthday. It's a hard one for him, understandably, without his old man." Tara squeezes Jax's hand and brings it to her lips and Jax squeezes back. Just like his girl to know what he needs. "But JT was a good man. He'd want Jax to have the time of his life." He pauses enough for the cheers to die down. "Come here son." Opie and Tara seem to be the only ones to notice Jax cringe at the reference. Clay rips the tarp off the bike, a 1991 Harley Davidson Dyna, the model Jax always talks about.

It looked a little rough, had maybe seen an accident or two but it was still newer than what he was expecting, Tara knew from her many talks with Jax. She could see he was speechless, from that fact or an affect of their inebriated state she couldn't be sure. But he sure as fuck looked uncomfortable to her and she couldn't help but gasp and say in what she thought was a low voice, "It is a bike!" Only she must have been louder than she thought because the silence was deafening and suddenly Jax was laughing loudly, followed by Opie and Donna, which set Tara off into her own fit. Gemma glared at Tara. Who did this little bitch think she was? Jax sat on the bike, started it up, and kept the throttle rumbling. Everyone cheered and Tara smiled, her guy was just too damn sexy.

It was then that he met her gaze and nodded his head for her to come closer. "What?" She asks, leaning in for a kiss. She can feel the eyes on her and tries to keep the kiss brief but he tugs her in for another longer, lingering kiss. "Happy Birthday Jackson." She whispers against his lips.
"Get on." He tells her. She eyes him suspiciously. He is way too drunk to drive this thing. "I'm only taking it to my station." He nods to the garage. "You're safe. I promise." He helps her on and tells her what to do in order to not get burned. Once he has her on their, arms wrapped tightly around him, he leans back and she leans forwards to hear him over the rumble of the engine, "Now it's a happy birthday." She can't help but to rise up and kiss him, neither aware that they've just taken their first official photo as a couple.

Jax couldn't tell you how long the four of them sat at his station fawning over his new bike. Opie pulled his in behind Jax's and the two immediately started talking about everything they had planned to do to their bikes. Donna and Tara couldn't help but feed off their excitement. Opie's list was longer than Jax's. He has had his bike for four months but refused to work on it until Jax got his, "true brotherhood" they called it. Whatever it was Tara was envious. She couldn't imagine having a sibling, let alone a friend to share that kind of bond with.

It had to be well after midnight when the music was cut and Tig once again silenced the now diminishing crowd with a whistle. Jax and Opie shared a look and shrugged their shoulders before grabbing their girls hands and walking out into the lot. Not surprisingly Clay and Gemma were in the center, although mildly surprising to Jax they were holding hands. Even though he was pretty sure they were fucking, he thought it was in poor taste to flaunt that shit in the place his father practically built. Tara noted the way Jax seemed to stiffen all over. She leaned into him, wrapping her arm around him. He squeezed her shoulder in response and left his arm there. "It's been awhile since we've had some good news around here!" Clay started. After the shouts died down he continued, "And since this is the weekend of love…I wanted you all, our family to know that this beautiful lady," He raises their adjoining hands up, "has agreed to be my wife."

"What the fuck?" Jax shouts. The only ones who can hear him over the excited yells of the crowd are his closest friends however.

"I'm sorry, baby." Tara hugs him.

"I don't know what to say, bro." Opie squeezes his shoulder. "Let's go to the roof and toke up."

"This is bullshit." Jax meets his mother's gaze, over Tig's shoulder, who is giving her a congratulatory hug. Her gaze is pleading. Her son's is hatred. Clay was headed in his direction and Tara knew nothing good could come of it right now. She tugged his hand and lead him back to the clubhouse, following Opie and Donna.
+++++++++++++++++++++++

The four friends sat on the rooftop for a bit, enjoying the small fire Opie and Jax made, sharing the Jack and a few joints before Donna started nodding out on Opie's shoulder. "I got to get her home, bro." Opie nods to Donna with a smile. "You guys coming?"

Jax shares a look with Tara. "Stay here with me tonight?" He asks. She nods with a smile. She'd follow him everywhere and anywhere. "Nah, bro. We'll camp out up here." Opie makes sure Donna is alert enough to walk home before heading down the drop down steps. Jax kisses Tara's forehead, "I'm gonna grab us some stuff." He tells her.

"Can you grab my backpack out of Op's truck?" She hasn't even given him his presents yet.

"Sure thing, babe." He smiles. No matter how shitty the night she makes things better. Always. Tara watches them from her vantage point of the rooftop. She sighs in relief when she notices that Clay's bike is gone. Jax is not ready for that confrontation. She smiles when Jax comes up with several thick blankets and other supplies, including her backpack.

"Do I smell food?" She has a serious case of the munchies.

"Potato skins." He hands her the Styrofoam container. "Sorta to make up for the least time.

"You don't need to make up for that." She tells him. "But I am freakin' starving. Sit down and eat with me." She watches as he pulls the steps up onto the roof and locks the entryway so they won't be bothered. "Will we be ok up here?"

"I'll keep the fire going and I have lots of blankets." He nods to the pile he brought up and starts laying them out. "Besides, I'll keep you warm. But if you get cold, wake me up and we can sleep in the clubhouse."

Tara thinks she'd rather freeze than risk catching an STD from being anywhere near the apartments inside the clubhouse. But she doesn't tell him that. When the potato skins are gone, Tara closes the container and sets it aside, reaching for her backpack. "I didn't give you your presents, birthday boy." She teases.

Jax's mind instantly goes to her underneath him, with nothing on. "Oh yeah?" He asks, throat thick. "What did you get me?"

"Not what you're thinking." She laughs but pulls out three wrapped items.

"You wrapped them?" He smiles, not sure why he finds that cute.

"In comics from the newspaper." She laughs, but the blush on her cheeks gives her away. "It's no big deal."

"It is, Tara." He swallows. "It's a big deal." He opens up the manual to a 1949 Harley-Davidson Panhead. "Where did you find this? I've been looking all over for it?" He asks excitedly. He knew his father had a similar manual somewhere but damn if he could find it, and he did try to find it.

"The librarian in Stockton knows someone." Tara smiles. She did good she can tell. "Open the rest." He opens the new sketchpad and smiles knowingly. She likes his art. Another thing they have in common. He smiles when he sees the unauthorized biography of Evil Knievel. "I know you've probably read it…."

"Not the unauthorized one." He admits. "Think it has some scandalous things in it?"

"More scandalous than we already know?" She laughs. "I doubt it." The two share an intense look. "Happy birthday." She whispers.

He meets her somewhere in the middle, "Thank you," passes through his lips softly before they land on hers. And suddenly there are a mess of tangled limbs and heavy breathing as she leans back, pulling him on top of her. They've gotten used to making out pretty heavily and quickly their shirts are discarded. Her hips are rocking steadily against his, meeting him thrust for thrust. He is hit with the urgency to feel her, to be in her. He slows down their pace and unbuttons and unzips her jeans, teasing her panty line with his finger, while teasing her nipple with his tongue.

He stops suddenly when he hears her say, "Do you carry a condom in your wallet?" His head rises and meets her gaze. "Are you sure?" He asks, although he is pretty sure that is certainty in her eyes. Tara giggles nervously, "Yes." She briefly wonders if he has looked this panicked and double checked with the other girls. Quickly, she throws those thoughts out. "I have one." He assures her. "But I…I don't want you to feel like you have to do this…we can wait…I'll wait for you Tara."

"I want to do this." Her voice is timid yet firm and the combination drives him wild. "I want you…" She assures him. "And I want you to be my first."

The mega-watt grin that breaks out on his face belittles his previous statement and he can't help it. He wants this. He so fucking wants this. "Here?" He asks jokingly.

"What's wrong with here?" She asks.

"I don't know." He kisses her softly from her lips to her breast. "You should have candlelight…and a bed."

"This is better." She smiles, unbuckling his belt and unbuttoning his jeans before taking the zipper down. She reaches into his pack pocket and pulls out his wallet handing it to him. Suddenly his heart rate increases at the thought of being inside her. He's going to be someone's first. Her first. Before Tara he never gave it much thought but now he thinks it is a huge deal. He tries to remember all the things he's heard the guys say in passing about virgins so he can make this a good experience for her. "Hey Teller, am I losing you?" She teases.

"Never." He replies, taking out the condom and tossing the wallet aside. She tugs both is jeans and boxers over his ass and he is quick to kick off his Nike's and remove his socks with his toes before sitting back to take his pants and boxers off the rest of the way.

Tara's eyes get huge when she finally sees all of him. He's so damn hard and big and thick. Sure she's felt him in her hand but actually seeing it and knowing it's about to be inside of her is intimidating. She knows the basics but really can she stretch that much?

"Having second thoughts?" Jax asks. Please dear God, do not let her change her mind. He'd stop, of course he'd stop. But it might literally kill him. His balls would definitely explode, he was certain.

"No." She answers quickly. And before she can filter her brain, "I just don't want to disappoint you." She admits.

"You won't." He runs his thumb over her cheekbone. "You could never disappoint me, Tara." He starts to give her light, teasing kisses, hitting that spot under her ear that drives her wild, teasing her nipples with his thumbs until she becomes pliant in his arms again. Soon she's thrusting against his hard, bare dick and he thinks he might embarrass himself if he doesn't move things along. He sits back and smiles at her cockily as he removes her boots, socks and then jeans and panties at once. He takes a deep breath and it catches as he tries to release it. "You're so damn beautiful Tara." He whispers. And she was. Her creamy skin was unblemished, pale, perfect. He knows from experience how easy it is to mark. And now he realizes he can even mark it in more intimate places, places where only they'll see.

His gaze travels from her perfect tits, B cup he's sure, to her trimmed black curls. For the first time ever he wonders what a woman, more importantly Tara, tastes like. He's never done it before but he is suddenly hit with the urge to fuck her with his tongue. He looks up at her face and decides he'd probably scare the shit out of her if he did that right now. She rises up and runs her nail down his torso, down to his cock. She runs her hand from base to tip, "I want you Jackson."

And with those words, he is a goner. His mouth is on hers instantly, pushing her back and taking his finger to play in her curls. Her hips rise desperately searching for his finger to give her some relief. He vaguely remembers that he needs to make sure she's wet enough. She literally whimpers when he finally gives her what she wants and inserts one finger in. She's dripping, thank fucking God. He tears the condom wrapper open between his teeth and one hand and somehow manages to get it on finally. He removes his finger and places his cock at her entrance.

"Jax! Wait!" Her words are like ice and he stops instantly.

"What's wrong?" He chokes out. Jesus Christ he's gonna explode.

"I…I…have to say something." She finally gets out. "Well, ask you something."

"Okay." What the fuck else was he supposed to say?

"Whatever this is." She hesitates, nodding between them, she places her hands on his shoulders. "Promise me, if you start doing this with other girls." She swallows thickly. "You'll tell me? You'll be honest?"

Suddenly he's hit with the realization that he's in deep shit. He's never felt these feelings or made these kind of promises before. "I won't do that to you, Tara."

"But you promise?" She clarifies, "To tell me if things change?"

"I promise." He assures her with a kiss and nudges his way it. Goddamn she's so fucking tight. He thinks he will come too soon.

Jesus Christ, she knew it would hurt. She clearly heard girls say how awful their first time was. But she was not prepared for this kind of pain. This shit was beyond uncomfortable.

"I think…I think you need to relax." Jax tells her, nudging a little further. Did she know what kind of self control he was exercising at the moment? One thrust and he'd be in heaven, he was sure.

Relax? Yea he clearly had a dick. "I'm trying." She whispers.

"Do you want me stop?" He asks, please say no, please say no.

Did she? Would that help or would it still hurt like hell the next time. "No." She answers.

"I think I need a crowbar to get in here." It was a joke he heard one time.

But sure enough it worked, she laughed and her legs immediately relaxed. "What?" She asks, the light back in her eyes.

"It was a bad joke." He informs her. "I'm sorry."

"But…it's a good thing, right?" She asks nervously. "Being tight…it's good, right?"

Finally he's all the way in. ThankfuckingGod and it is the best fucking feeling in the world and as he looks at her and at the complete fucking trust he sees there, he knows he is in over his head. He starts thrusting steadily. "Yea babe, it's a good thing." He's different and he knows there is no going back. He'll never be the same again. "A very good thing." He makes a note to never try this with concrete underneath them again. Even with all the thick ass blankets he's on, the cement is hard as hell on his knees. But Tara is worth it, so worth it.

Her smile paired with the glistening of her eyes is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. And when she finally starts working her hips he knows he won't last. Shit, he's got to make her cum. He heard that most girls can not get an orgasm the first time. And he refuses to let Tara be one of those girls. He wets his thumb and starts rubbing her clit and is rewarded by her hips steadily meeting his, losing rhythm. Soon they are both out of breath, sweat glistening, chasing that magical release. He's worried that he's going to finish before her. That's bullshit and the thought pisses him off.

Tara wasn't expecting this. Sure, Jax has gotten her off with his fingers before. But she was certain she heard that the girl never got their orgasm the first time. Hell apparently orgasms were hit or miss with girls in general. Shit, maybe she should have pushed aside her embarrassment and talked to Donna about this. She was almost there. She knew it and it felt so fucking good. Oh shit, he changed the angle of his hips. That matched with his magic fucking thumb and she was there. "Jackson! Oh God, Jax!"

About fucking time, he thinks because he is right behind her. In fact, yup, he's done before her. He pumps into her slowly as she rides out her orgasm, trying to catch his breath. "Goddamn Tara, that was…"

"Yeah, it was." She smiles shyly and buries her face in his chest.