Where Rides Lead To

Who: Joey and Ash
When: six-thirty sharp
Where: coffee shop and sugarloaf

Ash had been waiting for six thirty. The call from Eury had put him in a good mood, so the time passed nice and quickly. About an hour before, he'd stopped working, shut the bay doors of the shop, and gone upstairs to shower. And shave everything but his sideburns and soul patch off. He'd collected a good bit of scruff, but if he was actually seeing a lady, it could stand to go for one night. He put on clothes that smelled clean at least, some clingy jeans and a plain black t-shirt. Knocked the dirt off his boots. That kind of thing. It was as dressed up as he ever got, more or less. At least he smelled decent.

Ten or so minutes before Joey was due to get off work, he went downstairs to fire up the bike. God he loved that sound. Ash slipped into his well-worn leather jacket, settled down comfortably, and headed off to where her shop was. He pulled up out front and stopped, eyeing the place, not sure if he should go in to get her right away or not.

Joey was just finishing up when she heard the sound of Ash's bike outside. Looking up from behind the counter she saw that sure enough he was there waiting. She wondered if he would come inside, but figured it didn't matter either way, seeing as she was more or less ready to go. She gave instructions to Patty and Trey, her part time help who would be closing for her, and then went back into her office to get her things.

She did a quick check of herself in her mirror, retouched her lip gloss and pulled her dark hair up into a messy ponytail at the top of her head. She could get away with the windblown look, but she wanted to enjoy the ride rather than pushing hair out of her face the entire time. She knew better than to dress up for a motorcycle ride, but she'd chosen the form fitting hunter green t-shirt and jeans purposely, as the t-shirt brought out the color of her eyes, and the jeans... well, he seemed to like her ass just fine. Why not show it off a bit? Joey even decided to leave the sandals at home and opted for her leather boots. She grabbed her phone and some cash, but kept her bag locked in her drawer, not wanting it to get in the way.

With a smile, she headed outside to meet Ash, taking her time as not to look too overeager. He looked... damn sexy sitting on that bike. Her pulse picked up and she would have rolled her eyes at herself had he not been able to see it. Still, she never resisted when something could turn her on just by the sight of it. Ash and his motorcycle was one of those moments. She walked up to him and examined the bike, clearly impressed. "Very nice ride. How long have you had her?"

Ash watched her come out of the building, straddling his idling bike, a smile in place. "About five years on this one," he answered her way of a greeting. Funny how he felt almost as checked out as the bike. Not that he minded. "But I've been ridin' em since I was a teenager, so I've been through a few." Unfortunately, motorcycles did not have an extended lifespan when under Ash's ownership. He maintained and took care of them perfectly well, they just tended to get into accidents with his lifestyle. His eyes drifted over Joey. "You're gonna need a jacket, girl," he informed her. Not that he particularly wanted any of that covered up, but the sun was going down, it was getting chilly, and speed made for even colder wind.

And he probably got laid right and left as a teenager. She was almost positive of that. When he mentioned a jacket, Joey nearly pouted - well, okay she did pout - before she glanced down at herself. And then she looked up at him and smiled brightly. "I was kind of counting on the body heat to keep me warm. But you're probably right. Hold on a second." She turned and went back into her shop, returning only seconds later with her jacket. She pulled it on and held out both arms, turning around slowly. "How's this?" Joey faced him again, her hands falling to her hips. "I'm consistently forgetting that there's a big weather difference between tropical beaches and upper Michigan in October. If you find me in sandals with snow falling around me, don't be surprised."

The angel smirked faintly as she darted back inside. Oh there'd be plenty of body heat, he bet. Just not while they were moving. Now where they might park ... could be a totally different story. He gave her a good once -- or twice -- over as she turned around for him. Yes. Definite approval. "I won't laugh, but I do reserve the right to tsk and shake my head," he informed her with a crooked grin. "You've never lived up in this kind of climate before?" She said she'd traveled, after all, and Athens was one of the places, so maybe she stuck to nicer climes. In the meantime, he motioned her over to hop on behind him as he started the bike up again. Which would restrict some conversation, but hey, that was okay.

"I've been just about everywhere," Joey stated simply before grabbing ahold of his waist to slip on the bike behind him. "I just prefer warmer climates, though really cold weather doesn't bother me as much as some people. Maybe my lack of a real coat is some strange form of resistance and denial against snow and ice. Though I'm thinking I'm probably need to buy something heavy and wool if I'm going to be here awhile." She kept her hands settled where they were, but tapped him gently on both sides to indicate she was ready to go. "So tsk all you want, man. I can take it."

Ash chuckled deeply -- which was lost in engine-noise -- and looked halfway around his shoulder to speak. "This jacket right here? All I got. So I feel you. I got a feelin' I'm gonna miss my South America in a few weeks." He revved the engine and pulled his boots up as he gave the bike some gas, pulling away from the curb as easy as he could. He faced front again, and as soon as he was sure of the lack of traffic, picked up speed in the direction of Out of Town. Hopefully the sun would hang around long enough to get up to Sugarloaf and watch it go down. He thought he could beat it, long as she held on.

The minute the bike started to move, Joey beamed. It had been a long time since she had been on a bike. A really long time, in fact. She wasn't bothered at all with his speed, or if he cared to go faster. She was more than game for it. The bike was sound, and his body was solid and warm - as she figured it would be - and she trusted him enough to know what he was doing. Leaving Marquette behind them, Joey decided that approaching him on the beach the other day had been a wise decision. No matter what happened now, or later, the ride alone was more than worth it. Joey slid her arms more firmly around him and closed her eyes against the wind against her face. There was definitely no need for talking about the moment. She would much rather enjoy feeling the entire experience.

As soon as they'd passed out of the Marquette city limits, Ash pushed the bike harder. Not nearly as fast as it could go, but while he was reckless with his own life ... other people were a different story. Still, once he had open road in front of him, he let it loose. There was nothing like the feeling of power with all the wind rushing around him. That speed was delicious. Well okay, there was one thing. But this was as close to real flying as he could get, anymore. He took the turns tight and roared through the trees with her, glad that she at least knew which way to balance so as not to throw him off.

This was the second best thing to flying. Pretty much because there was the thrill of excitement that came with every turn and every hill. Not to mention having an attractive man at the helm of it all, being a part of it with her. This was something she could share and enjoy with someone else, unlike when she took off on her own. Joey couldn't help but smile at the turns he took, more than enjoying the bursts of adrenaline inside of her every time her body moved to balance the movement of the bike. Her heart was racing - in a good way - and she was more than happy to have an excuse to press her body against his. She knew she could be shameless sometimes, but Joey had long since learned that it was important in life to do whatever the hell you wanted. You never knew when it was going to be over.

It honestly didn't take him very long to get them up to Sugarloaf. Ash tended to get places quickly when he wanted to. Or just when he got lost in driving. This was some combination of both. In any case, he slowed down as they neared the entrance and cruised into the parking lot. It was cool enough that he doubted there'd be many people there. That and there was a football game tonight at the high school, and Marquette was the type of town to all flood to that. He lowered the kickstand and killed the engine, though he wasn't in any huge hurry to get her warmth off of his back. 'Cause that was pretty nice. "Ready to climb some stairs?" he asked over his shoulder with a faint smirk.

Joey breathed in once they stopped, enjoying the cooler air, though she was thankful he'd made her get her jacket. She pulled her hands back when he turned off the bike, trying to get her heart beat to slow. That was almost as exciting as sex. Almost. She opened her eyes when he spoke and returned his grin. "More than ready." She found her foot and slipped off of his bike, readjusting her jacket some. Her legs and thighs were still vibrating from the bike, which was more than fine with her. Glancing around she could see that it was pretty much vacant, though she imagined this was a local hotspot during the spring and summer. "It's been a long time since I've been on a ride like that. I bet you really let go when you don't have a passenger."

He got off as well, and just chuckled as an answer. In truth, he'd wiped out more times than he could count. Several of them almost on purpose. He unzipped his jacket since they weren't moving as rapidly anymore, and started his ambling walk toward the start of the steps. Ash squinted at the sun and figured they had fifteen or so minutes more before the colors really started. He'd gotten good at timing sunsets in his years. "You ever own one?" he asked out of mild curiosity, looking over at her as they started to head upward. She looked like she just might be the type.

She slipped her hands into her jacket pockets and got to walking up the stairs. Thank god she had quit smoking and was in decent shape, or she would never make it all the way without doubling over. "I did, actually. Years ago I bought a 98' Honda Magna off an old boyfriend because he was willing to give me a good deal on it and I felt sexy riding it. Admittedly, that's probably not the best, or smartest reason, to buy a bike, but I didn't care at the time. It was that adrenaline rush that got me. That sense of power between your legs, so to speak." She looked over at Ash and smiled. "My mom called me every fucking day I had that bike to make sure I was still alive. So... after about a year I sold it. I've been on a few since then, but I've stuck to my Toyota to make my parents sleep better at night, I guess." The fact that they would worry about their Angel of Wrath daughter on a motorcycle always amused her.

Now at least he knew that her wording probably wasn't an accident. Oh no. He thought that he could show her a thing or two about power between her legs, but actually refrained from saying so. For now, anyway. Ash laughed a bit. "Think that's a good enough reason. Probably the reason a lot of women have 'em. Me, I just needed a way to get around that was cheaper and faster than a Toyota. It was my dad, actually, that bought me my first one." And even though he'd told himself he would refrain from smoking as much around her, he needed a cigarette after a ride like that. So he tugged his pack out and pulled one out with his lips. He lit it up and exhaled the first drag away from her. He was in shape enough that the climb didn't really bother him, cancer sticks or no. "That's very good-daughter of you, though," he added with a crooked grin.

Joey was proud of herself that she didn't pounce him the minute he pulled out his cigarettes. But she was doing well, so she ignored the smoking, not bothered by it in the least. "I suppose I need to have some good-daughter moments to stay in their good graces." Though she hadn't seen them in a long time, it felt like. The occasional phone call now seemed to be good enough for all parties involved, though she miss them both - especially around the holidays. It didn't matter how old she was, it was still mildly depressing to spend them alone. "What about you? Are you and your dad close?"

He made a slight face and shook his head. "We haven't talked in ... years," he said casually enough, bringing the cigarette up to drag again as his eyes ticked out over the view. He wondered again if the old bastard was still alive, even. It wouldn't surprise him in either direction, really. He was stubborn enough to live this long and get himself killed both, depending on the circumstances. Just like his boy. But his father wasn't exactly the place that Ash's mind wanted to be, so he let the thought go. "Got a lot of bad-girlness to make up for, hey?" he said instead, looking back over at Joey and smirking a touch.

She noted the subject changed and let it go as well. Joey certainly knew better than to push certain subjects on people - and parents always seemed to be a touchy one. It didn't mean she wasn't curious but Ash didn't know her - and she didn't know him - very well to dwell on the topic. "You know it. It's like I have to keep my bad-girl quota up to date," she informed him teasingly, more than willing to lighten the mood. "Sometimes I try to be good about it, but it seems like whenever I rid myself of something that might be bad for me, I take up something else that I know my mother would shriek about. I sell my bike, I get a couple piercings. I quit smoking, I get a tattoo. And hey, didn't I just get on a motorcycle? Without a helmet?" With a man who her mother would tell her was all wrong for her with just one look. "That ought to take care of the bad-girlness for at least a month, right?"

Ash was of the opinion that the sex she'd practically dripped in his office the other day probably qualified even more than hopping on the back of his bike. He laughed a bit. "Well, it depends on where your standards are set. For some women? That's just another day. For others? That'd be enough for a lifetime. I'm thinkin' you're probably somewhere in the middle," he assessed, narrowing one eye at her a little. "Embrace your badness. Only got one go 'round, after all." He flicked his ashes out to the side of him, continuing up with steps with her. There was a bench a ways up ahead that would be a good secluded spot to park it and watch the sun go down.

"Isn't that the truth," Joey agreed with a nod. She knew that better than most people, didn't she? Sometimes your one go around could be extremely short lived. Joey didn't comment on his assessment of her, however, though she did smile a touch. It was best to let him find out on his own where her standards were set. It was always more fun to let a man figure you out on their own rather than laying it all out there for them. If they were willing to do that? Then in Joey's eyes that was the best way to find out which men were worth the trouble and which men weren't. "Here's a lame question, but do you come here often? It seems to be the perfect distance and place to go when you need to get out of town for awhile."

"Sometimes," he answered with a nod, finishing off his smoke and pausing to stub it out on the bottom of his boot. Being as they weren't in town, he pocketed the butt instead of tossing it. Nature took precedence. "It's a pretty nice quiet place, if you need one. There's actually lots of those around here." As they came up on it, he motioned to the bench he'd been aiming for and went to sit down on it himself. In a comfortable slouch, one arm up on the back of it. It faced the sunset, though there were some trees to look through. "I get too busy to wander off sometimes, but it's nice to get out of town once in a while," he continued, settling in comfortably.

It would certainly be easy enough to fly to and Joey decided to keep the place in mind, should she ever need a break from Marquette. Joey sat down next to him and got comfortable herself. She took a breath of the fresh air and enjoyed the view. When was the last time she took the time to enjoy a sunset like this? "It's usually when you find yourself too busy to wander off that you really should. Certain obligations can weigh you down, or hold you back. Like you said, you only get one go around, right? I've always been of the mind that you shouldn't waste it, despite what's expected of you. Despite what people think of you, or want from you. Which probably isn't the best philosophy to have, but it's worked for me so far. I have very little regrets in my life." Joey paused and turned to look at him with a smile. "Sorry, I'm letting my mind wander away from me."

Somewhere in the middle of that, Ash had looked over to watch her profile as she talked. Funny, it sounded quite a lot like his own philosophies. No real ties, no fulfilling any obligations except your own and those fate slapped you with ... not wasting time. Even though he still did that in abundance. Under most people's definition of 'waste', at least. He smiled faintly back as she did. "Nothing wrong with that. Sometimes it needs to go places you don't even know about," he said. She was in front of his arm on the back of the bench, but he kept his hand hanging down on the opposite side of it. "I agree. I have been known to pack up shop and just leave a place, if I don't get enough of this kind of shit," he said, nodding around them.

"Sure, but sometimes those particular places aren't exactly ones you want to know about." Though she was pretty sure her mind had gone in every possible direction and more than once. She had been around for a long time and she knew how to live her life. She knew what was best for her in the long run. She always had to look at things much differently than anyone she knew. She was what she was and she couldn't change that. The minute she started conforming to another mindset, she would be in big trouble. "It's nice isn't it?" Joey asked him, looking back at the trees and the sun setting behind them. "Being able to just up and leave if you feel you need to, or you want to. If some place isn't fulfilling your needs, you just move on until you find some place that does. It's not such a bad way to live. I like to think that someday I'll be able to say I took advantage of every opportunity given to me. But we'll see. That's the bitter, and amusing, thing about life, I think. That it doesn't give a fuck what you want."

"Least that puts you on par with everybody else," he said, looking back out at the view himself for a moment. "Life doesn't give a fuck what anybody wants. Sometimes it lines up? Mostly not." Not that that really bothered him. That was just how it was, and after so long, you got used to a thing. Hell, if life cared what he wanted, he probably would've been dead by now. And he was getting to the point where he was kind of glad he wasn't. Or he'd be missing this sunset. But that shit was far too sappy to say, so he didn't. Just sat quietly for a minute and wanted another cigarette. "So ... yeah, it's nice. I been doin' it for a long time, always suited me." Even when it was dreary and hungover and lonely as hell ... it was better than the alternative. He thought so, at least.

It was amazing how quickly the sun disappeared once it's began to set. Sometimes it was a blink and you miss it kind of moment. But she loved the colors it left streaking in the sky before night truly set in. It was such a clear night, she was thinking the stars were going to be gorgeous from out here. She was itching to fly - which was impossible given her company - but the desire was there. "You're right, most of the time life doesn't line up, but that's why it's such a challenge. You've just got to decide whether you're up for it, or if you would rather just let life kick your ass to the point where you're living a meaningless existence." She paused and looked at him again with a faint smile. "Amazing what nature and a bit of privacy will do to your thoughts."

Ash chuckled quietly. "S'why I come out here," he said, eyes on the sky. He scooted down a bit more on the bench and leaned his head back to look straight up. Into that dizzying expanse that he used to be able to be a part of. He almost never missed real flight until he looked straight into that kind of freedom. He watched the light bleed out of the sky toward the horizon, one knee swaying slowly. Nothing else really came to him to say, though he was aware it probably should. He had company, after all, and it wasn't really a time to slide into silent introspection. It was just hard not to with what she'd said and the sky right there with the sun going down. "Think we get distracted too much, sometimes. Think there's too much noise," he murmured, though whether it was to her or himself, he wasn't sure.

Joey didn't mind the silence with the scenery. She didn't feel uncomfortable, or like she ought to fill it with something. Looking up at the sky, she could already see stars starting to shine through. Away from city lights, even the lights in Marquette, they would be clear as day. Joey settled and rested her head back against the bench before looking over at him. "It's nice, getting away from noise and distraction... enjoying the silence, taking a step back and just taking a breath to refocus. But then again, too much silence and you start to crave the distraction again. It's finding the right balance that's the tricky part."

"That's the tricky part of everything," Ash said with a faint smile, eyes still up on the emerging stars. And in almost three hundred years, he still hadn't really found it. Or if he had, he hadn't known it at the time and had passed on through. Zen was not something that Ash did well, never had. If he bought into a lot of those cereal-box diagnoses people seemed to like to give out nowadays, he might've thought he was bipolar in some form or fashion. He leaned over a touch, and pointed upward to the sky. "There's Cancer," he pointed out to her. "Do you know the constellations are moving? They're not where they were at the same times of year as back when they were first mapped."

She followed his direction into the sky to check out the constellation he was pointing out to her. "I had no idea... I've never been very schooled in astronomy. I think the only star constellation I can point out is Orion. I guess I just figured everything in the sky stayed where it was... which I realize is pretty ignorant of me. What else can you see?"

"Let's see," he murmured, eyes ticking here and there. He pointed slightly lower toward the horizon and traced out a shape. "That's Hydra, below. Kinda hard to make out with the light left. ... and Leo's ... over there." He didn't know a lot about the stars, but he'd spent enough nights laying out in the middle of nowhere looking at them to learn a few things. "I personally think it's more that we're kind of drifting, as opposed to them moving themselves. Just looks like it." He looked over at her with a faint smile.

"I'm more likely to believe that," Joey replied. "I'd like to think there's something out there that's solid and reliable, that isn't constantly moving and changing. Which is kind of silly I guess, considering my own lifestyle." She released a breath and smiled before looking back up at the sky. It was such a nice night, even with the remaining bits of light disappearing. She knew she wouldn't be able to enjoy nights like this for much longer with cold weather approaching. And then she looked over at Ash again. "What about you? Do you feel like you're drifting?"

He looked back at her, curious as to what prompted a loaded question like that. That's what it felt like anyway: loaded. Did he feel like he was drifting. There was really only one right answer, and he wasn't in the habit of lying to people he liked, so. "I don't think I've ever not been drifting," he said, holding her gaze. "Mother died when I was young, father was a ramblin' man, he instilled it in me ..." He shook his head a bit. "Only things solid and reliable have been self-imposed. ... which makes me sound like a bad country song, but hey." He chuckled slightly.

Joey laughed softly before nodding. "It does, a little, but it sounds like the kind of country song I could relate to. And you know, it says a lot about you that you've self imposed anything solid or reliable. A lot of people in that position might have just let everything go to hell and become less of a person than they could have been." She tilted her head as she studied him. He had a decent aura about him - like he was a good person, though there were some murky edges. Maybe that's what made him so intriguing. She was still studying him when she leaned over to close the small distance between them and kiss him. She was curious as to what he would taste like - and what his lips would feel like. Joey had never been one to play coy when she really wanted something - and she had wanted to kiss him since he pulled up on his motorcycle.

That she made the first move surprised him a little, though it probably shouldn't have. Maybe it was just the timing. In any case, Ash wasn't going to complain. He had absolutely no problem with women who took the initiative. He let his eyes close and kissed her back, in a slow and exploratory kind of way. He wasn't much feeling like jumping into fiery passion right off the bat. Not after the subject matter they'd just had going. His hand moved from the back of the bench to her shoulder, though, drawing her in a tiny bit closer. She tasted good. And didn't seem overly shy, which he could definitely appreciate. He just hoped he didn't taste to strongly of cigarettes and send her into a nic fit or anything.

She could smell the smoke, but it didn't bother her. It was a familiar scent and oddly enough, it seemed to suit him. Joey didn't deepen the kiss, nor did she press into him, despite the urge to. She had a feeling he could be just as hot and passionate as he could soft and lazy. Damn. But now, Joey simply explored, her hand reaching up to touch the side of his face before she pulled back and swept her tongue over her lower lip, eyes opening to look at him. Her pulse was racing again, but what else was new? The man knew how to use his mouth. And then she smiled softly. "Sorry. I was curious."

Ash chuckled soft and deep as his eyes slid back open to take her in. He half-grinned. "Far be it from me to get in the way of the pursuit of knowledge," he murmured back. Yeah, that had definitely had potential. While still being excellent in it's own right. "And what did you find out?" His gaze ticked down to her lips and then back up. He could certainly go for more of that, now that he'd had a small taste of her.

Her own gaze dropped to his lips before lifting back to his eyes. "Exactly what I had thought I would," Joey replied, the faintest trace of a smile on her lips. Yes, she knew he would be a good kisser but it didn't quell her curiosity about him at all. It was one thing to flirt shamelessly with a man and dive straight into passion - it was another thing to catch glimpses past the surface to who they really were. Which is why she had been overcome with the desire to kiss him. Maybe it was because she could relate to him - his way of life. And maybe it was because she was feeling intensely attracted to him for some reason. Maybe it was both. She reached her hand up again, her thumb brushing against his lower lip. "I hope you didn't mind. Sometimes I act before thinking things through."

"Mind?" he asked with a little laugh, one eyebrow arching at her briefly. He grinned, and moved his head to catch her finger between his teeth in a very light nip. "Oh yes, I mind terribly. It was an awful thing you did, just terrible." He leaned in the small distance between them again to kiss her again. She tasted just as good the second time around, and his mind had tuned in a bit more to what was going on. It started out just as slow and soft as before, but Ash parted his lips this time to trace the curve of her bottom one with his tongue. He wasn't above connectionless nights of carnality himself -- sometimes they were just what a man needed -- but this ... felt a little different. She was enjoyable to talk to, independent, apparently had more depth than she seemed at first glance, and intelligent. Which all just made this part better.

Joey was smiling and about to respond when he moved in again. And she was not about to interrupt that to make some quip. And just like a girl would when properly kissed, she felt her insides heat and turn to mush. Her hand found it's way to slide through his hair again and she shivered a bit when she felt his tongue on her lip. Joey leaned in closer to him and parted her lips to stroke her tongue against his in an almost lazy fashion. He tasted much better the deeper she kissed him and she struggled to keep her hormones in check. She always enjoyed kissing men she was intellectually attracted to much more than those who were simply physical. Ash was a mixture of both which did incredibly pleasant things to her. She had been right that the body heat would keep her warm, because with her jacket on, she was suddenly burning up.

She wasn't the only one who felt overly warm. Blood was rushing to pleasant places, and he felt kind of tingly. A distant part of his mind noted that this was probably the first fully sober kiss he'd had in a long time. Even with Eury, they'd both been slightly wasted. It was nice, he could feel more of it. The mingling breath and how smooth her lips were. He stroked her tongue back with his own, body leaning in toward her's even more. He wanted to be closer, but there was always that line to not cross. Most of the time, anyway. His other arm came around, hand slipping in under her jacket to rest on her side. He'd see how she took that before he did any of the other shit he would really like to do.

Yes, he was a very good kisser. Incredible, even. Not that she would spout that off at the moment or anything, but he definitely lived up to her expectations. It had been a long time since she'd been properly kissed. Or kissed anyone properly. One night stands tended not to see a lot of mouth to mouth action on her part other than quick, impatient kisses on the way to whatever solid surface or bed was around. It was never in this slow burning kind of way. Joey shifted her body on the bench to be closer to him when she felt his hand at her side. Short of straddling him, it was the best she could get to touching as much of him as she could at once. Her free hand come up to touch his chest and she nipped lightly at his lower lip before capturing his mouth with hers again. Maybe it was the entire scenario - the scenery and sunset and stars - but it felt like a crime not to be touching him right now. Even if she wanted to, she wasn't sure she could find the willpower inside of her to pull away.

That was a good sign. As was the hand on his chest. Which felt nicely warm. He made a soft sound as she nipped him, and returned the favor lightly. Because this? Was a slow-burn, and it was very nice. After another moment of the lip-lock, his body shifted, arm coming down off of the back of the bench to slip around her. He moved his other hand to under her thigh and went ahead and did the bold thing. He was starting to doubt that she would mind overly much. Without too much effort at all, Ash picked her up enough to slide her up and over into his lap, mouth still occupied with her's. What they hell, they were secluded, right? And to say he was turned on was a massive understatement. Which didn't necessarily mean anything was going to happen, he was just a big fan of a woman's weight on him.

The way he lifted her without much effort at all was a ridiculously hot, smooth move and she didn't protest in the slightest. Joey wasn't worried about anyone happening upon them, given the time of year and time of day, so she settled comfortably, using the position to feel a lot more of him than she'd been able to sitting beside him. And she could definitely feel plenty. It sent little pulses of pleasure through her body and Joey deepened their kiss in response, wishing they were close enough to town that she could drag him into her apartment without wasting much time in between. Both hands cupped his face while she pressed against him, wanting to simply enjoy the solid warmth of his body beneath hers. It had been a really long time since she'd done something like this - even spending a few hot minutes kissing a man. She reminded herself mentally to never go so many months untouched ever again.

There were no protests or slapping. In fact, she seemed to enjoy the new position. So Ash was definitely a fan of this. It was almost too bad that there wasn't a bed nearby. Not that he hadn't had sex in even more awkward and uncomfortable places. This spot was actually very nice. His arms rested mostly on her thighs, hands stroking her sides and back in lazy exploration. Her body felt wonderful, even under her clothes. Taut and in shape. Athletic, like he liked them. Both hands squeezed her hips as he nipped at her bottom lip again, before going back to roaming. Though he didn't get too gropey, very much just enjoying what their mouths were doing together, and her warmth over him. And thankfully, there wasn't any of that gross old man feeling going on. She was mature, that was important.

She liked the way his hands moved over her without being too forceful. Ash was a mechanic, so Joey knew his hands would be rough and calloused, which excited her, but she also knew he would know how to use them in a softer way if he wanted to. It made her wonder what they would feel like on her body if she were naked. Which sent several shivers through her and a rush of heat between her legs. She wanted to kiss him in other places, but it was growing increasingly hard to pull her mouth away from his. Every flick of his tongue against hers invoked another level of intensity inside of her. It was such a rare thing for Joey to ignore sexual attraction to someone else. It was even more rare for her to find someone who made her want to know more about them beyond how good they were in bed. She could tell from the few times she'd spent with him that he was intelligent, and intriguing and there were definitely parts of him she still wanted to figure out. It made the sexual pull that much harder to ignore. Joey settled in just the right spot on his lap, her hands sliding through his hair to the back of his head. She could feel the throbbing between her legs and it took every ounce of willpower not to reach down and unzip his jeans. "It's been a long time since I've made out like a teenager with someone," she murmured with a faint smile against his lips.

He made a very soft sound in the back of his throat as she resettled on him, and it was possible that his hips flexed upwards just a tiny bit for the pressure. Because that felt damn good. "Nice, innit?" he murmured back, nipping at her bottom lip one more time before he pulled back a bit more to look at her. He wanted to take her home. Or go home with her. Or maybe just start stripping her clothes off right there under the stars and having her. But if time and maturity had taught him anything, it was that if you wanted it to happen again? It was worth savoring. Taking your time with. In a relative sense, at least. Still, it was taking quite some willpower not to slip his hands up under her shirt to explore more. "I think you planned this," he accused with a little grin on his lips. "It wasn't about the bike at all, was it? You just wanted to get me alone in the middle of nowhere." Not that he was complaining, most definitely not. His hands slid down over the curve of her hips and the outsides of her thighs. He'd insinuated that she was something of a bad girl, and sometimes he really loved being right.

Joey smiled slyly and arched her eyebrow, perfectly willing to go along with it. "You're finally figuring that out, are you?" She bent down to kiss him again. "The bike was nothing but a decoy." And again. "And you fell for it hook, line and sinker." And again, although Joey lingered at his lips this time, sliding her hands around to cup his face. The pad of her thumb brushed against the star tattooed on his cheek. She wondered briefly if sleeping with him so soon would mean he would wake up in the morning disinterested and ready to flee. She knew a lot of men were that way - and Joey could admit that she had been that way a few times herself in the past. Would it be worth it to wait and get to know him better? The only reason she asked herself these questions was because she didn't want to risk inadvertently severing ties with the first person she truly enjoyed talking to in this town. That would be extremely disappointing. Joey very lightly rocked her hips against his before drawing back from his mouth, her eyes shimmering mischievously. "Is there an easier way to get you alone in the middle of nowhere?"

His hands squeezed the muscles just above her knees at the little movement of her hips. Because that? Felt really nice. His eyes cracked open to look at her and he grinned slightly. "Well now that I know what rides with you lead to ... no, there's probably not," he said, chuckling slightly. He was wondering the same kinds of things in the back of his head. If he would wake up in the morning with her beside him and want to get rid of her as soon as possible. Like it had gone so far in this town. He wanted to doubt it, but it was hard to tell. His thoughts were a bit clouded at the moment by the pleasant feelings coming from his jeans. "I'm just that kinda fool," he added in a murmur, craning his neck to capture her lips again for a moment. "Though the bike is pretty pimp ass, you have to admit."

"Oh, the bike is definitely pimp ass." She laughed at the term, having never really used it before. Her fingers slid down until they brushed over his neck to his shoulders. Her body was thrumming everywhere he touched her and she was oh so aware of how easy it would be to suggest going back to her place - or his - and having her wicked way with him. And she knew it would be very, very wicked. But a part of her knew if she were going to do that, she would have by done. Or at least started stripping him right here. It made her want to sigh. If only he could be mildly boring, then she wouldn't have this dilemma. That was always the problem she faced... what the harsh light of day would bring. Most of the time, she didn't really care. Joey leaned back a touch, not so much purposely putting pressure on his groin, but the movement made it impossible not to do so. "And I'm pretty sure rides with me can lead to a multitude of things," Joey remarked, smoothing her palms down his chest. "I think you might be surprised. Though I'm still trying to figure out what rides with you could lead to..."

Ash sucked in a little breath through his teeth as she leaned back, hands running up her thighs to her hips again. God, she was hot. "Obviously they can," he murmured, eyes ticking down over her body briefly. It was times like these that he kind of missed the days when women all wore dresses and skirts. Not that he'd ever deny them their comfort, but it just made everything so much easier. In a situation like this, he could just unzip his jeans, pull those skirts out of the way, and have at her. If she wanted to, of course, and he was getting the distinct impression that she did. He leaned forward to put his mouth close to her's again, though it wasn't quite a kiss. "They lead to behavior your parents wouldn't approve of," he murmured, breathing her in deep. He wanted her, but he was into this too. The great drawn-out tease. It just made the end result even better. He'd had plenty of quick fucks over the years, this made it so much more interesting.

Breathless, Joey felt her heart thump once in her chest when he spoke and she had to admit that he knew exactly what to do to get a woman wet. It made her wish she had worn one of her skirts - rare as that was - for the ride. If she had, they certainly wouldn't be doing any talking right now. The restrictions were frustrating, yet at the same time, made it that much more exciting. Joey stayed close to him and resisted crushing her mouth against his again. Instead her lips curved in a soft, sort of demure smile. She liked the way he smelled, being so close to her. She wanted to slip her hands under his shirt and explore. "Is that right?" Joey gave in to the urge to nip at his lower lip again. No matter how coy she liked to play sometimes, disapproving behavior was behavior that she was more than used to. She had a feeling Ash was well aware of that by now. "Thankfully I don't seem to have any problem with that at all." And then she smiled against his lips. "Which probably doesn't bode well for my womanly virtue."

"Who gives a fuck about womanly virtue," Ash soft-growled into her lips. He kissed her again, deep and hungry, as his hands slid around to her ass to grip and pull her firmly against him. He pushed up with his hips at the same time, grinding into her and very much enjoying it. He certainly didn't give a fuck about womanly virtue. Despite the fondness for skirts, all that demure stuff was just bullshit. Women were people too, with their own drives and appetites, and he saw absolutely zero wrong with them indulging just as much as men did. As long as they had willing partners, it did nothing to their karma, so he didn't care. Enjoyed it, actually. A woman knowing what she wanted. Especially when it was him, that was always nice. He bit her bottom lip back, stroking his tongue over it right after before pulling back again, eyes heated. Somebody had better say no soon, or this bench was going to be christened.

Joey gasped against his lips, her arms sliding around his neck and clinging to him. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to keep her eyes open. Even more so to think logically. The bench wouldn't be too uncomfortable. And she knew it would probably be an intense experience. She crushed her mouth against his, kissing him with abandon now. She couldn't do anything else but that since he still tasted as good as he had the first time. Honestly she knew all Ash would have to do is touch her properly and she'd probably go off without much more than that. Her hand came up to rest at the side of his face before she groaned against his mouth. The fact that she hadn't had decent sex in a long time wasn't exactly helping anything. Joey pulled away from the kiss to breathe in, resting her forehead against his as she did so. She opened her eyes a touch, thinking she was probably making the wrong decision here. "Would you call me a tease if I told you we should stop?" she murmured.

That was a fun reaction. Either it had really been quite a while since she'd been made out with at all, or she just naturally had a hair-trigger. It didn't really matter either way, to him. His gaze flashed briefly to her's as her eyes opened before he tilted his head a bit to get at her neck. Because that deserved some attention too, right? And her skin tasted good as he left a trail of little sucks and nips. She smelled great. "Depends on if you're tryin' to tease me, or if you really think we should stop," he murmured into her skin as an answer. He knew it wasn't a very good one, but that was kind of all he had at the moment. Though she was probably right. About stopping. He pulled back from torturing her after another nip and looked at her again. "Too soon?" he asked.

No, it wasn't too soon. It was just right! The ground was right there and her jeans might have been a bit form fitting, but they were really easy to get off and... Joey tried not to growl in frustration. His lips had felt incredible on her skin and she had nearly forgotten she had even suggested stopping. She opened her eyes to look at him, forcibly keeping her hips from rocking over him again. "Usually when I purposely tease a man, I try not to find myself in the position of teasing myself in the process." She sighed but stayed in his lap and kept her arms around his neck, simply because she liked being there. "And no, not too soon... or maybe it is. I guess I just want to get to know you a bit better. I would really like it to be a situation where I wake up in the morning and I'm glad you're still there. Or vice versa." She lifted one shoulder in a small shrug, thinking that was as honest an answer as she could give.

He chuckled softly, glad to know that she was at least as bad off as he was. Whenever they parted company, he was going to ache for the rest of the night. But it was a good ache. Sort of. He nodded his understanding, however, also encouraged that her thoughts were running along the same lines as his own. His more reasonable thoughts, at least. He moved his hands back around to rest on her thighs, since she didn't seem in any hurry to get up. "Better than the alternative," he said, a faint smile playing with his lips. Horny as he was, it would be better to know upfront if he was making a huge mistake or not. Because Joey was actually cool. Like Eury. Whom he missed still, so maybe it was better for both of them. "So no, not a tease. Just showin' your sensible side."

"It tends to show up every now and then," Joey said wryly. God, she was going to have to go home and take a cold shower. Or take care of things herself. But he was right, it was better than the alternative. Which was waking up to wishing he weren't there. Or being relieved if he weren't. She liked Ash so far and that was important to her since it was a rare thing for her to want to get to know someone past the initial surface. She wasn't looking for a meaningful romance - or a superficial one. Joey was always one to settle for good company and laughs while she could get it as she never knew when she would be moving on. And she felt like she could get both from Ash, with or without the sex. Although the sex could really be just a really great bonus. She cupped his face again and smiled at him. "Thank you for not knocking me off your lap and making me walk home."

"Well you're welcome for me not being a complete asshole," he answered with another chuckle. He patted her butt with something like affectionate familiarity. "'Sides, that cheesecake you gave me the other day was too good to risk cutting off contact with the supplier," he added, grinning wide. He could get used to that whole face-cupping thing she seemed to like to do. "Ready to head on back, though? I think if we hang out here much longer without any distractions, 'sensible' is gonna go right out the window."

Joey grinned, thinking that if things went well, he would probably get cheesecake for life. "I knew you only wanted me for my cheesecake and mochas." She leaned forward to kiss the tip of his nose before she finally lifted herself off of him and sat on the edge of the bench, thankful that her blood was starting to cool now. He was right, if she stayed sitting there much longer they would start kissing again. And then she wouldn't give a hot damn about what happened in the morning. "We can head back. Though... you can go a little faster on the bike than you did coming in." She shot him a smile and stood, reaching for his hand. "At the right speed, it's the next best thing to flying. Or so I've always thought," she added as an afterthought.

He was in the middle of standing up and stretching as she made that comment, and his eyes ticked to her mid-stretch. But then he dismissed it. It was just a thing people said. Even though they'd never experienced flight. His back itched to pop his wings out and just take off in a sail down from the mountain. But it was impossible for a variety of reasons. He let his arm drop and flashed her a little grin. "Yes ma'am, faster it is." And on the downslope as opposed to up? That would be even better. After a very brief hesitation on taking her hand, he did, and started down the path toward where he'd parked his baby.

Her own wings were itching to come out, but she resisted for the obvious reasons. There would be another time for that. Joey smiled a bit when he took her hand and she let him lead her back to the motorcycle. She felt like, despite still being hot and bothered, it had been a good night. She would just have to see if holding off on sleeping with Ash was worth it. She had a feeling it might be, but one never knew. No matter what happened, she couldn't deny that she'd certainly had a good time.