Red Hair & Leather
By Pam
Jim Frayne was mad enough to justify every redheaded-tem per joke in the history of redheaded-temper jokes. Sure, he had never actually asked Trixie out on a date, or asked her to be his girlfriend, or done anything besides tug on that curl or gaze fondly at her … But, damn it all, Dan was his friend and knew exactly how Jim felt about her. He watched Dan take Trixie by the hand and help her with the leather jacket and motorcycle helmet. Then, they mounted Dan’s Harley, waved at the rest of the BWG’s and Dan yelled, “We’ll meet you at the clubhouse in an hour.” Jim looked around at the circle of friends and couldn’t believe that Trixie’s obnoxiously over-protective brothers just let her ride off on that bike with Dan. He said to the group, “Hey, guys, I’m so sorry. I just remember something that I absolutely have todo right now. I’m probably going to be a little late to the clubhouse, but I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He didn’t wait for a response but just took off. He was now a man with a mission and a plan.
There was laughter and music filling the air and it spilled warmth and light into the surrounding woods. Jim pulled up near the clubhouse and parked next to Dan’s motorcycle. He heard that distinct, hearty, throaty yet very feminine laugh that could only belong to Trixie, followed by a giggling, “Dan! Stop that! Put me down right this minute!” More laughter followed and he caught part of a comment from Mart about Dan’s manhandling of Trixie being a better way to keep her out of trouble. That’s it! He declared mentally. I’ve had enough. It’s time to settle things once and for all. He stalked to the clubhouse and threw open the door.
The sound of the clubhouse door slamming into the wall as it was flung open startled a strangled cry out of Diana and brought the merriment to an abrupt end. Jim looked around at his friends, and seeing Trixie captured in Dan’s arms pushed his famous honorability right out of the picture. He stomped across the room and reached for her, pulling her right out of Dan’s arms and into his own. “Dan,” he said,“We’ve been friends for a long time so I’m going to just let this go. Trixie and I need to talk.” With that, he turned and marched right back outside with Trixie still cradledin his arms.“Gleeps, Jim!” Trixie began. “You sure surprised us with that entrance. You aren’t mad, are you, Jim? You know that Dan is always just goofing around with me, right?”She paused and waited for an answer but Jim tightened his hold and kept walking toward the clearing where they always parked when they drove to the clubhouse. “Jim, where are you taking me? I think you should put me down so we can talk. You said we needed to talk.” Jim briefly made eye contact and Trixie caught her breath. She slowly, cautiously, stretched her arms up and around his neck, completing the circle just as they arrived in the clearing.
“You are my special girl, Trixie, always and forever,” Jim began. “When I saw you with Dan tonight, and saw how happy you looked, I decided to make some changes.Will you go with me tonight, right now, just the two of us?” he asked as he stopped beside two motorcycles.“Jim, Jim,” Trixie stammered. “It seems like I’ve just been waiting forever for you to ask.”
He loosened his hold and let her slide slowly down the front of his body. He then turned to the new motorcycle and picked up a leather jacket and put it on. Trixie eyes widened, as he turned again to pick up a second jacket to offer to her, she began to grin.
“I was so jealous when I saw you with Dan and his motorcycle earlier at Wimpy’s. This is our bike, Trixie. It’s a 1952 Vincent Black Lightning. Will you leave with me now, Trixie? Say you’ll be with me forever, Trix. I love you,” Jim declared in a rush.
Trixie put both hands on Jim’s face and tugged him closer. Just before she kissed him, she whispered, “Red hair and leather has always been my favorite color scheme. I love you, too.”
They kissed madly and clung to each other until they had to break the kiss to breathe. Jim led Trixie to the bike and helped her on, sitting close behind him. He started it up and turned his head and whispered, just before they took off down the road, “Trixie is my favorite everything.”
The motorcycle roared down Glen Road as the rest of the BWG’s in the clearing watched. Diana and Honey sighed. Mart laughed. Brian dug out his wallet and pulled out two twenties to hand to Dan, who declared, “I told you he just needed a little incentive.”