Read Chapter 1 of Opposites Attract

Chapter 1



Owen

With the Christmas holidays fast approaching, I had decided to make my plans for being alone and spend what time I had on extended leave doing something useful. While most of my friends had family to spend the holidays with, I was more of a loner, spending my evenings at the gym and tinkering in my garage.

I hadn���t dated anyone in forever, and it would be a nice change this year from the last, not having anyone making plans for me. I had to admit, at times I did miss not having anyone special in my life, but others I was glad to live on my own terms. Having the military dictate so much of my life was one thing, but adding a woman to dictate what little I had to myself was another.

As I secured the straps that would hopefully hold my motorcycle in place for the long-haul home in the bed of my truck, I thought of my past relationships and how they���d all gone sideways. I couldn���t handle the drama and games that had come with some of the other women I���d dated, and it seemed like every time I found a woman I could have a deep connection with, she changed and then somehow turned into a complete psycho by the time the relationship was over.

I was looking forward to taking my bike back to my garage and spending all of my time working on it. I had found it online, and it was everything I���d been looking for. I had always dreamed of adding a 1950 Indian to my collection, and now it was a reality.

���I know you���ll give her the love she needs,��� said Charlie, the old man who I was buying it from. He owned a shop outside of San Bernardino, and while we���d been friends for years, he had just now decided to sell his baby to help pay off some mounting medical bills.

I could see by his watery eyes that he hated to see her go, but I knew I had to reassure him. ���I���ll get her running right and bring her by for a visit.���

���It���s a damn shame getting so old that you can���t enjoy the little things. I loved my wife, but that was my one getaway. I could take a drive and clear my head, and believe me, back then, it needed a lot of clearing.��� He gave a chuckle, and I laughed with him.

���I can feel you there. I have a lot of clearing out to do as well.���

���Well, you won���t find a better friend, but just make sure she doesn���t get in the way of your girlfriend. She���s an addicting mistress.���

���I���m single these days.��� I had ridden my last girlfriend to his shop months ago, but that had been over for a while now.

���Oh man, you���re not getting any younger. You better find you a good woman now, someone who can help you along when you���re my age. Trust me.��� His eyes twinkled. ���I don���t know what I���d do without my wife.���

���Well, who knows. Maybe I���ll get lucky and find the right woman. Until then, I���m going to enjoy the peace and quiet in my shop and spend a little time with this lady.��� I patted the wheel of the bike and then reached to shake his hand. ���Thanks again for calling me and giving me first dibs and a good bargain.���

���Well, I knew you���d take care of her. Have fun, and bring her by to visit.���

���Oh, I will.���

As he walked back into his shop, I made sure she was secured one last time and waved again as I was getting into the truck. I kept the old beater around for its long wheelbase and the ability to haul anything I needed. Growing up in the country, I knew how important a good truck was to keep around. And since I usually rode my Harley to and from the base, it was perfect for rainy days.

My last girlfriend hadn���t appreciated that I didn���t own a car, but then, she hadn���t appreciated much of anything about me, and that���s why it didn���t work out. She also had some really messed-up ideas of commitment, and I needed someone who would be devoted to me and not fuck around with one of my friends the moment my back was turned. Being in the Navy and having to be away could be stressful on a relationship, and while I understood it, I wasn���t going to leave another woman to spend my money and use my home while I was on duty.

After the last breakup, I���d had to change my locks and buy a new mattress. I had been burned so many times, being Mr. Nice Guy, that I was going to save the good-guy act for someone who truly deserved it. Or maybe I was just burned and bitter.

If I ever did find someone like Charlie suggested, she would not only have to be faithful, but she would have to have a deep appreciation for old trucks and motorcycles. Or else I wasn���t sure I could make it work.

I let my mind wander as I traveled back to Temecula about the kind of woman I���d want, and it didn���t take me long to realize she probably didn���t exist. I guess most of all, all I wanted was someone to make me happy, someone I could take care of who would be faithful for a change, and with a hell of a lot less drama than the last. I wanted a simple life and something that could build into the kind of relationship that would last a lifetime. With my time running out in the military, I wanted someone worthy of spending the rest of my life with.

After nearly two hours on the road, I made a turn to avoid the higher-traffic roads and slowed down a bit. I was making good time and loved the burger joint on this route. It was a bit out of the way, but worth it. In the distance ahead, I could see there was someone parked on the side of the road in a red Porsche. I wondered if they needed help, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into.