CAPTURED HEART (A Short Story)

Chapter One

On her metallic blue Honda Spirit motorcycle feeling carefree with no obligations in life, Alexis Wyatt was her own person. Going town to town and working when her finances run short, she lived a little on the wild side. Her long golden Blond hair and turquoise eyes and her average hourglass frame made any man stop and stare. Seeing a service station up ahead she stops in to fuel up, she stood and took off her helmet and set it on the seat of the bike. Walking into the convenience store, she noticed two men, one behind the counter and the second in front leaning on the counter talking with the attendant. Lexi walked over and paid fifteen for fuel. After giving the man a twenty, she turned her head to the other man and caught him looking at her. He was tall in black jeans and a tee shirt a leather jacket in his hand. She looked up and noticed soft brown eyes set in a handsome face with a classical shaped nose and stubble for a beard giving him a rugged look.

He smiled at her as he asked, “You traveling far?”

She took the five from the cashier as she answered. “As far as I want to go.”

“You have a nice bike there.” He inclined his head towards the bike out by the pumps.

She smiled, “Thanks it gets me where I want to go.”

He crossed his arms over his chest as he studied her.
“So where is it you’re heading?”

“Here and there, just around.” She said with a shrug.

“A pretty thing like you?” The cashier added.

“And what is that supposed to mean?” she asked with a glare towards the cashier.

“Don’t mind my friend here.” The handsome man said, “Tom you really need to have better manners. I’m Jayden Montgomery. And this here’s my friend Tom.” He extended his hand out towards her, but she declined

“Jayden, I’m going to go now and Fuel up. If you’ll excuse me.” As she turned to leave she heard the cashier comment.

“Now who’s being rude Jade?”

Lexi stopped and turned walking back towards Jayden she extended her hand out.
“Alexis Wyatt.” Retrieving her hand back from Jade, she turned and looked at Tom then wrinkled her nose at him and walked out.

As the door was closing, she could hear Jade's laughter in her ears.
After Fueling she was getting ready to put on her helmet when she saw Jayden walk out and over to the side of the building. After fastening her helmet secure, she could hear the sound of a motor start-up and saw an FXDI35 35th Anniversary Super Glide Harley Davidson pulling out.

“Ooh Sweet,” Lexi spoke to herself.

The Harley pulled up beside her, and from beneath the helmet, she could see that handsome smile.

“Mind if I ride with you for a bit?” He asked in his dreamy tenor voice.

She smiled at him and answered. “It’s a free country.”

His smile deepened as he said, “I was hoping you would say that.”

As she climbed aboard her bike, she added, “By the way, Nice Bike.”

She started the motor to her bike and took off ahead of him before she could hear his response. 

He watched a few seconds her backside and long golden blond braid trailing down her back. With a grin, he headed off after her taking him no time at all to catch up.

She couldn’t believe the nerve of this guy. Who does he think he is? Couldn’t he see that she wanted to be alone? No obviously not. She glanced over at him about the same time he looked at her. ‘Ooh, that smile of his.’ She thought to herself. Just as she was about to look ahead, he shot past her in front. His bike really was something. That’s when she noticed the gold cross with a dove emblem on the fender of his bike.

“He’s a believer,” she spoke to herself in surprised awe. She stayed not too distant from him or was it that he is keeping a pace where it was easy for her to keep up. She knows the capability of his bike; a Harley was the best make around. They are built for speed, if she could have used her parent’s inheritance for a Harley she would have, but that was way out of her league. She was glad for the Honda she was able to afford, and money left over to begin this adventure of hers, to see the States. So with a couple of med sized luggage bungee cord to the back of her bike and the house she grew up in now, hers locked up tight in Pleasant Lake Montana. She’s now free to fulfill her dream and see all she can with no worries.

Jayden slowed his bike to match hers and pointed to a sign indicating a town up ahead. She nodded an acknowledgment, and he again went ahead of her for her to follow him. As they approached the town it was fast becoming evening; he rode through the center of town towards a restaurant where she noticed a few more bikes parked in the lot. He pulled in, and she followed not really knowing why she did. He parked and got off as she did the same. Removing her helmet, she looked towards him as he approached her.

“I hope you're not minding stopping here for a bite to eat?” he said with that knee-weakening smile of his.

“Actually, I’m quite hungry. I forgot to stop for lunch today.”

He turned and walked towards the restaurant as she sat her helmet on her seat and ran to catch up with him. He stopped at the door and held it for her, as she passed him she caught the scent of a woodsy musk cologne. She stopped in front of the hostess stand as Jayden walked beside her.

“Hey Jade, over here.” A voice called out from a room off the main dining area.

Chapter two

Jade smiled at the hostess as he said, “That’s my party over there.”

“Yes, of course, sir.” She said as she smiled her sweetest smile. She watched as he walked past and towards the room. Lexi following close behind.

“I didn’t know you were going to be meeting friends? I could get a different table for myself.”

“Nonsense, it’s just a gathering of friends for dinner before the service.” He told her.

“Service?” she asked him as he stopped to hug a friend.

“Alexis this is Bikers for Jesus. Once a month we decide on a place to meet for a dinner gathering and a service at one of the local churches.” He said as he indicated an empty chair for her to sit.

“Everyone this is Alexis Wyatt. I invited her to our dinner, and hopefully, she would like to stay for one of our services.”

With everyone looking at her she smiled as warmly as she could and said,

“Of course I would love to stay.” Now, why did she say that, when she wanted more than anything just to eat and be on her way. Yet, as she looked into the kind faces of everyone around the tables, and the warm greetings they extended, she felt quite relaxed.

Jayden sat in the only other available seat which so happened to be the one across from her. She removed her black riding gloves and slid them into the pocket of her jeans, as a waitress came and handed her and Jade a menu.

“We’ve already ordered. Hi, I’m Gil.” Said a man next to her. Lexi watched as he extended his hand and she shook it,

“I’m Alexis, Lexi for short.” She withdrew her hand to study the menu. Gil wasn’t a bad looking man with medium blond hair and hazel eyes. In fact, he was intrigued in a friendly sort of way. As she ordered her dinner, she looked up and caught Jade eyeing her.

“Tell me what Bikers for Jesus are?” she turned to ask Gil. With her prettiest smile.

“Well, it’s a Biker club that does ministry work.” He answered obviously interested in Lexi.

“Ministry work?”

“Yes like going around and doing Gods work. Being His hands and feet.” Jade intercepted before Gil could finish.

“Oh, I see. I didn’t think there was anything like that around.” She turned to Gil.

“There are more Christian bikers out there doing the work for God then anyone’s aware of,” Gil said with evident pride in doing what he feels is his calling of the Lord.

“Yeah all being much as dedicated to doing Gods will as we are.” Jade put in.

“Really, this is very fascinating.” She said interested.

As their dinners had arrived, everyone around the tables bowed their heads Lexi included. When she hears a familiar voice say the grace. She looked up as Jade had stood to say the Grace for the food.

“Father again we humbly come before you and ask for Your blessings and Grace, as we partake in another service for our group. We ask that you bless all our newcomers and visitor. We thank you for this food we are to partake and bless our meeting as we come to You to do Your will. In Jesus’ name Amen.”

Everyone around the tables repeated, “Amen.”

“Hey Preach, Hope you’ll have a good one for us tonight.” A redhead woman nicknamed Rusty said.

“You bet I do.” Replied Jayden as Lexi began to choke on a bite of pork chop.

“You’re the Preacher?” she asked huskily while lifting her water glass to her lips.

“Yup, he sure is and a darned good one at that.” Replied Gil. Patting Lexi lightly on the back until her coughing fit subsided. “You two came in together; you mean he hadn’t told you?”

“No, he didn’t,” she said and looked at Jade while he took a bite of his steak. For some reason, he just doesn’t seem like a Minister type. In fact, he looked more like a James Dean biker type to her.

With dinner now through and they were all walking out to their motorcycles, Jade walked her to her bike and said, “You could follow me if you like?”

“Yeah, I think I will.” Was that another smile she saw before he turned to walk to his bike? For some reason unknown to her, she too was smiling as she put on her helmet.

It didn’t take them long to get to the small church up on a hill. They all parked their bikes and gathered at the door as Jayden opened it to allow everyone through. Everyone mingled for a short minute before finding seats. Lexi sat down next to Rusty when Gil came over and sat on the other side of Lexi. She smiled sweetly at him and turned her attention to the Minister Jayden. A brunette walked over to the piano and began to play. As everyone sang it gave Lexi time to study Jade, he was tall and very handsome with dark brown long hair touching his collar in layers. It was a neat long style not too unruly, but it was those soft brown eyes that held her attention. They were quite incredible. Every time he looked at her she felt as though she would melt. No man had ever had that effect on her before.

After the singing Jade asked if anyone had any testimonies to share. Rusty was the first to stand.

“Yeah, I have one. Ever since the last meeting, I witnessed and led twelve bikers to the Lord. I also told them of the many bikers for Jesus organizations. They seemed pretty interested in it. I feel they will be checking it out.” As Rusty sat down, Lexi could hear many “Alright’s.” and “Amen’s.”

“Alright, anymore want to give a testimony?”

Many stood up and offered testimonies, and after about a half hour, Jade began his message.

Lexi was getting caught up in the service and found it easy to forget Jade is a biker and is also a real man of Faith. For reasons she can’t explain, it warmed her in knowing that.

Chapter three 

After the service ended, Rusty turned speaking to Lexi.
“Usually these meetings are for a weekend with tonight being the start. You’re welcome to stay for the rest if you like to? For that matter we can share the motel room, I have one with two beds in it. This way you wouldn’t have to ride in the dark. Even if you decide to not stay for the rally you can still stay the night and leave fresh in the morning.”

Lexi smiled “That would be nice thank you. But I do intend to pay my share for the room.”

“You are staying then?” A familiar voice from behind her said.

Without turning she knew who it was, she turned her face to look up at him and as she did, and as their eyes made contact, a strange electrical-like current shot through her. She tried her best not to look affected and look and sound calm.

“I decided to take Rusty up on her offer of a room for the night.” She answered.

Raising one eyebrow, Jade looked even more spectacular as he said, “It’s a start.” Then to Rusty, “Rust you try and convince her to stay for the rally okay?”

Rusty studying the conversation between the two said with a crooked smile, “You bet, I’ll do my best Preacher.”

Back in the motel room Lexi grabbed her night clothes and went to the bathroom for a shower. As she came out ready for a good night sleep, Rusty walked through the door laughing with someone. After the service, Rusty and a few female riders went to a coffee house in town for more fellowship. They had asked Lexi to join them, but she declined needing some alone time. Now Rusty and another woman named Phyllis came into the room. Seeing Lexi, Rusty asked,

“Hey, Lexi, you don’t mind if we watch a movie in here. Phyllis’s roommate is already asleep. Or we would have gone there.”

Lexi shook her head, “No I don’t mind. I’ll just read my book.” Lexi lifted the book she held in her hand.

“Okay, thanks.” The two other ladies sat on Rusty’s bed and turned on the movie channel.

At about two in the morning, with the movie over Phyllis bid her goodnight and left the room. After closing and locking the door, Rusty turned to Lexi and said, “Hey, I really appreciate you letting us watch the movie. That was nice of you.”

Yawning and stretching Lexi answered, “That’s alright I got caught up in that movie you two were watching.” 

As both women lay in bed and talked a bit, Lexi made up her mind about the bikers festivities this weekend.
“If the offer still holds I think I just may stay and check out your festivities.”

Rusty smiled, “Are you kidding? Of course, the offer is still open to you. That would be great. That means we can be roomies for the rest of the weekend.”

Lexi smiled and yawned again which made Rusty laugh.
“Okay, I get the hint, goodnight Lexi.”

Lexi smiled, “Goodnight Rusty.”

As she settled down under the blankets, she had a smile on her face she couldn’t help but like her new friend. She was sure this would be a weekend she will never forget. Just before sleep took over, the last things she saw in her thoughts were soft brown eyes and a heart-stopping smile.

The next day was a sunny one with a few floating white clouds. The main street is lined with all kinds of motorcycles from all over, and the sidewalks were full of people milling around in conversation. Lexi was enjoying a walk with Rusty when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned so fast she lost her footing and began to fall when a pair of strong arms reached out and caught her in time. She looked up to thank her rescuer when she realized it was the man who invaded her dreams last night. He smiled at her as he helped her to get her footing. She was still blushing from that smile when she, at last, found her voice.

“Thank you.” She quickly looked down at the sidewalk. “I can’t believe how clumsy I am at times.”

“Well, I shouldn’t have startled you like that.”

She looked back up at him which was a mistake. As their eyes made contact, her heart did a flip. ‘Why does he have to look at me in that way?’ She thought to herself. ‘Doesn’t he know the effect he has on me?’ She let out a breath slowly then out loud said,

“Well, you have my attention. You tapped me on the shoulder?” Again with the smile that made her heart pound fast.

“I wondered if you had decided to stay for the festivities or not?”

This time it was her turn to smile. “Of course I will stay. Rusty and I were just on our way to the café down the street for some breakfast. Care to join us?”

Now, why had she asked that question?

“I would love to join you, two lovely ladies.” He said as he began to walk with them towards the café.

(To Be Continued Soon)