Chapter Twenty
Cold air wrapped around Rags as he rolled on the throttle and kicked into a higher gear. Evergreens, pines, and sagebrush streaked past in dark, whipping blurs. Valley lights flickered like fireflies as he tore through sparsely populated neighborhoods.
Rags eased off the throttle as Burgers she crowded his space, fingers sliding deliberately around his forearm as she leaned in, her body pressing close.
“Hey.” His eyes flicked from the order screen to her, then back again.
“How’ve you been?” she asked, lingering too long, like she expected something.
“Good. You?”
“Better now.” She ran the tip of her tongue across her upper lip. “You look good.”
She squeezed his arm again, firm and possessive, before slipping past him, her hip grazing his thigh as if by accident.
Throttle snorted under his breath as he slid a ticket off the rail. “Yeah… that one-night stand probably wasn’t worth it.”
Rags threw him a sharp look. “I had no fuckin’ idea she’d be working here.”
“Citizens can be a real pain in the ass. A lot of them don’t understand the score. They’re not like the club girls,” Throttle said, already reaching for another glass.
Rags’s jaw tightened as he yanked a pint from the tap. “It was few years back, before the club had this place.”
“Still,” Throttle muttered. “She’s acting like she marked her territory.”
“That’s her fuckin’ problem,” Rags said flatly. “Not mine.”
Krispen slipped past him again, fingers grazing his forearm as she reached for clean glasses.
“Never thought I’d see you pass up pussy like this,” Throttle said.
Rags’s jaw flexed as he poured a whiskey. “Employees are off-limits at all our businesses.”
Throttle snorted. “Is that the reason… or maybe it’s that nursery chick wrapped around your dick?”
Rags glared at him. “You keep this shit up, you’ll be working solo.”
Throttle shrugged and turned back to the line. “Just sayin’.”
“Well stop sayin’ and shut the fuck up.” Rags set three drafts on the other barmaid’s tray.
“Hey, bro. Sorry I couldn’t get here any sooner, but Hope had a dance recital,” Chas said, sliding in behind the bar.
“No worries. Glad you’re here, though. Axe and Helm should be here soon to help out,” Rags said.
“I thought Helm was working at Dream House tonight,” Chas said as he pulled a frosty mug from the glass chiller.
“That’s not what Banger told me,” Rags replied.
“Or me,” Throttle added. “It’s a fuckin’ mess with the party goin’ on at the club tonight. We thought they’d be back tomorrow, so all the businesses are strapped for help.”
Before anyone could comment, Axe and Helm strode into the brewery. Soon, the long line around the bar, and the stack of drink orders flashing on the screen were under control.
“When you get back to the club, the party’ll be raging,” Axe said, setting several beer mugs on Krispen’s tray.
“I’m sure it will be,” Rags said as he filled the ice bin. “How does Baylee like you playing bartender on a Friday night?”
“She isn’t too happy ’bout it, but she knows the score. I think she was hoping for a night off from watching the boys.” Axe laughed.
“Guess you’ll be on dad duty tomorrow. Day and night,” Chas said, chuckling.
“Probably. But I don’t mind. Jagger’s a hell-raiser like his old man. He loves going out to Pete’s place and running wild. Zayn’s calmer. He likes to explore and study whatever he finds. Just like his mom.” Axe smiled.
“You should take them for a dip in the hot springs,” Throttle said. “Twenty minutes in there will calm his little ass.”
Casey, wet and curvy, flitted through Rags’s mind. He shifted his stance.
“I forgot Pete and Jackie have a hot spring on their property. I’ve never been there, have any of you?”
“A couple of times a few years back,” Throttle said.
“Same,” Chas said.
“I didn’t even know Pete had hot springs on his property,” Helm said, as they laughed.
“What about you?” Axe asked Rags.
“Like Chas and Throttle, I’ve been there a couple of times.” Rags turned away and replenished the straw and napkin containers.
“Might be cool to check it out, even if it’s snowing,” Axe said.
“It’s snowing?” Throttle asked.
“Yeah, and it’s cold as fuck outside.” Helm grinned at a pretty blonde leaning against the counter, her blue eyes shimmering as she locked onto him.
“Here he goes,” Chas muttered, and the others chuckled.
Then the door flew open, and Rags looked up.
Casey stomped her boots on the door mat before stepping inside. She pulled off her knit hat and dark brown strands of hair cascaded past her shoulders. Her cheeks were flushed and dusted with snowflakes.
And then she saw him.
Their eyes locked.
A slow smile curved her mouth, soft, sexy, and way too damn dangerous. Adrenaline punched through him, hot and sharp, and he shifted behind the bar as his jeans tightened.
Zoe tugged at Casey’s arm, saying something in her ear, but Rags looked right through it, focusing on the way Casey bit her lower lip before turning away to follow the hostess toward a table near the back.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Throttle, Chas, and Axe smirking like they just witnessed a wreck in slow motion.
He didn’t care.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He couldn’t stop the rolling excitement inside him as he watched the sway of her hips with every step.
She was beautiful, funny, and sexy as fuck. He knew the guys would give him shit for it, but he didn’t give a damn. He was more than attracted to her. More than interested. He hadn’t felt this way about a woman since… Julie. But Casey lit something inside him he’d thought had gone cold years ago.
“Who’s that?” Chas asked.
Rags didn’t answer, his attention still locked on Casey as she slid into her chair.
“The chick from the nursey,” Throttle said. “You know, the one Owens owns.”
“Damn, bro, if you keep starin’ like that, everyone’s gonna think you’re pussy-whipped,” Axe said.
Laughter rippled behind him.
Rags glanced over his shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”
As he crossed the room, he saw her friend’s eyes widen before she leaned in and said something to Casey. Casey started to turn, but he was already there, bending close to her ear, the familiar scent of vanilla, caramel, and patchouli wrapping around him.
“Hi,” he said, low and thick.
She brushed her hand over his, heat sparking where they touched. “Hi.”
He swallowed, his fingers twitching with the sharp memory of her skin. When he met her eyes, he saw the same fire burning there, the same pull, and his pulse slowed into a heavy thrum. He dropped into a crouch beside her chair and smiled.
“How’ve you been?”
“Wonderful.” A sly grin curved her mouth.
“That’s good.” He skimmed his knuckles along her flushed cheek. “Come with me. We need to talk.”
Casey glanced at her friend. “I’m with Zoe.”
“Zoe can handle herself for a bit,” he murmured. “Drinks are on me.”
She glanced at her friend. “Zoe.”
Zoe looked up from her phone, took one look at Rags, then leaned back in her chair.
“This is Rags from the night we were at—”
“Oh, I remember him.” Zoe’s mouth twitched.
He straightened and nodded.
“Rags needs to talk with me,” Casey said. “He’s buying us a round. Order me a glass of chardonnay. I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Sure,” Zoe said, her gaze still fixed on Rags.
“Did you get a hold of Ryan?” Casey asked.
“Yeah, he said he’ll be here by the time we’re ordering dessert.” Zoe’s eyes flicked back to Rags. “Go. I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll be back soon,” Casey said, pushing back her chair.
“Take your time. And I mean it,” Zoe added with a chuckle.
Rags laced his fingers with Casey’s and led her out of the main room and down a hallway.
People milled about, mostly waiting for the restroom lines to die down.
He turned right, then left, and pushed open a door.
Switching on the light, a soft amber glow washed over the room.
Two desks, filing cabinets, computers and printers lined the walls.
“Is this the office?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he growled, yanking her into his arms. “Case,” he murmured before crashing his mouth against hers.