Chapter Twelve
Bone
I’d been watching Hazel for the past hour.
Not constantly. At least, that was what I told myself.
I’d played two games of pool with Dealer. Lost one because Taco wouldn’t shut the fuck up behind me. Won the second because I’d threatened to break the cue over his head if he kept trying to give me advice.
I’d had three beers.
Talked to Myth.
Listened to Rowdy tell some story about a woman he’d met last weekend that I was pretty sure got more exaggerated every time he told it.
Normal Friday night.
Except no matter what the fuck I was doing, I knew where Hazel was. Every damn minute.
She’d come by the table twice to drop off another round.
The first time, Taco had been sitting with me and immediately shut his mouth when she walked up. That was suspicious enough. Taco never shut his mouth.
The second time, it had been me, Myth, and Bull.
She’d set my beer down in front of me, smiled, and asked if I needed anything else.
I’d almost told her exactly what I needed.
Her.
Instead, I’d said I was good, like an idiot.
Now she was across the bar carrying a tray loaded with empty bottles.
“You’re doing it again.”
I kept my eyes on Hazel. “Doing what?”
Myth chuckled beside me. “Nothing.”
“Then shut the fuck up.”
“Won’t say anything more.”
“You were about to.”
“I said you’re doing it again. Just making an observation.”
“Doing what?”
He took a drink. “Nothing.”
I finally looked at him and he was grinning. I didn’t like that grin. “You’re annoying.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “I’m just seeing something I never thought I would see.”
“You got a point?”
“Nope.”
“Good.”
I looked away, back to Hazel. Fuck. Hazel disappeared behind the bar and I took a drink.
She came back a minute later and stopped next to Crystal. The two of them talked, then Hazel reached behind her and untied the black apron around her waist.
My attention sharpened. She folded it and put it under the counter, then she headed toward the back of the bar.
I watched her push through the door.
Where the fuck was she going?
Bathroom was the other direction. Kitchen too.
The back door was through there.
I took another drink and I was out of my chair before I’d finished swallowing.
Myth didn’t say shit. Smart man.
The place was even more packed than it had been an hour ago. I moved around a group near the jukebox, stepped past a couple making out like they were the only two people in the place, and headed down the short hallway.
The back door had a faded red EXIT sign above it.
I pushed it open and cool night air hit me.
Hazel jumped. “Jesus!” She had one hand pressed to her chest and her eyes were wide.
“Didn’t mean to scare you,” I chuckled.
“Maybe don’t come bursting through doors behind women in dark alleys.”
I looked around. The back of Bing’s wasn’t exactly an alley. More of a narrow strip of pavement between the building and the employee parking lot. One security light hung above the door, and another was mounted near the dumpster farther down. “Not an alley.”
Hazel stared at me. “That’s your takeaway?”
I shrugged.
She laughed.
There wasn’t an ounce of fear in it.
Good, I hadn’t wanted to scare her. I just hadn’t thought much beyond seeing her leave and deciding I wanted to know where she’d gone.
Which seemed to be becoming a habit where Hazel was concerned.
I let the door swing shut behind me and the music from inside dropped to a muffled thump.
“You’re following me again,” she said.
“Seems that way.”
“Should I be worried?”
“Are you?”
Hazel looked me over. “No.”
Fuck if I didn’t like that answer.
I walked over and leaned against the brick wall beside her. I reached into my cut for my cigarettes. “Break?”
“Ten minutes of freedom.”
“Only ten?”
“Friday night. I’m thankful to get that with how busy it is in there.”
I stuck a cigarette between my lips and Hazel watched me flick the lighter. I inhaled and the end glowed orange before I lowered the cigarette. “Want one?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Good.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Good?”
“Bad habit.”
She glanced at the cigarette between my fingers. “That you’re currently doing.”
“Never said I was smart.”
“I think you probably think you’re very smart.”
I laughed. “That so?”
“You have a certain confidence.”
“Certain confidence?”
She turned so her shoulder rested against the brick, facing me. “You’re Bone.”
“Last I checked.”
“President of a motorcycle club.”
“Yeah.”
“You walk around like you know exactly what’s going to happen before it happens.”
I took another drag. “Usually do.”
“See?”
“See what?”
“That.”
I blew the smoke away from her. “What the fuck does that mean?”
Hazel smiled. “It means you’re very sure of yourself.”
“You don’t like that?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Sounded like you didn’t.”
“No.” Her eyes moved over me again. “I think I like it.”
I turned my head and Hazel held my gaze.
She wasn’t shy. I’d figured that out fast.
She didn’t look away when I caught her staring. Didn’t blush and pretend she hadn’t said something when she knew damn well what she was doing.
She gave it right back. I liked that about her.
“You’re trouble,” I muttered.
She laughed softly. “Me?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re the biker following women into dark alleys.”
“Still not an alley.”
“Oh my God.”
I grinned.
She shook her head.
“Besides, I didn’t follow women.”
“No?”
“Followed you.”
Hazel went quiet.
My eyes dropped to her mouth. Fuck, I wanted it. I’d wanted it at Ma’s dinner table. Wanted it earlier tonight when she’d stood beside me in those little black shorts and asked if I liked them. And I’d sure as hell wanted it when she’d made that comment about putting something in my mouth.
I’d spent the last hour trying not to think about what else that smart mouth of hers could do.
Hazel wet her lips. “Why?” she asked.
I dragged my eyes back to hers. “Why what?”
“Why did you follow me?”
I could’ve given her some bullshit.
Wanted a cigarette. Needed air. Had to take a piss and got lost.
Instead, I shrugged. “Saw you leave.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Wanted to know where you were going.”
“Why?”
“Lot of questions.”
She smiled, “But you don’t have a lot of answers.”
“I’ve got answers.”
“Let’s hear one.”
I took another drag. “Maybe I wanted to talk to you without seven assholes listening.”
Hazel smiled. “Your friends?”
“Brothers,” I corrected her.
“Right.”
She’d seen the club. She knew what we were.
“Do you guys always travel in packs?”
There was that smart mouth again. “Not always.”
“Because every time I see more than one of you, there are suddenly motorcycles everywhere.”
“There’s eight of us tonight.”
“I counted.”
I grinned. “You keeping track of me again?”
“I was keeping track of the motorcycles.”
“Sure.”
“You’re very full of yourself.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Probably a lot.”
“Mostly by you.”
Hazel laughed. She tipped her head back against the brick. “Remind me again—how long have you been president?”
“Few years.”
“You like it?”
“Yeah.”
“No hesitation.”
“Why would there be?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Seems like a lot.”
“It is.”
“Everybody looking at you for answers?”
“Sometimes.”
“Making decisions?”
“All the time.”
“Keeping Taco under control?”
I laughed. “Nobody can do that.”
“That’s comforting.”
“He bother you?”
The question came out sharper than I’d intended.
Hazel noticed and her eyebrows rose. “No.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“He was checking you out.”
Her eyebrow raised. “So were you.”
That should have shut me the fuck up. “Was I?”
“Oh, please.”
I looked down at her legs, then slowly brought my gaze back up. No point pretending now. “I was.”
Hazel’s lips parted.
There, I liked that. I’d managed to knock her off balance for once.
“Good to know,” she said.
“Thought you already knew.”
“I had a suspicion.”
“You knew.”
“Fine.” She smiled. “I knew.”
I flicked ash onto the pavement. “Didn’t seem to bother you.”
“It didn’t.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
I turned toward her a little more. “Because I don’t plan on stopping.”
The air changed.
No joke.
No laughing.
Hazel’s eyes stayed on mine, and we were close enough now that I could smell whatever she had on.
Something light. Sweet.
I wanted to move closer. Find out if that smart mouth shut up when I kissed it.
Hazel drew in a slow breath. “You always this direct?”
“When I want something.”
“And what do you want?”
My cock answered that question before my mouth could.
I shifted my weight and Hazel’s eyes dropped. Not low enough to be obvious, but still fucking obvious.
I almost laughed. “You really want me to answer that?”
Her eyes came back to mine. “Maybe.”
The back door opened and we both turned.
Kori stuck her head outside. “Oh.” She looked at me, then Hazel. Her smile spread.
Hazel groaned. “What?”
“Nothing.” Kori’s smile got bigger. “CL said you’ve got two minutes.”
“I know.”
“Just helping.” Kori disappeared and the door shut.
Hazel covered her face. “She’s going to be unbearable.”
“About?”
She lowered her hands. “This.”
I looked between us. “We’re talking.”
“Sure.”
“What does she think we’re doing?” Hazel stared at me and I grinned. “Okay.”
“Exactly.” She laughed.
I took the last drag off my cigarette and dropped it to the pavement. “Ever been on a bike?”
Hazel blinked at the change in subject. “A motorcycle?”
“No, Hazel. A bicycle.”
She rolled her eyes. “No.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
I pushed away from the wall. “Come with me sometime.”
Hazel looked at me. “Where?”
“Ride.”
“With you?”
“That’s generally how it’d work. I guess you could run alongside if you want, but I don’t think that would be very fun for you.”
She glanced toward the parking lot as if my bike might somehow be visible through the building. “I don’t know.”
“You scared?”
Her head snapped toward me. “No.”
I smiled. Wrong thing to say to Hazel. “Then come.”
“When?”
“Whenever.”
“That’s vague.”
“Next time the weather’s good and I’m heading out.”
She studied me. “Is this how you lure women onto your motorcycle?”
“Don’t have to lure them.”
“There’s that confidence again.”
“Is that a yes?”
Hazel smiled. “I’ll think about it.”
Not a no. I’d take it.
The door opened again, and this time Crystal stuck her head out. “Hazel.”
“I know!”
Crystal looked at me. “Hi, Bone.”
“Crystal.”
She smiled. “Your break is over.”
“I’m coming.”
“Uh-huh.” The door shut.
Hazel sighed. “Duty calls.”
She pushed away from the wall, and we were closer now. Her face was tilted up toward mine and all I’d have to do was lean down.
One fucking move.
I could kiss her.
She’d let me, I knew she would. Hell, I was pretty sure she wanted me to.
“Good night, Bone.”
I blinked, frozen. “Night?”
She moved to the door and looked over her shoulder. “My break is over.”
“Didn’t say I was leaving.”
Her smile came back. “Then I guess I’ll see you inside.”
She opened the door; music poured into the alley, and then she was gone.
I stood there for a second and my eyes stayed on the closed door.
Fuck, I wanted her. There wasn’t any point pretending otherwise. I’d wanted women before. Plenty of them, so wanting Hazel shouldn’t have been any different.
I wanted Hazel, so I would have her. When I did, I’d finally get her out of my fucking system.