Chapter Fourteen
“Well, how was your first day?” Wrench asked as he walked with her toward the clubhouse from the mechanic shop where she’d spent most of the day fumbling through, struggling to remember what he’d told her when someone called or came in.
“I don’t know. I feel like I asked for help too much.”
Wrench waved one wrinkled hand. “That’s to be expected. You’ve never spent time in a shop like this, so you’ve got no knowledge. That will come with time.”
“I don’t know. I felt like all I did today was ask for help. I don’t know if I will end up saving you time or just costing you more.”
“It might in the short term, but you’re bright.
You’ll catch on. Like I said, give it a week.
You’ll pick it up faster than you think.
” He patted her shoulder in a way she’d seen on TV.
She’d wished Papá was like that, but she couldn’t remember the last time he’d touched her without hurting her.
For a moment, she wished Papá could have been a little more like Wrench—her childhood would have been much more pleasant.
But if he had been kinder, gentler, then maybe she wouldn’t be here now and something deep inside told her this was where she needed to be.
Where she needed to stay. She just needed to figure out what she needed to do to make that happen.
Inside the clubhouse she looked around and didn’t see Hammer, so she headed back toward his office. She wanted to check with him before she did anything else. He might have something he wanted or needed her to do. She found the door standing open and stood for a moment, watching him.
His hands seemed to fly over the keyboard while his gaze flicked from one screen to another. She didn’t know if her movement caught his eye or what but after a moment, he turned to look at her. A grin spread across his face when he realized who his visitor was.
“Hey, there you are.” He reached one hand toward her, which she took as an invitation, and closed the distance between them, dropping one hand in his. He squeezed it, then released her. “How was your first day? Did you hate it?”
Camila shook her head. “I don’t hate it, but I don’t think I’m very good.
Wrench says it will take a little time and I’ll get better, but I just don’t know.
” She sighed and wanted to lean into him, to borrow some of his strength and determination.
But she didn’t know how he would take that, so she maintained the distance between them.
“Did he give you a time, how long to try before giving up?”
“He said give it a week.” She sighed. “I don’t know. I feel like I’m failing.”
“Carino,” his voice was gentle, but that wasn’t what caught her attention.
That was the job of what he’d called her.
Why would he call her that unless, maybe, he felt even a little of what she was also feeling?
“Failure is part of the process. Every time you fail at something, you learn something else. It’s a process that can’t be rushed.
But that’s okay. We all know this is something new to you, and it will take you a little while to pick things up.
And even if you don’t, we can find you something else.
There are a lot of options. We’re not going to kick you to the streets because one job didn’t work out.
” He reached and took her hand again, then tugged her closer.
“How were the guys? Did they behave? Did you come back from the shop alone?”
Camila frowned. “They were fine. They worked out in the shop and only came in a few times. And no. Wrench walked me back, but is there a reason I shouldn’t make the trip alone? Is it dangerous?”
“It’s not dangerous, but you’re new here and not all the men know your face yet, much less know you’re not club ass.
They might approach you or harass you a little.
All you’d have to do is say no, but I don’t want you to have to worry about it.
I’m glad Wrench walked with you.” One corner of his mouth quirked up.
“Making sure you made it back without anyone stopping or propositioning you is probably the only thing that got him out of the shop before midnight.”
Her eyes went wide. “Does he often work that late?”
“Sometimes. He also naps in his office when it gets late, and he doesn’t want to bother making the trip back.
” Hammer shook his head. “I keep telling him he’d rest better in a bed, but he’s a stubborn old shit and insists this is working for him.
” Camila thought the way he watched out for the older man was endearing.
It showed his tender side, even if the way he went about was more rough and masculine than she might.
She stepped closer to where he still sat in his wheeled chair. They were almost eye to eye, despite that she stood to his seated.
“You’re sweet.” She cupped his cheek, ignoring his scowl as she leaned in and kissed the end of his nose. His hands shifted to rest on her hips.
“You sure, carino?” Hammer’s voice was as gentle as his touch.
She nodded then leaned in. She pressed her lips against his, hoping he would take over and show her what to do. All she knew was what she’d seen on the porn her father had made her watch, and what had been in the books she’d managed to get a hold of, despite the security he’d put on the internet.
When Hammer’s tongue pressed against the seam of her lips, she didn’t hesitate.
She opened to him, the intense feelings and emotions rushing through her sent her mind swirling.
His arms went around her, tightening a bit as her head spun.
Maybe it wasn’t just in her head. Her knees went weak and she pushed her fingers into his hair as she held on to him, not wanting this to stop, ever.
“Don’t you two already have a room?” A voice behind her brought Camila back to the present, where they were and what they were doing, in an instant.
She jumped and jerked her arms away from Hammer, but he didn’t release her.
Instead, he gently ended the kiss, then lifted his head and looked past her at whoever had spoken.
“This is my office, asshole. It’s a lot better than the common room like you prefer. What the hell do you want?”
Common room? It must be Goliath. He was the only one she knew of who liked public sex, at least so far, and not that she and Hammer had gone that far, hell, they’d barely touched each other.
Still, her face heated. She pressed it into Hammer’s shoulder to keep Goliath from seeing that he’d embarrassed her.
Hammer’s arm around her waist tightened for a moment.
As if reassuring her that he had her. That he wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
She liked that he protected her rather than treated her like a commodity to be used to his benefit.
“Bishop sent me to tell you dinner’s ready then he wants to see the two of you in his office. But if you’re going to continue, can I watch?”
Camila’s body trembled at the thought of someone watching them, and not with excitement. The idea of being exposed like that, to have something so intimate and private watched by anyone, much less people she was only getting to know, made her knees weak.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Hammer growled.
His arm around her waist tightened as he stood, taking her with him.
Camila couldn’t help the squeak of surprise that escaped her as he picked her up and carried her toward the door.
With her face still buried in his shoulder she couldn’t see what he was doing, but then she heard a door close.
“It’s all right carino, It’s just us now.” He eased his hold around her waist and let her slide down until her feet hit the floor. She couldn’t help but notice the hardness against her belly as she moved along his body. It made heat pool low in her belly. “I’m sorry. Goliath is an ass.”
“It’s okay.” She gave him the best smile she could manage, though she knew it wasn’t as bright as she might want, but it was something. He couldn’t help that Goliath was a bit ... off.
“Hungry? Let’s go get a bite to eat.” He used her shoulders to turn her to face the door then reached around and opened it.
“Are we in trouble? Is that why Bulldog wants to see us?”
“Unlikely, unless you’ve done something I don’t know about or lied to him.” ‘
“Then why in his office?”
“Probably because after dinner the common room will be a madhouse. It’s Saturday night, things will get a little wild around here. Goliath isn’t the only one who isn’t shy—he’s just the only one who pushes the limits outside of parties.”
“Does that happen a lot?”
“What?”
“The parties, all of it.”
He dropped a hand on the small of her back and guided her out to the front room.
“Usually at least once a week, sometimes twice. And holidays, and any time we have visitors. Things get a little crazy when we have visitors.”
“And how often is that?”
“A few times a year,” he said. When they reached the common room, he stepped beside her and draped an arm across her shoulders.
“But don’t worry. We’ll warn you so you can be prepared, at least if we can.
Once in a while an allied club will stop by without much notice.
Not much we can do about that, but we try to be good hosts.
Even if that happens, I’ll make sure you’re safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you, carino.”
“Thank you.” She let him guide her to the head of the line. He stepped in front of someone then motioned for her to go in front of him. “I don’t mind going to the end of the line.”
“I’m an officer, carino. Officers go to the head of the line. We only wait for everyone who cooked to get theirs first. Then we get to join in whenever we arrive.”
She frowned but picked up a plate and started through the line.
Questions would only hold up the line for those behind them.
When they’d both filled their plates, he led them to a booth along one wall where Winter and Bishop sat.
Camila set her plate down and slid into the booth to sit next to the wall and leave room for Hammer.
“What you want to drink, carino?” Hammer said, setting his plate down but not sitting.
“Water or Jamaica tea if you have it.”
“I don’t think we do, but I’ll look.” He turned and headed for the bar.
“What’s Jamaica tea?” Winter asked.
“Tea made from a flower. Give me a second and I’ll remember what it’s called in English. But what is an officer? The only meaning I know is police and that can’t be right.”
“No, not police,” Winter said. “Officers are brothers in higher positions who run the club.” Winter tilted her head as if she wasn’t satisfied with that explanation but was looking for a better way to explain it.
“President, VP, Treasurer, Sergeant at Arms, those are officers,” Bishop put in. “It’s not all of them but that’s what we mean when we say officers. Does that make sense?”
Camila nodded. “Yes, thank you.” She turned back to Winter. “Hibiscus. Jamaica tea is made from Hibiscus flowers.”
“No tea, so I got you water.” Hammer set two glasses down then slid in beside her. “Who’s on groceries this week, do you know?”
Bishop shook his head.
“Frank, I think,” Winter put in.
“I’ll talk to him, see about getting some of your tea,” Hammer said to Camila.
She nodded. They all ate, exchanging a few words here and there but there was more attention on the food than on being social.
Camila couldn’t keep her mind off the meeting with Bulldog and wondering what he would tell them.