Chapter 5 Linc
CHAPTER FIVE
Linc
I bring my bike to a stop in the small parking lot behind the bar. With my helmet hooked under my arm, I walk in through the back door.
The hallway is dark, other than the light coming from the far end that opens into the bar itself.
Kane’s at home with Oliver, so I walk into his office without knocking, leaving my helmet and jacket on the couch in the corner.
During our first week in town after buying the bar, Kane offered to share the office space with Wyatt and me, or even remodel other rooms in the back hall into separate offices.
Wyatt and I both laughed. Neither of us would have a need for it. Wyatt spends way more time working on the front lines, bartending.
Kane and I split the paperwork and admin, but I won’t sit behind a desk to do it. I usually end up on the couch in his office or taking the work home with me to do there.
Being behind the bar, around a ton of loud people, isn’t my favorite thing in the world. Working a quiet shift in the middle of the week is more up my alley.
It’s Friday night, though, and I know Wyatt is going to need some help. One of our regular bartenders called in sick, so that leaves me to help out.
I’m relieved when I step into the main bar area. It isn’t packed, and the groups of people milling about the room seem to be of the quieter variety.
Maybe tonight won’t be too bad.
With head tilts to a few regulars, I round one of the pool tables and turn to the bar. My steps falter, seeing a gorgeous woman sitting there.
I can’t even see her face, and I already know. The thick brown waves running down her back, partially covering her leather jacket, is all the information I need.
She throws her head back, laughing. It’s a raspy-sounding laugh that sounds like it comes from the depths of her soul.
She turns to look at the man beside her and fuck. My initial assumption was spot on. She is fucking stunning.
The smile she’s sporting sets off a radiant glow that reaches everyone around her. Hell, I’m halfway across the room, and I can still feel it.
She says something to the man at her side. An unwarranted wave of jealousy passes through me.
I don’t even know this woman’s name. I never laid eyes on her until a few moments ago. I have no right to feel jealous of a man who gets to hold her attention like that.
I should keep walking and go do what I intended by coming out here, but I can’t make my feet work.
It doesn’t take but two more minutes of watching them to realize she is definitely not romantically involved with the mystery man.
They don’t look anything alike, but I might wager to say they are siblings. Their interactions reek of familiarity but not intimacy.
I’m sure it sounds insane to say this about two people I’ve never met, but I have become kind of an expert at analyzing people.
I have been quieter my whole life. Watching people kind of became a coping mechanism to escape whatever I didn’t want to think about.
Wyatt always says I’m terrifyingly good at nailing things about people without actually knowing them. I wouldn’t need this ability, though, to see how enamored Wyatt is with the very same woman.
I don’t know how long I have been standing here now. I don’t want to know. That would just be embarrassing.
As if on cue, Wyatt taps the side of his head and says something to her. He starts to walk away, then glances back over his shoulder. Whatever he says has a blush creeping up her neck.
I want to bury my face in her neck, kiss and lick that fevered skin.
Fuck. No.
My teeth clench painfully as I drag in a deep breath. Needing something to do with my hands, I redo the bun I have my hair pulled back into. The sides are still cropped short, but it’s long enough on top now to pull back.
I walk to the far side of the bar, opposite to where the gorgeous woman is sitting. Wyatt’s eyes lock on mine.
They are so like my own, but instead of my generic brown, his are speckled with golden flecks that I’ve always been a tad jealous of.
Unspoken words pass between us, like they so often do. Some might say it’s a weird twin telepathy thing. Wyatt and I have a fluidity of understanding between the two of us that can’t really be put into words.
“Thanks,” he tells me, grabbing a few clean glasses and filling them up with beer. “I know Fridays aren’t your favorite.”
I shrug, getting to work, cleaning some of the dirty glasses in the sink.
“Wyatt,” a male voice comes from the far side of the bar. “Can we get a glass of water?” His eyes dart to the woman and then back to Wyatt.
He’s in the middle of making a mixed drink, so I fill up a glass with water and carry it over to her. She’s snapping at the man about not needing to drink any water and that she is fucking fine.
A smile threatens to appear from the sassiness in her voice. It also makes my dick twitch against my jeans. Not the fucking time, dumbass.
“You are a damn nurse,” the guy says. “You’d think you would be less opposed to the concept of hydration.”
“I’m not opposed to water. I am opposed to you telling me what to do.”
She is feisty as fuck, and I love it. I calmly slide the water-filled glass in front of her. “Not telling you what to do… just hydration… if you choose.”
She laughs again, but this time it’s because of me. A weird fluttery feeling flies through my chest. Then her eyes bug out, head swiveling from me to what I assume is Wyatt.
“Wait…”
Wyatt slings his arm around my shoulders. “Yes, there’s two of us.”
We might be identical twins with matching faces, but we are far from mirror images of one another.
Hair. Mine is a lot longer, on top at least. Tattoos. He has some. I have more. Piercings. He doesn’t have any. I have some…
“Holy crap,” she says quietly, eyes roaming over both of us.
The guy beside her groans. “I thought seeing you flirt with one was bad enough. Now there’s two of them.”
She points an accusing finger at him. “Shut the fuck up, Cole.” Her words are harsh, but there’s a level of playfulness behind them.
“Why are you so cranky?”
Her eyes narrow on him. “I don’t think you want to know the answer to that question.” I feel like I am picking up the drift of what she is implying, but I can’t be certain.
He blinks at her a few times before running his hand over his face in exasperation. “You’re right. I absolutely don’t want to know about how your bad attitude is directly correlated to your lack of action.”
She smacks him in the arm.
“Why do you keep hitting me tonight?” he asks.
“Because you keep pissing me off.”
Now that I can clearly tell this man isn’t interested in her, I kind of like him.
He isn’t afraid to call her out but isn’t saying a whole bunch of pointless crap no one has time for or cares to listen to. He’s also kind of funny in a more subtle way.
“Well… on that note,” Wyatt says with a sparkle in his eye. “Abby and Cole, this is my twin brother. His name is Lincoln, but we call him Linc. He isn’t a president or something.”
He gestures at me with his free hand, showing that I most definitely do not look like a political leader.
“Linc, this is Abby and Cole. They have a kid together, but zero sexual chemistry. How they made said kid in the first place, I have no idea.”
“Okay then,” Cole says.
I reach out my hand, shaking his. “Nice to meet you.” Then, I turn my focus on Abby.
I know that she’s a mom and a nurse, but I find myself wanting to know everything about her. She slides her much smaller hand in mine. Nothing has ever felt so right cradled against my callused palm.
Her tongue laps at her lower lip. “Hi, Linc.” Fuck. The sound of my name on her lips shoots straight to my already tempted dick. This is not fucking fair.
“Hi, Abby.” It takes me far longer to release her hand than it should.
Even once her skin is no longer touching mine, I can still feel the ghost of it. It lingers on the edges of my mind, constantly reminding me it was there.
“Wait… Did you buy the bar from Benny?” she asks.
Wyatt’s face spreads with a wide grin. “That we did.”
I open my mouth to say something about Kane owning it with us, but I get distracted by the way she leans forward on the counter.
She rests her chin against her open palm. “Mmm… that makes sense, actually, based on the rumors.”
“What rumors?” I ask, feeling defensive.
“That you guys are starting a motorcycle gang to corrupt this town,” Cole says with a smirk.
“Is it true?” Abby asks, a glint of mischief in her eyes as they move between my brother and me.
“The gang part? No,” Wyatt says. “Group or club would be a better term.” He leans over until they’re just a few inches apart. “The motorcycle part? Hell yes.”
Her eyebrows lift, interest flashing across her face. Her attention flicks to me for a second before returning to Wyatt.
“The corruption part?” Wyatt continues. “Not the town as a whole, but maybe just a feisty brunette who already dresses like she might have ridden on a motorcycle once or twice.”
He’s pointing to her leather jacket. If I know my brother, and I do, I would guess he’s winking at her right now.
A faint pink hue starts to take over her neck as Wyatt’s words settle in. He’s about as subtle as a car alarm blaring in the dead of night.
I can’t really fault him for it because it usually works. He’s just a charming motherfucker like that. It’s even a quality I have benefited from on occasion when he and I have shared women.
“Thank fuck,” Cole says, looking down at his phone. “I really hate to break up,” his hands motion between Abby and Wyatt, “whatever this is, but Finn is here to pick us up. He went out for ice cream for Riley, and if she doesn’t get it soon, she’s going to bite someone’s head off.”
Abby cringes. “Yeah, we should go. When a pregnant woman says she wants ice cream, ice cream is what she shall have.”
She hops off the stool, straightening her clothes.
She’s so pretty.
“I guess I’ll be seeing you guys around,” Abby says.
“You’re stuck with us now,” Wyatt says. This time, I can see the wink he gives her.
She falls into step with Cole, heading toward the door. Just before stepping through, she looks back over her shoulder.
Her eyes lock with mine, and she gives me a small smile.
I stand there looking at the door long after she leaves. I might have just met her, but I have a feeling she isn’t someone I will be able to let go of.