Hyde and Seek (5 page)

“Unless you make
really
fuckin’ depressing cakes, you’ll meet people on the good days. I get to meet them at the high, the low, and everything in between. The ones that come in to drink after they get the pink slip, the divorce papers, the bad news from the doctor. The ones out to celebrate, to party ‘cause life’s fuckin’ awesome. That’s what I love, meeting different people.”

I jerked my head towards the bar. “Is that how you know the Hyde guys?”

“Kinda. Jake and I go back about ten years. The rest eventually came with him. They’re a close group.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.”

When there was no response, I looked up at Rhys to find him watching me with assessing eyes. I had nothing to hide, but I still fought the urge to fidget. I worked hard at not letting people’s opinions matter, but no one wanted to be disliked.

I barely held in a victory dance when his dimples reappeared as he smiled at me.

“I called Jake earlier to find out about you,” Rhys admitted.

I tilted my head. “Oh?” I tried to sound indifferent. What I really wanted was a word for word transcript of the conversation.

“Kase… Well, he’s got a type, and it isn’t sweet, albeit sinful looking, bakers,” he said with a wicked smile. “I wanted to make sure Kase hadn’t hooked up with another psycho. There are a lot of users and hangers-on. You need loyal people to have your back. When Jake said you were a good chick without hesitation, well, that’s like hitting the lotto of approval.”

As much as that made me want to bust out the ultimate victory dance, I was more than a little surprised.

Mixed signals much?

“Jake doesn’t like anyone, especially women. I mean, he likes them, he just doesn’t wanna be around them unless he’s getting something, you know what I mean?” He didn’t give me a chance to think about what he meant, let alone respond, before he continued. “Anyway, when they were talking, it got me curious. Jake got your text and said he was going to take a look at a dent. When all the men jumped up to go with, I figured I’d come along and take a look for myself. Glad I did, darlin’.”

I nudged him with my shoulder. “Aren’t you sweet?”

“Actually, no. Not at all. I’m pretty much the opposite. Running this place is more than a full-time job, which means I’m busy. I’ve gotta make decisions on the fly and trust my instincts. What I don’t do is fuck around saying shit I don’t mean, especially when I want something. I already asked and know you don’t have a man, at least not one anyone knows about.”

As my brain was trying to catch-up, I belatedly realized Rhys was waiting for my confirmation. “Nope, no man.”

“I want the chance to spend some time together, get to know you better, and see just how sweet you really are. And darlin’? From what I see tonight, I’m betting your sweet comes with a whole hell of a lot of mischievous. Now I’m wondering which one comes out more. Think on it.”

I stared up at Rhys, unsure of how to respond. Part of me wanted to ask if he was out of his mind. Who talked like that?

I mean, I got it, I wasn’t the best judge of normal. Most of my life had been spent in what I liked to call Repressed Land, a dull as hell place where emotions weren’t discussed and faces were so botoxed you couldn’t tell how anyone felt.

However, even I knew this was taking blunt to a whole new level.

Which was why another part of me wanted to take Rhys up on his offer. I might not be used to straight talk, but that didn’t mean I didn’t appreciate it. I’d take blush-inducing honesty over game playing any day. Not to mention, his confidence majorly upped his sexy vibe.

Afraid of what I’d say, I kept my mouth closed and nodded up at him.

Unlike Rhys, I wasn’t one to make decisions on the fly. I dug him as a person so far and could see myself spending time with him. However, there was something about Jake that pulled me in. I didn’t fully understand it but that didn’t matter. I knew it’d be wrong to start something with him when I was lusting after his friend the way I was.

Thankfully, Jake had good timing, walking up to us and saving me from saying something stupid. “Bike has a couple loose wires. Bring it in to Z.”

Rhys gave him a chin lift. “Thanks, Brother.” He looked back to me. “Alright, darlin’, I got shit to take care of. Think about what I said. Alright?” He ran his knuckles across my cheek before leaning in to brush his lips across it. “Fuck, he wasn’t kiddin’. She smells like cake,” he said quietly, before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

“What’re you supposed to think about?” Jake asked.

I looked around to avoid his all-knowing green eyes. “Oh, nothing really.”

“Yeah, ‘cause you look like someone who just had a ‘nothing really’ kinda discussion.”

“He, uh, wants to spend some time together,” I mumbled, pretending to be very interested in the drunk chick dancing to a beat only she was hearing.

“He wants to spend time together,” Jake repeated.

“Yeah.”

“He said that?”

“Yup.” I wasn’t sure if I should be insulted that he found it so hard to believe.

“He said those words?” Jake asked. Controlled. Quiet. And scary as fuck for some reason.

“Yeah. Why?”

“No reason.”

Before I could push for an answer, an arm was slung around my shoulder. An arm that just so happened to be wearing a very nice dress shirt.

I knew he wore GQ.

“Hey.” I smiled up at Z.

His pompadour was fully pomped, his black slacks and gray dress shirt nicely pressed. He didn’t fit in at a rock concert in a dive bar, but it was totally working for him.

“Doll Face. Everything good?”

“Awesome.”

He dipped his head to my soda. “Want something stronger?”

I glanced back at the unusual gyrating of Drunky McDrunkerson and shook my head. “No, I’m good.”

“Damn, it’s hot as balls in here,” Xavier said, coming up as Z headed to the bar.

Even though my short-sleeve shrug was thin, I was starting to get uncomfortable. I knew my deodorant was doing its job, but I wasn’t looking to push it to its limits.

My gaze slid down the bar and caught Rhys’ stare. “I’ll be right back.”

“Make your decision already, darlin’? Or just need a drink?” Rhys teased.

“Refill and a small favor.”

“Name it.”

“Could you tuck my sweater somewhere safe back there? As Xavier says, it’s hot as balls in here.”

“Sure thing, darlin’.”

I felt someone move in close behind me. Without looking, I knew it was Jake.

His fingers grazed down my arms as he slid my shrug off.

Try as I might, I couldn’t hold back a shiver. It would’ve been impossible for him to miss, but when I glanced back at him, his face showed nothing. I didn’t know if it was more embarrassing that he felt my reaction to him, or that he was indifferent to it.

What are you expecting? You’re the perv that’s getting off on him touching your shoulders. Get it together!

“Thanks,” I said to Rhys, grabbing my refill.

He looked down at my wrist tattoo. “Nice tat, darlin’. Got anymore?”

“Not. Fuckin’. Again,” Jake muttered.

I ignored him and talked to Rhys. “Yup. Not all visible with clothes on, though.”

Rhys’ smile turned even wickeder. “Now that just makes me wanna see them more.”

Careful not to brush against Jake, I turned around and pulled my hair to the side so he could see the swallows on my shoulders. When I turned back, I lifted my tank top a little so he could see part of the shooting stars on my hip bones. My low rise pants weren’t quite low enough to see it all, but I doubted any pants were. Thankfully, my tattoo artist Ray, short for Rayna, was also my best friend.

“There are a few more that common decency and state laws prevent me from sharing.”

Rhys put his elbows on the bar and leaned forward. “Darlin’, remember what I said to think about?”

I nodded.

“Yeah, I mean that tenfold now. Keep that in mind.” He smiled big, his dimples emphasized more.

I could eat cereal out of those dimples.

I felt a strong arm around my waist and fingers digging into my hip. “Time to get back so we can see.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I sighed, though I was a big fan of his arm around me.

“Rhys,” Jake bit out with a slight nod.

“Jake,” Rhys responded with a chuckle.

“Rhys,” I bit out mockingly. If Jake was going to be a jerk to everyone, I was going to have fun with it.

“Enjoy the show, darlin’.”

Jake moved us effortlessly through the crowd as people hustled out of his way. It took him less than a minute to get us from the back of the room to up near the stage where the guys were.

I’m obviously not the only one that finds him imposing and scary as fuck.

The lights started to go down as they did a quick sound check. When Harington appeared, the small venue roared to life like a packed arena. They jumped into the music and did it hard. Everyone got lost in the sounds. The energy. The whole vibe.

It was amazing.

I danced with all of the guys except Jake. This, surprisingly, included Z. He was stiff and seemed a bit uncomfortable, but he tried.

When I took a break, Jake came up behind me. “Babe, wanna beer or something?”

“No, thanks. I’m gonna grab a water.”

“Don’t drink?”

“Not here.”

“Why, you a mean drunk? Gettin’ wild and startin’ fights?” Jake teased, a smirk changing his face from badass hot to
unbelievably
badass hot.

“You caught me.” I raised my fists. “I’ve got a crazy right hook.”

“I’m thinkin’ that’s not how you do your damage. So, why?”

“I’m only twenty. I shouldn’t be here at all, let alone drinking.”

“Christ. Seriously?”

I nodded.

Jake looked towards the bar then back at me. “Rhys know your real age?”

“Kase told him when he asked if I could come tonight. Why?”

Jake, of course, ignored my question. “And he said he wanted the chance to spend time with you?”

“Yeah. Why’s that so hard to believe?”

“You know he’s pushin’ forty, yeah?”

“Okay… and?”

Jake shook his head, all traces of his sexy smirk gone as he looked ahead at the band. He didn’t say anything further, and I wasn’t going to waste my time trying to read between his hot and cold lines.

There were times, like when he’d held my hand earlier or was being playful, that I thought maybe he was into me. Or at the very least, that we were cool with each other. However, the majority of his responses ran along the lines of disapproval or indifference.

I was way over it.

Without a word, I turned and headed to the bar. I gulped down the water the bartender gave me, happy to break away from the crush of people for a minute.

When I got back to the group, Kase grabbed my hand pulled me next to him. Using his empty cup as a mic, he lip-synced along with the song, his dreads moving wildly.

“I’m gonna get a beer, need anything?” he asked, pretty much yelling in my ear to be heard.

I looked up at him and shook my head, knowing there was no way he’d be able to hear me.

Xavier waved me over to introduce me to some women. I couldn’t hear one thing he said, so I just nodded and smiled.

Their response was similar.

The girls moved away from the men to dance, pulling me with.

After a few minutes of dancing and laughing, a hand gripped my hip. I turned to see Jake. He didn’t even look at me as he shifted us away from the group. I tried to step away from him but hardly gained any distance before his arm wrapped the rest of the way around my waist.

As much as I wanted to pretend he didn’t exist, it was impossible to with his arm around me.

“Uhh, what’s up?” I asked when it became obvious he wasn’t going to say anything.

Shifting my hair off my neck and onto my shoulder, Jake leaned close to my ear. “The way you were movin’? You want that kinda attention, get it some other time.”

It was the shorts thing all over. At his work? Alright, I got that.

At a rock concert in a bar, though?

Yeah, I didn’t get it.

I didn’t get it so much that I wasn’t just upset.

I was pissed.

Quickly twisting my body, I hoped to jerk out of his grasp.

I half succeeded.

I managed to turn around to face Jake, but his arm stayed tight around me.

If he weren’t such a giant asshole, I might have enjoyed having his body pressed against mine. Right now, though, a well-aimed punch to the junk seems like a better idea…

“What the hell are you talking about?” I yelled, both because the music was loud and I was losing my temper.