Page 17 of Hard as Stone
I roll my eyes, but can’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “In your dreams, Road Captain.”
“My daydreams too,” he calls after me as I walk away, flipping him off without looking back while doing a mental inventory of my closet—do I even own a dress?
6
AXEL
“You figured out what the real story behind these road closures is yet?” Lee asks, sliding a beer toward me across the bar. “Because I’m starting to think your sudden interest in alternate routes has less to do with Summit’s plans and more to do with that traffic girl who keeps shutting you down.”
I take a long pull from my beer, ignoring his knowing smirk. “I’m working on it.”
“Uh-huh.” Lee’s grin widens. “And the fact Ms. Traffic Controller’s got curves for days and stands up to you like you’re just another asshole on a bike has nothing to do with why you keep riding through her blocks?”
“Fuck off.” But he’s not wrong. Every time I see Poppy standing there in that yellow vest, all soft curves and sharp attitude, something inside me tightens.
Lee sobers. “You see the way Summit’s guys were watching their crew today? Armed security for road work?”
“They were working today?”
“Yeah, up Main Street,” Lee replies, taking another swig of beer.
“They were near club land?”
Lee shakes his head. “Up higher. Toward Highland Avenue. Noticed it when I was heading out of town with a delivery. Armed guards, Black Escalades. Same ones we’ve seen outside Summit’s offices. And get this—one of the guards was Wilson’s guy. You know, that ex-military type who runs Summit’s security? They were the ones on duty the night you got stuck inside the records room. Seems like a staffing overkill for some pothole filling.”
I frown, turning the information over in my mind. That area’s mostly old money—big houses set back from the road, hidden behind iron gates and perfectly manicured hedges. Not exactly the kind of neighborhood that needs ‘emergency repairs.’
“Did you see the road crew?” I ask, trying to keep my tone neutral.
“You asking if your girl was there?”
“She’s a pain in my ass,” I growl, but Lee laughs.
“Sure, brother. That’s why you keep glancing at the door and checking the time every few seconds.”
I open my mouth to deny it, but Lee doesn’t even entertain my protests before he continues. “I didn’t see her. Just a bunch of guys in hard hats and those Summit goons watching them likehawks.” He takes another swig of beer. “The father was there, though. Think she and her brothers know what they’re part of?”
I stare at the door and down the last of my beer. “No idea. She seemed pretty clueless about the bigger picture when I ran into her at city hall earlier.” I signal the bartender for another round. “Either she’s a damn good actress, or she’s in the dark.”
Before Lee can respond, the door swings open and Poppy walks in. For a moment, I forget how to breathe. She stands in the doorway, looking nothing like the smart-mouthed traffic girl I’ve come to expect. Her dark hair falls in soft waves around her shoulders, and she’s wearing a dress that hugs every lush curve and just enough makeup to make her eyes sparkle and her lips look soft and kissable.
“Holy shit,” Lee mutters beside me. “Is that...?”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. She hasn’t spotted us yet, giving me a moment to drink her in. The dress isn’t anything fancy—just black fabric that wraps around her gorgeous body like a second skin. But the way it emphasizes her curvy, round figure, the fullness of her breasts, the sweep of her hips...Christ.
“You’re drooling,” Lee says, amusement clear in his voice.
“Shut up.”
Poppy scans the bar, her gaze finally landing on me. A slow smile spreads across her face as she makes her way over, hips swaying with each step. I force myself to stay seated—partly because my dick has decided to stand at attention, and partly because I’m not sure my legs will hold me up if I try to stand.
“Evening, boys.” She sets her clutch on the bar beside me and leans against it casually. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”
“Not at all,” Lee says before I can answer. He pushes off the bar with a knowing grin. “And I was just leaving.”
Traitor.
“Guess it’s just you and me then, Road Captain.” Poppy slides onto the barstool Lee vacated, her dress pulling taut over her thighs. “So…ready to lose?”
