Page 29 of Dark Seduction

“Hey, you okay?” he asks, after I swear under my breath when another drop of oil lands on the top of my head.

“Yeah, just frustrated with this damn car,” I grumble. “It’s like it’s fighting me every step of the way. Between this taunting bastard and the heat, I feel like I’m fucking lose my mind.”

“I’d be pissed off too if I was working in an oven,” he pauses, swinging his gaze over to the office with a smile. I look over, and find Mack’s in her shorts again. Her long legs peeking out from under the desk as she works on a computer. Those shorts of hers should be a sin. Every time she wears them, I have to compel myself to not fall to my knees and worship her.

“Be right back,” Burnt grins as he saunters off towards the office.

I watch as Mack beams at him from her spot behind the counter. With a shake of my head, I get back to work. A few moments later, those sexy legs of Mack peeks from under the front end of the car I’m under.

“Hey,” she purrs, her voice smooth as silk. “Looks like you could use a break.”

I try to ignore the way my heart rate spikes at the sound of her voice. “I’m fine,” I mutter, turning back to the engine. “Just need to finish this up.”

“It can wait,” she presses harder. “Burnt wants us to play hooky. I’m game.”

“I can’t, Mack,” I argue.

She steps forward, dipping her head under the car next to me. “Come on, V,” she whispers, her lips inches from my ear. “It’s miserable. If you keep working in this heat, it’ll make you sick. Besides, I know a few ways to cool you down.”

I nearly drop the wrench in my hand. Fuck the hold this woman has on me. I mere suggestion of my dick getting wet and I’m like a panting teenager with cock at the ready. “That so?”

“Burnt wants to take us somewhere.”

“I see,” I mutter.

Mack steps closer, her hand brushing against the crotch of my work pants. “For someone who doesn’t want to take this public yet, you’re not playing fair, baby.”

“I know,” she beams. “Come with us. The car will still be here when we get back, and I’ll help you when it cools off.”

I consider her proposal. She’s not wrong that this Corvette isn’t a time sensitive commitment. Blake, the owner, was gone with his family on a trip for the next couple of weeks. The only thing holding me back is my need to check it off my list.

“Fuck it,” I smile. “I’m in.”

“Thought you would be. You get yourself ready to go, and we’ll be waiting over at the apartment.”

“Sounds good,” I agree. “Give me about five or ten. I’ll rinse off in the employee shower. Wouldn’t want to get grease all over Betty’s backseat.”

Mack shakes her head. “I’d appreciate that. See you in a bit,” she smiles as she slips from under the car and heads back towards the office. I watch as she gathers her things and heads down the hallway towards the door. I make quick work of cleaning up my station. Grabbing my t-shirt from atop the toolbox, I head for the office and that cold shower that’s calling my name. I no sooner make it into the office before I run headlong into Judge.

He’s looking at me with that laconic expression of his that always makes me feel like I’m being judged. Not that I’m not used to it by now, but I can never get over the feeling that I’m always under his microscope. “Are you cutting out early, too?” he asks.

“Yeah. Are you good with that?”

Judge contemplates before nodding his head. “Yeah, it’s fine. No point in cooking ourselves. The HVAC guy won’t be here until late tonight. Even with the strings Hash pulled, they’re all fucking booked up with this heat.”

“That’s how it always happens. If there’s a heat wave, the A/C breaks. I’m gonna grab a quick shower, then head out.”

“Burnt going with you?”

“Yeah, he wants to show Mack around town, and I got the invite, too.” I lie. The bitterness of it burning the back of my throat. It’s one thing to lie. It’s another to lie to Judge. Outside of StoneFace, I’m betting if you looked up terrifying in the dictionary, it would have his and StoneFace’s picture.

“You two have been spending a lot of time away from the clubhouse lately. Any reason?”

Shit. Has it really been that long? Since Mack, we’d been spending most of our nights at her house or at my apartment that I rarely use. It was really just a glorified pit stop to do my laundry and get my mail. The clubhouse is where I normally stayed most days.

“Nah,” I lie a second time. “My place is just closer to the garage and as busy as we’ve been, I’ve just been staying there.”

Judge shoots me an unsure look. Had he picked up on my lie? “Church is tomorrow. I expect you to be there.”

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