Hook ran through the garage’s tool inventory as he emerged from the bathroom. All his mental faculties went toward willing his erection to go down before he reached the end of the hallway and encountered an impatiently waiting Jester. Luckily, it seemed to work and he was decent by the time his oversized friend spotted him entering the reception area.
“Jesus, bro, I was about to tell Shiv to charge you rent. Everything okay in there?” Jester patted his stomach in case Hook didn’t pick up on his meaning. His customary smirk was plastered on his face. The man wasn’t happy unless he was busting someone’s balls.
“Mind your own fucking business. Let’s move.” Hook wanted the other man back in the garage bay before Marcie appeared. If Jester witnessed her slink from the restroom, the shit he’d give Hook would be fierce and endless.
“You put your panties on backward in there or something? Give me a minute, I need to look up a fax number.” His size fourteen feet tromped to the now-vacant reception desk.
Shit. As Jester moved behind the wooden desk to the computer, Hook’s mind raced to come up with a fast way to get him out of there. Unfortunately, Marcie chose that moment to emerge from the hallway, stopping short when she noticed the two men lingering around the reception desk.
“Oh, um…I—” she stammered, gaze darting in every direction but at Hook.
He watched, amused as her gaze landed on Jester and those gorgeous green eyes widened in shock. Jester tended to have that effect on initial impression. A hulk of a man, he was nearly six and a half feet tall, with an overabundance of muscles. Hook was one of the few people who knew Jester was an avid weight lifter. For some reason, the man was shy about that piece of information. His left arm had a sleeve of tattoos, and he’d recently started on the right. Typically, he wore his long dark hair tied back at the nape of his neck.
The bodybuilder physique combined with the extreme height and yards of ink made for one intimidating picture. His constant joking and sarcasm always surprised people, both of which were how his name came about.
If Marcie’s reaction to Jester was predictable, his reaction to her was cliché. She was undeniably a knockout and Jester loved women, particularly gorgeous ones. He pushed back the rolling office chair that groaned under his substantial weight and smiled a toothy grin full of mirth. “Ohh, now I get it.” He jumped up and made his way toward Marcie.
“Jester.” Hook’s voice held a note of warning.
“Hello, beautiful. You must be the Marcie this one hasn’t shut up about since last night,” Jester said, motioning a thumb in Hook’s direction.
A delightful shade of pink rose from her neck to her cheeks. “Oh, um, well yes, I’m Marcie.” As she spoke, her eyes darted toward the exit. There was a good chance she’d disappear if he blinked too long.
The shit-eating grin returned to Jester’s face and he slid his thumbs through the belt loops on his pants, rocking back on his heels. “Sooo, Hook’s zipper get stuck?”
Marcie gasped and sputtered. “I-I’m sorry, what?”
“That’s why you were in the bathroom, right? I assume he was taking a leak and must have gotten his zipper stuck, so he called for help. You happened to be walking by and came to his rescue. What other explanation could there be?”
Hook couldn’t keep the growl of frustration inside. On a normal day, he tried not to let Jester’s ribbing get under his skin, but he’d be taking his brother out back for an ass beating if he kept flustering her, Jester’s size be damned. But, as usual with Jester’s teasing nature, he charmed a chuckle out of Marcie.
“Actually, no. Somehow, he locked himself in the stall and needed someone to help him climb out.”
Jester threw back his head and laughed, a booming sound that had Marcie’s eyes widening once again. “Not bad, girlie. And might I add, you are every bit as gorgeous as Hook told me you were.”
The grin that had graced Hook’s face at Marcie’s wit faded with Jester’s comment. Teasing was bad enough. No way he’d tolerate full frontal flirting. “Okay, asshole, don’t you have some shit to do?” Hook served as manager for the garage and was in charge of all the men during working hours.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m getting there, boss. FYI the part we need for your boyfriend’s Audi won’t get here until tomorrow.” He stressed the word boyfriend and glanced toward Marcie. “Looks like you’re stuck in Crystal Rock for one more night.”
Hook couldn’t discern whether Marcie was horrified or elated by that news. Her gaze darted between them as though searching for something to say when Jester jumped to her rescue. “I think Tanner called you guys a cab and his buddy is here with some food. Said you were pretty hungry.”
Marcie’s eyes lit up at the mention of breakfast. “Yes! I’m famished, thank you…”
“Jester, darlin’.” He held out a massive mitt and engulfed Marcie’s smaller hand. He brought it up toward his mouth for a polite kiss.
It was quite obvious Jester was trying to get under his skin, trying to get him to show his cards and act like a possessive ape. He didn’t give a shit that he was playing right into his brother’s hand. “When you’re done drooling over our client, get your ass back to work.”
Jester just laughed and shot Marcie a wink as he exited through the door leading directly into the garage.
“Come on, babe, let’s get you outside before someone puts an APB out on you.” Hook moved toward the door and pulled it toward him, allowing Marcie to precede him through the exit. Four sets of male eyes trained on them when they strolled through the parking lot. Striker was in the lot talking with an unimpressed looking Tanner and his two buddies who seemed mildly embarrassed by Tanner’s moody attitude. One of the men tossed a foil wrapped breakfast sandwich to Marcie and she unwrapped it and dug right in with a moan of pleasure.
The small sound had Hook rising to half-mast once again. The idea of her driving out of town caused an uncomfortable ache on the left side of his chest. He needed an excuse to see her again. Hell, maybe he’d just show up at her motel room and demand she go out with him. Her impending departure loomed ahead like a ticking time bomb. Who was he kidding? One date wouldn’t be nearly enough. Now that she was back in his life, he wanted time with her. Wanted to see what could develop between them. Wanted to spend days on end in bed with her.
Striker slung an arm around her shoulders and drew her to his side. Tanner tensed and his nostrils flared like a pissed off bull. “Hey, Marce, I was planning to go to Hook’s this evening to grill some steaks. You should join us since you’re stuck here another night. It will give us more time to catch up.”
God, sometimes he really loved Striker.
Marcie’s face lit with pleasure at the suggestion. “Oh, I would love to.” The light in her eyes dimmed a fraction. “Do you guys care if I abandon you?”
Tanner let out a snort and rolled his eyes, but one of his buddies shook his head. “Nah, we can entertain ourselves. Have fun catching up with your friends.” The guy cast a sideways look at Tanner as though uncertain of his friend’s response, but Tanner managed to control himself beyond a ticking jaw and narrowed glare.
“Let me give you my address. Take your phone out, Marce.” The nickname slipped out, but he couldn’t deny how much he enjoyed Tanner’s clenched teeth when he heard it. When she had the phone in her hands, he rattled off where he lived.
“Great.” Marcie’s smile returned, and she keyed the address in her phone. “Umm, Hook? Can you cook?” She asked, eyes sparkling.
“Excuse me,” he scoffed.
Striker shook his head and mouthed, “No fucking way.”
“Baby, I can grill one hell of a steak and that’s all you need to worry about.” He enjoyed the pretty pink blush that flushed her face.
Tanner, as usual, looked like he’d sucked a lemon, but Hook didn’t give a flying fuck what the other man thought. Hadn’t Marcie said she ended it with him? Guess the guy wasn’t too happy about her decision. Not that Hook could blame him. She was a prize and he sure as hell wouldn’t give her up without a fight.
“Ok then. I’ll bring something sweet for desert.” Marcie winked, unseen by Tanner as she’d turned away from him.
Her flirty comment wasn’t lost on Tanner, though, and his face twisted into even more of a grimace.
Hook had a fleeting moment of worry for Marcie who would be spending the rest of the afternoon with the pissed off man, but surely Tanner wouldn’t be stupid enough to pull something when Hook and Striker would be seeing her soon.
Striker had presented him with the perfect opportunity to have some alone time with Marcie. Now he just had to use the gift wisely. He was on it like grease on an engine.