Page 28 of Bear

CHAPTER TEN

Bear

Iapproach the garagecautiously, glance around the shop floor, but Tink is nowhere in sight. No one is in sight.

“You need somethin’?” Liam asks, sliding out from under a vehicle on a mechanic’s creeper.

“Just wondering if your sister saw her way to fixin’ my bike yet?”

“Fixing it? What the hell are you talkin’ ’bout? That thing’s been fixed for three days. I’ve been tellin’ Jupiter to call your ass to get that piece of junk outta here.”

“Wait, are you telling me she already fixed it?”

“That’s what I said, ain’t it?”

That can’t be right. Why the hell wouldn’t she tell me it was done?Unless ... no. Surely fucking not. There’s no way Jupiter fucking Jones didn’t tell me it was fixed because she likes keeping me around.

The door to the office opens and Jupiter stops when her eyes meet mine. Her adorable ever-present glare is back, but when I tilt my head to the side, her eyes widen with panic. A smile quirks my lips. Jupiter Jones wants me. Despite pretending to hate me, despite only fucking me for a paycheck, despite the caustic verbiage that leaves her mouth every time I’m near, deep down in the marrow of her bones, she wants me.

Tink marches her little work boots right up to mine until our steel caps are touching. “What are you doing here? I told you I’d call you when it was done.”

“Well, I guess you told me wrong, because Liam here just informed me that my bike has been ready for days.”

“Liam wouldn’t know his head from his asshole without directions.”

“Cut the bullshit, Tink. You didn’t tell me my ride was done, and I have to wonder why that is?”

“Well, don’t go wondering too hard. You might damage your last braincell.”

I lean in close, close enough to kiss her. She doesn’t pull away. Her pale blue eyes search mine and I whisper, “I think you like having me around.” I slide my arm around her waist and run my fingertips under her T-shirt, up her spine. Gooseflesh breaks out across her skin, and I glance down as her nipples bead against the worn fabric. “I think you like fucking me as much as you like hating me.”

Her breath washes over me in short little pants. Jupiter opens her mouth, but no words come out, and fuck me. I think this might be the only time this bitch has been speechless her entire life.

“I like it too.” I remove my hand from her body and take a step back. “Now, is my bike done or not?”

She clears her throat, and inhales sharply through her nose, her cheeks rosy with embarrassment or excitement—I’m not sure which, but I like the idea of both. “Yeah, your bike’s done.”

“Great. I missed riding her hard.”

Jupiter’s eyes widen and she shakes her head. “So, um ... if you just pay for the part we had to order, I’ll cover the rest.”

I frown. “I’ll pay for the work you did and the part.”

“It’s fine, really. Consider it compensation for leaving you without your ride.”

“I’m paying you for the part and the work, but you can make it up to me by coming to dinner.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t date customers.”

“Alright then,” I slide a wad of Benjamins from my money clip, pull her closer by the beltloop on her denim shorts, and jam the money in her pocket. “Consider me no longer a customer. I asked you to fix my bike and you fixed it. No more business transactions between us.”

“And if your bike breaks down again?”

“Then I’ll find another mechanic.” I lean in with a grin and whisper, “The service here is kind of shitty.”

Jupiter gives me a sheepish grin. “Fine. Dinner. But let’s not make a big deal about it.”

“Embarrassed the good folks of Uprising will see you out with a dirty biker?”

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