Page 124 of Hyde and Seek

A short while later, Jake pulled into the front parking lot of Hyde and cut the engine. Coming around, he offered his hand and helped me out.

“Hold up.” Curving his hand around the side of my neck, his thumb stroked my jaw and tilted my face up. “You look fuckin’ gorgeous.”

I pushed myself closer to him. “Thanks for the outfit.”

“Love you, Piper.”

“Love you, too. By the way, we have to stay at my place tonight.”

“Why?”

“So I can thank you properly.”

“Christ. How’re you plannin’ on doin’ that?”

“It’s a surprise. Ready?” I rubbed my fingertips across his stubble.

“No. I wanna go back to your place.”

“Hey, I offered to stay home and let you eat off me.”

“I’d rather eat you off,” he growled. “Fuck.” His curse echoed around us as he pulled away and unlocked the entrance. The lobby was dark with only a glow coming from the garage. “I’ve gotta see if Kase is still back there.” He put his arm around me as we walked.

Maybe this will be fast and I can still convince him to just take me home. At the very least, maybe we’ll have time for a desk quickie.

“Surprise!” I heard several voices scream, scaring me as they pulled me from my incredibly inappropriate thoughts. I burst out laughing and my heart pounded as I looked around to see a lot of my favorite people.

With everything hidden away and decorations in their place, it barely looked like a garage. The work benches were overflowing with food and a thrown together, though very well-stocked, bar was in the corner.

“Happy Birthday, sweets,” Jake whispered, squeezing me to him.

“Can I get a hug from the birthday girl?” a voice behind me asked.

“Daddy?” I whipped around to see my dad and Nat.

“Happy Birthday, Lil’ Rock,” Dad said, calling me by the nickname some bikers had given me when I was younger.

I threw myself at him and hugged him. His arms wrapped around me just as tight.

I pulled away and looked at Jake. “Jake, this is my dad, Floyd, and his girlfriend, Natalie. Dad and Nat, this is my boyfriend, Jake.” Without giving them the chance to say anything, I turned back to my dad. “What’re you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming until next month.”

“When I got a call from Jake, how could I resist the chance to see my girl?”

“So I guess those introductions weren’t needed,” I muttered up at Jake.

He winked at me before looking to the side and giving someone I couldn’t see a chin lift.

“Happy Birthday, Piper!” Nat said, her valley girl lilt more pronounced in her excitement. She grabbed me in a hug. “You look gorgeous. The wild hair is totally rocking.”

“I’m so happy to see you!” I squealed, bouncing as I hugged her. “You look fabulous, as always.”

At five foot eight, with gleaming, chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes, Nat was gorgeous. Dad introduced her to me when I was twelve and I’d been sure she was a model or actress. Almost ten years later, she still looked like she could be.

He was my dad and all, but I knew he was good-looking. Even if I hadn’t noticed, enough of my friends had had the hots for him to clue me in. He was six feet tall and still fit from being on the go at work all day. There was a lot of gray growing into his black hair, but it worked.

From the stories I’d heard, Nat had come into Dad’s restaurant on a date. Dad had taken one look at her before literally jumping over the bar to talk to her. Fifteen minutes later, the other guy was out the door and Nat’s ass was planted on a bar stool. That was the power of my dad’s looks and charm. A week after that, Dad moved Nat in with him. And now, almost a decade later, they were still going strong.

“And, oh my God, those shoes!” Nat nudged my leg so I’d stick my foot out.

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