Page 13 of Hyde and Seek

Yum.

“Rest of you sorry assholes, get back to work,” he said as he walked out.

I said my goodbyes and left in my van with its new, loud ass speakers.

Rock on!

Chapter Two

Party Hardly

When I got to Rye, I was relieved that I wasn’t late. I was usually pretty efficient when I got ready, but for some reason it had taken me forever. Not to impress anyone, of course.

Noooo, not at all.

After leaving the shop earlier in the day, I’d decided to blow off the rest of my plans. It was definitely the right decision.

Since my hair reached the middle of my back, I was used to it taking for-freakin’-ever to blow dry and style. What I wasn’t used to was doing, wiping off, and then redoing my makeup multiple times because my nerves were making my hands shake. My usual straight eyeliner looked more like I’d tried to apply it with my left hand while driving on a road covered with potholes in the dark. I still wasn’t able to get it precise, so I went heavier on my eye shadow to blend it. Fortunately, rocker glam worked for the night out and made my violet eyes pop.

Now let’s hope I don’t look like a raccoon by the end of the night.

I’d taken more time than I had available to decide on an outfit. I changed my mind a handful of times before settling on black skinny jeans and a super soft black halter top with hot pink lace trim. Grabbing a matching shrug and black three-inch peep toe heels, I’d run barefoot out the door.

Despite running way behind, I was still able to find some sweet parking at the bar. I texted Jake to let him know where I was. My phone buzzed a second later.

Jake: Be there in a few, babe. Don’t get out ‘til we get there.

Even on text, Jake was bossy. And, even on text, it turned me on more than I thought was normal.

After a quick double-check to make sure my deodorant was doing its job, my hottie sense started tingling. I looked up to see Jake heading towards me.

Long, purposeful strides while somehow still looking bored… Even his walk is intimidating and undeniably sexy.

During my makeup mini-crises, I’d tried to convince myself that Jake wasn’t reallythatgood-looking. My memory, imagination, and libido just built him up as the hottest man I’d ever seen.

However, as I watched him walk towards my car, I knew I waswaywrong. Because, in jeans and a dark colored Henley with the sleeves pushed up his tan and tatted arms, he was somehow even more gorgeous.

I dragged my eyes from Jake and saw that, short of Z, the other guys from Hyde were with him. This included one I didn’t recognize, but would be more than happy to meet. My brain, and other parts of my anatomy, were pretty set on Jake but that didn’t mean I was totally blind.

Seeing the six of them, I was glad I had a second to do a real headshake to lift the fog. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

Sigh. It never does.

When they got close enough that it’d be rude to just sit and perv on them from inside my car, I got out. I barely stood all the way up when Kase grabbed me around the waist. He lifted me so we were face to face and my feet were about seven inches off the ground.

“Piper, I swear, don’t know whether to kiss you or that car. Whose is it?” He carefully set me back down.

I shrugged. “I dunno, hot-wired it.” At the guys’ looks of uncertainty, I started laughing. “It’s mine! Bo’s beautiful, right?” My baby was a gorgeous, teal 1969 Dodge Charger and my pride and joy.

“Babe.”

I immediately turned my attention to Jake.

It’s like my brain goes on vacation as soon as he says that word. I’m a total Babe Zombie, mindlessly following the hot guy. Goodbye braaains.

Jake chuckled. “You named your car?”

“Yeah, doesn’t everyone?”

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