7. Bray

Chapter seven

Bray

Finn’s words come back to me all night and into the next morning. I pull out a rag, slap it against my forehead, swipe at the sweat, then wipe my hands on my jeans.

“Try it now.”

Benson, a teenage trouble maker that Finn foisted on me, turns the key in the ignition. The car starts after a hesitant final splutter. I lean over the engine, listening to the sounds rumbling out of it, checking what I can see. Leaks? Nah, this baby’s all good to go.

I close the bonnet and step back. “Right, Benny, turn it off. Pack it up, give Mr Egglefield a call, and let him know his car’s ready for pick up.

“How much?”

Benny’s face is thin and narrow, his eyes are wide with mischief most of the time, but the kid’s a sponge when it comes to engines. Everything I show him, he soaks it up and just gets what I’m teaching him.

I reluctantly hook my thumbs on my belt loops.

“On the house,” I end up saying with an internal groan.

Benny shakes his head. “How do you make enough money to stay open?”

I don’t acknowledge the truth of that question. I barely make ends meet. The business is not something I’m good at. When I inherited it from Mr Myers, it was in the shit. I’ve gotten it floating, but it’s not turning a profit. It’s all I can do to get the bills paid at the end of the month, but charging Egglefield, who is old enough to be my great-great-grandfather, doesn’t sit right.

And if I don’t charge him, I can’t charge Sonja Tatts, and then Penn Carter would be upset, and it just continues until I find I’m working more for free than not.

So, I drink a bit of beer, and I get into fights, but only with people who deserve it.

Okay, mainly only with Shane, but in truth, the arrogant prick deserves it. He’s so high and mighty.

Benny bounces back towards me with too much energy. “Lunch, boss?”

“Do you ever stop eating?”

Benny grins.

“Get out. Take the afternoon off. I’ve got one more job, and then we’re done till Monday.”

Benny whoops! “Thank you, boss.”

“Stop calling me boss,” I grouch.

Benny grins as he backs towards the washroom. I ignore him and go to the other car, opening the hood and staring blindly into it.

“Why do you have to be an ass? You know he’s got his reasons. Just get off his back.”

The words had pissed me off, but worse had been the shame. I exhale, trying to get rid of the words Finn had whipped me with. I don’t mean to get Shane murderous with me. It’s just so easy. But last night had nothing to do with Shane and everything to do with the man and woman who had arrived in my life like a breath of fresh air.

I want them.

I’m a simple man. I like what I like; I know what I like, and most of the time, it’s easy to get.

There is one exception.

She is a challenge that I want to dance with. But with him, it’s instinctive. I just want to wrap myself around him and make him mine. Fuck him until I smell like him and he smells like me.

I’ve been feeling numb with life lately, the same humdrum existence that sees me go to work, go to the pub, go to my empty loft alone. Repeat. Over and over.

Seeing her, tasting that mocha exploded the world into glorious surround sound. I already know I’m not going to stay away. I don’t see the point in trying.

I get in the car and start the engine. It sounds perfect, so I turn it off and set to packing up. Normally, these festivals are boring. But not today. Today, there’s a reason to get excited to wander around.

Hell, even Shane has lost his appeal in the wake of those two.

I climb up the backstairs and go into my apartment. Okay, it’s a shit-hole. But I don’t need much. I can’t give anyone a decent home. I can’t offer them money or an easy life. But I can give them fun, a good fuck, and a great memory.

Hopefully, it’s enough.

I leave my apartment clean and smelling like myself again. The sounds of the festival hit me hard.

Layla, who works at the diner, has opened the bi-fold doors, allowing the scents of her festival menu to permeate the air. My mouth waters, and I turn in, smiling wickedly when I spot a familiar shape. I sidle up behind him and lean in close.

“Your ass looks amazing in those jeans.”

Shane stiffens, his whole body going tense. My blood pumps, and I have to choke back the laugh that’s trying to come out.

“Brayson!”

I wince. “Fun-ruining Finn. Do you have a chip in the back of my neck that tells you where I am?”

“No, I don’t need it. I just follow the scent of mischief.”

“You gotta admit, his ass does look amazing today.” I glance lazily at Finn, noting his dove grey shirt and tight jeans, and gesture to Shane’s ass.

Finn’s eyes drop and hold long enough to, again, give me the sneaking suspicion that I’m not the only one with a hard-on for the antisocial mountain man.

“I’ll confirm that ass is fine.”

I clutch a hand to my heart. “Be still, you hot young thing. Come here and admire it with me.”

Locke laughs and sidles in between me and Finn, but Shane turns.

“Hello, mountain man,” Locke purrs. The sound has me mesmerized. He looks more comfortable today, his hair still has that messiness like he’s just got out of bed. And his blue-green eyes appear more blue today, the shade intense.

Shane grumbles as he looks Locke up and down. He follows it up by pausing for a moment too long on where my shirt is stretched across my chest. I inhale, causing the material to pull further.

I don’t know what his game is, but I’m getting sick of it. It’s been five years since he came to town and took up in one of Finn’s cabins.

I wrap my arms around Locke and lean my chin on his shoulder. “Do you taste as good as you smell?” I ask the younger man.

He groans.

Mocha fills the air, and I grin as she appears by Finn’s side. I wonder if she’ll be jealous, but no, she takes us in and steps up to the counter, ignoring Shane, Finn, and me snuggling her paramour. The dress she’s wearing highlights her waistline and flares out. I want to rip the fabric off her body, especially since she’s ignoring us. Her hair flows down her back, and I note a slight curl near the tips. She really is stunning, and I think it’s her confidence that has drawn all our attention, we are like moths to a flame.

“Hey, I’m in desperate need of coffee.”

Shane is staring at her, which does not escape my or Locke’s knowledge. He winks at me, and I think maybe I’ve found myself a kindred spirit.

“Can you really afford to eat here?” Shane asks in a scathing tone, but it’s the words that sink in, bringing a hot flush through my body. My body stiffens, and I remove my arm from Locke, standing up and putting space between us.

I shove him and get in his face. “Are you really going to do that?” I hiss. “Humiliate me? You want to go down this path with me, Shane?”

He’s gone too far, and he knows it. I know it, Finn knows it. Finn grips my arm and pulls me off Shane, but I shove him off and slam Shane to the wall.

“I might be poor, but at least I don’t hide who I am,” I growl into his ear. He shoves me back, but I have hold of his shirt so I don’t go far.

The smell of him distracts me, and I lose hold of the anger as hurt replaces it. I don’t know what I ever did to Shane to make him hate me so much.

“Enough!” The calm, cold command snaps through the diner and has me releasing Shane and stepping back before I can think. I turn a shocked gaze on the alpha who is drinking her coffee with an air of impatience.

I’m not the only one.

Locke looks like he’s been punched in the face. He’s dazed and dreamy. Finn’s brows are in his strange white hair.

It’s the humiliation, it’s too much.

“Fuck this!” I spin on my heel and storm away from the embarrassing spectacle.

I’ve gone a dozen steps when someone grabs my arm. I whirl around, my teeth bared, and find Locke. I immediately lose the expression and step back from him, looking around in confusion. No one comes after me. Not in all the time I’ve been here. No one follows.

“What’s wrong?”

“Show me around.”

It’s not a question but a demand. I’m bemused. “What about Erin?”

“She’s good. We’re going to meet up later. I want to hang out with you,” Locke says easily. There’s no judgment or pity, just banked desire and curiosity.

I frown and study him carefully. “Right, this isn’t a joke or a prank, is it?”

Locke smirks and leans in, pressing his lips to mine.

Vanilla spills from him into me. His lips are firm and soft at the same time, and he’s good. Maybe as good as me. Our kiss turns carnal in seconds. He breaks away, panting.

“Show me a good time, Alpha.”

I grin and grip his shirt, dragging him up against me, kissing him hard again. “Okay, what do you like?”

Locke’s eyes darken. “Everything.”

I bite his lower lip and tug gently. “Let's go see the musicians then and get a beer.”

Locke laughs, and when I turn and walk away, he’s right next to me.

“My kind of guy.”

I lean on the wooden bar and watch as Locke bounces around in the temporary dance square. Three other people are dancing with him, two of them children. He’s laughing, his face flushed, and he looks happier than I’ve seen him since he arrived.

I sip my beer and smile. We’ve eaten. I’ve taken him on the rides and shown him some of my favourite places in town. We’ve made out a lot. Everything we are doing is foreplay. Sexy, dirty foreplay.

He’s smart, witty, and sexy.

A woman dances up to him and presses against him. He steps back, and when she says something, he shakes his head. She pursues him. Locke stiffens, and he gets the strangest expression on his face. It digs at me. I don’t understand it, but fury floods me. I toss the last of my beer and glide onto the dance floor, wrapping my arms around him from behind.

Possessive claiming. Locke breathes again, the fear dissipating as he leans back into me.

“Fuck off, Jess. This one’s mine.”

The woman narrows her blue eyes and tosses her chestnut hair. “Yeah, well, anything that fucks you isn’t worth shit after.”

I tense, but Locke leans back into me, slipping one of his hands into my pocket and stroking my thigh through the thin material.

I bite his shoulder. “Come with me.”

He follows me as I lead him away from the dance floor. I stop under Cedric’s Restorations, my garage. There’s no one around. I step away from him and pace, trying to control my frustration, my anger with this town. I should have left when I had the chance.

Locke steps into my space and presses his lips to mine hard. “I don’t care what they say.”

I look at him as he leans back. “You don’t? Don’t you have any sense of self-preservation?”

“Not with you. They’re all the same whether they live in a town of 320 or 3 million. I see them, and I see you,” Locke whispers. He leans in close and inhales my scent.

I clear my throat. Normally, if he were anyone else on any other night, I'd take him up on his obvious offer.

But not tonight. The words are stinging, and my insecurities are too close to the surface.

“Let's go find your friend,” I whisper instead.

I think I see a hint of disappointment, but if it’s there, he covers it well.

“Sure.”

I lead him back to the last place I spotted Erin. Hell, it’s the place everyone returns to; the Diner. Even if you’re not eating, it’s got a perfect view point of the street. It won’t be hard to find them, but as we approach, I see Shane, Finn, and Erin coming back. Erin spots me and watches as I approach, but I simply kiss Locke’s cheek when we get close, not even attempting to engage with the trio.

“I had a lot of fun. Thank you,” I say softly.

“Me, too. Stay for a bit.”

I glance at Shane and Finn and shake my head. “Nah, I have work tomorrow.”

“You’re closed on Saturday.” Finn accuses.

I bite back a curse that I want to smack into Finn. “I’m closed, but I still work!”

Finn sits back, his arms folded over his chest.

I step back, frustrated. I don’t even look at Erin. I can’t. She’s too clean, too perfect. I’m just a hot fucking mess.

I spin away and disappear. Instead of heading home, I go and grab my bike and take off, riding up the mountain.

I get to my favourite spot and pull over, staring up at the star-filled sky. I could shout and rail, but it would be pointless. Shane thinks I’m scum. The town thinks I should be grateful to be here and work for free or that I’m bad news and a piece of shit.

I should have kept driving the day I decided to run away. I wish I’d never come back.

I should never had dreamed someone like me could have more.

Fuck.

I stare at my bike and consider getting on it and taking off. Just leaving it all behind.

The hold this town has over me is toxic. It’s my home, and I hate it. They’re family, and I despise that fact. Even when they hurt me, even when their words break me. This is all I know.

I don’t want to leave them.

Or him.

One more day, something might change tomorrow.

How many times am I going to do this? How many promises of one more am I going to make? I am the eternal optimist.

Shane will never see me. Finn will never respect me. I would destroy a man like Locke, and a woman like Erin would never keep me.

Those are facts.

But I do have work. A reputation and my integrity.

A trainee.

And a reason to stay. An enormous mountain of a reason.

It’s enough to keep me here one more day.