Chapter Eight
Zach’s stomach growled so loud, Maverick was razzing him before he’d even gotten off his bike. “Fuck you,” he grumbled. “I’ve been wanting to eat here my whole life, but the fucking Jennings’ had log-size sticks up their asses. Bad enough they’d scurry from their cars to their house every time my pops walked around with his cut on. Like he was just going to go apeshit and attack. You know how many times they called the cops on him for bullshit? Engine too loud. Thinking he was smoking pot every time he lit a fuckin’ cigarette.” Zach shook his head. “Bunch of uppity assholes. Toni’s lucky to have gotten away from them.”
Maverick arched a pierced eyebrow. “Toni, huh? You two kids getting all chummy?”
“What, because I know her name?” Mav was baiting him, and like a moron Zach was falling straight for it. That’s what four nights in a row of fewer than five hours sleep would do to a man. Made him lose his edge. Also made him hungry as fuck for a giant, energizing breakfast.
“So—” And there it came. The taunt Zach shouldn’t fall for “—what you’re saying is that I’m free to let all this loose on the lady?” Mav ran his hands over his whipcord lean body, stopping at his crotch where he gave his junk a squeeze.
And like the sucker he was that morning, Zach took the bait. “If I catch you so much as flicking a gaze in the direction of her tits there won’t be anything left down there for you to fondle.”
Maverick whistled. “Wooow,” he said as they walked toward the diner’s entrance. “You know—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Zach muttered, pulling the door open and shooting Maverick a look he hoped would be interpreted as an I’ll-kill-you-if-you-keep-running-your-trap glare.
Of course, Mav being Mav, he only laughed. “Well, hey there, baby doll,” he said to Shell who walked by balancing a very full tray of steaming plates. Poor girl couldn’t weigh more than a buck five soaking wet, and she worked herself to the bone for that kiddo of hers. Club always tried to help but she refused any so-called charity.
“Hey, Maverick,” Shell said, accepting the kiss he pressed to her cheek. He lingered just long enough to have her giggling the laugh only Mav could wrangle from women. “Oh, Zach, you’re here too!” She grinned. “Go sit on over there in my section, you guys. It’s so busy this morning, I’ll try my best to serve you, but I might have to send Toni over to give me a hand.” Her eyes sparkled and her lips turned up in a too-innocent way. What was the little rascal up to?
“Will do, Shell,” Zach said, smacking her cheek with his own kiss. She chuckled and swatted his shoulder. Kind of amazing she could do all that and manage to keep the plates from tumbling. Now that the biker ban was lifted, they could at least eat at the diner and leave overly generous tips to help her out. If she saw straight through it, who cared? She couldn’t call it charity if it was direct payment for a job well done.
“Man, it smells so good,” Mav said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation after they’d seated themselves in the booth.
A few of their brothers were there as well and Zach couldn’t help but chuckle. If Toni wasn’t careful, the place would become a biker den before she knew it. That’s what happened when you served big hungry men delicious food. They kept coming ’round.
“Good morning, I’m Toni and I’m helping Shell this morn—oh!” Toni’s mouth formed a perfect circle and her gorgeous eyes were wide with astonishment. “Zach. You’re here.”
He grinned at her statement of the obvious. “I’m here. And I’m hungry.” He let his gaze roam over her. Hungry for way more than breakfast. Forget the damn menu, Toni looked good enough to eat in a short denim skirt that showed off her smooth, tanned legs. On top, she wore the diner’s signature teal T-shirt and her hair was pulled high on her head in a ponytail. Since her hair wasn’t longer than her shoulders, strands that didn’t quite make it in the rubber band hung down in back. And, if he wasn’t mistaken, there was a dusting of flour across her left breast.
What were the chances that she would slap his face if he reached out and brushed it off for her?
Pretty damn high.
Her eyes narrowed at him, as though she could sense his dirty thoughts, but a pretty pink flush stole across her cheeks. That flush had nothing to do with the heat of the kitchen and everything to do with the heat of Zach’s stare. She may deny it until she turned blue, but she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Now, how to bust down her walls?
A throat cleared. “You gonna hand over those menus, darlin’ or you want me to read them with my mind?” Maverick did his own perusal of Toni, pausing his gaze on her tits before he turned his smug grin on Zach.
Swallowing down the urge to rip the bar right out of Maverick’s eyebrow, he turned his attention back to Toni. Mav was harmless. Well not really, but despite his horny bastard status, he’d never poach on a brother’s turf. The taunting was all in good fun. Fun for Mav, anyway.
Not that Toni was Zach’s turf. But she would be. For a short while.
“Oh yes! Sorry. I, uh, I was just…”
Maverick laughed. “No need to explain. My man Zach here can turn even the most eloquent of women into a blabbering mess.”
Toni raised an eyebrow at him. Wonderful. Now she’d think he was as much of a dog as Maverick. Not that it really mattered what she thought of his character. As long as the teasing didn’t impair his chances for five weeks of no-strings sex.
She snickered. “I’m sure he does. Here’s your menus. Coffee?” she asked, after placing a laminated menu in front of each of them. They both nodded. “Be right back.”
Zach wanted to watch her ass as she walked away, but he also wanted to keep Maverick from staring at the same ass, so he kept his focus on his friend and asked. “What looks good?”
“Oh man.” Mav groaned. “Think they’d look at me funny if I ordered one of everything?”
“I don’t think your girlish figure could handle it.”
“Fuck you. Not my fault I ain’t built like the Hulk. What do you think cinnamon roll waffles are?” Face blocked by the tall menu, Maverick groaned again. “Scratch that. I don’t care what it is as long as I can get enough bacon to clog each and every one of my arteries.”
With a snicker, Zach glanced over his own menu. “I know I like cinnamon rolls. And I know I like waffles. Besides that, I don’t have a clue what they are. You’ll have to ask Toni.”
“Ask Toni what?” She reappeared with a coffee pot and filled their glasses. “Sugar and creamer,” she said, indicating a small bowl filled with coffee fixin’s. “Now, what did you want to ask me?”
Zach opened his mouth, but Maverick beat him to the punch. “Two things,” he said. “First, what are cinnamon roll waffles, and second, how the hell do you manage to make a diner T-shirt look so sexy?”
“Uh, well…” Her eyes cut to Zach, as though gauging his reaction to his brother’s blatant flirting. To put her at ease, he rolled his eyes. Nothing in the world would change who Maverick was. And neither Zach nor anyone from their club would have it any other way. He was the best of all of them in good times and could flip the switch to coldest and deadliest when necessary.
Pleasure surged in Zach when Toni decided to go along with the crazy. If she was going to be his fuck buddy for a month, she’d need to be able to handle his brothers. And they were an armful.
“It’s my gift really. Looking like this in a diner shirt.” With a giggle that was more of a snort, she struck a pose. “And my little gift to my customers.”
Mav burst out laughing and winked at Toni. “Damn, Zach, I like this one. You chose wisely.”
The smile slid right off Toni’s face, and Zach could have killed his friend in that moment. Damn idiot was going to destroy his chances with one stupid comment. He cleared his throat. “The waffles?”
“Oh, right.” She brightened again. “Well, they’re cinnamon roll dough but instead of baking them in the oven, they are pressed in the waffle iron. And they’re served with a cream cheese, cavity-inducing glaze. One of Ernesto’s new creations, and they are to die for. Well worth the six pounds you’ll gain eating just one.”
“Sold.” Mav held his menu out to Toni. “With a side of all the bacon in the joint.”
“Make it two,” Zach said. That sounded so damn good, saliva pooled in his mouth in anticipation.
“You won’t be sorry. The second you get it in your mouth—” Her eyes widened as though she suddenly realized the implication of her words. “I mean, it’s delicious, or, um…”
Maverick didn’t even pretend to disguise his laughter and Zach let out a snicker or two as well.
“Oh, shut up. You know what I mean, you jerks.” With a huff, Toni snatched the menus, spun on her heel, and stomped away. This time Zach let himself watch the twitch and sway of her curvy ass as she stomped.
“You better watch yourself, brother,” Mav said before taking a sip of his black coffee. “Oh man, that’s damn good java.”
“Watch myself how?” Hot liquid filled his mouth and he wanted to moan. Good java was an understatement. This was caffeine of the gods.
“With that little filly over there. She’s the kinda woman you go after looking for a good time and before you know it you’re buying a long chain for her to hitch to her very heavy ball.”
Zach scoffed. “No worries. She’s leaving in five weeks. I’m not looking for any shackles. Unless it’s to tie her to my bed.”
Now it was Maverick’s turn to laugh. “We’ll see.”
Mav could think what he wanted, but Zach had one focus in his life at that moment. And that was his club. Fucking was fucking, but the club was his world.
They chatted about nothing but pointless bullshit while waiting for their meal. Thinking about anything but the Gray Dragons and the way they were fucking up his life was exactly what Zach needed. He’d spent the better part of the past three days putting processes in place to drive the heroin out of his town. And he’d spent some time with a few Gray Dragon members as well.
Zach had left them walking, but a bit more colorful and with a good fewer ounces of blood than they’d shown up with. Nothing that wouldn’t heal in a week or so, but Zach had to make sure they knew their presence wasn’t welcome in Double H territory.
“Here you go, gentlemen,” Shell said as she set a heaping plate of food down in front of each of them.
“Whoa, you guys don’t fuck around, do you?” Mav asked as he snatched up his fork and knife, licking his chops like a hungry bear.
Shell laughed. “No, Toni said she wants each person here to leave with pants unbuttoned.”
Christ. Was every comment destined to be an innuendo that day? Zach would do just about anything to get his pants unbuttoned around Toni. But she’d sent Shell over with their food. A message? A dismissal? Who the fuck knew? Though growing pickier and pickier about who he spent his naked time with, Zach never had a problem attracting a woman when he wanted one. They pretty much dove head first into his bed, losing all clothes on the way.
Apparently, he wasn’t doing an adequate job at hiding his disappointment. “Don’t worry, big guy,” Shell said. “Toni’s not blowing you off. She got a phone call from that guy she dumped. I left her in the kitchen rolling her eyes so far back in her head, they probably made a full revolution.”
Well, she hadn’t given him the brush off. That was a step in the right direction, but the ex calling pissed him off. For a moment, he thought about busting into the kitchen and taking care of that phone call for her, but a stern look and a wag of a finger from Shell kept him in his place.
“Eat,” she said. “Stay in your seat. Do not cause trouble for my new friend and maybe I’ll see what I can do to help you get in good with her. Okay?”
Mav snorted and Zach bit his lip to keep the foul curse inside.
He didn’t jump through hoops for a woman. If Toni didn’t want him, who cared?
“Oh. My. Fucking. God.” Maverick moaned like he was in the throes of an orgasm and placed his fork and knife on either side of his plate. His eyelids dropped closed and he let his head fall backward. “Keep talking. I just need a moment.”
“You are such a dork.” Shell swatted him with her order pad, but she was smiling. It was nice to see. Both before and after she left Townsend for the few years she was gone, she’d had a haunted look to her. Everyone in town attributed it to her unrequited love for Copper, but Zach was never fully convinced that’s all it was. After moving back home six months ago, she’d gradually come into herself and now resembled the happy girl he’d grown up knowing. Some ghost still haunted her, but it was in the background now. Maybe someday she’d bring it to the club.
And then they’d take care of it.
Because no matter how screwed up Copper was when it came to his feelings for Shell, he’d slay any dragon that came her way. No matter how hot the fire they breathed.
“Try it, Zach. If I’m going to die, make sure it’s right after I’ve eaten these waffles. No.” He shook his head and picked up his utensils once again. “Make sure I’ve fucked that new chick whose been hanging around the club this week, then had these waffles. Then, I could go with no regrets.”
“Shell’s right. You are a dork. A perverted one, but a huge dork.” The smell of cinnamon and sugar was so strong, Zach could practically taste the deliciousness without anything ever hitting his tongue. After cutting a huge chunk, he stuffed it into his mouth and froze.
Maverick was right. It was the kind of tasty that would make you not give a shit that death was right around the corner. “This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten,” he said around the mouthful.
“Right?” Mav smiled and both men dug into their breakfasts as though it was the last they’d ever get. When there wasn’t so much as a drop of glaze left on either plate, Zach leaned against the back of the booth. “Think they’d care if I took a nap right here?”
Toni chose that moment to stroll on over, looking just as scrumptious as the food. “Nope, don’t mind. But we do charge by the hour for snoozing. It was good, I take it?” she asked, her beautiful bright green gaze shifting between Zach and Maverick.
Instead of answering, Maverick pushed out of the booth, slid one arm around Toni’s waist and cupped the back of her head with his other hand. “Marry me,” he said a fraction of a second before he dipped her, Hollywood style. Toni let out a squeak of surprise as Zach’s ex-best friend planted his lips right on hers.
Even though it was Mav. And even though it was all in good fun. And even though it meant jack shit. And even though she smacked his shoulder. And even though the entire purpose was to be a jokester and get under Zach’s skin, he grew angrier with each of the seven seconds that passed where Maverick was kissing Toni.
If it had gone on any longer, Zach would have been in danger of risking his patch, because he was a heartbeat away from ripping Mav’s limbs from his body. The asshole must have sensed how close he was to death—not that he would have really cared after eating the waffles—but he wised up and righted Toni.
When she had her wits about her, Maverick released her and sat back down in front of his empty plate.
“Um,” she said then laughed, bringing her hand up to her kiss swollen lips. “Guess you liked ’em.” Her face was flushed and her ponytail a bit mussed. After cutting her gaze to Zach she laughed again. This time long and loud.
The sound was amazing, full of joy, hilarity, and even surprise. Mav may be a scoundrel, but he’d made her laugh for real after what Zach knew was a royally shitty few weeks for her.
Mav joined in her laughter then gave a half assed apology for the loss of control, blaming the fact that all the blood in his body was zooming toward his stomach leaving none for his brain.
A not uncommon problem for Mav except the blood was usually a little lower than his abdominal region. Zach remained quiet, just enjoying Toni’s interaction with his brother. Enjoying it maybe a little too much. Because a woman who got on great with your friends? A woman who could roll with the punches, handle a rough and randy biker without batting an eye, and give as good as she got? Well that was the kind of woman who became an ol’ lady. Not a short-term fuck buddy.
And there was only one thing Zach was interested in. Who the hell needed an ol’ lady nagging, complaining, and distracting him from what was important?
“Everything okay?” Toni asked after Maverick scooted out of the booth and ambled toward the door. “You got kinda quiet after your friend, uh, kissed me.” Pink stole across her cheeks.
Zach leaned in close enough to smell the citrusy scent of whatever crap she used in her hair. “Baby,” he whispered against her ear, “if you thought that was a kiss, I can’t wait to see how you react when I show you what I bring to the table.”
With that parting shot, he tossed a generous stack of bills on the table, strolled out of the diner and mounted his bike. Unable to help himself, he glanced back at the building before riding off.
Toni stood in the window, fanning herself with a menu.
Mission accomplished.
She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Now it was just a matter of getting her to admit it.