Page 101 of Changing Lanes

Just as I reach my bike, I hear Cruz call out a goodbye followed by an arrogant-as-shit Beckett asking me something.

What’d he say?

“Where’s my shirt by the way? You didn’t leave it somewhere in my room before you left, did you? I’ve been looking for it but can’t find it anywhere.”

Oh. My. God.

His self-satisfied smirk is on full display as I shift on my feet. Every set of eyes in the garage is glued to me as I mount my white and gray bike and lower one of the passenger foot rests, buying time. But why would he do that in front of everyone?

Unless he’s purposely rubbing it in Cruz’s face that we slept together. On the plus side, he probably won’t be wanting that second date now.

Angela stands off to the side with wide eyes taking in the scene. Cruz said Beckett had been taking lunch off every day this week and Angela revealed he was going to the apartment but if that’s true, why hasn’t he said anything when he’s there? Better yet, why haven’t I noticed?

“I thought it looked better on me,” I say with a shrug while affixing my helmet, leaving the visor open. “You want it back?” I jerk my chin at him and watch his smile grow. “Come find it.”

Engine roaring to life, I shift into first and fly out of the lot but not before pulling up into a wheelie, using the back footrest to kneel on just to show the onlookers exactly how unruffled my feathers are.

So what if I slept in his shirt? And who cares if I’ve been wearing it to bed ever since? His sweet earthy smell still clings to the soft material and it helps clear my head after a long shift full of sadness and futility. It’s the only reason I’ve been able to get the little bit of sleep so far this week that I have, and I’m not giving that up.

And fuck Beckett if he thinks he’s getting it back anytime soon. Like I said, if he wants it, he can damn well come and try to take it from me.

CHAPTER 23

Beckett

Dayum.

Pretty sure I’ll never get tired of messing with Paige. Chick is just too damn fun to rile up, plus she never backs down. Ever. Most girls would’ve been embarrassed or pissed about what I just said and how I said it. Yeah, I know it was a dick move insinuating we fucked publicly, at my place of business no less, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted every guy here to know that something is going on between me and Paige. Plus, teasing her gets my blood pumping like no other.

I should go after her.

Dumbfuck McGee shuffles on his feet next to me as we both gawk after Paige.

Fuck me, can she ride. And not just her bike either. Remembering how well she maneuvers whatever she’s straddling has my dick growing hard.

I’m going after her.

Just as I move to follow though, Cruz stumbles beside me, “Hey, man, I didn’t know it was like that between you two.”

Well, that does the trick. My dick now fully scared off by this shit-for-brains talking about my…Paige, I turn to press down on him.

“It doesn’t matter what it’s like.” Or not. Just ‘cause we hooked up doesn’t mean we’re still hooking up, but Cruz doesn’t need to know all that. He still can’t have her.

“Yo, B! That chick hit up your bed? She ride like that out of the streets, too?” another one of my guys jokes and my spine stiffens with my fists tightening at my sides. Motherfucker.

“Listen up!” I call out to every idiot in the joint. Angela stays quiet off to the side, holding in a laugh and I resist flipping her off. Little shit set me up with that date talk and she knows it. “Paige, hot ass biker chick, my roommate, whatever you want to call her,” someone mutters “fuck buddy” and I growl, silencing any more wannabe hecklers, “she’s off-fucking-limits to all of you assholes.”

A chorus of complaints fill the shop but I don’t stick around to listen. I laid down the law and that’s that.

Arriving to Creekwood earlier to find the apartment empty scared the shit out of me. I’ve been going home every day, knowing Paige was there. I don’t know why exactly but I liked knowing she was home, safe. I never bothered her. Just knowing she was there was enough. Since she snuck out of my bed like a thief in the night, I haven’t caught sight of her once and my afternoon visits to the apartment were the only thing keeping me from convincing the guys switching my shift to nights was a good idea. It’s not completely unheard of for people to have car troubles in the middle of the night too, okay?

The worry lessened the second I saw her here before turning sour in my stomach when I realized she wasn’t here for me. I’d hoped for a brief moment that she was being pulled toward me like I’ve been drawn to her. But no, she was on a date with Cruz—soon to be known as Numb Nuts if he mentions sharing a tent with her again.

Over my dead body.

“Here.” I hand off the bag of doughnuts I picked up as Angela and I enter the main office, the cool air blasting my face a welcome relief.

Peeking inside, she scowls. “You don’t need to buy me food all the time.”