Copper (Hell's Handlers MC 4)

“Jesus, woman, you’ve been drying that same juice glass and staring into space for the past six minutes. What gives?” Toni’s fisted hands rested on her cocked hips. As with all her female employees, she wore a teal fitted diner T-shirt and a denim skirt. Casual was the name of the game at the diner and thank God because Shell wasn’t much of one for getting dressed up. Unless it was in her favorite biker wear. She was down for that.

“So, you decided to tell me my daughter was playing with deadly weapons?” She put the glass down and glanced at the kitchen. Thankfully she hadn’t missed any orders.

With a chuckle, Toni shrugged. “Hey, it wasn’t my first course of action. I tried a few other things first, but you were totally zoned out.” Her grin grew sly. “Although, this is better than the other thing you’ve been doing all morning.”

Shell frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Excuse me, miss, could I get some more coffee?”

Shell glanced up at a slick businessman in a suit that probably cost more than three months’ rent. “Sure thing, sir.” She refilled his mug but didn’t bother to hand over any extra sugar packets. If she recalled correctly, which after working at the diner since she’d moved back she always did, then he’d preferred it black.

The man winked and grabbed her free hand after she’d poured coffee into his empty mug. “Thanks, sweetheart. Had I known this town had so much natural beauty, I’d have listened to my business partner’s advice and come here sooner.”

Seriously? Did that kind of line actually work? If she wasn’t in need of tips, the bigger, the better, she’d have told him just what he could do with his offensive pick-up line, but as she desperately wanted a whopper of a gratuity, she held back.

“Yeah, the mountains are really something,” she said as she extricated her hand and flicked a glance toward Copper seated across the diner with some of his brothers.

Oh boy.

Someone was not a fan of the attention the suit was bestowing on her. Shell bit her lower lip to keep from giggling at the glower on the big biker’s face.

“I’m gonna charge him if he snaps that fork in half.” Toni’s voice reminded Shell she was far from alone and gawking at the man she’d recently slept with. Probably drooling too. As discretely as possible, she ran her thumb along her chin.

Dry.

Phew.

“What are you talking about?”

Toni snorted. “Don’t even try to play me, girl. I’m talking about what I was talking about before that poor businessman signed his own death warrant. You have been sneaking these slobbering puppy dog glances at Copper all morning.”

If someone touched Shell’s face at that moment, they’d come away with a third-degree burn. “What?” she said in the most unconvincing expression of shock ever. “You’re crazy. They’re in my section. Of course, I’m looking at their table. It’s part of my job.”

“Ha!” Toni shook her head and grabbed Shell’s arm, towing her to a quieter spot behind the counter. “Nice try, sister. Now, usually, you look at Copper about three thousand times when he’s in here—”

Shell rolled her eyes as her face grew even hotter. “I do not!”

“But today it’s been about four hundred and thirty-seven thousand. And, he’s stared at you just as much.”

“I—” Huh. Really?

Toni nodded. “But his expression is different. More like a shark. All sharp teeth and hungry eyes. So…there something you wanna tell me?”

Yes. Yes, there was. She longed to tell someone she’d slept with the man she was head over heels in love with and had no clue how she was going to walk away from him. Especially since he seemed to want more from her than sex. Figures, when she was actually in a position to engage in a strictly physical relationship, the man wanted more.

“Nope. Nothing to tell.”

“Bullsh—”

“I’m serious, Toni,” Shell said, hardening her tone. “Just let it go, there’s nothing to tell.”

“Hmm,” Toni said, but she relaxed her stance and released Shell’s arm. “All right. You win, for now.” She pointed a finger in Shell’s face.

“I gotta check on my tables.” Shell grabbed the coffee pot and spun around only to encounter the playful grin of the businessman. He wiggled his empty cup. Jesus, the guy sure liked his caffeine. After pouring him his third cup in twenty minutes, she dodged a few flirty comments and made the rounds of her tables.

When she reached the Handlers table, Mav said, “’Bout time, coffee wench. My blood is only one-tenth caffeine at the moment. You know I can’t function unless I’m at the thirty-three percent mark. Unless we’re talking about making my woman scream my name. That I can pretty much do in my sleep.”

Shell rolled her eyes and poured Mav’s coffee. Having known him for years, his constant barrage of inappropriate yet hilarious comments was expected. It’d only gotten worse since he’d started seriously seeing Stephanie. Now, instead of bragging about his many conquests, he boasted about having the most satisfied woman in Tennessee. Judging by the permanent smile on Steph’s face, he may be right. Not that she’d ever admit it out loud. There was only so much ego she could tolerate.