Page 18 of Bolt's Flame

Heat rushed to my cheeks, but I managed to meet his gaze, feeling a spark of confidence. “Maybe.”

He laughed, the sound warm and rich, and it sent a pleasant warmth through me. “Well, anytime you want to come out here and watch, you’re welcome. Just try not to stand in the shadows like a stalker next time.”

I rolled my eyes, but there was a smile tugging at my lips as I realized he knew I was there the whole time. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Bolt pushed off the workbench, his gaze softening as he looked at me. “You know, it’s nice to see you smile, Fiona. I think you should do it more often.”

The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard, and for a moment, I didn’t know what to say. But I felt my heart swell with something warm, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Maybe I will,” I said quietly, meeting his gaze.

He nodded, as if that was exactly the answer he’d been hoping for. And as I turned to head back to the clubhouse, I couldn’t help but glance back one last time, and saw he was watching me. I could feel his eyes on me until the gigantic oak trees swallowed his view, and for the first time in years, my body felt alive with a heat that had nothing to do with the sun.

THE FEEL OFan engine beneath my hands has alwaysbeen enough to keep my mind steady, to drown out the noise of everything else. There’s something about rebuilding an engine—taking it apart, piece by piece, putting it back together better than before—that I’ve always found satisfying. Hell, it’s the only thing in my mind that really makes sense.

But today, even putting together parts of the engine wasn’t enough to keep my thoughts in line.

Fiona.

I hadn’t expected to see her standing there, watching me from the shadows like she was afraid of being seen. But then again, Fiona was different. She had this quiet way of moving, like she was trying to make herself invisible, trying not to take up space. But today... today, something had been different.

She’d come out here on her own, without anyone to pull her along, and that took guts because I hadn’t made myself very approachable. And the way she looked at me—it wasn’t the way women usually looked at me. She wasn’t sizing me up like a piece of meat or putting on an act because she wanted a property cut. She was just...watching... admiring the way I worked and, of course, she liked what she saw.

And damn if that didn’t get under my skin and go straight to my cock at having those hungry eyes on me. It was hot as fuck. If Boots hadn’t interrupted the moment, I was about ready to turn around and bend her over my workbench.

I finished up the last bit of work on the engine, wiping my hands on a rag as I replayed our conversation in my head. There was something in her eyes, something hesitant but real, like she was standing at the edge of that cliff with me and wanted to jump. I could see it. And hell, if that didn’t make me want to take her hand and fall.

Leaning back against the workbench, I tried to shake it off, but it wasn’t that easy. Every time I thought of her, all I could seewas the way she looked at me, the soft smile on her lips, the way her eyes lit up with heat when I told her to come closer. It was a look that would stay with me longer than I cared to admit.

I tossed the rag onto the bench and ran a hand through my hair, letting out a long breath. This was fucking crazy. Why couldn’t I just keep it simple with Fiona? A woman was either in or out, no strings attached. But Fiona? She was becoming a whole different story.

She was skittish, fragile in a way that made my protective instincts kick in with the need to make her feel safe. But there was something more, something that turned my body to fire at just having her around me and the desperate need to know what was going on behind those eyes of hers. To know what she was thinking and what she was feeling.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind me, and I turned, half-expecting her to be standing there again. But it was only Spinner, his usual grin plastered across his face as he leaned against the garage door. Spinner wasn’t only my club brother but my best friend.

“Didn’t know you were takin’ an audience these days,” he drawled, crossing his arms over his chest, his dark eyes lit with humor.

I rolled my eyes, grabbing another tool from the bench. “What? You some weird fucking peepin’ Tom now?”

“Hey, I was headin’ this way when I saw her walking down. First time I’ve seen Fiona leave the clubhouse on her own, and where does she go?” Spinner chuckled. “Right here, watchin’ you like you’re the main attraction in some male strip show.”

I shook my head, but I could feel a smirk tugging at my lips. “She was just curious, that’s all.”

“Sure, sure,” he said, but his grin didn’t fade. “I believe she was more than a damn bit curious.”

I gave him a hard look, but he just laughed, unbothered. I couldn’t deny it, though. Fiona hadn’t been “just curious.” There was something else there, and it had been clear as day. Hell, I’d seen it, and I’d felt it all the way to my cock. That spark, the one that was starting to feel way too real.

Spinner’s voice broke into my thoughts, his fingers spinning that toy he carried. “Look, all I’m sayin’ is, you might want to go easy with her. Girl’s been through hell and startin’ something with her could be tricky.”

I met his gaze, and for once, his teasing grin was gone, replaced by something serious. Spinner didn’t say it, but I knew what he was getting at. Fiona wasn’t like the other women who hung around the club. She was different, and if I wasn’t careful, I could end up doing more harm than good.

But even knowing that, I couldn’t shake the pull I felt every time I was around her. There was something about her that I couldn’t walk away from, that made me feel like I wanted to protect her from everything—even herself.

“Yeah,” I said finally, my voice almost a whisper. “I get it.”

Spinner nodded, satisfied, and gave me a slap on the shoulder before heading out. But his words stayed with me long after he left.

Turning back to the engine, I let out a sigh, running a hand over the metal, the familiar feel grounding me. But even the comfort of a good engine couldn’t distract me from the thought that was nagging at the back of my mind.