of the sofa and slipped it on. “Thanks. I have to get back to work,” she said as she walked toward the front door, “but you can give the estimates to Zach.” She pulled open the door and he walked out, then she stepped onto the porch behind him and locked up. Cold air rushed around her, and she turned up the collar of her coat against the biting wind.
For a long pause, Mark Ames stood there looking at her, his hard breaths coming out in frosty white puffs until he turned away and slowly walked to the truck.
Frozen in place, Ashley waited until the strange man was gone, then hurried to her car and drove away. The encounter with Mark was unnerving, and she hoped his bid would be too high and Zach would ask Smokey for help. She smiled as she pictured him in jeans, a T-shirt that molded over all those toned muscles, and a tool belt slung low on his hips. So hot and all male. Her mouth went a little dry. There was no denying it: Mr. Sexy exuded raw sensual power and that damn swagger was machismo at its finest. I bet he knows exactly how to please a woman.
A horn honked behind her, and she snapped back to awareness, realizing that she’d been stopped at the green light. Waving at the driver behind her, she pressed on the gas and continued on her way back to work. In less than four hours, she and Mr. Sexy would be having dinner together, and much to her chagrin, anticipation coursed through her.
Ashley shook her head fiercely, then clenched her teeth.
It’s just a dinner meeting—not a date. It’s all good.
With renewed determination not to let her body sway her mind, she pulled into a parking space, jumped out of the car, and dashed into the building.
6
“Aren’t you pretty,” Klutch said as Animal, Helm, Bones, and Shadow cracked up.
Without stopping, Smokey flipped them off as he headed toward the bar to down a shot of whiskey before taking off to meet Ashley. Sweet, sexy Ashley.
A soft hand ran down his arm. “You do look real handsome all dressed up, baby,” Tania said. “Where’re you going?”
“I got a business meeting,” he answered in a low voice while casting a sidelong glance at Klutch.
“A business meeting.” The club girl echoed his words. “That’s impressive.” Her fingers skimmed over his gray button-down shirt. “This fits you real well,” she said, leaning close to him.
“Business meeting my ass,” Klutch said before bursting into a hearty laugh.
“I bet that new chick in your office is gonna be at the meeting,” Helm said.
“She’ll be the only one there,” Animal added, and the rest of the table guffawed.
“Fuck you,” Smokey said as he brought the shot of Jack to his mouth. Tossing it back, his knuckles whitened as he gripped the glass.
“Are you going to a nice restaurant?” Tania asked as she pressed closer to him.
Smokey stepped away. “It’s just a work thing—that’s all. Why don’t you find something else to do besides bug me?”
The club woman’s smiling face crumbled to one filled with hurt, and his anger fizzled at that moment. Smokey reached out and ran the back of his fingers against her cheek, and she looked up at him, her eyes brimming.
“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to ask you all those questions. I overstepped the line,” Tania said, a weak smile tugging the corners of her mouth.
Smokey’s hand dropped to his side, and he blew out a long breath between tight lips. “Don’t mind me.” He gestured the prospect to bring Tania a drink, then he winked at her and turned away.
“So what does this chick look like?” Bones asked.
“Like a professional, but you don’t have a fuckin’ clue what that is.” Smokey picked up his leather jacket and shrugged it on.
“Let’s google it,” Helm said.
“Yeah, why don’t you go ahead and do that. I’m outta here.” Smokey clutched the car keys in his fist. He walked out of the clubhouse and through the icy parking lot to his SUV. Pressing the fob to unlock the driver’s door, he slid inside and started the engine.
On the ride to the restaurant, Smokey tried unsuccessfully to keep his mind off Ashley. He’d been looking forward to this dinner far more than he’d like to admit. He’d even left work an hour earlier to go to the mall—the fuckin’ mall—to buy a dress shirt. Is that fucked or what? This isn’t a date, and if I