Shell sprang off his lap so fast she would have fallen on her face if Toni hadn’t wandered up. “Whoa, girl! Where’s the fire?” she asked as she caught Shell by her upper arms.
With a nervous laugh, Shell said, “No fire. Just spiky heels I’m not used to walking in.”
Toni’s smile was full of compassion, and if Shell wasn’t mistaken, maybe a bit of pity. What the hell should she expect? Every damn person associated with the club knew of her feelings for Copper. Didn’t matter that she tried to hide it. Didn’t matter that she denied it in front of the guys and it didn’t matter that nothing would ever come of it. Even if Copper fell to his knee tomorrow and professed his love, nothing would come of it. Secrets and lies ensured that. Choices Shell had made years ago destroyed any chance she’d ever have with Copper. Yet her damn heart and her neglected body wouldn’t seem to get the message.
“You okay?” Toni whispered, still clasping Shell by the arms. “Looked like you needed a rescue over here.”
Shell sighed. “Yeah, thanks for that. He’s just drunk and…I don’t even know,” she whispered back.
“I got your back, girl,” she whispered, then straightened and leaned toward Copper. “Hey, El Presidente, I’m stealing your girl here. She’s needed on the dance floor. Important booty shaking to attend to. Maybe you should go get yourself a cup of coffee or something. You’re starting to look a little rough.” Toni raised an eyebrow and smirked at Copper.
Stepping out of Toni’s hold, Shell gave Copper a good look and chuckled under her breath. Glassy green eyes stared at her as though they couldn’t quite see her. His much-in-need-of-a-trim hair was mussed, and there was some kind of stain on his shirt. The Handler’s control-freak president was a hot mess.
“All right, get the fuck out of here,” he said as he stood then stumbled.
Shell automatically shot forward to help him but was yanked back by Zach. “No way, short stuff,” he said as he moved to his president. “This guy will flatten you like a pancake. I’ll take care of him.” He winked at Shell then kissed his woman before guiding Copper toward his office.
Shell gnawed on her lower lip, staring after them. Hopefully, Zach wouldn’t let him drink much more, but knowing these guys, that was a wasted wish.
“Come on, girl,” Toni said as she curled an arm around Shell’s shoulders and ushered her to the dance floor. “What do you have, an hour of babysitter time left? Let’s spend it shaking our moneymakers, yeah?”
Tearing her gaze away from the man she couldn’t stop loving, she gave Toni a grin that probably wasn’t as cheerful as she’d been going for. “Yeah, sounds perfect. Lead the way.”
As she followed after her friend, Shell blew out a breath then shoved the events of the party to the back of her mind. Later that night, when she was alone in her bed, she’d indulge in the fantasy. She’d dissect every touch and every word out of Copper’s mouth.
It was a method she’d employed after moving back to Townsend from Syracuse, New York the year before. Whenever Copper did something charming, something that made her fall deeper in love with him, she gave herself one hour to obsess about it at night. She’d use that hour however she liked. Dreaming about the life she wished for with him. Replaying whatever he’d done to make her swoon. Hell, even masturbating to thoughts of him owning every inch of her body.
Just one hour. When it was over, she jumped back into reality. To the world where Copper lived one life, and she lived another. Where they were friends, but could never amount to anything more.
Her choices had made damn sure of that.
CHAPTER TWO
“YOU AND SHELL were looking mighty cozy last night,” Zach said with a shit-eating grin that disappeared behind his giant coffee mug. He sat across the table from Copper and next to Jig. At least five days a week some group of the Handlers ate at the diner. Copper was always among them.
It hadn’t always been that way, though. Up until about a year ago, the diner was owned by the parents of Zach’s ol’ lady. To say they were anti-biker was the understatement of the century. None of the men in his club was allowed to set foot in the diner, let alone sit for a cup of coffee. After they passed, and Toni took ownership, she changed that rule. Shell had been working there since before Toni came along. This was her morning job. At night, she cleaned a large office building in town.
Copper swallowed his oversized bite of waffle, brow furrowed. “The fuck you talking about?” The previous night was a blur of alcohol, loud music, and laughter, but no matter how he racked his brain, he couldn’t even remember speaking with Shell. He must have. She organized the party, and would have at least wished him a happy birthday. Then there was Zach’s statement which led him to believe he had some interaction with her.