Page 125 of Control Freak

“Let’s just get a couple of Cokes.”

I didn’t think either of us was in the mood for alcohol. With any luck, Dalton would show up with no news to report, and we’d head home.

Leo grabbed a couple of pint glasses and filled them with soda. While he worked, one of the bikers shifted toward me.

“You run the auto shop, right?”

“Yep.”

I half turned to keep an eye on Shiloh while I waited on the drinks. He was sitting at the table, chewing on his nails, which I’d never seen him do before. As someone who used to spend a lot of time on camera, Shiloh took care with his appearance, from hair style, to skin care, to manicured nails. He must be really anxious to mess that up.

“Gray did a great job on my daughter’s bike last August. I’ve been telling everyone about your shop.”

“Thanks for that.”

“Sure thing. We love having a closer place to service our bikes. I’ll tell everyone I meet if it’ll keep Gray in business.” He gave a gusty laugh.

I couldn’t even manage a polite laugh in return. He seemed like a really nice guy, but I was too tangled up about Shiloh.

Leo plunked the two glasses of soda in front of me. “Here.”

I turned, relieved to escape the small talk, and tossed a ten-dollar bill on the bar. “Thanks.”

I picked up the two glasses. The biker dude had turned back to his friends, so at least he didn’t seem too bothered I wasn’t much of a conversationalist.

I carried our drinks to the table, where Shiloh was nervously gnawing at his fingers, and placed a soda in front of him. “You’re ripping up your fingernails, sweets.”

Shiloh pulled his hand from his mouth and examined his nails, then grimaced. “I was a childhood biter. Took me years to break the habit. Just one more thing Jimmie has ruined for me.”

I sat down next to him and gave his hand a quick squeeze. I was still a little stunned by the way I’d pulled him into that hug. My only thought had been to comfort him, and I was so damn glad that for once, my aversion hadn’t triggered.

That didn’t mean I wasn’t a ball of anxiety about what to do about these two guys harassing Shiloh.

I was trying to put on a good show of confidence and strength for Shy, but worry churned in my gut.

“Let’s take our minds off this mess,” I suggested. “How was your day at school?”

He shrugged, a little too mired in his thoughts to really embrace the idea. “I covered gym. Got a little zealous trying to convince the kids I was just as fit as their regular teacher.”

“You are pretty fit,” I said, giving him a once-over. Shiloh was leaner than me, but it only made his muscles prettier. I’d loved his body from the first time I saw it, so long and toned,tightin all the right places.

He gave me a distracted smile, and I felt like that poor biker at the bar, trying to make small talk with someone whose heart wasn’t in it.

“We’re going to figure this out, Shy. I refuse to let anything ruin what we have together.”

He sagged in the chair. “I’m sorry. I’m freaking out, and I’m not even hiding it well.”

“You don’t have to hide from me.”

The door to the bar opened. I glanced that way reflexively, just as I would anytime someone new entered the bar. My heart lurched as two men stepped inside, one tall and slender and the other shorter and built like a brick shithouse.

“Shit,” Shiloh said.

“Those are the guys, right?”

“Yes,” he hissed. “What do we do? Fuck. Theywerefollowing us.”

“Stay calm,” I murmured.