Page 11 of Just Heartbeats (Royalla Motorcycle Club #1)

The air compressor shut off. Roma raised her head and looked through the doorway into the garage. Dust motes danced in the air like glitter in the office. Every time someone used an air tool in the garage, she looked for Kodiak.

She got up from the desk chair and stepped over to the filing cabinet, following Kodiak with her eyes. She never tired of watching him work.

It was different to see him use his hands, customizing vehicles, taking them apart, and enjoying his work. The constant frown he wore while dealing with the stress that came with running Royalla Motorcycle Club often eased when he focused on the task at hand.

Vein stepped in front of her. "Yo."

"Hey." She leaned to the side to see around him.

"Sorry about the door." Vein knocked on the wood. "One of the hinges is bent. It's been that way for a couple of years. We never closed the door, but I can see where you might want to shut—"

"No, it's okay. I like having it open."

Vein snapped his fingers. "Cool."

She went back to watching Kodiak. The members who worked in the garage initially handled all the office work, but they soon let her take on more responsibilities as she learned their preferred methods. It made her feel good to know that she fit in and helped make their job easier.

A sleek white motorcycle glided to a stop in front of the first bay.

Its rider swung his leg off the bike, pulling off a full-face helmet to reveal tousled sun-bleached hair and a crooked smile.

He was handsome but in a cocky way, not in a way that made her squirm.

He had a riding jacket, but instead of black leather, it was white with blue stripes down each arm.

He approached Flash. "I'm looking for Roma."

She shut the drawer on the filing cabinet and hurried across the room, sliding into the seat behind the desk. Why would he ask for her?

Her heart raced. She wanted to fan her overheated face, but the man walked into the office and took a quick scan of the room before heading her way with a smile.

"Hey there," he said, his voice smooth with a hint of playfulness. "I'm looking for Roma."

She scooted closer to the desk. "That's me. What can I do for you?"

Since starting her job, no one had asked for her by name. The guys usually sent customers inside to pay a bill, and that was the only contact she had with them.

He stepped closer, glancing around the shop as if it amused him. "Name's Derek. Heard from a buddy that this place does killer custom work. He said to come in and talk to Roma...you."

"Yeah?" She smiled.

"Trevor Ansil. That's my buddy's name."

A week ago, the guys installed a complete wrap, changing the look of the man's motorcycle. She'd done the paperwork afterward.

"I remember him. He's got an orange Ducati Panigale, right?" she said.

"That's right." Derek inhaled swiftly. "Thought I'd bring my girl in for a little attitude adjustment, too."

Roma grinned, already knowing what the members of Royalla would think of a guy bringing in a sport bike. "What are you thinking?"

While she couldn't give him a quote, she could write everything down and save Kodiak time.

As they talked, Derek leaned in more than necessary, throwing compliments at her freely.

Apparently, he'd never met a woman who knew about motorcycles, or had salmonberry colored nail polish, or beautiful, natural lips that formed the perfect smile.

That was all news to her. She wasn't used to attention like that, not here, covered in dust and probably smelling like motor oil.

But he made her feel like she was the most interesting person in the room.

And it was nice.

He made her feel pretty, even if the opposite was true.

"So," Derek's gaze strayed to the front of her shirt. "How about I take you out sometime? You can tell me more about yourself over a drink."

Her heart flipped a little. She opened her mouth to answer—but before she could, the air in the office shifted.

"Roma." Kodiak's sharp voice pierced the room.

She turned. He stood near the office, arms crossed over his chest, jaw clenched like iron. His dark eyes locked on her, and he refused to let her go.

"Get back to work."

The words landed like a wrench dropped on concrete.

Roma blinked, stinging from the reprimand. "I was just—"

"I'll take care of him."

His gruff tone toward her stiffened her spine. She turned back to Derek, whose eyebrows had lifted in amused surprise. With a smile and a shrug, she said, "Sorry. Duty calls."

Derek chuckled, unbothered. "Another time, maybe."

She sat at the desk, glancing sharply at Kodiak's back as he talked with Derek. He paid her to do a job—one she could handle without him butting in and taking over, which made her look incapable of dealing with the customers.

Derek handed the keys to Kodiak and shook hands before heading out through the garage. Roma hurried over to Kodiak.

"You didn't have to be rude," she said under her breath.

He watched Derek turn the corner with narrowed eyes. When he finally looked at her, his jaw worked like he was biting down on something he didn't want to say.

That's when it hit her. He wasn't doubting her ability to do the job, which she'd proven many times she was capable of doing. He was jealous.

Her heart surged.

He didn't like that another man was looking at her or talking to her that way. For once, he didn't see her as Chopper's daughter or the kid he helped raise.

Adrenaline surged, and she wanted to squeal. He saw her as a woman.

She turned away before he could see the smile tug at her lips, heat rising to her cheeks, not from embarrassment, but from a new, powerful kind of hope. Maybe she wasn't invisible to him after all.