Playing with Fire

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕆𝕟𝕖 | ᴄᴏʟʟɪꜱɪᴏɴ

— Carlos —

Phoenix Cycles had a vibe all its own, like stepping into a rebel's hideout—motor oil, leather, and the faint scent of burnt rubber. 

The walls were lined with bike parts and old posters. Colton swore they were "vintage," but honestly? They mostly looked like they'd survived several apocalypse scenarios... It was the kind of place where every piece of clutter told a story, and even though it was far from my usual scene of herbs and greenery, I couldn't help but like it. 

It was... charming?

Yeah, charming... There was a unique charm to Phoenix Cycles that reflected Colton's personality perfectly. He wasn't just some badass motorcyclist. He wasn't a technician, or a mechanic. He was totally an artist at heart, and... I got that.

For him, the performance of a bike was just as important as its appearance. He spent as much time perfecting the artwork on the sides of his bikes as he did tuning the engines. And despite his tough exterior, Colton was the sappiest, most die-hard romantic I'd ever fucking met. 

I mean seriously, I didn't think people like that actually existed.

Seeing him and Hudson together made perfect sense—they balanced each other effortlessly, and I couldn't be happier that they'd found each other.

Hudson was behind the counter, fiddling with the register that always seemed one good thump away from breaking down for good. I was perched on a stool, sketching out ideas for the rally's layout while we chatted about logistics. 

Chuck hadn't shown up yet, which I tried not to take personally; punctuality wasn't his strong suit, but I was still trying to figure out what was. Every interaction with him was a mix of snark and standoffishness, and I couldn't decide if he was playing with me or if this was just... his natural state of being.

Colton's familiar curse broke the background hum of the shop as a wrench clattered to the floor, echoing through the open space.

I glanced up in time to see Chuck walk in with his helmet under his arm, his expression a mix of reluctance and resolve, like he'd rather be anywhere else but was too stubborn to turn back. He ran thick fingers through his dark hair, always messy thanks to the helmet, and bit his bottom lip while he took in the rest of the group.

God, he was so fucking hot. I almost couldn't stand it. 

I wanted to jump him right here, right now. Throw him to the floor and rip that leather jacket right off of him. Run my fingers over his thick chest, and straddle him while I bit that plump bottom lip he just had his own teeth on—

I didn't know how I was going to pull this collaboration off. 

He was distracting, to put it lightly, and the minute Colton mentioned that he'd been considering reaching out to Chuck for extra assistance with the rally... I nearly jumped into the air in support of the idea.

We agreed over text last night to meet here at Phoenix Cycles and start planning with Colton, even though I was originally trying to get him back to my apartment to plan instead... That was the original plan, having him over for dinner. I still was going to try and get him to come over after this with promise of food because... He was really, really fucking hot. 

I wasn't giving up on the possibility of having fun with that for a little bit. I was going to come up with a reason to get him back over to my place again.

"Finally decided to join us, huh?" I teased with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood with a glare in Chuck's direction.

Chuck's eyes met mine briefly before he looked away, muttering something under his breath that I didn't catch. Probably cussing me out, to be honest. But it was all good.