63

~Atlas' POV~

Darlina parked in front of Jac's repair shop the next day and looked over at me as I got out of the car, a frown on her lips. I hid an amused smirk and rounded the front of the car to stop outside the driver's side door, bracing a hand atop the car as I leaned down to look at her.

She rolled down the window and frowned up at me, her glossy lips forming a natural pout that drew my attention. "You're not even going to say goodbye to me before you leave?" She asked, as I normally wouldn't even get out of the car without a kiss. I swiped my tongue across my bottom lip and her eyes dropped to the action, a barely hidden yearning crossing her pretty face. It was funny yet also something I found alluring, knowing the way she wanted me.

"Maybe if you ask nicely." I hummed, teasing her. She huffed, narrowing her eyes up at me slightly. "Nicely?" She echoed, lifting an eyebrow. "Or maybe I'll just drive off." She said. There was a hint of sass that crept into her tone that caused my lips to tip up in an enthralled smirk. Maybe it was 'cause she was always so nice, but I loved when she got sassy. Honestly, I found it kinda hot.

Her small hand reached for her seatbelt again, ready to buckle herself back in, but I reached in and gripped the front of her neck in my hand, yanking her towards me as I leaned down. A quiet gasp escaped her and I covered her mouth with my own, kissing her harshly. I felt her wrap her fingers around my wrist and she kissed me back, leaning into my touch.

I pulled away after a moment, watching as her eyes fluttered open and she peered up at me through her lashes. "I get off at five thirty, yeah? You'll text me when you get here, hm?" I muttered, to which she nodded, a dazed look on her face.

"Y-Yes." She stammered, brushing a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. I hid an amused smile and playfully squished her cheeks together, causing her lips to pout out at me, and then backed away from the car to head inside. A few seconds passed before I heard the little car rev as she left the parking lot, leaving to go to Dina's.

Entering Jac's, I rolled my shoulders and cracked my neck with a heavy sigh, looking up when I heard a holler of my name. Tomas stood there with Lance, a a big grin on his pale face as he wiggled his brows at me suggestively. He was maybe a year or two younger than me with fiery red curls on his head and freckles across his face, and quite an outspoken person. I didn't consider him a friend, but he wasn't a douche to me, at least. Lance was quite like him, though a little less annoying, and with tan skin and black hair that fell to his shoulders.

"Who's that chick you always got driving you here? She's pretty hot." Tomas dared to say, immediately earning a glare from me. I crossed my arms over my chest as I came to a stop in front of the two of them, not amused with his words. He didn't seem to notice because he just chuckled, casting a glance at Lance. "What? Aren't I right?" He asked, looking between Lance and I.

I pushed past him and smacked him roughly upside the head, which was a generous act of kindness compared to what I was tempted to do. "Her name's Darlina." I snipped at him. "And I hear you talkin' about her again, I'll punch you in the face." I stated bluntly, causing his smile to immediately fade.

Lance awkwardly pursed his lips and Tomas just raised his eyebrows as I began changing into the ugly ass overalls that Jac made all of us wear, but at least they weren't an ugly color. I just wasn't a fan of overalls. Didn't exactly suit me, and this one reminded me of a prison jumpsuit with the way it fit.

"She your girl or something?" Tomas asked, drawing my attention back to him again. I raised an eyebrow and finished doing up the last button on the overall jumpsuit, turning my body towards the two of them. "Does it really fuckin' matter?" I drawled, staring him in the eyes. He raised his hands in surrender and shook his head. "Just wondering, man. You're acting like she is, so I was asking." He said defensively. I rolled my eyes and shouldered past him again with a shake of my head.

"None of your damn business. All you need to know is I'll beat your ass if I hear you say anything about her like that again." I warned him, causing Lance to snicker as he glanced at Tomas. "Okay, okay, damn." Tomas agreed, shaking his head as if I were being unreasonable.

"Glad we established that." I said dryly, looking back at the two of them. "Now come help me with this piece of shit car." I demanded.

**

It was around five o'clock that I heard Darlina's soft voice calling my name, causing me to furrow my eyebrows as I slid out from beneath the car I was working on, thoroughly confused. Part of me wondered if I was hearing shit, honestly.

However, I knew I wasn't when I saw her standing in the entrance of Jac's, her brown eyes scanning around her in search of me. Her long hair fell down her back and the blue jeans she had on were skin tight, much of her midriff exposed due to the cream colored, cropped cardigan that she wore. It was fuzzy and long-sleeve with brown buttons on it that clasped between her breasts, the fabric a little too tight across her chest, and she wore a pair of white converse on her feet.

I sat up and promptly scowled when I saw the amount of my coworkers leering at her, causing me to rise to my feet to stride over to her, casting glares at everyone I passed that dared to look her way. She smiled as she saw me approaching, oblivious to the stares of the idiots around.

My arm looped around her waist when I was close enough and I possessively pulled her into my arms, peering down at her. "What are you doing here, smalls?" I muttered, the sight of her smiling up at me causing my heart to skip a beat strangely. I'd never experienced feelings like this for anyone but her, and I still wasn't used to it. She disarmed me with just her smile.

"Oh, I got off work earlier today than I expected. I decided I'd come wait here while you're still working, if that's okay." She said, wrapping one of her arms around me. Her eyes searched my face and a giggled escaped her before she reached up with one hand, wiping at my cheek and then forehead with her thumb. "You've got stuff on your face, Atlas."

A grunt left me and I turned my head slightly, but she just snickered, pushing up on her toes to continue wiping off my face. "Lina," I grumbled in slight protest, yet didn't try to push her hands away. I'd never admit it to her, but a part of me liked her doting on me like this.

She smiled as she lowered her hand and leaned into me, curling her fingers into the front of my overalls. "Can I wait in here?" She asked, making it hard for me to deny her. I could feel the gaze of many of the men here on her and pulled her into me more, possessively slipping my hand down to cup her ass in my palm. Her eyes widened in surprise and she immediately swatted my hand away with an embarrassed look on her face, causing my lips to tilt up in a smirk. "As long as you stay close to me, yeah?" I muttered, which she weakly nodded her head, still looking flustered.

We headed back to the car that I'd been working on before and I slid my way beneath it again while she hopped up on a table nearby, her legs dangling off of it. I continued working until Lina gently spoke up, her voice soft. "I didn't know you have to wear a uniform here." She remarked, the mention of the ugly jumpsuit causing me to grunt in disapproval. "Unfortunately, yeah. Shit reminds me of the prison jumpsuit they'd put me in." I told her flatly.

Lina hummed softly, the sight of her legs swinging through the air visible to me from beneath the car's gap. "You don't like it?" She asked curiously. "I actually think you look handsome in it. The navy blue looks good on you."

I halted for a second as I processed her words, refraining from smiling at that. "Oh?" I murmured. "You like it, huh? How nice of you to say, Lina."

The sound of her shy laughter at my teasing words made my movements slow for a moment, too busy focusing on taking in the sound. I really had grown to like when she laughed or giggled, it didn't matter what at.

"Are you teasing me for complimenting you right now?" She inquired, causing my lips to tug into a small smile at the huffy tone of her voice. I knew her well enough by now to know that she was pouting. "Maybe a little bit." I chuckled, getting back to work again. "Does that bother you?" I continued to tease her, unable to help myself.

Another little huff left her. "You're an ass." She grumbled, drawing a laugh from me as I pushed out from beneath the vehicle once again after I finished. I glanced at her, running a hand through my hair only for it to fall back into place. "And you're cute when you're cursing at me." I stated, rising to my feet. Her lips pulled into a pouty frown and she slid off of the table, striding up to me. "Are you done already?" She asked with surprise, looking down at the spot I'd just emerged from with a curious furrow between her brows.

"Well, my shift is up, so yes." I answered, slipping past her to head back to the changing rooms. She skittered after me, sticking close by just like I'd asked her to. I stripped out of that god-awful jumpsuit and she slinked closer to me, wrapping her long arms around me from behind. A chuckle left me as I wiped my face, amused by her clinginess. "You ready to go home?" I questioned, feeling her nod her head against my back. "Yes." She sighed.

After I made sure I had all my shit and had cleaned up, I slid my arm around her waist and pulled her into my side, beginning to walk out of the open garage with her. "How'd your day go?" I queried, brushing my fingers against her exposed side. She frowned, digging into her front pocket for her keys to unlock her tiny ass car. "Good, aside from the fact that Buddy pooped all over the floor this morning, even after I put him outside." She recalled with a shake of her head, causing me to snort in amusement.

"I'll have to come see Buddy again." I noted, my words drawing her gaze up to me as she smiled, knowing that Buddy was easily my favorite dog there. He was really a sweet dog, which made it hard for me to understand how he didn't have a home yet.

"You should." She agreed with a smile. "He would love to see you. I hate to say it but he likes you even more than he likes me." She admitted, visibly pouting about that as she swung open the driver's side door.

I just chuckled and swatted her on the ass, drawing an alarmed squeak from her as I rounded the front of the car to get in. A smirk formed on my lips at the sound and I slid into the passenger's seat, slamming the door shut. "We grabbin' food on the way home?" I asked her, pulling on my seatbelt, but she shook her head. "Nope." She chirped, tugging on hers as well. "Em said he'd cook dinner tonight, remember?"

All I did was hum, nodding my head. "Sounds good, then." I stated, settling my hand on her thigh when she pulled out of the parking lot. "Now let's get home."