by Dani René
“You make me hard.” His tortured whisper along my lips makes me smile. “You have the same effect on me racing does,” he explains before rolling his hips, causing the friction of his erection to rub against my clit, earning him a whimper of need.
“I like that effect.” My voice comes out breathy, and I can’t hide my attraction to him. We started off as enemies, angry at each other, but now that we’ve gone beyond that, I think those first few fights were always going to come to this.
Him and me, with the desire to burn up the track.
14
Kayden
Pulling away from Haelee isn’t easy. The moment my lips touch hers, it feels like I should be against her, inside her, and I can’t explain it. The need to pull her into my arms all the time tugs at my chest.
Her eyes are wide, the pupils making them look black as I take her in. Plump lips are glossy from the kiss, and I can’t help but feel a possessiveness I’ve never felt before.
“Thank you for that,” she mumbles softly, her voice husky, and I’m trying not to think about how wet she must be. Because from the sounds she made while we kissed, there’s no doubt she’s as turned on as I am.
“You don’t have to thank me every time we kiss,” I tease, but I know she’s talking about the race.
“Don’t be an insufferable idiot,” she bites out playfully with a swat on my shoulder. I cup her face in my hands, holding her hostage so I can look into those dark depths, and I wonder just what she’s doing to me.
“You, my little speed demon, are so fucking beautiful,” I tell her, my voice deep and husky. The desire I had to tamp down moments ago still runs through my veins. “I don’t ever want to hear you talk yourself down again. Am I understood?”
She looks at me for a long time. I know it’s difficult for her. When you grow up believing something, it’s hard to change the mindset. But with Haelee, I want her to realize she’s gorgeous. She’s everything I could have asked for, and she will believe it because I’ll tell her every day.
“Yes, slick.” She uses the nickname she’s clearly given me, causing me to chuckle. I can’t fight this, and I can’t deny it. Since the moment I saw her, I was attracted. And it’s only turned hotter and more intense with each passing day.
“Are you hungry?”
Haelee nods. “Yeah, I could eat.”
“Good,” I respond, taking her hand while leading her to the office. “We’ll grab something at the diner, and then we’ll take a drive down the coast before going to your place.” I want to stop at the beach to spend some quiet time with her, but with the darker clouds hanging overhead, I don’t think we’ll have time for that.
As we reach the office, Curtis returns, looking ruffled and without the brunette he had on his arm earlier. “Hey,” he greets me with a sly smirk.
“We’re heading out. The cars are on the track.”
“Sounds good. Did you have fun?” He poses his question to Haelee.
“I did. Thank you for letting us race.” Her voice is confident, but there’s still a hint of shyness, which I find alluring.
“Any time. Just hit me up. Get your man here to give me a call, and I can get some cars in,” Curtis informs her with a grin on his face. I know he’s testing the waters. He wants to see if I speak up for her when he calls me her man or if Haelee will refuse the idea.
But she doesn’t. Instead, she smiles. “That would be amazing. I used to go with my dad, but since he died, I haven’t had a chance to do it again.”
“Well, consider yourself a welcome member any time you want.” My best friend has always been charming, but I notice how he puts it on thicker just for her.
“Drinks tonight?” he asks me, and I realize it’s our tradition on Saturday nights to spend our evening at the bar looking for girls. It’s been like that since I was in college, and it hasn’t changed since we both never had a relationship. But now that I have Haelee, I have a feeling the tradition will have to be tweaked to include her as well.
“We have dinner with Haelee’s mom, and then I’m heading home. I have something planned for tomorrow, but we’ll see you on Monday.” There’s a glint of a question in his eyes, and I know he’s going to call me tonight to ask about this.
“Next weekend,” he says. “And bring Haelee along.” With a wink, he tips his head toward her in farewell before leaving us to head into the garage. We walk to my Range Rover, but there’s tension emanating from my girl.
Once inside, she asks, “Did I mess up your plans with your friend?”
“God, no.” I turn to her before starting the engine. “He understands that you’re in my life, and I want to spend time with you. He only asked because we had this thing where we’d go to the bar every Saturday.”
“To look for girls?”
Her question has her eyes widening, and I feel the guilt eating at my insides. But I don’t know why I feel it. I shouldn’t. I didn’t do it while I’ve been with her, and I’m not the type of man to cheat. Even when I wasn’t in a relationship, each time I did have a girl on my arm, even just for one night, it was only her who held my attention, nobody else.
“Yes,” I finally answer. “I’ll never lie to you, and I won’t ever cheat. It’s not who I am or how I was brought up. When I’m with someone, I’m with them only.”
“How many ex-girlfriends do you have?” she asks, and it sounds so innocent coming from her, I want to erase my past and never let her learn about it. But I can’t do that.
“I’ve never had a girlfriend before.”
This time, Haelee’s eyes widen even more, and her mouth pops into an O, so she looks almost cartoonish. “Never?”
“No. This,” I tell her, pointing between us, “is a first for me. And if I fuck up, it’s only because I’m not sure what the hell I’m doing. But the fuck up will never be me cheating on you. It might just be me hiding behind my exterior to guard myself against being hurt.”
“I wouldn’t hurt you,” she assures me in a soft voice that makes my heart thump against my ribs. I believe she won’t, but when you love someone, you do give them the ability to hurt you, even when you don’t expect it.
“I’m not saying you will, but at times, we do things when we don’t even realize we do. I want to make a promise to you here and now. Honesty always, ride or die,” I attest, holding out my hand for hers.
She’s quiet for a long while, and I almost think she’s not going to accept my offer, but then she takes my hand and smiles. “Honesty always, ride or die,” she reassures me with a grin.
“Good.” I kiss her forehead before turning back to the steering wheel and starting the engine. Reversing out of the lot, I take the road back toward town, and I know the exact place I want to take her. A small diner Curtis and I found late one night after racing at the track for hours.
We’d spent much of the day and night there, and when we left, hunger pains hit hard. On our way home, we found this little place, which was practically hidden from the road, with bright lights calling us toward it.
I had never had a better burger, so I want to take Haelee there and show her something I like. And hopefully, we can get to know each other better over lunch. When I pull into the lot of the diner, I notice it’s not too busy, which I’m thankful for.
“What is this place?”
“You ask that a lot,” I tease her.
“Well, you take me to a lot of new places, so I have to ask,” she sasses me with an eye roll that makes me chuckle. Her fire really does it for me, but I don’t say anything about it. Instead, I push open my door and motion for her to do the same.
We meet at the hood of my car, and I once again take her hand. I like how small she feels, how fragile, but I know deep down she’s anything but.
She’s a fierce warrior who’s slowly winning over my heart.
Inside, we grab a booth, and the server comes to hand over our menus and take our drink order. I ask for a Coke, and Haelee gets an orange juice. Once we’re alone, I set
the menu down and look at her.
“What’s good here?” Haelee asks as she peruses the card, the list of items I’m not interested in because I know what I’m having. She looks up at me when I don’t respond, and I smile.
“Bacon cheeseburger with pickles and fries,” I tell her. “That’s what we’re having.”
The corner of her mouth tilts, her gaze narrowing on me. “What if I don’t like burgers?”
“Everyone likes burgers,” I counter. “Don’t tell me you don’t enjoy fries either, because that has to be a lie.”
This time, she smiles, shaking her head. “You’re so overbearing. Yes, I do love fries. I can eat them all day, every day,” she admits. “Are you sure I’m going to like the burger?”
“Best burger on the West Coast,” I reply because I know it’s the truth. “And once we’re done with lunch, we’re having ice cream. Chocolate with mint chips inside.”
She scrunches her nose as if the idea of mint and chocolate repulses her, but I’ll show her just how delicious it is. “I don’t know about that. Perhaps just plain chocolate will do.”
“Take a chance.” My words have a double meaning. I want her to let her guard down. I’ve only seen hints of the girl underneath, but most times, she hides behind her sass. I want to see the broken girl because I want to mend her. I want to heal her pain with affection and show her she’s worth so much more than I can offer.
“I have,” she admits. “I’m sitting here. Aren’t I?”
The server brings our drinks, and I place the order for our burgers, so I don’t answer her just yet, but the moment we’re alone, I lean forward, my hands up and open, wanting hers. She slips her delicate fingers over my palms, which sends shockwaves of heat coursing through my veins. My body is alert, the desire from our kiss still lingering, still burning.
“Then don’t be scared to trust me,” I implore her. Even though I’ve never done this before, and even though I’m afraid I’m bad for her, I can’t leave. More importantly, I don’t want to walk away.
“It takes time,” she says finally. “Give me some time. This is so new to me. I didn’t think I’d be dating a racer. Let alone one that left a bad first impression.” A small smile graces her lips when she says this, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes and the reminder of my asshole ways. But then she continues, “Relationships still scare the crap out of me.”
“Well, they scare the crap out of me too.” I hope she can see the honesty in my eyes because it’s the only way I know she’ll open up. “But I’m here, and I want this to work.”
“Then it will work,” she says. “Just don’t do anything, assholey.”
I can’t help but laugh out loud. “Assholey?” This time, my brow arches in question, along with the word she just made up.
Her cheeks deepen their usual pink, and she smiles. “Yeah, it’s a new word I made up. Don’t overuse it.” The air between us lifts from the serious conversation to a safer topic when she says, “What was the first car you ever drove?”
Talking about cars is something I can do all day every day. “Well, my dad taught me to drive in his old Beemer, an M3 he had since I could remember. But when he finally made it big, and his company started raking in money, he went out and bought himself an Aston Martin Vanquish in gunmetal gray, and not long after, a black Maserati pulled up to the estate.”
“You’re like super-rich,” Haelee remarks, and I nod. I hate talking about my father’s money, but the cars were always a highlight.
“My father was rich. I’m just the son who inherited his father’s fortune,” I state easily. I never saw my father’s fortune as my own. Granted, I didn’t want for anything when I was growing up, but it was more him helping me rather than me parading around like the rich kid.
“What was your first car of your own?”
This makes me smile because I recall the moment I saw it. Nothing could have ever topped the emotion I felt when my dad handed me the keys. I was sixteen. Still couldn’t drive it on the roads without him present, but the power of the rumbling engine was enough to solidify my choice of career.
“When I turned sixteen, my dad bought me a red Ford Mustang. It was an older car, but at the time, it was sought after. There were only a few kids in my school who had one, so it was almost as if I had a special edition.” I pick up my drink and take a long sip, the bubbles trickling down my throat.
“Do you still have it?” Haelee asks before wrapping her lips around the straw and slowly sucking down her orange juice. The action does nothing to calm my need for her, and I have to look away and not focus on the hardness against my zipper.
“I do. It’s at home, sitting in a garage. I haven’t touched it in years. It needs fixing, but with the racing season kicking off, I don’t have the time to spend on it.” I wish I could race it one more time. It’s been years since I sat in the driver’s seat of my beloved Mustang.
“I can help,” she offers suddenly, her excitement shining in those dark eyes I keep getting lost in. “My dad and I used to fix up cars all the time. And once yours is fixed, you can help me with mine.”
“Yours?”
Haelee nods. “On my seventeenth birthday, Dad took me out for lunch before stopping at a dealership, and he bought me a secondhand car. My choice.”
“And what was your choice?” I sit back, watching Haelee. The expression on her face lights up with happiness when she looks up at me.
“It’s a 1966 Mustang GT Convertible, and it’s currently gray, but I want so much to restore it to the natural color once I’m done fixing it,” she speaks animatedly. “The seats are leather; still the original, and they’re in great condition, so those will stay. Black leather. Can you imagine? I wanted to update the engine so badly, and we got most of the parts for it before …” Her words taper off into silence, and the hurt in her eyes is evident.
“You don’t have to speak about it if it hurts too much,” I appease her, hoping she’ll listen to me. But if I know anything about this girl by now, she’s not one to back down. Even when it hurts.
She’s silent for a long while. Her throat bops with a swallow before she blinks away the unshed tears that glisten in her eyes. “Before my dad passed away,” Haelee whispers.
“I’m sorry, baby.” Reaching out, I take her hand and bring it toward my mouth, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “I’m here if you ever want to talk. If you want to cry, I have big shoulders.”
A glimmer of a smile tickles her lips, lifting the corners to brighten her face. “Thank you, Kayden.” With her free hand, she swipes at the lone tear that traces a wet path down her cheek, making my chest ache with the need to protect her. “It’s still hard to talk about him.”
“But there are times you remember him and smile, recalling the good times.” She nods at my insistence, and I can’t help but feel happy that she has happy memories. “Then think of those. If he were here now, he would be smiling because he is so proud. You’re a beautiful, intelligent woman, and you’re also utterly tempting right now with those pouty lips and sparkling eyes.”
This makes her laugh out loud. “You’re sweet, when you want to be.”
“For the right girl, I can be anything they want me to be.” Her eyes hold wonder. They also hold hope. Perhaps she does feel more than I thought she did.
“Anything?”
I nod. “Tell me your heart’s desire, and I’ll make it come true,” I promise because I know I can do it. For her, I can do anything. It’s the first time I’ve felt this strongly so quickly—for anyone.
“Ice cream,” she tells me then, her lips spreading into a grin that brightens her expression, wiping the sadness away.
“Chocolate mint chip?” I expect her to say no, but after a short moment, she nods confidently. “That’s my girl.”
We make our way to the counter where we order our ice cream cones, and I pay for lunch. Outside the diner, the sun is slowly peeking through the gray, but the ground is already wet with the drizzle that mu
st have come while we were eating.
I take Haelee’s hand, leading her to the benches that have been set up behind the diner under the see-through cover, which overlooks the ocean. We settle in and eat in silence. The chocolate flavor mingled with the mint has always been my favorite. I remember having the milkshakes as a kid and falling in love.
The thought has me turning my head, and I wonder, ever so briefly, if I would ever fall in love with her. With Haelee. She turns her head, probably feeling my gaze on her.
“What? Do I have ice cream on my nose or something?”
I can’t help but grin. “Or something,” is all I offer before focusing back on the waves crashing down below us. The water is a dark gray, matching the clouds overhead.
I finish up my cone, licking my fingers, making sure to get all the stickiness before I stand, needing to stretch my legs. I leave Haelee on the bench and step closer to the edge to look down at the large, brown boulders getting whacked by the waves.
“Thank you for everything,” Haelee offers, coming up behind me. Stopping beside me, she slips her hand in mine, which makes me comfortable that she wants to hold me.
Glancing at her, I shrug it off. “Today was something else,” I confess. “I’ve never been on a real date. This was fun.”
“I haven’t been on a date unless you call going out with a few girls from college dates, but that wasn’t just me and someone else. It was always group outings, which left me bored since they would always find someone to hook up with.”
I turn to her, to face her fully, and take her other hand in mine as well. Meeting her gaze, I hold it, wanting her to see the truth in mine. “I want to do this again and again.”
Her tongue darts out, licking her lips, which once again ignites the fire in my gut. Passion lingers in her gaze, and I lean in close, allowing her to close the distance, and she does.
Our mouths meet in a gentle kiss. Nothing like our previous two, this one is affectionate. After admitting her heartbreak to me, I want to show her that I’m here for her, but I’m also someone she can trust. I don’t grip her ass like I want to. I don’t press my body against hers like I crave. Instead, I allow her to lean up and deepen the kiss.
