He wore a pair of faded jeans and a black T-shirt. She knew now that the just-been-fucked hair was his natural style, and like every time she saw him, her stomach fluttered and flipped. He was standing a few feet behind her with a serious, assessing look in his eyes that made her worry over her outfit again.
She glanced over her shoulder, trying to see the back of her dress to make sure she hadn’t gotten dirt on it. “Do I have something on me, or does this dress just look bad?”
“You could wear rags and you’d still be the most beautiful woman around.” His smile was warm and sincere. A flash of the gentleman had come out to play.
“Thank you,” she said, relieved by both the warmth and the compliment. “You looked deep in thought.”
“Did I? I’m just thinking about the scholarship fund for the foundation. I’m excited to get it launched.” His eyes turned serious again.
This was a side of him she hadn’t yet encountered. “You mentioned a foundation and scholarship earlier. What type of foundation is it?”
“It’s called the Foundation for Whole Families. We help children of drug-addicted parents and reunite families whose lives have been shattered by drugs.” His brows drew together. “There are so many children who need help. Many are barely making it from day to day; they’re in need of food and general caretaking. These kids need to know that someone cares about them.”
The passion in his tone and the intensity of his gaze coalesced, bringing him into a whole new light in Kat’s eyes. This was not the all-about-sex player she’d met in the bar. This was a man clearly affected by the plight of those he was helping, and that touched her deeply.
“Our efforts are focused on the safety and future of the children, of course, but the goal isn’t to simply remove them from their unsafe environments. We provide counseling for the entire family, treatment when necessary, and ensure that the children have a safe place to stay while their parents are in treatment, or for some, while their parents are in jail. But that’s just the beginning. These children need to have a chance at a future, not just the tools to get there, and that’s where the scholarship comes in.”
“You’re giving them hope for a better life. And you said we. Are you on the board for the foundation?”
A humble smile reached his eyes. “I’m actually the founder. The picnic we’re going to tomorrow is for the foundation. I give a lot of my time to the foundation, and to the kids.”
She wondered how many more layers were hidden beneath his bold facade. This side of him was so unexpected. She wanted to know more, not just about the foundation, but also about Eric and what made him tick.
“I knew we were going to a picnic for charity, but I had no idea it was for your foundation.”
“The picnic not only enables us to do fundraising, but to visit with families we’ve helped and thank our donors. It’s one of my favorite events.” He ran a hand through his hair, and a contented look filled his eyes. “There’s no better feeling than knowing a kid—a family—has a chance at being whole and having a future.”
Boy had she misjudged him. Her stomach clenched at the assumption she’d made that he was interested only in a piece of ass. She noticed that Hugh and Bree were finished setting up, and she didn’t want to hold them up, but she felt bad for judging Eric so unfairly, and apologizing to a man who was doing so much for others couldn’t wait. Not one single second.
“Eric, I think I owe you an apology. I know I’ve been a little off-putting, and I’m sorry. I misjudged you, and I had no right to judge you in the first place. I hope you can forgive me.”
He stepped in closer, and the earth shifted beneath her. The vortex that was Eric James sucked her right in. Her heartbeat quickened, her breathing went shallow, and the familiar sparks that she’d come to expect when they were together sizzled and popped. How he went from one extreme to the other so seamlessly intrigued her even more.
“Darlin’.” His gaze moved slowly over her face, returning to her eyes with all the heat that was missing when he was discussing work, along with a new flicker of unexpected tenderness. “Don’t apologize for being cautious. You’re making a big change in your life, one that takes insurmountable courage and determination. The last thing you need is to fall for the wrong guy.”
She swallowed past her fear of the answer and asked, “Are you the wrong guy, Eric?”
“Only you can make that determination. I told you where I stand. Have you given any thought to what it is that you want, Kat?”
His words from this morning sailed through her head. I find myself completely and utterly captivated by you. I want to explore and enjoy you, Kat. Present tense. She was completely enamored with him, from his aggressive sexuality to his intelligence and passion to help others. But Kat wasn’t naive, and he’d made his intentions clear. Present tense. Not future tense. Not that she expected him to think past today after having just met her, but for her own sanity, she needed to acknowledge what she was considering. A weekend hookup.
In the space of a breath, she decided that she was probably overthinking the situation. They were visiting friends, and staying at Hugh’s father’s house, so there weren’t going to be many chances to be alone anyway. It wasn’t like they were going to have wild sex on Hal’s kitchen table—although her tightening nipples seemed to love that idea. The most she and Eric could do was sneak a few kisses, and she knew by the vibrations thrumming through her that a few kisses would never be enough.
He touched her arm, bringing her mind back to the moment.
“I think I’d like to get to know you better,” she said.
He smiled, and just as it reached his eyes, it turned sinful.
She quickly added, “But I respect Hal and our friends, and I’d never want to jeopardize our friendship over a tryst, so we should just keep that in mind.”
He leaned in close and said, “I can promise you that I will try to remain discreet, but honestly, Kat, I’ve never been as drawn to a woman as I am to you, and there may be times when that attraction surpasses even my most valiant efforts to keep it concealed.”
THE SWEET AND sultry look in Kat’s eyes sent Eric’s stomach tumbling, but the tilt of her chin when she turned at the sound of Brianna calling her name sent a shock of recognition through him. It was the same wave of familiarity he’d had from the moment he’d first seen her. Only now that faint familiarity mingled with what he intimately knew about Kat—the feel of her body pulsing with need and wet with desire, the claw of her nails against his skin, the strength of her inner muscles when she was in the throes of ecstasy, and the sound of his name as she cried out in pleasure. Aroused didn’t begin to describe the feelings building inside him. It wasn’t just the desire to have her naked beneath him, to run his hands and mouth over every inch of her flesh. He wanted to know more about the woman who was strong enough to walk away from everything she’d known for ten years and start anew. The woman who said she faced her fears and didn’t fawn over him because of his celebrity.
He watched her join Brianna, her eyes sliding to him every few seconds. The late-afternoon sun danced off her blue eyes as she let Brianna guide her into position, and she adjusted her stance and posed for the camera. A rosy blush spread across her cheeks as Brianna called out commands as if Kat were a model. She could have been, with that silky blond hair and a body that could—was—stopping traffic. Determination filled Kat’s eyes, as if she’d decided that this was just another fear she had to overcome, and he wondered if he, too, was one of her fears.
Hugh came to his side, watching Bree with the same intensity that Eric was watching Kat.
“You okay? Do you mind waiting while she does the shoot?” Hugh asked.
Eric was still stuck on the idea of being one of Kat’s fears. He didn’t know if it was because he was around Hugh and Brianna, who radiated commitment, or if it was Kat herself, but he swore then and there that he wasn’t going to allow himself to be slated as that guy.
“’Course not. What
could be better than watching a beautiful woman pose for the camera?”
“Watching a beautiful woman take her picture,” Hugh said, eyeing Brianna.
They both laughed.
“You’re a lucky guy, but I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. How’s Brianna holding up with Christian and the race schedule?” Their schedule was grueling for a single man, and Eric had wondered how the racers’ wives held up with children to care for while they were on the road. Layla was already six when she and Bree had begun traveling with Hugh, but a baby took all sorts of preparation, not to mention that it couldn’t be easy getting a baby to sleep in unfamiliar surroundings.
“You know Brianna. She loves our kids and she loves me. Even if it were too difficult, she’d never admit to it. But I’m ready to slow down. I’m cutting my schedule back even further next season. I want Layla to have more stability, and I don’t want to be racing around the country without my family.” When Hugh and Brianna had first married, Hugh had cut his schedule way back, and he’d made no secret of wanting more for his family than life on the road.
“That’s a huge step, but it’s not unexpected.”
“It’s time,” Hugh said at the same moment Brianna took Kat’s hand and led her farther down the sidewalk, breaking their spell. “Think about how crazy our schedule is. This is the one weekend we’ve had off in months, and we had to coordinate seeing our friends and family on the exact same weekend—at my father’s house of all places.” Hugh patted Eric on the back. “I’ve won enough races to last a lifetime, but there’s never enough time to spend with my family.”
Eric imagined that if he’d grown up with a father like Hal and five siblings who all looked out for one another, he’d crave that settled-down feeling, too. He watched Kat come out of an office building, where she must have changed her clothes. She looked hot in a pair of jeans and a low-cut white blouse, the perfect blend of sexy and professional. Brianna fiddled with Kat’s hair, and they both laughed. Kat’s eyes shifted toward Eric, and her lips curved up in a sweet smile that erased all of Eric’s thoughts with the exception of one. He didn’t want this weekend to end.
Chapter Seven
“ARE WE GOING to pretend that the sexual tension between you and Eric isn’t thick enough to cut with a knife?” Bree asked as she parked at the racetrack.
“If I say yes, will you believe me?” Kat had already filled Bree in on their airport sexcapade, and she knew it didn’t matter what she told Bree; her bestie would see right through to the truth. And it was the truth that worried her. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, wondering about all sorts of things, not just the incredible sex.
“Not likely.” Bree cut the engine and turned a serious gaze to Kat. “He’s a good guy, Kat. When he’s with us, he’s so great with the kids, and he’s done amazing things with his foundation.”
“Yeah, I get that impression.”
“But…he’s not exactly good boyfriend material, and with all the changes you’re making in your life, I think you need to know that.”
“Really, Bree? A guy who fucked me in an airport bathroom isn’t good boyfriend material?” Kat laughed. “I’m not so sure I’m good girlfriend material, either, despite the changes I’ve made.”
Brianna opened her car door. “How can you say that?”
“Because. Yes, I’ve been more careful about the guys I’ve dated, and I’ve upended my life to follow my dream, but…” She pressed her lips together, steeling her resolve to be honest with her friend, and with herself. “Don’t you think there’s a reason I had sex with him at the airport?”
“Of course. You’re making all these changes and needed to relieve some stress, and he’s hot and sexy. I mean, other than Hugh, he’s the best definition of heartthrob I’ve ever seen. And if you tell Hugh I said that, I’ll totally deny it.”
They both laughed, but in her mind, she wasn’t laughing at her own confession, which was vying for release. Kat clutched the door handle.
“Bree, I’ve been lonely. Bored, even.”
“But you have all this exciting stuff going on. How can you possibly be bored?”
Kat leveled a serious stare on her best friend, waiting for her meaning to come through. Bree hadn’t enjoyed her sexuality after Layla was born until she’d met Hugh. She hadn’t had the same freedoms, explored the darker sides of her passions like Kat had. Finally, Bree’s eyes widened with understanding.
“Oh, you mean…” Her cheeks pinked up, which made Kat laugh because, even though she knew Bree had an amazing sex life with Hugh, her friend was still the sweet, shy girl she’d always known.
“Yup.” She sighed.
“But, Kat, what does that mean? That you can never have a monogamous relationship because you like doing it with strangers?” The concern in Bree’s eyes and her worried tone made Kat cringe.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don’t think I like sex with strangers, per se. I just…” She tried to figure out how to explain what she’d felt at the airport—and every time she’d seen Eric since they’d met. “When I first saw Eric in the bar, I could tell he was a player. You know I can spot them a mile away, and I was ready to turn him away. But the minute he spoke, my insides turned to mush. I swear that man sprinkles gasoline with every word, and his smile is all the fire he needs to ignite the flames. Bree, I know I shouldn’t admit this, but I wanted him more than I’ve ever wanted a man in my life.”
“But just him? I mean, does that happen with other guys? You said you haven’t been hooking up with guys for a long time. You’ve been dating, but I don’t think that’s what you’re talking about with Eric.”
They got out of the car, and Kat spotted Eric and Hugh coming out of the clubhouse wearing their racing suits and carrying their helmets. They were looking at each other, smiling as they talked. Kat’s pulse ratcheted up about fifty notches, and when Eric turned those amber eyes on her, her breath hitched in her throat. She reached for Bree’s arm, steadying herself as desire weakened her knees again.
“It’s just him,” she managed. “Definitely just him.” Whatever else Bree said didn’t register as three women, wearing skimpy skirts and barely there tops, ran from the other side of the parking lot, flipping their hair and touching Hugh and Eric in a way that made Kat’s blood boil. Kat wasn’t usually a jealous person, but there was no denying the claws of jealousy piercing her skin or the fierce determination in every step as she closed the distance between them, determined to rip the girls to shreds.
“Kat!” Bree grabbed her arm, holding her back. “They’re groupies. It’s all part of it.”
“Doesn’t that bother you?” Kat snapped. She was breathing hard, tugging her arm from Bree’s grip.
“It used to, but Hugh knows how to handle it.”
Kat broke free as Eric’s eyes locked on her again. She stopped cold a few feet away from him as he signed autographs, watching her the whole time. What was she doing? He wasn’t her boyfriend. Jesus, he wasn’t even her date! She had no business being jealous, but that didn’t stop anger from curling inside her like a snake preparing to strike. She spun around and stomped back to the car with Bree on her heels. Kat pressed her palms to the hood of the car and let her chin drop to her chest.
“Holy crap. What is wrong with me?”
Bree leaned her butt on the car beside her, smiling like she had just unearthed all Kat’s secrets. “I think you just might be monogamy material after all.”
“That’s great, Bree. Just what I need. One-sided monogamy.”
“I hear it’s all the rage these days,” Bree teased as the men approached.
Kat sensed Eric’s presence before she turned and saw the intense look in his eyes. Hugh and Bree retrieved the equipment from the backseat while Kat tried to remember how to function like a normal person instead of a jealous groupie.
“That look you gave me back there was definitely a turn-on,” he said quietly enough that only she could hear him.
“It was the look of insanity.” Like the torrent going on inside me right now.
His eyes narrowed as he rubbed the back of his neck and stepped in closer. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was jealousy.”
Kat circled the car to help carry the equipment. “Don’t flatter yourself.” She hoisted a bag toward her shoulder, and Eric intercepted it, pinning her in place with a dark stare.
“I thought you wanted to get to know me better. Shouldn’t I be flattered by your look of insanity?”
She closed the car door, and they headed across the parking lot toward the track. The girls who had fawned over Eric and Hugh had joined a group of people by the clubhouse. Kat tried to ignore the insanity prickling her nerves.
“Don’t you get enough of an ego boost from being fawned over by strangers?” She knew it was a bitchy thing to say, but she was powerless to stop the attitude from flying in his face like a big red flag. He stopped walking and gripped her arm—hard. The wicked look in his eyes told her that he didn’t see it as a red flag at all.
“I said I was interested in enjoying you, Kat. That means you, not some girls who want an autograph.” The hint of anger in his voice had her stepping back, and him stepping forward. “I’m a public figure. I get hit on all the time.”
“Good for you.” She walked toward the track where Hugh and Bree were setting up the equipment, and he gripped her arm again, more gently this time, keeping her beside him.
“Yes, good for me.” The words were cold, but his eyes were warm. “I can get as much ass as I want, whenever I want. I can also risk disease or bad press, right? That’s real attractive. Let’s not forget the shame that follows a good hookup.” His tone turned thoughtful, and Kat swore she saw a shadow of hurt wash over his face. “We both know that shame, don’t we?”
Daring Her Love Page 6
