by Nikki Wild
Was I going too fast again?
I'd been right when I told her that I was good at going fast. She’d taken it as some kind of brag, like I was telling her how great I was. That wasn’t at all how I meant it. I was trying to expose my biggest flaw. There were times in a race when going slow was the only safe way to cross the finish line. I'd had false starts and blown a couple of engines because I revved them too much before the race even began.
I guess my dad was a lot like that to. He didn't understand moderation any more than I did, and the fact that that type of death-defying instincts ran in my veins was the best and worst thing about me.
Fuck it. Fast or not, I wasn't going to die without knowing I’d tried. No way. Not now that life suddenly meant so much to me. If she rejected me, so be it. I could handle it, but I couldn’t handle living the rest of my days wondering what might have happened.
Win or lose, I had to try.
I grunted as I got up and looked over my handiwork. The rental car was as good as new. Only an experienced eye would see the job I'd done, and I had no doubt that it would pass inspection.
I wiped my hands on a rag and then ran them over the car’s curves. The Bentley would do what it was meant to. Unfortunately, that meant it was going to drive Kara right out of my life. Orlando was ten or eleven hours away. After the dance, if she rejected me, she’d be gone forever.
For a second, I got the crazy idea to get in behind the wheel and put the car in neutral. I wouldn't even have to start the engine. There was a deep creek behind the house. After it rained, the waters became a torrent, and a couple of days ago it had poured. It might not wash the Bentley away, but it would destroy it just the same.
It was a stupid thought.
So was the other one that had been circling around my brain for the last few hours, I couldn't make it go away. There were a lot of tools in this place. A lot of machinery perfect for the kind of delicate metalwork bouncing around in my head. It was a silly longshot. Maybe the most foolish thing I’d ever considered doing in my whole life.
There wasn’t much time before the dance…
But I’m good at going fast…
Chapter 24
Kara
If Dane and I were only going to get one last night together, at least I had the dress worthy of the goodbye. I may travel light, but that just meant I knew how to fold and what sort of fabrics to pack. There was bound to be some type of cocktail get together after the conference, not to mention any number of informal meetings of investors over drinks. There always was.
I learned long ago that someone dressed to the nines is person you say yes to. Show up in rags, and you won't get any riches. That was my motto.
When I slipped the red silk dress on over my head, I knew that Dane would be powerless to resist me. I didn’t even need a mirror to know that the damn thing made me into a stunner. It flowed to my ankles, but there was a slit up the edge that turned into something sensational.
I left my bra and panties on the bed since they’d ruin the lines of the dress. Their absence made me feel naughty, and the daring, scooped neckline showed off my cleavage for all it was worth. I’d give Dane a night he wouldn’t forget.
And then I’d be gone.
I couldn’t hide the fact that I was emotional about it. I’d left men in my wake before, but this was different. In the past I hadn't wanted anyone to come along for the ride, and when people got too close to me I simply vanished. It wasn’t hard. All I had to do was stop answering their texts and responding to their emails. I dropped off the face of the earth so that I wouldn't have to do the breakup thing, and I knew in my bones that I was planning to do the same thing again.
It wasn't fair, but it was the right thing to do.
Someone was always getting hurt. That was the way the world worked. I'd spent so much of my life trying to stay one step ahead of everything that this sudden rush of oncoming pain was already starting to be more than I could handle.
I almost didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror. I had to admit she was pretty, which made it even harder to try to convince her that the only way through this would be to grin and bear it.
This is just going to have to be a sweet memory. A fairy tale. Only this time, Cinderella would go back to her old life and her prince would return to his. Forever.
"My word, you look beautiful," Dane said from behind me. I spun around, startled. He wasn't supposed to even be in the house. I thought that he was still downstairs, maybe even in the garage working on the car. He’d changed his clothes, and the overalls I’d seen him wearing before had been replaced by a t-shirt and jeans. For the first time in a long time, I couldn’t find a hint of motor oil or engine grease on him.
I was up in his mother’s room. It was the only room in the house with a full-length mirror and a shower that worked. It was Spartan and quaintly furnished. When I’d first walked in it had it felt like I’d wandered on to the set of The Little House on the Prairie, not that that was a bad thing. People here got by without all the crap we surrounded ourselves with in the city.
“Thanks,” I said, somewhat embarrassed by the way his hungry eyes raked over me.
He took a step closer, and I could feel the room get smaller as he approached. “It’s the truth. You look incredible.” He actually licked his lips, though I don’t think he knew it.
“Cut it out,” I said. “You don’t need to woo me.”
It was tempting to throw caution to the wind and jump into his arms. His mother was in town for a few hours and I knew he wouldn’t turn me down. The nearness of this man, the pure animal heat rolling off his body drew me like a moth to the flame. Still, I resisted, if only to get used to resisting him. After all, I'd have to spend the rest of my life fighting the urge to come back here and make this mistake with him again. I might as well start building up my willpower now.
Dane could tell that I was having trouble saying no, and the struggle brought a wicked grin to his face. "Are you sure you don’t need me to woo you?”
“No.”
“Good.” His eyes twinkled as his handed went to his belt buckle. “My room’s just down the hall, you know…”
“Is it?” Now it was my turn to lick my lips. "Is that supposed to turn me on?"
"It is if it’s working."
It was. God help me, it was. But there were a lot of reasons why I shouldn't fall for him right now. And all of them evaporated when he we our mouths came together.
Screw it. If I was only going to get part of a fairytale, then at least it’d be the good parts of the story!
Dane lifted me up in his arms. I was instantly weightless, and the next thing I knew he was ducking his head beneath the door frame and striding down the hallway with a purpose. Before I could get my bearings I was in his room, and then I was spinning in the air as he tossed me on the bed.
“Careful with the dress!” I managed to warn, at the same time reaching down and sliding the silk up my thighs and over my hips. I was bare underneath, and the growl I heard from him told me that the secret was out in the open.
Dane was special. I knew that my memories of him would be the only thing I had to cling to when I was old and grey and realized I’d squandered my chances at true love. He was the first man that looked at me like I was a thing worth fighting for, and I loved it.
“You’re a vision,” Dane told me in a low voice that seemed to rumble through me. It gave me chills, and my flesh broke out in goosebumps.
Before I could say another word, he grabbed both of my ankles and dragged me toward him, spreading my legs and positioning my ass on the edge of the bed at the same time. Dane pushed his jeans down, and a moment later I felt the searing heat of his thick cock slide up my inner thigh.
I reached down and guided him home. My eyelids fluttered as he filled me with one powerful stroke, and when he pushed my legs up and draped my knees over my shoulders, I moaned loud enough to shake the house. I felt so necessary, so needed.
And vulnera
ble. Held down like that, his strong hands on my elbows as he pinned me to the bed and pounded all of his lust, frustration and passion into me; I wanted to cry tears of joy. I took everything he had to give as I matched him thrust for thrust, bite for bite, scratch for scratch and orgasm for orgasm.
Chapter 25
“I wish I could have said goodbye to your mother,” I told him, once we’d caught our breath and the room had grown still. With a start I realized that maybe I was giving the game away. If I wasn’t careful, he’d work out that I was planning on hitting the road tonight instead of waiting till morning.
And if he did, would he try to stop me?
I glanced over at Dane. He didn’t seem to realize that I’d slipped up. All he said was, “She’ll be back by the time we come home from the dance. If you want to, we can find her and have some coffee before we go to sleep. You two can even have a little girl talk. I think she’d like that."
Dane got up from the bed and started putting on fresh clothes. It looked like he was planning on getting dressed up, too. Sure, the blazer and slacks he was pulling were a bit retro, but he filled them out nicely. Underneath the jacket I could see his muscles move as he came to me, and for the first time in a long time I saw a well-dressed man and didn't want to immediately nitpick his appearance. The fashionista side of me was satisfied, which was surprising.
I had yet to meet a man I couldn't find fault with, or so I’d thought up to now.
Dane looked embarrassed. "I probably should have bought you flowers. I didn’t have time, but I did get your chariot ready." I didn't know what he was talking about until he led me from his room and down the stairs to the front door. From there, gleaming in the very last of the afternoon sun, I could plainly see that the Bentley was ready to go. He’d even washed and polished it. The chrome gleamed, but I felt like the weight of the world had just come crashing down on me.
The car looked as good as new. I had no doubt that when I returned to the rental car place, they wouldn't even bat an eye. But now that it was done, so were we.
"So what do you think?” Dane asked eagerly. I could tell from the tone of his voice that I’d already taken long to express my gratitude. As usual.
Oh well. It was too late to learn proper manners. After tonight, it wouldn't really matter who I pissed off, anyway. I only had to focus on keeping my job and letting the rest of the cards fall where they may. I’d work my ass off and dragged myself up by the bootstraps. I’d be crazy to throw all that away on a wish or a dream.
"It's beautiful," I cooed. "You worked so hard on it!"
Dean shrugged. "For you. It wasn't easy, but I knew that it mattered. I wanted this thing out of the garage before…" His voice trailed off, I looked over at him suspiciously.
“Before what?"
He shook his head. “Before you left. I wanted to make sure it was up and running. There’s a small town mechanic’s pride at stake, after all."
He wasn’t very convincing, but I let it go. I didn’t want to, but I felt like I had to, for both our sakes. I knew why he needed the car out of that garage. The Reapers would be coming for their new toy soon enough.
Instead of nagging him about the Bentley, I squeezed his bicep through the jacket and bit my lip, still unable to ignore the heated press of his muscle against any part of my body.
Dane led me to the car, and by some shared agreement I went to the passenger seat and he went to the driver’s side. Once we were settled and had our seatbelt on, he started the engine and it sprang to life with a roar.
Not for the first time with him, I felt like royalty. There was so much luxury in his car, it felt like we were going somewhere other than some small time church’s dance. This was the type of vehicle you took on your way to a private island, or drove away from the news cameras in after you’ve been elected president of the world.
I pressed myself back in my seat and closed my eyes. I knew what he was going to do before he did it, but that didn’t stop a little thrill of joy I knew I’d remember forever as he put his big, scarred hand on the middle of my thigh, two of his fingers sliding possessively up the cut in the dress.
It felt right, sitting there beside him like that. It felt like he and I were meant to be and when he stomped on the gas and the wheels spun beneath us, throwing us forward along the dirt road toward the dance, I let out a little squeal that he'd gotten so good at making me yelp.
I knew he liked that noise. I'd known since the first time I made for him.
We raced along the road. The trees were a blur, and the headlights snapped on automatically as the sun set finished.
The countryside was gorgeous and I let myself enjoy what the bright lights revealed to me. I tried to memorize every one of the rolling hills and sweeping planes, the crops in the fields and the occasional slow tractor going from one to the next that we roared by it as if it was standing still.
There was a life to be had here. I’d never really let myself give it much thought before, but these hard-working people had dreams and ambitions just like I did. I would've turned my nose up at them before, but now I could see them for what they were. Honest. Strong. Some of them might not want more than they could hold in their hands, but if you needed something, they’d be there to help without a second thought.
Which is why it was so strange that the Reapers were allowed to be here at all. Why didn't the community just band together and get rid of them?
I knew it wasn’t that easy. Nothing ever was. There would be connections with the people who mattered, money changing hands, and the mere threat of violence if anyone dared step out of line. Whatever they had would be enough. Everyone else would live quiet and keep their mouth shut until the Reapers moved on to a new home.
"Tonight," Dane told me, the well-insulated cabin letting me hear his voice over the revs of the engine, "You're mine. I don't know what happens tomorrow. I want to say I don't care, but I do."
"Let's just worry about tonight," I told him.
They were the only words I could let myself give him. I knew it wasn't enough. Not for me, and not for him. Worse, it was a lie. I was planning on leaving, and the fact that he and I were taking the Bentley meant that I’d be ditching him at the church…
It was the way it had to be.
Chapter 26
When we pulled up, it was like the whole town was there. The parking lot was full to bursting, which meant that we had to park a few streets over and walk. Not that I minded. After the passion and tension of the day, there was something lovely, not to mention incredibly normal about walking arm in arm with Dane.
As we strolled alongside other couples on their way to the church as well, it felt like I really was one of the townsfolk. It had been so long since I could let my guard down like that… Usually, I’d be ready to either bark orders or trying to convince myself to scheme and plot to get ahead. Here, all I had to do was let Dane love me and get out of my own damn way.
There was music spilling out of the church doors as we approached, and around the side I could see another, larger space setup for gatherings like this. Dane steered me in that direction, and I followed his lead.
If I’d been expecting just an old iPod and a playlist full of tired, hokey country songs, I was sorely disappointed. The voice of Billy Ray Cyrus certainly made an appearance, but it wasn't like everyone was just boot scooting and line dancing that was it.
As soon as we got in Dane swept me off my feet spun me toward the dance floor. I obliged, eager to throw myself into the evening and push the thoughts of leaving aside, if only for an hour or two.
We danced. The people around us smiled and laughed, and more than one couple asked how long we'd been together.
"Feels like forever," I told them whenever they did, and it didn't feel like a lie.
There were little sandwiches and punch provided, and the mouthwatering aroma of barbecue billowed in from out the back. Now and then Dane and I would stop to eat or drink something, but it was like we didn't want to be
away from the music for too long. In there on the dance floor, we knew what to do. We knew each other's bodies.
Away from it, there was a conversation looming that neither one of us wanted to have. For my part, I didn't know how to begin, but starting it wasn’t the hardest part. Ending it was.
Finally, once most of the older couples had begged off for their warm beds and quiet, unassuming homes, I could see in his eyes that we couldn't put it off any longer. As if on cue the DJ took a break, and the music trailed off.
Dane opened his mouth…
"Before you start," I said, cutting him short in a panic, "I just need a little of air, okay?"
"Of course."
"On my own. My head’s spinning, and I want to clear it."
There were folding chairs all around the perimeter the dance floor, and an hour or so before Dane had taken off his jacket and draped it over one of them. I slipped through the few remaining people milling around, grateful that the lights were still turned down low.
That way, I could get to his jacket without him seeing me.
It had a lot of pockets, but when he’d parked the Bentley I’d watched exactly where he’d stashed the keys. Lucky me, he’d chosen the inside breast pocket instead of one of the ones in his pants. It was fortuitous, and I took it as a sign.
When I picked up the jacket to relieve Dane of the keys, I heard it make a jingling noise that told me I was on the right track. Except, it didn't sound like freedom.
I reached inside, and before my fingers could find the keys they found something else entirely.
My heart stopped. I think every woman has ingrained in their DNA an understanding of what that little jewelry box is going to feel like. We could find it in the dark, purely by scent, if we had to. The rounded corners, gentle curve of the top, even the weight of it are as familiar to us as our own faces.
