by C. L. Roman
“Oh, yeah? What?”
“I’ve got a buddy who was able to find the parts for your car for me. They’re in the back of my truck right now.”
“Seriously?” She threw her empty bottle into the trash, and I pointed to the cooler with a questioning expression. “I’m gonna get some water.” She grabbed a bottle from an ice chest across the patio, before taking the seat beside me again and sliding in a little closer this time. Close enough I could feel the heat of her body next to mine.
“It won’t take long to get you up and running in the morning. I probably could have done it tonight, but I was a little selfish, I guess.”
“How were you selfish?”
“Well.” I set my beer down as I stood up. “You might have left and then I wouldn’t get to do this.”
She didn’t immediately take the hand I held out to her. Instead she looked up at me with a smile that I couldn’t decipher. There was a sparkle of delight in her eyes when she did slip those soft fingers into my palm, and I felt a jolt of desire run right through my veins. Damn, I wanted her, but that little voice in my head kept reminding me that she was out of my league.
“You know what?” she began as we sashayed to George Strait.
I took a deep breath and the scent of her and of strawberries was so sweet I wanted to taste her skin. The closest thing I could dare considering the crowd was to brush a kiss to her earlobe. She shivered, and I grinned.
“What were you going to say?”
It took her a moment to answer, and I liked the idea I was having enough of an effect on her that she had to think about her response. Finally, she spoke, a little breathless. “I was just going to say … I live like four hours away. I probably wouldn’t have decided to make that trip home tonight. So, you were safe.”
I pulled back and looked deep into her eyes with a cocky grin. “That was a chance I just couldn’t afford to take.” I twirled her fast a few times, and she clutched onto me and squealed a little laugh.
I really was learning to love that laugh. She did live almost four hours away, and that was the other reason that nothing could ever come of this little flirtation. I’d never had one, but I knew enough to realize long distance relationships couldn’t work. I liked her. I liked her a lot, and she was definitely the relationship type.
Still, I wasn’t going to let this time with her pass by without enjoying every minute of it. Maybe it would be just a dance. Maybe it would be more. But she was a chance I was definitely willing to take tonight.
Chapter Eleven
Lacey
I’d made a mistake. Walking on the beach had seemed like a great idea, but we had only been strolling a few minutes when my feet began to protest. The shoes Betty had loaned me were just a tad too big, and walking in the sand only made things worse as my feet slid back and forth against the insole.
Luke took a few steps ahead of me, then bent at the waist to pick up something I couldn’t see. Glancing over his shoulder he tossed me a half-smile. “Angel wing. Aunt Betty collects these.”
I rushed forward to take a look and stumbled over my own feet. Luke’s hand reached out to grab me under one arm.
“Easy,” he chuckled. “I thought you only had one beer.”
I rolled my eyes at him, and even though it was dark, I could see by the laughter in his eyes that he saw it.
“Smart ass.” I used my big toe to kick off one shoe, before switching to push the other into the sand. “Your Aunt Betty loaned me this ensemble since I hadn’t packed for a trip. Her feet are a little bigger than mine.”
“Ah, yeah. Her feet and her mouth.”
“Hey.” I hooked my fingers to grab them up, then slipped my free hand into the crook of his arm. “I like Betty.”
“You must. I heard her telling you all those stories about me.”
He turned us back towards the cabins, but I kept my arm in his as we walked, enjoying the sensation of my body so near to his. He was wearing a tank so my palm could clearly feel the definition of his biceps. “I really like the one about you taking apart that engine and declaring it had too much oil.”
Luke snorted. “It wasn’t the whole engine.” I saw him rubbing the shell in between his fingers, so I reached for it.
“You said this is called an angel wing?”
“That’s what we call it. Aunt Betty likes to paint them and make things with them. Pas Bon has been helping her lately.”
“It’s pretty.” I slid my thumb across the ridges on the wing-shaped shell, pausing over the little hole broken near one end.
We had to climb up a little incline to get to my cabin, and Luke went first, putting out his hand to pull me along. My heart was thudding in my chest as we made our way up the steps to the front door. I didn’t want the evening to end. Tomorrow he was probably going to get my car running, and I’d be on my way back to Santa Fe.
“You sure you have everything you need?” he asked as he pulled the screen door open for me. I unlocked, the door, opened it, then turned and stood in the threshold to look at him.
I thought of what I should say, how I could be cool and seductive and lure him into the cabin with me. Instead, I just leaned in and put my hands on his chest and my lips to his.
Both of his arms surrounded me, wrapping around my waist. My fingers migrated up, combing through his hair and tugging gently at the feather-soft locks while he backed us inside.
“You taste so good,” he said as his tongue swept deep to brush mine. “You feel so good.”
My mind started going fuzzy when he slipped his hands to my backside and squeezed to draw my hips tight to his. I knew I should say something, tell him how good he felt and tasted and smelled, and how much I wanted him, but words just failed me.
Apparently, Luke didn’t need the words. He guided us straight towards the bedroom as if he knew the way. And I guess he did, since his aunt owned the place.
Don’t think of his aunt at a time like this, I told myself.
His cool fingers found their way under my shirt and touched the heated skin of my back. I liked that, the hot and cold contrast, and I wanted more. Leaning back, I criss-crossed my arms to grab the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. The crackling of the static electricity in my hair sent a little tingle down my spine, and that sensation increased about ten times when Luke’s hands cupped my breasts.
“Mmmm,” I moaned. It wasn’t a word, but it must have been enough to encourage him because he smoothly hooked his thumbs into the straps of my bra and tugged them down.
Staring at my bare chest, he whispered a slow, “Wow.” He licked his lips and took them down to take one of my nipples into his mouth. I closed my eyes and arched my back, gripping his forearms.
When he switched breasts, I realized I wanted to touch and taste him too, so I reached for his buckle. I made quick work of his belt and shorts, opening them so that I could jerk the hem of his shirt out. He let go of me long enough to let me pull the tank top off entirely and I immediately splayed my palms across his chest. A scattering of brown hair collected into a “V” that pointed in the exact direction I wanted to explore.
He must have read my mind because he gently nudged one of my hands downward, encouraging me to slip my fingers inside his boxers. I fisted his erection, brushing my fingers up and down on the hard, silken length of him before rubbing my thumb over the tip.
“Girl, you’re driving me crazy,” he gritted out.
I laughed and whimpered at the same time when he palmed my breasts again, then pinched both nipples between his thumbs and fingers until they were tight little nubs.
My insides were going to combust. I couldn’t wait any longer for him. I shoved his shorts and boxers down to his ankles, and pointed my finger into his chest to direct him back towards the bed. I smiled, feeling a surge of excitement at taking control, but in an instant he turned the tables. He hooked his hand at the front of my shorts and slingshotted me around so that my backside was turned to the bed. I shrieked a little as I tumbled backw
ards onto the mattress.
“You get to take off that bra, baby. I get to take off the rest.”
I did as he instructed and reached behind me for the clasp, a thrill of anticipation burning through my veins. Once I’d tossed the simple white bra aside, he took hold of my hips and dragged me to the edge of the bed before unbuttoning my shorts and dropping them to the floor.
“Mmm.” His tongue darted out of his mouth, running along his lower lip. He put his hands flat on my belly and caressed the skin around my navel. I waited, expecting him to remove my panties, but he just studied me, touching me with his fingertips, rolling them down to the apex of my thighs with a feather’s touch that left me breathless with need.
Finally, he slid his hand under the lacy hem and trailed a single finger along my wet slit, pressing it inside me. I moaned and raised my hips as he circled the most sensitive part of me in tantalizing motions with his thumb.
“You’re the one driving me crazy now,” I said, surprised at how desperate my voice sounded.
“Then let’s go crazy together already.” In the next instant, I was totally naked, waiting there on the bed for him, my panties discarded somewhere in the bedroom. But he took his own sweet time to let his eyes rove over me, starting low, moving upwards until his gaze met mine. I smiled, suddenly nervous and a little unsure. He winked, just a touch of arrogance in his expression, before he reached down to find some protection in his pants pocket.
I scooted up on the bed, making room for him to kneel down beside me. He was about to roll on the condom, but I leaned in and took him in my mouth, drawing his member in deep before pulling back so he could pop free. Luke only let me do that a few times more, groaning and bending low to clasp me behind my neck so he could kiss me hard.
I tore my mouth away to catch my breath as he moved onto me and settled between my legs. One quick movement and we were joined, my insides stretching to accommodate his large size as a gasp of pleasure passed my lips.
“Yeah,” he gritted out from between clenched teeth. “This is the best kind of crazy to be driven into.”
I should have voiced my agreement, but instead I wiggled my hips, encouraging him to start moving with me. He did, pulling back and thrusting deep again. My nails bit into his back as we rocked together, kisses and gasps and moans mingling with the sound of the washes crashing on the shore outside the cabin.
The coiling pleasure built inside me until finally I cried out, trembling as vibrations of pleasure spread over my body and limbs. Luke wasn’t far behind me, pumping just a few more times before dropping his torso onto mine and wrapping me tight in his embrace as he panted for air.
I smiled, nuzzling his neck before kissing his cheek. “The best kind of crazy.”
Chapter Twelve
Luke
“That one there.” I pointed to the wrench I needed. Lacey reached for the wrong one and I shook my head. “Next one.”
She grinned shyly and handed me the tool I needed, then crouched in silence as I adjusted the last bolt on the cover for her air filter. I put both hands on the hood and gave the entire engine assembly a long examination. Try as I might, I couldn’t find anything else that needed work.
“What now?” she asked, peering under my arm and getting so close I could smell the coconut shampoo I’d used to wash her hair earlier that morning. The memory of that very hot and erotic shower was enough to immediately turn me on. The last thing I needed right now was a hard-on I couldn’t do anything about, so I took a deep breath and a step away from her.
I didn’t know how many times we’d made love last night, but when the sun started to bathe the room in a bright red glow, I’d made the decision to get up. Lacey had stretched long like a cat then rolled out of bed too, both of us looking at each other a moment in silence. I hadn’t been sure what was on her mind, but I damn sure knew what was on mine.
I knew she was leaving today, and just like it was best to rip off the Band-aid quick, I knew that being slow about it would only make it harder to say goodbye to her. She was going home, and I was going to go back to being just another mechanic with grease under his nails.
Rolling my thumb over the tips of my dirty fingers, I forced a smile and shook my head. “Nothin’. Everything else looks good.”
It hadn’t taken long to repair the transmission, even without Felix there to help. And since my helper wasn’t there, Lacey had immediately offered to lend a hand. I’d wanted to groan at that. Aunt Betty often stood over my shoulder while I did repair work on her car, and all she did was annoy the hell out of me. The last thing I wanted was my last day with Lacey to turn sour.
But I’d wondered if that might not be the best thing. If she got on my nerves, it would only prove to me that there was no reason to think any more about her. We were never meant to be anything more than a hook-up.
But damned if the girl did the exact opposite of what I’d expected. Having her around while doing my job turned out to be a pleasure in and of itself. She’d watched me intently the entire time, asking a few questions along the way. When I explained things, she paid attention and did her best to understand. And she wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.
Literally. I now glanced at those petite fingers covered in grease, remembering all the things she’d done with them the night before.
When I’d finished the job of installing her new parts, I’d decided it wasn’t safe to let her get on the road without doing a full inspection of everything. Now a few hours later, her air conditioner was charged, her belts were all clean and checked for cracks, and I’d made sure her air filter didn’t need to be replaced.
I couldn’t come up with another single thing to test. I was all out of delay tactics.
“Thanks, Luke. I appreciate all of this,” she said, reaching into her wallet and handing me a check.
When I looked at the amount, I saw a little more than I’d quoted and started to hand it back to her.
“Don’t worry.” Her smile was wide, but there was a hint of some emotion I wasn’t sure about in her eyes. “I promise it’s good.”
“You didn’t have to make it for this much.” When I looked at it again, I hated the fact that my hand shook a little. I slipped it into my back pocket, then put my hands in my front ones and looked at her.
“I guess I’d better get on the road. Man, I can’t tell you how excited I am to have good A/C again. I tried charging it myself, but it was never as cold as it is now.”
I inclined my head with a grin and a shrug. I didn’t really know what to say right now. Seemed there were any numbers of things I could say, but none of them were right.
“Luke.” She licked her lips and took a few steps towards me. I watched her, wondering what she was thinking. Her hand started to touch my face, but she pulled back and laughed. “Crap. I need to wash this stuff off before I get it all over everything.”
“Oh, here.” I finally found my voice, snapping out of my daze to run back to my truck where I had a container of orange hand cleaner. I pumped a few quarter-sized dollops in my palm, went back to her and slapped some of it into her hand. “Rub them until it all turns grey, then we’ll rinse it over there at the hose.”
We both worked our hands to get the grease and dirt off, and after a few minutes I used my elbow to turn the nozzle on the hose. When they were clean and dried, I had a new thought and pointed my thumb over my shoulder. “It’s almost lunch time. We could eat something…”
She shook her head, rubbing her now-clean hands over her face and eyes. “I should really go, Luke. It’s a long drive and I…” She reached up and touched my cheek, tracing my lower lip with her thumb. “You’ve got really pretty eyes, you know that?”
I laughed. “Not sure you’re supposed to call a guy’s eyes pretty.”
Then she stood on her toes and pressed her lips to mine. It was a simple kiss, but a long one. And I cherished those few seconds of contact, until she backed up and shot me a sad smile. “Thanks again, Luke.”
&
nbsp; “Anytime.”
She got into her car, started it and waved. When she pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the highway, I watched her until I couldn’t see her anymore. And I kept looking, thinking maybe she might turn around and come back.
She didn’t. And that’s when I knew how stupid an old diesel mechanic could really be. I’d just let the prettiest girl I’d ever met drive away. I hadn’t put up a fuss about it. I hadn’t asked if I could call her. I hadn’t even gotten her number.
Chapter Thirteen
Lacey
“'Ella, ‘Ella, ‘Ella…”
Singing wasn’t helping. Or maybe it was just Rihanna’s “Umbrella” that wasn’t helping.
“I hate this damned song. And why the hell can’t people drive!”
I darted around a slow-moving car, laid on my horn at the guy, then hit the button to change the radio station. After an ad for a plumber, one for a local summer fruit market and another for an attorney, the next song finally started: “Hey There, Delilah.”
“Oh my god, no!” I pounded the radio control so hard with my finger that it jammed the joint, and I cursed in pain. I decided that maybe music wasn’t what I needed, so I switched to the AM dial and found a radio talk show.
“… and clearly it was just a game to him. The problem was that you put entirely too much importance on that date. He wasn’t in it for love. He was in it for the fun of it. You need to learn the difference. Instead you’re trying to make this something crazy.”
I hit the knob to turn the radio off entirely. The last thing I needed was to listen to some Hollywood shrink tell some whimpering girl why the guy she had a single date with wasn’t “the one.”
Kind of how the guy I just spent the most phenomenal night of my life with couldn’t possibly be anything more than a one-night stand. A fantastic, mind-blowing, phenomenally crazy one-night stand.
“Get over it, Lace,” I told myself, shaking my head as I passed two more cars. “You’ve got a life. He’s got a life. Your lives are like two hundred miles apart from each other.”
