In the Fast Lane

by Audra North

  She laughed, and her inner muscles clenched around him, making him groan. He flexed and began to withdraw, trying to keep the pace slow and easy as she writhed beneath him.

  “That feels so good. So good.”

  He pulled out to the tip before sliding back into her sweet heat, gaining confidence in his control as he found a rhythm. Slow in, slow out. He fucked her for a while, just like that, watching with primal satisfaction as her body grew flushed and damp, and her moans got louder, deeper.

  “Ranger!” It came out on a moan so loud it was nearly a wail, a desperate, keening sound.

  “What is it, sugar? You can tell me. Tell me what you want, baby. You can tell me now. I want you to tell me.”

  “I’m almost there. I’m almost there. I need you. Harder. Faster. Please oh my God oh God—”

  Her words died out as he picked up his pace, nearly slamming into her now as his hips pumped wildly, her hands on his body setting a fast rhythm. He could feel her inner muscles tightening around him, feel her getting close to the edge just before she pulled him to her for a hot, wet, open-mouthed kiss and screamed her release into his mouth.

  “Aw, fuck!” Ranger shouted, thrusting once, twice, then going rigid as his cock spasmed inside of Kerri, filling her with his come. He could feel her channel squeezing him still, the last flutters of her orgasm finishing him off before he collapsed on top of her.

  They lay like that for a moment, recovering, until Kerri sighed and sifted her fingers through his hair, then stroked a hand over his shoulder.

  “Well. I’m glad we had that little talk.”

  Ranger laughed and pulled her into another kiss.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kerri and Ranger sat in the skybox at the Kansas Speedway, waiting for Lee’s race to begin. It had been two days since they’d had “The Talk,” as she teasingly referred to it, and they’d moved from obligatory public kissing to working extra had to keep everything PG-rated in front of the fans. But they’d also agreed to keep it casual. Temporary. They both knew that he was leaving at the end of the season, and that engaging emotions would only end up in heartbreak.

  They were sitting side by side, looking down at the track. She played with his short hair and he stroked one hand over her thigh, watching as the trucks line up behind the pole.

  He nudged her gently. “So, why aren’t you up on the box? Don’t you spot for Lee like he spots for you?”

  She sighed. “I tried to, especially since this is Lee’s first season in racing. Good to have someone who knows what she’s doing. But in the first race, around lap seventy, his biggest rival was coming up fast on the outside and I told Lee to let the guy—Matt Hardwick—pass. Matt simply had a faster truck. There was no way Lee would have been able to hold his lead. It was just a question of whether he was going to do it like a gentleman or make Matt work for it, which is no way to being a season with a driver who has two more years of pro racing experience on you.”

  She shook her head at the memory. “Of course, Lee refused because he thought I was just being a concerned sister, and he tried to move to block Matt, but he pulled it so hard that the back of his truck fishtailed and he ended up clipping the other truck. Matt kept going, but Lee had to pit because he tore a huge section off the side of his truck. Blamed me, of course. After that, we fought too much to have me on the channel at any point.”

  “So you’ve been banished to the box?”

  She snorted. “Something like that. Lee is so stubborn.”

  “You realize that’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said, right?”

  She grinned. “Maybe. But like Dad used to say, I prefer stubborn winners to pushover sack-of-shit losers.”

  “That’s very, um, poetic.”

  “I didn’t say it should be embroidered on a pillow or anything. But he was right. You can’t let yourself be pushed around if you want to survive in this sport. I respected Lee’s decision, even though he crossed that fine line between stubborn and stupid.”

  She didn’t add what she desperately wanted to—You’re a lot like us, Ranger. She’d learned even more about him these past couple of days, and it was clear that even though he was a smart guy who really did care about people, in one respect he was a blind fool. Now that she knew the story of what had happened between him and his dad, she compared how he thought about that part of himself with the rest of who he was, she couldn’t help but think that he was veering dangerously close to the “stupid” side of that fine line.

  The problem was that, even though she knew he was an idiot when it came to everything that she held dear—namely, Hart Racing—she couldn’t help but like him more every day.

  Which was becoming a bit of a problem.

  There were moments when he would see a reporter and immediately pull her to him to kiss him. Not because he really seemed to want to at that moment—even though it always ended up hotter and heavier than it should have—but because somehow the notion had gotten into his head that their relationship had not only made the Earl problem disappear, but that it was somehow a box to check off on his list of items that would make Hart Racing a success. Find sponsor, check. Improve team image, check. Get in between Kerri’s legs, check.

  Oh, she knew he wasn’t thinking of it in those crude terms. She was pretty sure he didn’t even realize that something was wrong with his business-like approach to everything. But in the end, business was what it boiled down to for Ranger.

  That wasn’t really the problem, though. What was troubling Kerri was that she hadn’t thought she would care this much. She’d meant it the other day when she told him she wanted him. She’d agreed to keep things casual. She’d intended to have fun with him and to make the most out of their pretense at a relationship.

  But things … things were changing.

  “You okay, sugar?”

  She came out of her thoughts to realize that he was staring at her, concerned.

  “I’m fine.” The lie came out a bit stilted, but she already knew this wasn’t something she could talk about with him. If it had just been money, she could handle that. She might be willing to take the risk then. But the feelings he had about his dad ran too deep. He’d do what he set out to do and then he’d leave, and no argument would sway him otherwise, because the desire for revenge couldn’t be argued against. It wasn’t rational.

  He frowned but didn’t push the issue, and they watched as the trucks started up and did a lap before the green flag went up. After that, time flew by, she was so absorbed in what was going on, analyzing Lee’s racing, noting things he needed to work on as well as potential modifications they should make to the truck. By the time there were only two laps left, Lee was neck and neck with Norman Holloway, an eighteen-year-old from Kentucky whom fans adored as much for his good looks as for his driving.

  Kerri couldn’t take the anticipation, rising up to press herself against the glass, watching with growing excitement as Lee started to overtake Norm. “Oh, my God. He’s coming up the side. He’s coming up the side … yes!” She clenched her fist as he moved ahead.

  Ranger was up at her side in a moment. “Holy hell, is he leading now?”

  She nodded. “They’ve got just over one lap left. If he can hold it…” She trailed off, too distracted by the action on the track, and Ranger didn’t ask anything else, just put his hand on her back as if to say, I gotcha. It’s gonna be great.

  God, if only it were that simple. She was afraid she was really starting to fall for him.

  The white flag went up, signaling the final lap, with Lee in the lead, and she pushed those thoughts away, bouncing on her toes. He had this. Leaders going into the last lap almost always won. It was practically a given. And yet, she couldn’t keep herself from holding her breath, tensing her entire body as she watched his truck whip around that last corner, zooming into the straight, going, going—

  “He won! He won! He won!” She was hopping around and screaming like a banshee, and while she knew she must loo
k ridiculous, the pride she was feeling was making her crazy. She grabbed Ranger and nearly suffocated him with kisses before turning to accept congratulations from other owners and relatives in the box, the elation growing with every hug and handshake.

  “Come on, let’s get down there.” She grabbed Ranger’s hand, pulling him toward the exit. “I still can’t believe this. He’s the youngest driver to ever win a pro stock race. This is big. This is so big. Oh man, he’s gonna be insufferable.”

  Ranger laughed, running after her as she careened down the stairs, pushing her way through the celebrating crowds.

  “Really? The youngest ever?”

  She paused to catch her breath and couldn’t resist grabbing him again in a strong hug. She nodded. “Yup. And that means he’s going to want to celebrate.”

  Ranger picked up on her teasing tone, because he quirked one eyebrow and gave her a deep, sensual kiss before asking, “What, exactly, does Lee’s version of celebrating entail?”

  “He likes to go dancing.”

  “Like, at a club? Isn’t he a bit young for that?”

  “Well, not quite. I checked with the hotel this morning, just in case. Their ballroom is free and the manager said he’d open it up for us if Lee won. It’s a thing we do before every race, just in case. I just can’t believe it’s actually happening! He’s going to invite all the other drivers, and we’re gonna have ourselves a breakdancing party, baby.”

  “Whoa, what? How much is that going to cost us?”

  Her jaw dropped, elation turning to anger. “Please tell me you are not worrying over the tiny amount of money this’ll cost.”

  “That’s not—”

  “Youngest winner ever, Ranger. Are you kidding me that you’re not going to let him celebrate this?”

  She’d pulled away from him now, arms crossed over her chest.

  “I wasn’t going to shut it down, I promise. Kerri…” He reached for her, but she jerked away, still angry.

  A light flashed nearby, and they both turned to see a photographer turning away, immediately swallowed up by the crowd.

  Shit. Damn her temper! She should have held it in check until they were in private.

  She sighed. Nothing they could do about it now.

  Ranger must have had the same thought, because he turned back to her. “I’m not trying to ruin his celebration. But I am trying to manage the finances of the team, and I need to know these things. I’m sorry it came across as though I was trying to call it off. I was just surprised.”

  She fumed for half a second longer, then conceded that, fine, he had a point. “I’m sorry. I just—” I still worry that we’re nothing but numbers to you. “I got carried away.”

  He reached for her again, and this time she went to him, snuggling against his chest.

  “So … Lee likes to breakdance?”

  She could hear the smile in his voice, and she nodded. “He’s really good, too.”

  “I’m not going to have to dance, am I? Because I really, truly, don’t mind paying for it. But I draw the line at dancing.”

  She kissed him again, then gave him a mischievous grin. “Don’t worry, we can have our own private celebration afterward, up in my room.”

  “In that case, what are we waiting for? Let’s get the party started.”

  * * *

  Buzz buzz.

  Ranger’s phone was vibrating. He pulled his attention away from where Lee was tearing it up on the dance floor—Kerri hadn’t been kidding when she said Lee was really good at breakdancing—and grabbed the phone out of his pocket.

  Aw, fuck.

  Al Colt’s picture took up the entire display. Ranger scowled at that same too-big nose his father had passed on to him, stalked out of the ballroom into the quieter hallway, and answered with a terse “Ranger.”

  Al didn’t waste time, either, not even bothering to greet Ranger. “What’s going on between you and Kerri Hart?”

  Ranger almost responded as usual to Al’s brisk tone, but something in Al’s voice caught at him. This project with Hart Racing was making him question what he thought he’d known.

  Still, he proceeded with caution. If Al was treating this like business as usual, Ranger couldn’t afford to tip his hand. “Everything you need to know is in the press release,” he replied, but he kept his voice easy. Nonconfrontational.

  “I disagree.” Al’s response wasn’t exactly friendly, but it wasn’t scornful, either. It gave Ranger pause. Maybe Al’s past actions meant that he didn’t deserve his son’s regard, but Ranger was no longer willing to behave so badly, despite that past. Whether that was Kerri’s doing or the larger spirit of the racing world, he wasn’t sure. But he knew it didn’t feel right anymore.

  Al was asking for more, even if he hadn’t actually asked. And he was still Ranger’s boss. He deserved to know.

  Ranger blew out a frustrated breath. “We’re still doing damage control for the Earl situation. The worst of it has died down, but we need to maintain this steady, uneventful image for a while.”

  “Is that so?”

  Talk about testing his new resolve. He hated that superior, challenging note in Al’s voice. It made Ranger’s adrenaline start rising, wanting to take that challenge and crush it. All thoughts of Kerri and the enviable closeness she had with her family fled as Ranger’s blood pumped harder. Was Al up to something?

  Calm down. Stay respectful. Even if you don’t feel that way. “Yeah. I’ve got it under control.”

  Al continued to push. “There a photo of the two of you looking fit to be tied on the landing page of Sports Monthly’s website. Caption says it was taken earlier today at the track. Is that what you call control?”

  What the fuck? Ranger scanned his memory, trying to figure out what photo Al could possibly be talking about. There had been fewer and fewer reporters hovering around them lately, since they’d been behaving exactly like a boring, staid couple with nothing to hide. No drama to reveal. When would—

  Oh. Wait. That flash that had interrupted the discussion he’d had with Kerri earlier about the cost of renting out the ballroom. Ranger could still feel the thudding vibrations of hip hop music coming from behind the doors. Lee was probably still on the dance floor, spinning, rolling, and doing all sorts of maneuvers that Ranger hadn’t even known were physically possible until tonight.

  That photographer had taken a snapshot in that one instant that he and Kerri had looked like they were deep in a major fight, then thrown it up on the site without a second thought.

  God damn it.

  “It’s trivial. Already yesterday’s news.” As long as nothing else comes up to cause any more problems.

  “It’s not trivial and you know it. You’re already deep enough into the season that you should be making sure Hart’s image is spic-and-span, son.”

  He tried not to cringe when Al called him that. But Al’s dad voice had gentled, and the entire exchange was throwing Ranger off. His emotions were being pulled in too many directions, confusing the situation even more. He blew out a breath and looked up at the ceiling. “What are you suggesting I do? Make a stir about it, insist that we weren’t fightin’? That’ll have ’em practically breathin’ down our necks for the next few months.”

  There was a moment of silence, and then, “That redneck way of talking is really rubbing off on you, son.”

  Aw, hell, no. Ranger nearly exploded with rage. “Don’t you dare talk about them like that.” His voice was barely audible, he was gritting his teeth so hard. “You have no idea who they are. You have no idea who I am. They work hard and so do I, and if you have a problem with the way I’m running this project, quit fucking around and just say so.”

  Damn it. He’d lost his cool despite his resolve to be cautious.

  To his surprise, though, Al just chuckled, the sound scratchy and strange even through the phone.

  “Fine. It’s your project. I trust you. But a few more photo ops of some hand-holding, meaningful looks, any of that crap, wo
uldn’t hurt.”

  Al trusted him? He’d never said anything like that before. What the hell was happening to the sonofabitch Ranger had always known Al to be?

  “I’ll take care of it.” Ranger was suddenly exhausted. All he wanted was to get off the phone and pretend this conversation had never happened. “I’ll keep you posted if there are any important developments.”

  With that, he hung up, not bothering to say good-bye, and headed back into the ballroom to find Kerri.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Kerri had been keeping an eye on the door since she saw Ranger slip out of the ballroom ten minutes before. He’d been staring down at his phone, frowning, and from the set of his shoulders she could tell he wasn’t happy. Ten minutes later, she was about to head out into the hallway to find him when the door cracked open and he slipped back inside.

  He looked even more tense than when he’d left.

  Damn. Had he lost a sponsorship opportunity or something? Or, God forbid, had something gone wrong at the garage?

  No. They would have called Grady for that. It had to be something to do with money. That’s what Ranger cared about.

  Although … not really. Of course there was so much more to what he cared about than just dollar signs. She’d thought that enough times before already. But his feelings toward his dad were getting in the way of the man he could be. The man she wanted.

  Aw, who was she kidding? She wanted him, anyway, flaws and all. She wanted him now. She wanted to wipe that frown from his face and make him relax again. On a sigh, Kerri pushed her way through the dancing crowd of Lee’s friends, over to where Ranger was leaning against the wall, brooding.

  “Hey.” She had to pitch her voice louder to be heard over the music, but he leaned his head toward her, somehow creating an intimate space in the middle of a raging dance party.

  What had happened? This close, she could see that his mouth was drawn tight, his eyes sharp and bright with something unpleasant. She stole a look at the dance floor. She couldn’t even see Lee, he was so deep in the crowd, but Grady was standing on the fringes, keeping an eye on their little brother.