High Test

by Elizabeth Noble

  “How about I pick you up and take you to the campus? We can leave right from there. I wouldn’t mind another look around the concept lab if it’s possible.”

  Panic surged through Hayden. No way was Neal getting even close to the hovel he called an apartment. That would end their relationship for certain and probably not in a pretty way. “It’d be pretty boring for you hanging around with nothing to do while I work.”

  “Does this college have a library?” Neal asked.

  Hayden nodded. “Yeah.”

  “And I’m guessing there is at least one donut shop or coffee stand somewhere there, right?”

  “Yeah.” Hayden grinned. “I have to check on things at the coffeehouse. We can meet there.”

  “All right, and don’t worry. I won’t be bored,” Neal said, then kissed the end of Hayden’s nose.

  Hayden slid both arms around Neal’s neck and kissed him. Neal spun them around so now Hayden was trapped between Neal and the car. Hayden’s body ignited, and he pulled Neal closer.

  Too soon Neal stepped away, rubbed Hayden’s arms a few times, and took a few deep breaths. “I’d really better go before I do something very ungentlemanly and probably illegal to you on the hood of this car.”

  That set Hayden’s body on fire and his imagination running rampant. He had a very clear mental image of Neal boosting him onto the front of the car and his clothes coming off in a frenzy of activity. Neal would pull his trousers down far enough to let his cock loose, and Hayden would wrap his legs around Neal’s hips and yank them together.

  “What time?” Neal asked.

  “Huh?” Hayden looked up and gulped down a moan.

  “To pick you up? What time? At your coffee shop?” Neal smiled, making his eyes crinkle. Hayden thought that was so sexy.

  “Before, I… I was going to give this to you before, and I….” Hayden dug in his pocket for the piece of paper with his number.

  Neal stepped back a pace and took his phone from his pocket, holding it out to Hayden. “It would probably be easier if you put the info in. Or I can do it.”

  Hayden snatched the phone from Neal and made quick work out of entering his contact information. Then he grinned and called himself. Neal laughed softly when Hayden’s eyebrows bobbed and he said, “Now I have your number. You can text me your address.” He stuffed the paper into Neal’s hip pocket. “Just in case.” He turned and unlocked his car, motioned inside. “Do, um, you want a ride to where you’re parked?”

  “I think I’d better walk,” Neal said and grinned. “I’ll see you in the morning for coffee, and you can tell me what time I need to pick you up Friday.” He leaned forward and took Hayden’s chin, holding him firmly, and kissed his lips softly.

  When Neal released him, Hayden glanced down, flushed, and then smiled softly as he lifted his gaze to meet Neal’s again. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you for dinner.”

  “Thank you,” Neal murmured. He turned and left but glanced over his shoulder a few times and waved before disappearing around the corner.

  Hayden got in, laid his phone on the seat next to him, and started the car. He was halfway home when a text came in, Neal’s home and work address. Warmth spread through Hayden when he glanced down and saw a picture of a classic Chevy and a red rose in the next text.

  Chapter Four

  THE day they’d decided upon for their trip to the car show was humid and overcast. Thunder rumbled in the distance as Hayden got off the bus near the coffeehouse. He had no idea what Neal’s car looked like, and most of the vehicles driving along the street could have easily been his. It was no fabrication that Hayden’s car, which Neal had referred to as a classic, was being restored. Most of the time it was drivable, but today it had decided not to start. Hayden would fix it—he always did—and Steffie and Rick would help him get to school if needed, but he didn’t have the time to fool with it today. Usually Hayden took the bus to work unless he had to go right to school from there, but he didn’t want Neal to know that.

  Hayden walked briskly down the street from the bus stop. A bright flash of light was followed by a louder crack of thunder within seconds. The wind picked up a little, ruffling Hayden’s hair. He reached for the door handle of the coffeehouse and realized it was locked and the lights were off. The opening crew should have been there an hour ago. Since Hayden wasn’t scheduled to work that day, he didn’t have his store keys. They’d had a string of very unreliable employees lately. It seemed as if he, Steffie, and one or two others were the only ones who needed a job and took theirs seriously. Grumbling under his breath, he pulled out his phone and checked it.

  “If someone couldn’t make it in, they should have called,” Hayden mumbled. Steffie hadn’t called either, so it was likely she didn’t know anything about this. With a shrug Hayden put his phone away. He wasn’t scheduled for a few more days, and ultimately it wasn’t his responsibility.

  A light blue Aston Martin One-77 pulled up to the curb, taking Hayden’s attention away from the store. With one hand still on the coffeehouse door, he twisted on his heels to admire the vehicle he’d seen reflected in the glass. It was an unusual vehicle even around here. The car’s horn honked, and the passenger window rolled down. Neal waved from the driver’s side.

  “Perfect timing,” Neal called.

  Hayden stood staring, hand still on the door.

  “Is everything all right?” Neal asked. “I can come in and get us a—”

  “No! I mean, yes. Everything is just great.” Hayden let go of the door and jogged the few paces to the car. “This is… wow…. I’ve never been in one of these.” He leaned down and talked to Neal through the window. “My family believes in more… um… regular and practical cars.”

  “Well then, it’s high time you had a ride in one.” Neal laughed a little. “It’s not my everyday car, of course, but today isn’t every day.”

  Neal leaned over and pushed open the door, and Hayden slid into the car. He ran the fingertips of one hand reverently over the luxurious leather.

  “Are you sure you don’t need to go inside?” Neal nodded toward the coffeehouse. “Looks closed.”

  “Huh? Oh, no, uh… about the store and—”

  “Guess we’d better get going, then,” Neal cut him off, winked, and put the car in gear, then guided it into traffic.

  Hayden leaned against the plush seat back. “It shouldn’t take me long to wrap things up at the university.”

  The traffic was in a snarl, and Hayden sat quietly while Neal concentrated on navigating the streets. It gave Hayden a chance to check Neal out, which was becoming his new favorite hobby. Today he wore faded jeans, a cotton button-down shirt, dark green leather jacket, and work boots. His outfit looked ordinary enough, but Hayden recognized that all the garments Neal wore probably cost more than every stitch of clothing Hayden owned.

  Stop thinking in terms of how much money everything cost.

  Neal was a good, kind man, and Hayden decided it was time he was completely truthful, before they got too far into a relationship.

  Today.

  He’d do it today and hope he didn’t have to walk home.

  By the time they arrived at the university, the overcast sky was even grayer, and lightning lit up the clouds every few minutes.

  “You’re not permitted in the lab where the current projects are going on,” Hayden explained. He pointed to a group of buildings. “There are common areas with a food court, huge magazine-lending kiosk, and a lounge. Free Wi-Fi too if you want to get online. I can meet you over there in an hour?”

  “I’ll be anxiously awaiting your return,” Neal said. He smiled and waved when Hayden got out of the car. Hayden turned and jogged backward for a few paces so he could wave back.

  Hayden sprinted to the automotive engineering building and to the project lab. He focused on his task, whistling as he got everything in order and completed. Before his hour was up, he was on his way to meet Neal.

  The food court was in the main bui
lding and located on the first floor. There was a commissary and student lounge with tables in a lowered center area. Scattered around were small couches and big, overstuffed chairs. Neal had planted himself in one of the chairs, ankle resting on his other knee, with a magazine spread over his leg. He must have been watching because as soon as Hayden started down the steps toward him, Neal closed the magazine and dropped it onto the small table beside him. Two large cups were on the table as well, along with wax paper packages of some sort of bagel sandwich.

  “That was fast,” Neal said. He held out one of the cups to Hayden, then reached for the little packages. “Gotta love college food. It seems no matter where you attend or when, it’s all pretty much the same.”

  Hayden shrugged. “True, but another common denominator is most college students are pretty broke.”

  “Yes, they are.” Neal gave him an appraising look and Hayden shook off the feeling Neal knew Hayden was a fake. After Hayden took the cup, Neal held a package in each hand. “Ham or turkey?”

  “Ham. Thanks.” Hayden took a bite and swallowed. He took a sip from the cup. “Oh, this is good. I was expecting coffee.”

  Neal dipped his head at one of the food stands. There was a sign that read Indian Rose Tea Served Daily. “I have a bit of an obligation to at least once in a while forgo the coffee. I’m one of those Kirchners.”

  Hayden gulped down the last of his sandwich. “I think I knew that. I won’t hold it against you.” The only thing I want to hold against you is me.

  “That’s good. We’d better get on the road.”

  “Neal!” a woman’s voice called from across the commissary. She wore a skirt and blouse and stretched her arm over her head to wave at Neal. “I didn’t expect to run into you here.” The woman looked to be in her midthirties, with shoulder-length, dark brown hair and minimal makeup. Hayden didn’t see any jewelry on her hands. Once she was beside them, she slipped an arm around Neal’s waist, stood on her toes, and kissed his cheek.

  “Maeve. Hello. How’ve you been?” Neal didn’t return her affectionate greeting. “This is Hayden. We’re on our way to the car show.”

  Maeve gave Hayden a far too critical up-and-down appraisal. He had to fight not to squirm and retreat. “Hello,” he meekly replied. Neal rested one hand on Hayden’s back in that same comforting way he’d done at the restaurant.

  “There is a golf outing next weekend at Granny’s club. I’d love it if you’d come.” Maeve slipped her arm through Neal’s and snuggled up to him.

  Jealousy gripped Hayden. He’d known this guy, what, a few weeks, and he was feeling jealous of a woman? Which was completely stupid since Neal didn’t hide the fact he was gay.

  Neal stepped away from her, but kept his hand on Hayden. “Now, Maeve, you know golf isn’t my thing. We’d better get on our way. Say hello to your grandmother for me.”

  Ushering Hayden with him, Neal walked fast toward the exit. Once they were outside and heading across the parking lot, he sighed. “I’m sorry. She’s Mirabel’s granddaughter. I love Mirabel to death, but Maeve doesn’t get it. I’m not ever going to be interested in her. I wasn’t when I was thirty-five and definitely not now that I’m forty-five.”

  “No worries. It seems there’s one of those in every crowd.” Hayden stopped beside the Aston Martin and waited for Neal to unlock the car. As soon as he heard the little bleep from the remote, he got in and settled into a seat that was more comfortable than his furniture.

  Neal leaned forward as he drove and peered out the front window at the sky. “I hope we don’t get rained out.”

  “Me too,” Hayden agreed and took out his phone. “Storm warnings, high winds possible, sort of the normal stuff.”

  Neal nodded. He maneuvered the car onto the highway and glanced at Hayden, then snickered. “Watch out for the cops.”

  “Sweet!”

  Once they cleared the on-ramp, Neal opened the car up. The traffic wasn’t heavy; in fact there was very little at this time of day.

  “Zero to sixty in under four seconds,” Neal bragged good-naturedly.

  “Two twenty top speed,” Hayden added. “My classic cars have nothing on this baby.” Even with the cloudy sky, the light shone off the car’s exterior brilliantly and generated hues of blues, silvers, and purples. The ride was incredibly smooth, and even when accelerating, the engine purred. Hayden might not have noticed the shifting gears if he weren’t so tuned in to vehicles and their different types of engines. He leaned over far enough to get a glimpse of the speedometer. “You ever open it up and go top speed?” They were doing a little over 125 mph now.

  Neal shook his head. They came up on a part of the highway with more cars. He lifted his foot off the gas pedal, and the car slowed. Hayden paid very close attention and caught the sound of downshifting gears and the change in the engine’s hum.

  “Not on public roads. I have a house and property not far from here, and I have gone top speed there. I don’t think you simply get a ticket for going that fast on a highway. I’d probably be executed or something,” Neal said.

  Hayden burst out laughing. “I doubt it’d be that bad.”

  Now that they were traveling the speed limit, Neal let go of the steering wheel with one hand and began pointing out features to Hayden. “Front and rear parking cameras—even James Bond didn’t get that. This is the 2012 model. Trip computer and touch sensitive LED lights.”

  Laughing, Hayden said, “You don’t have to sell me on this kind of car. It’s fun seeing the after product. Usually what I’m looking at is prototypes, designs, and renderings.”

  The car show took place outside the city limits, but still in Greenville County. Blue mountains filled the horizon, and lush green grass covered the rolling hills leading up to them. It was a normal South Carolina day, warm and humid. They parked and made their way into the show. The show’s grounds were a huge open plot of land. There were vendors set up along one side displaying wares from model cars to vintage parts to beaded jewelry and art featuring countless types of automobiles. Some were under tents, others were uncovered.

  People came from all over the world to display every sort of vehicle. There were private collectors as well as museum displays, organized in groups as well as in lines. Some were roped off, others encouraged people to touch and sit in the cars. Miniature podiums were placed in front of each vehicle with information about that particular design.

  Hayden didn’t feel nearly as self-conscious today as he had at dinner the other night. He wasn’t sure if it was the setting, how they were dressed, or the fact people were more focused on the cars and trucks everyone was here to see. It was nice being able to walk hand in hand through the rows of vehicles—old, new, and upcoming.

  “There’s a lot to be said for these antique cars.”

  “Yeah,” Hayden agreed. “Like the way those cranks could break your arm when you tried to start the car.”

  “Nothing’s perfect,” Neal said with a grin and a shrug.

  Hayden enjoyed talking about the vehicles and sharing his knowledge regarding how they were engineered. Neal had a knack for making him seem as if he were the most important person in the world.

  Tell him the truth.

  The longer Hayden waited, the more difficult this was going to be. He was going to slip up sooner or later, if he hadn’t already. They stopped at a vendor for lunch, taking their food and wandering through a section of the show that featured American working and utility vehicles.

  “Luxury cars are nice, but there’s nothing like a good, sturdy truck. Robust and dependable, that’s what I like,” Neal commented. He ran one hand along the side of a pickup truck a few decades old. “Don’t you think?”

  “Y-yeah.” Caught off guard, Hayden faltered. He wasn’t sure what, but he had the definite feeling Neal was trying, in some roundabout way, to tell him something.

  The clouds began to darken, and though the storm still looked a distance away, they were ominous. Those thunderheads were the perfect
reflection of how Hayden’s lie of omission hung over his head.

  “I need to tell you something.” There, Hayden had begun, he’d said it, and now he’d have to follow through. No stopping him and no going back.

  Neal turned to him and smiled. Without warning the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. What had been gloomy clouds hanging in the sky were now black and angry. Lightning slithered through the air, and thunder repeatedly snarled. Something sharp pinged continuously off Hayden’s hands.

  “What the—” Hayden looked up.

  At the same time Neal said, “Crap. We’re going to get soaked. Come on!”

  Neal snatched Hayden’s hand and gave a gentle tug. Hayden had to really stretch his legs and move quickly to keep up as they ran for the parking area and Neal’s car. Others did the same thing while workers scrambled to cover the show vehicles. Vendors made fast work of closing and securing their trucks. There was general pandemonium and chaos over the entire area.

  Just as they reached Neal’s car, tornado sirens went off. They both stopped and looked around. “You see anything?” Hayden shouted over the wind. A torrent of rain cascaded out of the sky, drenching Hayden in seconds.

  Neal unlocked the passenger door and opened it for Hayden. He shook his head and gave Hayden’s shoulder a shove. “Let’s get out of here. My house is a few miles off the highway and close. We’ll be safe there. It’s on higher ground.”

  Once Neal was seated in the car, he started it and peeled out of the parking area in no time. The wind blew signs down, and all sorts of branches and other debris flew through the air. Hayden twisted one way then the other, but despite the scream of sirens, he didn’t see any funnel cloud. High winds, hail, and heavy rain could do enough damage on their own, however. Even with the heat in the car cranked to full, Hayden was shivering and his teeth were chattering by the time they pulled into a driveway.

  Set back from the road was a log-cabin style house with a garage behind it. Neal pulled the car inside the garage and stopped. They bailed and ducked out a side door while the main door slid closed. It was a short run to a sun porch that took up the entire back of the house. Once inside Hayden followed Neal’s lead and removed his soggy shoes and socks.