I’m not surprised. I put it up for less than it’s worth—but enough for a few months of mortgage payments on the house.
He slides his hands over the steering wheel, letting out a breath. “You sure you want to let this one go? It’s a beauty.”
“Don’t tempt me to keep it,” I say, forcing a smile.
He lets out a low whistle as we accelerate down the street, looking in the rearview at his friend.
“Nice.”
I keep a smile plastered on my face, all the while saying a silent goodbye to my first-ever car. I slide my hands over the edge of the passenger seat, touching the stitching and remembering all the good times I had in it. This car was my first taste of freedom.
Is it over the top for a sixteen-year-old to have a luxury car like this? Of course. Was I sometimes embarrassed to be driving it? Yes. Definitely.
But selling this car is the first time I’ve felt like I’m leaving my old life behind. I’m getting rid of my safety net and breaking away from the life my parents value.
It’s for the best. I know it is. But it’s not easy.
When we get back to my place, the buyer looks at me. “I’ll take it.”
My false smile widens. “Good choice.”
When we step out of the car, I slide my hand over the hood and say a silent goodbye. There’s some paperwork to fill out, and I’ll wait until his money hits my account to hand over the keys, but the car’s as good as sold.
As the two men drive off in their own car, big smiles painted on their faces, my shoulders drop.
“What was that about?” a deep, rumbly voice says from next door’s driveway. I look up to see Benji standing there, frowning.
I jerk my thumb at the Aston Martin. “Selling this thing.”
Benji’s frown deepens. He takes a step toward me, crossing the small strip of grass that separates my property from his sister’s.
“Why?”
“Cash flow issues,” I say, not wanting to lie. “Have to get the garage’s books in order before I can pay myself.” I give him a tight smile. “Rich people problems.”
He grunts, his eyes still on the vehicle behind me. “So you sold your car?” His eyes slide back to me, and he shakes his head. “How much?”
“Enough,” I say. “It’s just a car.”
“Don’t listen to her!” Lucy calls out from the front door. “Rae’s dying inside.”
Benji looks at my sister then slides his gaze back to me. “Are you?”
“I’ll live.” I jerk my head to the house next door, wanting to change the subject. “How’s Sarah?”
“She’s fine.” Benji hesitates, then glances at the car behind me. “You mind if I take it for a spin before you get rid of it?”
“Only if I can ride along,” I answer, finally cracking a smile.
“Deal.”
I toss him the keys, glancing over to meet Lucy’s eye. Her eyes are full of concern, but there’s a spark of something else in there. She tells us to drive safe, waves, and walks back inside the house.
Then, once again, I slide into the passenger seat and let out a sigh. Running my hands over the dash, my heart tugs.
“Doesn’t look like you’re ready to let it go,” Benji says as he puts the key in the ignition.
“I’m not,” I admit. “But it’ll be okay. It’s just a car.”
He stares at me for a moment, then grunts, nodding. He groans in satisfaction as the car purrs to life, and I let out a sigh.
“Sounds good, doesn’t it?”
“If I had the money, I’d buy it myself,” he says.
“Then I’d have to see you driving it around everywhere and be reminded of how much I miss owning this thing.” I laugh. “I think selling it to a stranger is better.”
Benji chuckles, the sound warming the coldness in my chest. He nods to the road. “Come on. I’ll show you my favorite place in town.”
13
Benji
As Rae and I wind through the darkening streets of Woodvale toward the coastline, my body starts to tense. I don’t know if it’s the raw power of the luxury vehicle I’m driving, or the fact that there’s a beautiful woman sitting next to me.
One I’m not supposed to talk to.
One I’m not supposed to like.
One I promised Sawyer I’d drive out of town—but the thought of doing that now seems so, so wrong.
“This was my first car,” Rae says. “I picked out the color, the interiors, everything. I was totally in love with it.”
“My first car was an old Ford pickup truck,” I say, grinning. “But I mean, I loved that truck, too. I get it.”
Rae laughs, the sound drawing a smile from me. I love hearing her laugh. It makes all the lines in her face disappear and all the hostility melt away. When she laughs, I feel like I’m seeing the real her.
Should I be here with Rae?
Probably not.
Sawyer would think I was a terrible friend. He’d say something about loyalty and never talk to me again.
But there are so many things that make me think he’s wrong in this situation. Lucy and her son, Roman, for example. Rae told me Sawyer doesn’t even know Roman exists. He never mentioned a nephew, so I’m inclined to believe her.
The purchase of an old house. Selling a car she loves. The stress I see in Rae’s face.
Those aren’t signs of a rich, spoiled girl trying to come here to fuck up Sawyer’s life. I see hints of the girl behind the hard exterior, and she’s got a soft, gooey middle. I know where the fierceness of her spirit comes from, because I have it too.
She puts her family first, even when it means she has to sell the clothes off her back. Or in this case—her car.
Rae lets out a sigh, then turns to stare at me. I steal a glance, but quickly turn back to look at the road. I can feel her eyes on me, sending heat curling through my stomach.
“What?” I grunt.
“I’m sorry about the other day.”
“What other day?” I ask, even though I know what she’s talking about.
“You know what I’m talking about,” she says. “In your garage. The flashlight incident.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Adds some mystery to it.” She grins. “But I shouldn’t have been there, asking you to tell me where Sawyer is. I know you care about him. I didn’t mean to put you in an awkward position.”
I nod, my grip tightening on the steering wheel. I want to drop my hand on her thigh. I want to feel her skin underneath my palm and show her that my opinion of her has changed.
I was wrong about her. I’m not afraid to say it.
I gulp. “I’m sorry for how I acted when we first met. I was an asshole.”
“Yeah,” she says softly. “You were.”
I twist my head to glance at her, fighting a grin. “That wasn’t the response I was expecting.”
“Did you think I’d deny it? You were an asshole. But I appreciate the apology.” Her eyes flash as her lips tug.
I take us down a country road and over a hill, until the Pacific Ocean reveals itself to us on the other side. Rae lets out a gasp, sighing in appreciation.
The green, lush hills rush down below us toward the cliff face that crashes into the ocean. I can smell the spray of the sea from here, and I turn the car down a smaller lane.
“This is probably my favorite place in Woodvale,” I explain. We drive a bit farther, the smell of the ocean growing stronger. Then, a small parking lot opens up near a lookout, and the view of the ocean and cliffs is revealed.
Rae lets out a gasp, scrambling for the door as soon as I park the car. She jogs out to the wooden fence, her hair flying around her face in the wind.
I watch as she pulls a hair elastic off her wrist and ties it up, turning to face me with a smile splitting across her face.
She looks radiant.
Nothing like the spawn of the devil. Nothing like the evil, blood-sucking rich bitch I once thought she was.
>
Here, in the soft glow of dusk, with the ocean sending up droplets of spray all the way up the cliff face, she looks incredible.
My heart tugs, and my whole body answers.
“You like it?” I ask.
“This is incredible.” Rae sighs, turning back toward the ocean. “Even better than back home. I think the cold makes it more striking.”
My eyes shift to her bare arms, where goose bumps bloom.
Instinctively, I put my hands on her arms and rub. She lets out a groan, melting into me.
Is it supposed to be this easy? We’re drawn to each other. Anytime we’re near, it’s a battle not to touch her, reach for her, kiss her.
Here, on a windswept perch above the ocean, with the sun dipping below the horizon, I don’t want to fight. I sweep my hand over her cheek, tilting her head up to mine.
“Rae,” I growl.
Her eyes meet mine, fire swirling inside them. “Yeah?”
“I want to kiss you.” I suck in a breath, sweeping my hand over her silky skin. The edge of my thumb brushes the corner of her lip, and a shock of warmth floods my body. I lean toward her, wrapping her shivering body in my warmth.
“I want to kiss you, too,” she whispers, barely audible over the sound of the wind. “But…”
“I know.”
My eyes darken. Here, alone with Rae, I know she’s not the monster Sawyer thinks she is. It seems silly to fight this feeling. How many times do you meet someone who draws you in so naturally, so completely? How rare is it to meet someone who, against all your preconceived notions, proves you wrong again, and again, and again?
Rae’s fighting it, too, but it’s a losing battle. Her fingers crawl up my chest as her body melts into mine. The ocean crashes below, and the last of the sun’s weak rays warm our skin.
“He’ll understand,” I say in a low voice, watching her lips part.
“You think?”
“I know.”
Rae’s bottom lip trembles as her fingers reach my collar. She slides her arms around my neck, pressing her whole body against mine.
Fitting perfectly in my arms, like she was made to be there.
My hands roam, exploring every inch of her. Sliding down her back and tracing the curve of her hips. Running over her perfect ass and sliding back up, catching the edge of her shirt to feel the skin underneath.
She shivers, but it’s not from the cold.
“I can’t fight this,” she whispers. “I don’t want to.”
I growl, pulling her close to me. I know she can feel the pulsing between my legs. She grinds her center toward me, big, brown eyes staring into mine.
“You promise you won’t hate me?” she whispers.
“For what?”
Her breath catches, her lips so close to mine that I can feel the whisper of breath between them. Rae’s eyes search mine as her fingers curl into my hair.
Finally, she speaks. “For giving in to this. To you. For not being the good sister I’m supposed to be.”
My arms tighten around her, my whole body pulsing. I shake my head. “I won’t hate you, Rae Montgomery. I was wrong about you from the start. Kissing me won’t make me think any differently.”
Her heart hammers, the pulse visible in her slender neck. She gulps.
“What if I want to do a lot more than just kiss you?”
14
Rae
My life has been one long exercise in doing the right thing.
What if, just once, I don’t? If I let go? Give in?
With Benji’s eyes darkened and his lips dropping open, I’m sick of resisting. Sick of doing what I’m supposed to do. Sick of giving everything up for everyone else.
Right now, with the Pacific Ocean crashing below, its icy spray freezing the air, I want heat. Fire.
Benji.
His arms tighten around my waist, and the sound of the waves fades in the distance. The whip of the wind doesn’t seem quite so violent. The squawks of seagulls disappear into nothing.
“What are you doing to me, Rae?” he growls, his voice rumbling through me, igniting a blaze in my core.
I tease my fingers around the edges of his hair as my body trembles against his. Benji’s palms are on my back. His chest pressed against mine. His lips hovering. Close. So close.
“Why are we fighting it?” I whisper, dropping my eyes to his lips.
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
I shake my head, pulling him closer. “Fuck the right thing to do.”
Benji’s eyes flash, and then he gives me what I want. We break down the invisible barrier that has stood between us until now. Smash it with a sledgehammer, sending shards of the right thing to do flying around us.
The moment his lips crush against mine, my heart flies. My feet leave the ground. My whole body lights up like a Christmas tree.
Lips devouring mine. Hands sinking into my flesh. Legs pressing against me.
I’m his.
I’ve never been kissed like this before.
Benji groans, tangling his fingers into my hair as he pulls my head back. I gasp, my lips dropping open. Benji responds with a grunt, backing me up until my butt hits the Aston Martin’s door.
“This feels familiar.” I grin.
“Should have let me do this to you the first time. The past three days have been torture.”
His body cages mine against the car, and his lips claim me once more. Tongue lashing, teeth nipping, lips swollen and wet. It’s more than a kiss. It’s an explosion. It’s all the tension we’ve tried to ignore, lighting up the world around us.
“Benji,” I whisper.
Instead of answering, he drops his lips to my neck. A shiver plunges down my spine, igniting every nerve ending along the way. Benji’s hand reaches up to cup my breast, and I arch my back in response.
I want his hands everywhere. Anywhere. I want anything he’ll give me.
The wall has been demolished. The gates have been stormed. The defenses are breached.
I’m no longer the responsible sister who wants to do the right thing. I’m not the dutiful daughter who stayed at home when her siblings left. I’m not the savvy businesswoman, grinding just to make sure her sister and nephew have food on the table. I’m not the person who changed her whole life to bring her family back together.
Right now, I’m a woman.
A woman with desires. Needs. Whose body is melting in Benji’s hands.
Benji sweeps his hand under my shirt, tugging my bra down to palm my breast. I moan, pulling him closer. His lips find mine, kissing me feverishly as he tugs at my pebbled nipple, sending fire straight to the pit of my stomach.
“Benji,” I repeat.
“Don’t talk.” His voice is gruff. Commanding. He teases my nipple, taking my lips between his once more. Pressing me up against the cold metal of my first car, all I feel is the heat roaring between us.
My fingers reach for the door handle to the back seat. I tug it open, and Benji pulls away to glance at the open door.
His eyes flash. “You want to say a final goodbye to this car?”
A blush stains my cheeks as I suck my bottom lip between my teeth. Benji taps my ass, guiding me into the back seat. I slide in, watching as Benji takes a seat next to me.
He reaches over, cupping my cheek and kissing me again. His lips taste electric. He smells like man, and in the small space in the back seat of my car, the air grows heady. Thick. Needy.
When Benji’s hand reaches between my legs, I let out a whimper. He rubs his palm against the heat of my center as my lips find his again. I reach down and feel the hardness of his shaft, letting out a soft sigh.
I don’t remember the last time a man’s erection turned me on this much. We’re still fully clothed, making out like two teenagers in heat. I mean—we’re in the back of my car, for crying out loud—but the feeling of Benji’s cock straining against the zipper of his jeans makes my whole body scream. An ache grows between my legs as hunger gnaws at my s
tomach. I need to feel him. Need it. Lust pulses inside me until I can’t think straight. I’d probably get my own name wrong if someone asked me it right now.
Benji shifts to unfasten my pants. I lift my butt off the seat, shimmying slightly. I try to move to straddle him, but bump my head on the roof of the car.
Maybe it’s the fact that he’s six-foot-whatever and about as wide as a barn—or maybe I just never realized how awkward the back seat of a car is—but this is harder than I anticipated. I fall back on the seat beside him, flushed and laughing.
“This space is smaller than I thought.”
“Relax,” Benji commands, his eyes hanging low as he places a soft kiss on my neck. “Don’t worry about me. It’s your car we’re sending off with a bang.”
He grins, wrapping his arm around me and leaning my back against his chest. He slides his hand down the front of my pants. I let out a sigh when his big, broad hand slips under my panties. My head nestles against his chest, and he holds me close, his hand exploring the space between my thighs.
I let out a whimper when his finger drags through my slit. I know I’m wet. I’ve felt it seeping into my underwear since the moment I stepped into the car with him. I can’t help it. Whenever Benji’s near, my whole body rebels.
It’s not a rebellion right now. It’s a full-on revolution. Benji wraps one hand around my shoulders, pulling me close so I’m relaxed against him. His arm crosses in front of me, reaching down the front of my shirt to tease my breast.
But it’s his other hand that makes me want to melt. Burn. Explode.
A groan rumbles through him as he tugs my nipple with one hand, finding my clit with the other. He can feel me shiver. Tense. Buck. Every movement I make, he feels.
The tip of Benji’s finger drifts over the sensitive bundle of nerves, and I let out a soft sigh.
“I want you to come for me, Rae.” His lips brush the edge of my ear as he whispers, warm breath washing over my skin.
His hand moves farther down, fingers slipping inside me. Shivering, I gasp. My head sinks into his chest, and he pins me against his broad body.
Won't Miss You: A Brother's Best Friend Romance (We Shouldn't Book 4) Page 10
