by Amy Gregory
Jesse grinned. “So, I’m going to venture to say your dad is more than a little worried about his little girl being surrounded by all these boys?” Molly didn’t answer him, but Brody gave him a look that told him to drop it.
George’s laughter died down to a light chuckle. “All right…all right, let me introduce you to these guys. This is Cody, Jesse, Eli, and Carter. This is my girl, Molly West.”
She politely shook hands with each of them, Carter being last.
When he took one of her hands in both of his, she immediately felt tingles everywhere and her heart started beating faster. She looked down at her hand, then back up to his face. She watched a slow, sexy grin come across his face, and she started to blush as she tried to pull her hand back away.
“Um—” It was barely more than a whisper “—you still have my hand.” She bit the right side of her bottom lip, grinning shyly.
Confidently, he smiled back. “Yeah, I do, Gorgeous.”
Oh God. He was sunk, hook, line, and sinker. She’d lowered her sunglasses with her free hand, since he wasn’t about to let go of the one he held, and now he was looking into the most beautiful deep blue eyes he’d ever seen.
She blushed and looked down.
“Well, Sterling’s smitten,” Cody teased.
If it was possible, her ivory-skinned cheeks flamed even more.
Yep, he was done for.
Carter squeezed her hand before letting it go.
Those innocent smiles and blushing cheeks were a welcomed change to the constant offers he got, but continually denied.
When they all headed over to sit outside Brody and Molly’s bike trailer, he made sure to sit in one of the chairs closest to her and patted the other one for her to sit next to him, hoping she’d take it instead of one of the empty ones by Brody.
Molly had just started to pull her sweatshirt over her head when Dylan, a rider from another team, walked up. Carter groaned.
Dylan Martins was such an asshole. When Dylan whistled, Carter’s stomach clinched at the thought of her with him.
“Damn, what a hottie,” Dylan said, walking up close to Molly as she pulled her head through the sweatshirt. “And a very pretty face to match. Hey, babe.” He grinned at her like the jackass he was.
The protectiveness Carter had felt earlier came swooping back. He bit his tongue.
She pulled her hair out the sweatshirt with one graceful sweep. It fell almost to her waist.
Carter was shocked when she raised her eyebrow and squared up to him. “Excuse me?” she said, “you may want to back up.” Her blue eyes were locked on him, her head tilted as she gave him a look that said you’ve got no chance in hell. Molly let out a disgusted snort.
“Come on, babe…come hang out with me. We can go back to my trailer.” He ran a finger down her arm.
She yanked her arm away, stumbling back as she glared at him. The back of her legs hit the white plastic chair he now had her backed up against. “You don’t even know me.”
“I want to get to know you, all of you.”
Carter was on his feet before he knew it. “Back off, Martins.” Carter put his palm against Dylan’s chest and physically backed him up a couple of steps.
“Come on, I’m just messing with her.”
“No, you’re not. Are we clear?”
Dylan backed away, laughing. “Whatever. See ya, babe.” He gave her a creepy wink before he turned and walked away.
Carter looked back at Molly after Dylan disappeared around another trailer. “You okay?”
She nodded and said, “Yeah,” but he knew she was shaken up.
Molly took a breath as she looked around the pits. Underneath the stadium was nothing but concrete, the floor, the ceiling, and the walls. But what they could transform it into to make the pits a fun place for fans to walk through on race days was something she’d always loved. She had missed this. The vendor trailers and factory semis completely covered in sponsors’ names and logos, all parked close together, the camaraderie of the various teams, mechanics yelling back and forth in moments of panic, the smell of exhaust from the bikes, all of it. She missed being in the pits just in general, indoor or outdoor, it didn’t matter what series. She had missed hanging out with other riders. It was a different world and she fit in there. Well, she missed most of the riders.
Usually the riders were fine and didn’t mess with her—treated her like one of them. But then there were always guys like Dylan that James and Brody tried to protect her from. She could usually back them down with the glare she’d perfected, but some guys just couldn’t take a hint. She was fine until they tried to touch her.
“I’m sorry about that, kiddo.” George ran his hand through his hair.
She shrugged and put back on the hard exterior Dylan had managed to crack. “Ah, no biggie, George, occupational hazard.”
“That’s why Dad taught her how to box,” Brody said proudly, glancing over at her. She knew he was checking to be sure she was okay, though he played it off for the guys. She said a silent thank you as he continued on. “Pissed Mom off, but I’ve seen it come in handy several times. You can’t see it very well—” He looked around at the guys, then at Molly who still stood by Carter. “—but she’s got enough red in her hair to have an attitude.”
“Bite me, Brody.” She couldn’t help but laugh and was thankful he was trying to lighten the mood.
“And the temper to prove it, huh, little girl?”
She grinned and shook her head.
Carter sat down and Molly sat down in the open chair next to him. She didn’t know why, but something about him felt safe. She guessed it was because he’d automatically jumped up to help her when that pervert Dylan had hit on her.
It definitely wasn’t that wicked grin.
“So,” Eli said, “seems like you know who we all are, what about you? Tell us more, you obviously know George here.”
“Yeah.” Molly lovingly looked up at George and he winked back at her. “We go back a few years, huh? I don’t know. I raced, went pro, retired, did freestyle, retired again, now I do paying jobs. End of story.”
“I hate to say this out loud, but you don’t hear much about women’s racing in the media,” Cody added.
“No, it’s definitely not as big as men’s racing, but that’s okay, it cuts down on the stalkers that way.” She laughed, more out of nerves because Carter had just rested his arm on her chair, touching hers. She let out the breath she was holding and bit her lip.
“How many wins did ya end up with?” Jesse smiled.
She could feel the heat on her cheeks. “I don’t know. I didn’t keep track,” she answered, then mouthed help to Brody, but he just grinned at her.
“I’m not buying you don’t know your own stats! Nice try, girl! Fess up,” Eli said.
Her chest heaved as she sucked in an uncomfortable breath and then looked down. “Seven.”
Carter patted her leg and then just kind of settled in to rest on her thigh. She couldn’t take her eyes off the spot where his large palm engulfed her leg, the heat from his hand burning through her jeans and spreading through her.
What in the hell? She should have been freaking right about now.
“Seven wins is awesome!”
His answer barely registered with her.
“Um….not…wins.” She finally looked around bashfully then quietly answered, “Titles.”
Eli choked on his beer. “What?” Eli asked, wiping his chin from the beer he just spit everywhere. “Did I hear you right? Did you say titles, as in seven AMA Pro Titles? Not amateur, but we’re talking pro?”
“Yeah, well, women’s, so WMA, but yeah,” she answered shyly.
Molly had never bragged about her career; the titles, the medals, the winning. She competed because she loved riding. The winning came easy because she loved being on a bike. Plus the fact that it made James and Brody so proud, that was all she ever cared about, except for one. The first year she went to the X-Games was Brody�
��s last. They both won gold that year, and to stand with her brother with matching medals and wearing his number on her jersey—that was the highlight of her career as far as she was concerned. She had that 8x10 framed on her dresser at home; they were hugging, his cheek resting on top of her head, both with the biggest smiles they could produce, showing their matching medals to the camera. That one moment was worth more than the other eighteen years of motocross wins combined. That one picture was more precious than all the trophies, medals, jerseys, and plaques James still had displayed with all of Brody’s.
“That’s my girl!” George boasted. “You boys don’t even want to ask her about the amateurs.”
“Whoa, I knew you were good, girl, but…” Jesse said, his Texas accent thick with embarrassment.
“Should’ve paid more attention to those girls, huh, Frost?” George joked sarcastically. “If it makes you feel better, James wouldn’t have let any one of you within fifty feet of this one.”
George winked at her. “So really, what do you have up your sleeve for me? Did you bring the big ramp?”
“Maybe. It’ll depend on your track and if Brody can get the ramps situated properly. So…speaking of which, when can I get on your track?” She batted her eyes at him.
“For you, tomorrow afternoon, but don’t tell these guys.”
Carter put his hand on her arm. “What’s the ramp for?”
She glanced down at her forearm that was resting on the arm of the chair. He was lightly holding it and stroking it with his thumb. She knew there had to be sparks shooting from it because she could feel them, even through the sweatshirt.
“Um, what?” She was dazed and he only made it worse when he flashed her that perfect smile again. “Oh,” she finally said, gazing up at him, “um…a flip.”
“A flip,” Carter said in a tone Molly didn’t quite understand, he’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her.
Eli slapped Carter on the shoulder. “Hot damn girl, it’s gotta be crazy at your guys’ house.” He laughed.
Molly shook her head in disagreement. “No, for two reasons. We were homeschooled so Karen was almost always around, and two, James would never allow that. And Brody learned everything the hard way, either by being taught tricks by people who could do it but didn’t know how to really teach them or by working on tricks with his buddies and teaching themselves, which didn’t always turn out very well. I just have to do what he says, and he’s good at explaining exactly how to do stuff so I don’t get hurt…usually.” She raised one eyebrow at Brody. “And since he had to retire completely from competing a few years back, let’s just say I get his undivided attention,” she said flatly with her head cocked to the side. Brody just smiled back innocently. He knew just how hard he worked her, but she knew it was for her own good.
“So how do you get up one day and say, I want to do this trick or that trick?” Jesse looked between the siblings for an answer.
“By getting up and wanting to be better than you were the day before.”
“Ah, a philosopher, huh?” Jesse grinned at Molly’s comeback that she had laced with just a hint of sarcasm.
“Nope, a realist. Gotta make a living somehow.”
Jesse raised his beer. “I’ll drink to that.”
“Me too, bro,” someone else said, but she didn’t notice who because Carter was still rubbing her arm. To top it off, he’d crossed his leg so that his knee was touching her thigh as well. Every time he moved, he touched her.
Each time her stomach would drop and do flip-flops and her heart would begin to race. She was also pretty sure he had to have scooted his chair closer to hers when she wasn’t looking.
This was all so foreign to her.
She had always been around guys. It was her career and it was male driven. She’d learned to tolerate being around men.
But never had she felt like she had electricity running through her from head to toe when a guy brushed by or even just gave her a simple smile.
God…that damned smile of his and those eyes.
Molly tried biting her lip to keep her reaction to herself, but she could feel her cheeks warming up.
“Don’t let her fool you,” Erin teased, “she likes the adrenaline rush just as much as the rest of you.”
Molly just shrugged off the remark. But as she glanced in Brody’s direction, she knew he understood. They had always been able to read each other perfectly.
George stood and stretched. “Well, I better get back and check the track and make sure things are moving along. You boys better play nice, she could out ride any of you.”
Molly stood to hug George. “It’s so good to see you again. And you better tell Eileen hi and give her my love.”
“Well, tell her yourself, she’s coming in Saturday to see you.”
“She is?”
“Are you kidding? Sweetheart, she wouldn’t miss it for the world!”
Brody grinned. “Told you I had a surprise for you if you were a good girl.”
“Bite me!”
“Brody.” George shook his head at Brody while Molly was still tucked under his arm. “She may be a good foot shorter than you and probably doesn’t weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet, but son, if you remember right, I’ve seen you two go toe-to-toe before on more than one occasion, and well, it’s a pretty even match. You two couldn’t act more like brother and sister if you were actually blood related.”
“Are you kidding?” Brody laughed and stood to shake George’s hand. “She’s the most stubborn, bull-headed brat around.”
“Me? Seriously?” She gave him an eye roll. “Well you are an over-protective control freak just…like…James.” Molly unleashed a big, satisfied smile, quite proud of her retort. She kept that one in her back pocket for when he deserved it most. She knew how much he hated it when she compared him to his father.
“Brody,” George attempted his warning again, “I’m leaving and I think you’re gonna get your ass kicked.”
“Na, I wouldn’t want to embarrass him in front of all these guys.” Molly laughed, then laughed even harder at Brody’s exaggerated sigh of disbelief.
“All right then, if it’s safe, I’m walking away.” George looked around at the men watching her, “I mean it boys. Be good. I’ve seen you all ride, and I’ve seen her. I’d hate to have to put you in your place by making her race against you. She’d whip every one of your asses.” George hugged Molly one last time and patted her cheek. “Oh…it’s so good to see you sweetheart.”
“You too, George.” Molly sat back down, only to realize that Carter had moved his arm to the back of her chair. The breath she sucked in was automatic. She snuck a look his direction to see if he heard it, praying he hadn’t.
“So, you’re a bad-ass, Molly.” Eli put his arm out. “Will you marry me?”
Molly’s head dropped. “I’m not a bad-ass, James had his reasons.”
“Besides, Eli—” Jesse nudged him. “—I think you’re a little late.” Jesse cleared his throat and nodded toward Carter and Molly. Everyone looked their direction. Carter’s knee was still touching her thigh, but the hand that was on the back of her chair was now playing in her hair. Molly blushed as she continued to look down, avoiding their questioning eyes.
She was so out of her element.
She bit her lip as she gazed up at Carter. He squeezed the back of her neck lightly and left his hand tucked in under her hair. She snuck another look up at him, and for a second time he caught her, making her blush all over again.
“Damn it, Sterling.” Eli smacked him as he got up to get another beer. “I find the girl of my dreams and you swoop in.”
“Just grab me a beer, Hunter. You want one?” Carter asked her.
“Na. Thanks, though. I’ve still got to run.”
“Besides, she can’t handle her liquor. Can you, sis?”
If at all possible, Molly’s cheeks reddened even more. She bit her cheek to keep herself from embarrassing herself further with a nasty retort, and fro
m laughing. Instead she leveled him with her laser pointed glare. Unfortunately, he just cackled more.
Chapter Two
If she looked up at him with that blush one more time, Carter was going to lose it. The tingle that radiated up his arm from his hand buried in her hair was bad enough.
There was just something about this girl. Yeah, she was gorgeous—obviously. But there was so much more than that. She was sweet and funny and shy all at the same time. She was herself. No games. And he didn’t have to peel her off because she was clinging to him like glue. She was just…Molly.
Carter had spent his whole life on the track. As a boy and then as a teen, it was his whole world. But as he slid closer and closer to thirty, he was beginning to find the track and his career empty.
Like all serious racers, there was never a time when he was young and partied, at least not to the point of being wild. He, Jesse, and Eli always had a good time, but they had careers to worry about. Now at twenty-eight, he realized exactly what was missing. Sure, he’d dated over the years, but no one made his heart race like the girl sitting next to him. “All right, boys.” She glanced around the group. “I’m going to get my run in.”
“How long are you going to run for? I’ll go with you. If you don’t mind, that is?” Carter asked her, squeezing her neck again. He wasn’t ready to give up his time with her yet.
Joey looked at Carter and shook his head. “Dude, don’t embarrass yourself in front of her. I’m begging you as a fellow man. Don’t do that to us. I don’t know you that well, maybe you run regularly, but she’ll kill you.”
Brody put his hand on Joey’s shoulder, laughing. “Oh my God, he’s right. You know she’s going to kick your ass out there, don’t you?” Brody looked at Carter, his head tilted to the side. Brody was laughing, but it was forced, Carter got the feeling there was something more to it.
There had been silent warnings all afternoon and evening. They were under the radar and seemingly unnoticed by Molly, but Carter was hearing them loud and clear. Brody protected Molly more fiercely than he would consider normal for a sibling. He grew up with brothers, so not having a sister, who knew? Maybe it was different. But he’d always had a pretty keen sixth sense and he definitely was reading something in Brody’s narrowed eyes.
