Quarter Mile Hearts

by Jenny Siegel

  “I got you a beer.”

  “Perfect,” I rush out, an unfamiliar breathy tone to my voice. Tipping his bottle back, he takes a long pull, his eyes never leaving mine.

  “You never told Beth?” I don’t need to ask him what he is referring to.

  “Nope, none of her business.”

  “I never did hear how it was.” He sets his bottle down and casually moves his hand from my leg and rests it on my bare back. His thumb rhythmically sweeps over the top of my spine.

  “I don’t kiss and tell.”

  “Not even for me?”

  “Uh-huh, I’m not drunk enough for that. Besides, your ego doesn’t need a boost from me.” I give him a sly sidelong glance, flashing him a sweet smile. He inclines his head so it is just at my ear.

  “You’re the only one I need something from.” He nips my earlobe, and it connects painfully with the nerves between my legs.

  With a gasp, I pull back and Max straightens like nothing has happened. I pick up the beer and take a big swig from the bottle, not sure whether drinking tonight is a good idea or not. I need to keep my wits about me when I’m around Max and not succumb to his easy charm.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Ooh, I love this song,” I squeal and grip tightly onto Beth’s arms. She rolls her eyes because I’m pretty sure I’ve said that about every song that’s been on. There are only a handful of us on the dance floor, and we’re all women. Well, apart from the drunk old guy who is a permanent fixture in the bar. It’s not so much that he was invited to the engagement party as it is going on around him and he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to dance.

  Don’t you want me, baby? Don’t you want me aaahh.

  I sing very out of tune but stop and stagger slightly on my skyscraper heels when I notice that Beth is no longer dancing but standing, her head at an angle, as she peers at something behind me.

  “What?” I shout at her, slightly louder than necessary. It’s not like we’re in a nightclub with deafening music. Her eyes widen as I feel a strong arm circle my waist and pull me back so I collide against rock-hard abs and an even harder erection.

  The panic that I’m sure I should feel never kicks in; instead, a familiar buzz spreads through my body, radiating from my core. A cloud of Armani surrounds me, and I relax into him.

  “Oh, I want you all right,” he whispers, his lips brushing tantalizingly against my earlobe before warm lips press into the curve of my neck and his tongue draws small circles on my feverish skin. My tummy clenches painfully with desire as he slowly turns me in his arms, and I can’t see Beth’s shocked look anymore.

  Max. As if there were any doubt in my mind, even my drunken mind. His touch affects me like no one else’s can, and it makes my whole body come alive. He presses his forehead against mine and looks deep into me. Drunkenly, I loop my arms around his neck and reach up to kiss him. A bold move considering we are surrounded by friends and family; plenty of people to witness my very public display of affection. That is so not me; I am usually quite reserved and don’t show affection, but all that goes out the window as soon as Max is thrown into the mix.

  A growl sounds deep in his throat, and I feel it reverberate through my body, before his hand grasps the back of my head and his tongue snakes into my mouth. Our kiss grows into something much deeper and more heated.

  Almost as abruptly, he pulls back. “I’m going for a drink. You want one?”

  “Sure,” I answer brightly and teeter unsteadily as we walk off the small dance floor.

  Max snorts, and I look up at him. “What?”

  “Haven’t you had enough?” His eyes sparkle with amusement, and I like this playful side of him. But he’s right, dancing with Beth has made me all hot and in desperate need of some fresh air and a cold glass of water.

  “Okay, get me some water. I’m going outside for some air.”

  I leave Max at the bar and weave my way through the tables to the door. Fresh air greets me as I move out the door and let it swing shut behind me. Leaning on the railing at the top of the steps, I enjoy the quiet, calm night, which is a total contrast to the bar inside. Minutes later, I hear the door open then close again and Max takes his place beside me, a warm hand resting on the bare skin of my back.

  Turning my head to the side, I offer him what I hope is a happy smile, but it is probably a drunken, lopsided one. Nevertheless, he returns it with a panty-dropping one of his own, and just now, I gladly would.

  “I thought you weren’t going to bend over,” he teases as his hand skims down my back, over the curve of my backside, and down my bare thigh. Because the dress barely covers the top of my thighs, it is dangerously close to the bottom of my ass.

  “I’d forgotten how much I missed this place.” I suddenly feel nostalgic for a time when I was younger and everything held so much promise. But I couldn’t wait to get away from this place. Now, I don’t know what I was running from or why I was so eager to escape.

  “Are you glad you’re back?”

  “Yes.” I don’t need to give it a second thought. The moment I passed the sign saying Welcome, I knew I was back home and something slotted into place. Something that had been missing for a long time. No matter how much I told myself that I didn’t miss home, I was lying.

  “Come here,” he commands softly, and like a moth to a flame, I go to him and let myself be cocooned in his arms. Tucked under his chin, my cheek rests on his chest and he smells even better up close. One hand strokes down my spine, and his touch is even more electrifying without a layer of clothing.

  “What about it, Leigh?” His quiet, low voice breaks the silence.

  “Hmm.” That is what he does to me; he reduces me to sounds instead of words or sentences.

  “You and me. You ready to take a chance?”

  His finger hooks under my chin and tips it up so I can look at him. In just the light from the bar, I can see his eyes swimming with emotion. Reaching up, I stroke my knuckle down his cheek. His eyelids flutter, as though fighting the urge to close them.

  “Perhaps,” I whisper as I continue to trace my knuckle along his jawline, fascinated by the way he stays so still. Only his eyes widen as though he didn’t believe I would relent and then his head bends and his lips cover mine in a delicate kiss that changes and evolves the minute our tongues meet. His warm palm presses against my back, while the other rests on my ass. My hands slip into his back pockets so I can grip his firm ass.

  Loud music and laughter pour from the bar as someone opens the door. Max breaks our kiss but doesn’t let go as he pulls me out of the way to avoid getting knocked over as two people stumble out.

  “Oops, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt,” Aaron booms in his drunken voice. It masks my groan, and I turn my head to see Beth tucked under his arm looking a little worse for wear. He guides her down the stairs, and all I can see is her arm waving as she calls.

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

  “That gives us a lot to work with,” I mutter and turn back to Max. His lips are curved up into a wide smile, looking at me as if he could eat me whole.

  “I think I need to get you home. Before I do something I shouldn’t and give the poor sheriff a shock.”

  “Sounds promising.” My drunken mouth runs away with me, and I hold my breath, but to my surprise, he laughs and guides me to his car.

  “You have had way too much to drink.” He opens the door and helps me in, trying not to notice how my dress rides up to flash my panties. I just shrug.

  “At least I wore my nicest pair.”

  With a groan, Max pushes his hand through his hair. “Was that for my benefit?”

  “Maybe it was.”

  “Is that a yes?” He dips his head back in the door to click my seatbelt into place, and I lean over and kiss his cheek quickly.

  “That would be a yes.”

  After a muttered curse, his lips crash into mine and he kisses me roughly, leaving me breathless and wanting much, much more by the tim
e he shuts the door and jogs around to his side.

  Again, the drive home is too quick, and the next minute we are pulling into my drive. Max kills the engine, and I wonder if I should ask him in. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea, but that’s not what the ache in my core is telling me. Turning to me, he pushes the hair off my shoulder.

  “You never did tell me how that night was?” The streetlights cause his eyes to sparkle dangerously.

  I shrug. “Meh, it was okay?” That wipes the smile off his face, and I bite my lip, not wanting to ruin it by laughing.

  “Just okay?” he grinds out.

  “Yeah.”

  With a growl, he leans closer, and I wait a beat before turning to him, hoping I don’t look as turned on as I am.

  “Maybe I need to refresh your memory.” His low voice is full of promise.

  “Maybe you should.” My eyes dip to his full lips and without realizing, my thumb brushes along his bottom lip.

  “Maybe I will,” he murmurs, distracted by my touching.

  “Good.” My eyes flick up to see the flash in his, the only warning I get before he grips the back of my head and his lips collide with mine. His tongue darts into my mouth, and desire slides through, gathering in a hot pool low down in my stomach.

  By the time we pull apart, we are both gasping for breath and the windows of his GTO have started to steam up.

  “I need to get you inside now before I rip that scrap of material off you and take you in the backseat.”

  I bite my tongue, stifling the words I really want to say, and nod instead. Because now that he’s said it, all I want is for him to take me in the backseat and refresh my memory about how good that night was.

  At the door, he turns to me and grips the back of my head, drawing me closer so he can rest his forehead against mine, looking deep into my eyes.

  “Tell me to go,” he growls.

  “No.”

  “If I don’t go now, I will take you up the stairs and remind you exactly how good we are together.”

  “I want you to.” Surprise registers on his face, and the words have barely left my mouth when his lips collide with mine. Both hands slide down over the curve of my ass and under the hem of my dress, hitting the bare flesh at the back of my thighs before they glide up to grip my ass, tilting my pelvis so his hard dick presses into me.

  Reaching behind me, I fumble with the key and then the handle, before the door swings open and Max propels us over the threshold. His hands move from my ass to the back of my thighs and he lifts me up. Just in time, my legs wrap around his waist, and I grip his shoulders. Never breaking our kiss, he slams the door shut with his foot and starts to climb the stairs. My shoes clatter to the floor when we reach the landing. Max’s mouth on mine is driving me crazy as he sucks and nibbles at my lips.

  My hands move up to bury in his hair and I hold on as he walks us into my room. He flicks on the bedside light and sets me down on the floor. Instead of letting me go, he takes hold of the hem of my dress and pulls it up my body. He sucks in a breath when he pulls it over my head and sees me standing in just my black panties.

  With only the glow from the small lamp illuminating the room, it’s hard to work out what’s going on in those dark brown orbs. His hands glide along my collarbone, down my arms, and around my waist to sweep up my back

  Hunger flashes in his eyes as he brings his hands up to cup my breasts, and my body melts under his touch. Thumbs run over each nipple, which stand to attention immediately, and a jolt of lust travels down between my legs. My back arches into his touch, wanting more. As he continues his exploration, my fingers hurriedly work the buttons on his shirt and then push it off his shoulders.

  Running my hands over his warm, smooth chest, they creep down to his jeans. I pull apart the fastenings and slip my hand inside his boxers and down his rock-hard length and back up. Max lets out a guttural moan and picks me up. The heat from his bare chest seeps into me as I grab hold of him to stop from falling.

  “How drunk are you?” he murmurs, nipping at my lower lip. It takes a few tries before I can get the words out but only because he steals my breath away.

  “Not so drunk that you’d be taking advantage.”

  “I want you to remember every single detail.” His mouth trails down to my neck as he sucks on my sensitive skin.

  “I will,” I breathe out. “But you can always remind me in the morning.” I feel him chuckle against my neck.

  “I might just do that.”

  Crawling up the bed with me in his arms, he lays me down and stands to the side to pull off the last of his clothes. I lean against the headboard and watch as his large erection springs free.

  Holy fuck.

  Max catches me staring and his mouth slants into his trademark sexy grin.

  “Bring back any memories?” He runs his hand over his erection and a burst of desire rushes through me as I meet his eyes.

  I screw my face up. “Meh, it looks vaguely familiar.”

  His smile drops and eyebrows dip into a scowl. Hmm, now he’s pissed. Max climbs onto the bed and grabs me behind the knees to pull me further down the mattress. Thumbs hook into the side of my panties as he rips them off and parts my legs. A determination is etched on his face and I watch with amusement at how riled he is as he kneels between them. His hands glide up my thighs, gripping them in his strong hands until he reaches my apex.

  Fingers run through the strip of hair between my legs, then dip inside of me, eliciting a gasp of pleasure. For four years, I have thought about our night together—remembering it in minute detail, dreaming about having his hands on me, and wondering whether I would ever get the chance for him to touch me like this again. After four years, the memory of his hands on my skin has faded. The reality is so much better.

  With deliberate slowness, his fingers slide in and out of me, up to my clit and back down, repeating the same torturous pattern again and again.

  My breath stutters. “Quit teasing me,” I pant, his touch reducing me to a breathless quivering wreck, in desperate need to feel him inside me.

  “Do you remember yet?”

  “Uh-uh,” I shake my head, “you’ll need to do better than that.” It would have sounded like more of a challenge if I didn’t have to bite down on my lip to stop my moan of pleasure.

  Max flashes me a cocky smile. He removes his fingers altogether and reaches down to pull a foil wrapper from his jeans pocket. I don’t let myself think about why he’s got one on hand. Let’s face it; it was only a matter of time. No woman can resist him. Me included.

  Before he can do anything with it, I shuffle onto my knees and pluck it from his grasp. His arms open wide, giving me free rein, and I have to take a minute to stop and stare appreciatively at his lean torso and the V of his hips. The ache in my core increases the longer that I stare at him, and Max is the only one who can do something about it. Times a wastin’ and I drag my gaze away from his gorgeous muscles and rip open the foil wrapper. His eyes smolder as I take his erection in one hand and stroke him. My hand continues to slide up and down his hard dick while he bends his head to my breasts and pulls one nipple and then the other into his mouth and teases them with his wicked tongue. I roll the condom on until it covers him and my hands travel up his body, tipping his chin up to brush my lips over his.

  “Ready to refresh my memory?”

  With a growl, he grabs me round the waist and lays me down. Covering me with his strong body, hips nestled between my legs and the tip of his dick hovering tantalizingly close to the apex of my thighs.

  “Stop teasing and fuck me.” I moan as his mouth devours mine, the stroke of his tongue fueling the desire burning inside me. Bracing himself on his elbows, he looks down, as though checking that I want this. Want this? I need this. I need him. I bite my lip and his eyes flare before he eases into me, stealing the air from my lungs. My fingers dig into his hips as I draw him in further. Slowly he thrusts in and out of me, bringing me closer and closer to satisfying the
ache inside me.

  Dark eyes watch me, burning with need and making it all the more intense. Every feeling shows on his face as his orgasm mounts. I pull him down to kiss me; it swallows up my moans and with a final roll of his hips my orgasm explodes. As I tighten and pulse around him, Max comes with a growl. His head falls forward and gently rests on mine. Eyes closed in rapture, long dark eyelashes fan his cheeks and my heart seizes. Everything is changing between us. And as hard as I try to fight it, I can’t. There has always been something between Max and me, and despite all my denials, it is still there. I don’t know what the fuck Max Morgan is doing to me; I just hope I can survive him.

  Taking care not to crush me, he rolls to the side and removes the condom before he gathers me in his arms to tuck me under his chin. His body curves over mine.

  Whispering in my ear, he asks, “Now do you remember?” And I nod.

  “What was that?” He chuckles. With an exaggerated sigh, I turn to look at him.

  “I never forgot.” I feel shy all of a sudden under his scrutiny, which is silly after we just had sex. His eyes widen a fraction. “More to the point, do you remember?” I ask. His head dips so his lips brush against mine.

  “I remember everything about that night. It’s engrained in my memory.”

  “Uh?”

  “Best fucking night of my life.” He kisses me roughly, flashing me a wicked grin. “I may need to refresh my memory again,” he adds before rolling on top of me.

  Chapter Fifteen

  It is eleven am when I wake with a start. Disoriented, I try to figure out what’s woken me. The other side of the bed is empty, and my heart sinks a little when I realize that Max is gone. Worse than that is the disappointment I feel. But then I hear the clatter of a pan in the kitchen, followed by a loud curse. It sounds like he’s making breakfast. With a wide smile on my face, I spring out of bed like a Jack-in-the-box. My head feels better than it should, and I rush to the bathroom to swish some mouthwash around. You know, just in case he wants to kiss me. Again. Pulling on some pajamas, I tie my hair back and start down the stairs.