“Was that your spot?” asked Chambers, his eyes full of malice.
“I didn’t think they let the losers get this close to the winning circle,” I seethed.
Luke glared back, “Well, they had to have something to put there, you just drove right on by! I hope nothing’s wrong with your old car?”
“Nothing that can’t be fixed, unlike your losing streak,” I replied.
Luke took a step towards me, but I was ready. I wanted nothing more than to lay the cheating man out on the ground and put him in his place. If I had any doubt about my car’s misfire being an accident, it was gone now.
One look at Luke Chambers and I knew that he was the reason my car was almost blown now. I could feel the rage begin to build within me, my fists clenched and I took another step toward the other driver, ready to beat him to a pulp. Before I could advance any further, a small man with curly brown hair stepped between the two of us.
“Whoa! Here he is folks, your winner!” said Glen, microphone in hand.
He had a fake smile plastered across his face for the cameras that were still flashing, taking in every second of the heated rivalry.
“Let’s see if we can’t get some questions answered. Jane?” said Glen, nodding to one of the few female reporters.
“Desmond, are you accusing Luke of tampering with your car?” she asked, her perky attitude and body seductively turned towards me.
I turned on the charm as I ran my fingers through my dark hair, “Not at all Jane, just a friendly rivalry.”
“What about the rumors that you won’t be racing in the Grand Nevada Cross-State next month?” she asked.
I couldn’t help but cringe, I had hoped that wouldn’t get brought up. There was nothing to the rumor, but it was going to be difficult for me to race. Several years ago, José drank a little too much tequila and started a fight with one of the race officials at the bar. Now, he was banned from the race. I was doing everything I could to make sure that my pit-boss was going to be able to come, including kissing some major rear.
Still, I couldn’t just miss the race. It was the largest one of the season and the final notch on my shifter. Winning the GNCS would be the pinnacle of my racing career.
I shook my head, “There is no truth to those rumors whatsoever. I will be racing in Nevada no matter what!”
“Even though the judges are standing by the ban?” she asked him.
I glared at Chambers and saw what I had feared, the man was smiling. I’d never been one to accept defeat, and I wasn’t about to start now.
“I promise you, Jane, I will be at that race. My mechanic may not be able to come help me stop anyone who’s potentially trying to fight unfair, but I will hold my own,” I said, my eyes fixed on Luke.
I come by my determination earnestly. I had taken my uncle's prized car for a spin at the ripe old age age of fifteen and I’ve been hooked on the rush ever since. The result had been brutal. I'd been chased by two police officers, and my father had to pay a hefty bribe just to keep me out of trouble. The flashback made my chest hurt, and I quickly shook myself free from the memory. It had been one of the last ones that I had of my parents before the accident.
The cameras flashed as Luke was led away from the winner’s circle for my final round of pictures and I couldn’t help but gloat a little bit. Each time I won, I loved watching as the smug man got a bit more agitated.
As I looked past the group, I saw José working on my car and the two blondes still waiting for me, jumping up and down and cheering my name. I couldn’t ask for anything more as I raised the winner’s cup high above my head. I thought about everything that had brought me there and how I couldn’t let my dream end now. Not when I was so close.
With José unable to be at my side for the Nevada race, I couldn’t help but wonder what else was going to happen. I already had the best mechanic in the country. How would I ever find someone to replace him, even if it was only for one race?
Losing wasn’t an option; I was going to need to find someone to step in. While the press started to dissipate, the two girls sauntered over to where I was talking with Glen. I caught the taller one’s eyes and decided that everything else could wait—at least for one more night of fun that is.
3
Desmond
“Can you believe it, man? We’re really here!” Glen said as we pulled into the parking area for the race.
I felt his excitement too, “I know, it’s crazy. I’m going to go check out the competition. Bar later?”
He nodded his head, his eyes already following a pack of cute flag girls walking by with short skirts and red smiles. I laughed at his ambition as we parted ways and I headed to the competitor’s tents. Each driver had their own tent and crew.
As I walked by, I looked in on each driver’s area. They were all men and women that I knew well from the circuit. They ranged from local circuit drivers to professionals from all over. It was going to be stiff competition.
Just the thought of racing against the best made my heart speed up and my stomach do little flips. It was a thrill that I would never grow tired of. Each time I saw that flag drop, the adrenaline would course undiluted through my body. It was like being on steroids, and it always had been for me, from the very first car that I ever pushed over the triple digit mark. Smiling at the memory, I almost ran head-on into the one competitor I wasn’t thrilled to see.
“Well now, I wasn’t sure you were going to make it without your pet, José,” said Luke with a grin.
I couldn’t keep myself from rolling my eyes, “He’s my friend and a damn good mechanic, but I won’t let his absence keep me from kicking your ass, Luke.”
“I sure do look forward to seeing you try Desmond. I hear the mechanic you got is a real piece of work,” he said with a snicker.
I glared at him and walked away. The last thing I needed to do was get disqualified for beating him to a pulp because he got an attitude with me. I had already made sure that José was able to find me the next best mechanic that he could and according to him, the man he had lined up was rumored to be even better than him.
José had nothing to worry about with me, and he knew it. It wasn’t just Luke. Aside from José and Glen, I just didn’t like most people in general, to be honest. I preferred to spend my time with women.
As I found my tent, I could already tell something was off. Besides having an entire staff, they all seemed to be running around like chickens. It appeared that someone was already working them pretty hard.
The new lead mechanic must have a serious set of balls to be able to get a crew to bust their asses so hard on the first day. The race didn’t even start for two more days still.
I rounded the corner, ready to tell my new mechanic to take a chill pill already but I quickly skidded to a stop. Leaning over my car was a woman that looked like no other woman I had ever charmed.
She was slim and Hispanic, her tan skin pushing out of tight, grease laced overalls. Her dark brown hair was pulled up in a loose clip. I caught myself licking my lips as a strand broke loose and brushed her cheek. My hand twitched, wanting to brush the hair away and feel her soft skin for myself.
She looked up at me as I cleared my throat and smiled. As she sauntered over, she wiped the grease off her hands and held one out for me to shake.
“Desmond Keys?” she asked.
I nodded my head, “And you are?”
“Your lead mechanic, Amber Martinez,” she replied with a sweet voice.
I cleared my throat. “Oh, um. I think there’s been a mix-up? José said something about a Michael Martinez?”
Her eyes narrowed. “No mix-up, I am the one you want.”
“Really?” I asked, unsure if a woman so beautiful could also be a mechanic.
She rolled her eyes, “Listen, if you would rather have my dead father, that’s your problem. I got this gig because José put in a good word for me. I had no idea he and my dad knew each other.”
I couldn’t stop the blu
sh from creeping over my face, “Oh, wow. I’m sorry. So, have you been a mechanic long?”
Amber glared at me. “Have you been racing long?”
I laughed. She had more spunk than any other woman I had ever met. “Listen, I just want to be sure. This car is my baby.”
“Hey,” she said with flare. “Don’t take my word for it. Why don’t we take her for a test drive?”
“Really?” I asked in shock.
She nodded her head. “I’ll put my job here on the line and say that you’ll be impressed.”
“I don’t know about that. José made sure that she was running smooth before we got here,” I muttered.
“Nothing against José, but he didn’t take the update course on 5.8L engines,” she shot back.
I nodded my head, unable to find the words to argue with her. José knew what he was doing, and I wasn’t about to doubt him. If she wanted to put her word against mine, I was all for it. It would be a shame to see such a lovely woman leaving unhappy, but I wasn’t about to risk my car for her or any other woman.
As soon as I turned the engine over, I felt my heart sink a little bit in my chest. Already, I could feel the difference. The torque had more output, and the accelerator was aching to jump forward.
Glancing at the passenger’s seat, I saw Amber had a satisfied smirk on her face, just begging to hear that she was right. I sighed, maybe it would run just the same, I told myself, knowing that the odds were not in my favor.
As we pulled out onto the winding track, I felt the power growing underneath me. Within seconds, we were ripping past the stands, already surpassing my top running speed with José. I couldn’t believe it; Amber had done something to Theresa to make her run better than she had when I had first bought her from the factory. The thrill of hitting her top speed was almost more than I could take as I eased off the gas.
“What’s wrong Desmond?” asked Amber. “Are you scared of a little extra power?”
I glared at her, I didn’t like being goaded. “Not at all.”
“Maybe I should drive, poor girl wants to open up!” she said, her voice full of laughter.
Smiling, I gripped my shifter and put my foot to the ground, feeling the wind surging all around us. I watched as the gauges climbed higher and higher until I reached a speed that I had only dreamed about days before.
It was thrilling and amazing, I felt like a schoolboy who had just met his first crush. My heart was racing right along with Theresa. Finally, after soaring for a few minutes, I backed off the gas and struggled to catch my breath.
Looking at Amber, I knew that she had enjoyed the ride as much as I had. It was unbelievable to see a woman sitting next to me. Of course, that brought up another problem that I was struggling with. As I pulled back into the temporary garage, I sighed.
“It looks like I owe you an apology. She’s running great,” I muttered.
Amber smiled. “See now? That wasn’t so hard now was it?”
Before I could respond, Amber was getting out of the car. I couldn’t stop myself from chuckling softly. She was something else that much was for sure. Climbing out, I saw that she wasn’t going back to work on the car some more, but instead she was giving direction to the second in command.
Her leadership skills were just as good as her mechanic skills. It seemed like the more time I spent with her, the more I wanted to get to know her.
“Well, Keys, it’s been fun, but I am going to turn in for the night,” she said.
“Really? I was hoping you maybe wanted to grab a drink?” I stammered.
Kicking myself for how childish I sounded, I watched as she raised an eyebrow.
“No, thanks. If you need me, I’ll be in my bunk. But you go ahead and have fun,” replied Amber.
As she turned to walk away, I couldn’t help but watch her go. Her overalls hugged every curve of her body just right, begging to be set free. Her plump rear bounced a little with each step that she took. I felt my shaft growing hard just watching her leave.
It took me a second to catch my breath after she turned the corner. I looked around to make sure that no one else saw me. Amber was affecting me in ways that no other woman ever had. I couldn’t be certain if it was her walk, her talk or her knowledge of cars, but something about her was driving me insane.
When I heard Glen’s chipper voice coming from outside the tent, I quickly shook myself free from the mental grip that Amber had on me and plastered a smile on my face for my friend. Walking outside to meet him, I noticed Amber once again but this time I wasn’t the only one. It seemed that everywhere she walked, she commanded the attention of other men.
Jealousy rose up inside of me, it was a strange feeling and one that I didn’t like. One way or another, I was going to need to control my desire for her. Otherwise, we would both be in trouble.
“Damn, that’s one hot chick,” exclaimed Glen.
I glared at him, “That’s my mechanic.”
His mouth dropped open. “You’re joking!”
“Nope, I wish I was,” I said earnestly.
“You have all the luck,” said Glen, looking like a wounded puppy.
I laughed. “Sure, let’s call it luck.”
We turned around and headed back for the parking lot. With each step that put distance between myself and Amber I hoped that some pretty little thing at the bar would take my mind off my new mechanic. Glen piped up and asked if José had found her. I nodded my head, remembering that I would have to call my old friend and give him a piece of my mind. Amber must be some sort of punishment for me, something to tame my wild ways.
Maybe neither of us would be interested in the other. She sure didn’t seem interested in me at least. Maybe José knew what he was doing after all, or maybe he was just trying to give me a dose of my own medicine. Either way, I knew it was going to be an interesting race at the Grand Nevada Cross-State.
4
Amber
The night set in without any more run-ins with my new boss. He did stay on my mind though as I lay in the small bunk that had been assigned to me during the race. Of course, none of the drivers stayed with their cars. They all either had elaborate RV’s or hotels near the track that they got to sleep in.
I was nothing more than a mechanic and a grease monkey. Plus, I was one of only a few women actually at the race, let alone working it as more than a beer maid. As I lay in my bunk, I thought about Desmond and how he had first reacted.
By then I should have been accustomed to men thinking that I didn’t know what I was doing. It was still irritating, though. I didn’t own my shop and get to where I was just because I was pretty. I got there because I paid attention to everything my father did and because I went above and beyond what I needed to do.
I had watched all the shows, read every book, and paid close attention to the latest trends when it came to new car technology. I was a woman in a man’s arena; I had to work twice as hard as all the others just to keep my head above water most days.
Desmond had changed his tune pretty fast, though, after he saw what I was able to do. That had been amusing to watch. As I thought about it, I considered taking him up on his offer of a drink. It was the last thing I needed to be doing, getting drunk with my new boss. Hopefully, I would make a good enough impression on him that the business would keep rolling in after the race. My phone began to vibrate, and I sighed as I looked down.
“Hello, Diana, what’s up?” I asked.
“Where in the hell are you?” she screamed at me. It was so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear. “I was just at the shop, and they tell me you left the state! What is going on?”
Oh Lord, I thought to myself. I told the crew back home not to let her know where I was going if she stopped by. I thought they would at least have had the common sense to make up some story like I was out buying parts or something. Leave it to that group of morons to be just vague enough to give her a heart attack. Now, I would have to tell her.
“Sorry about tha
t, sis, they aren’t very smart. I didn’t have time to call before leaving,” I said before filling her in on where I was.
“What would make you do that? The pay sounds terrible!” she replied.
“It’s not much better than the shop for sure, and the beds are awful,” I said.
“Then why?” she asked again.
I sighed. “Because its publicity, Diana. The more people that see my name out there, the more business I can generate for the shop.”
“You have plenty of clients though, you’re busy all the time,” said Diana.
I flinched, I had told her that I was busy most of the time when in reality, I just didn’t want to visit with her and listen to her pass judgment on me. It was easier just to lie and say I was working. Most of the time, I really was too. I could probably find someone else to do the job, but time was money, and I loved working on cars.
“Well, we are still struggling to get by, dad had a lot of debt you know,” I said.
She paused. “I guess I didn’t realize that things were that bad.”
I hated to hear her sound so worried. Dad had always tried to protect her from the harsh realities of being a small business owner.
“They aren’t terrible, I just thought this would do us a lot of good. If my guy wins the race, it will be great publicity,” I replied.
“Oh,” she said, unsure. “Well I don’t know. I heard that good-looking racer Desmond Keys was going to be there. He seems like he has a good chance to win. Who is your driver?”
I smiled. “Desmond Keys.”
She gasped. “Oh my gosh! You’re kidding!”
“Nope,” I replied.
“Well in that case, have some fun while you are there! I can’t believe this. Is he as good looking in person as he is on TV? They say that he is a player though, did he hit on you? Have you met him yet? What’s he like?” asked Diana in a flurry of questions.
Fast and Loaded: A Bad Boy Sports Romance Page 2
