Reckless Curves: Bad Boy Autos (Drive Me Wild Book 1)

by Bronwen Evans

  “I am sorry.”

  “Sorry for what? For pushing me away or for starting a relationship with me?”

  “Both, I suppose.”

  “Great. Just what I wanted to hear,” he added sarcastically.

  She looked at him through a sheen of tears. “I owe you an explanation. But I can’t think with you standing there glaring at me like the big bad wolf.”

  “I’m just a man, standing in front of a woman, asking her to love me the way I love her—with all my heart and soul.”

  “Not very original. Notting Hill if I recall.”

  “Give me a break. What do you want from me?”

  “I want time to recover and think. This has all been too much. Do you know what it’s like to think you have cancer—for a second time. I’ve never been able to think too clearly when it comes to you. You overwhelm my senses.”

  He sighed and took the chair opposite her not sure he was prepared for what she was about to say.

  She licked her lips and he remembered how they felt around his cock. It seemed like a century since he’d last made love to her. God, he wanted her.

  “I’m a mess. I’m scared. I do love you. But I also don’t fully trust you. Everything is happening too fast, and when I thought I had cancer again, I pushed you away because I thought you’d leave me anyway.”

  He wanted to say he loved her and he’d never leave her, but he let her talk.

  “That night we made Connor meant so much. It was more than a one-night-stand to me. I thought we had made a real connection. I finally thought you cared for me, if not loved me a little. For you to sleep with me and not care what Marcus thought, screamed commitment.” She stopped and brushed a lone tear off her cheek. “But then the next morning you left. I knew you had to go back to the circuit, but you simply removed me from your life as if I didn’t exist. You would not take my phone calls or answer my emails. It broke my heart.”

  “I’m so sorry I hurt you like that. I was so scared of the feelings you stirred in me. I had the life I’d always wanted, a successful career, and then that night with you turned my life on its head. I didn’t think I was worthy of your love and I didn’t really believe in it. I thought you were a young girl infatuated with her brother’s best friend.”

  She smiled through her tears. “I guess that is how I feel now. Can I believe in those three little words from your mouth—‘I love you’? In the back of my mind, all I see is your joy at being a father to Connor. I just happen to be part of that package. When I got sick, I thought once you saw how bad cancer gets, you’d simply take Connor and leave me again. I couldn’t bear that pain again, so I pushed you away first. And I’m so sorry.”

  Tom fell from the chair to his knees and crawled to kneel at her feet. He took her hands in his. “I do love you. I love you so much it hurts to be this close and not pull you into my arms and thank God you’re not sick. The idea of losing you terrified me. It may have been Connor that pulled us back to each other, but I swear I’d love you even if he no longer existed.” He placed her hand over his heart. “Feel how fast my heart is beating. It’s beating like that because I’m petrified I’ll lose you. And I don’t know if I could bear that pain.”

  “I want to believe you so much.”

  He rested his lips on her forehead. “What can I do to convince you?”

  “Just give me a little space and time. Let me process everything that’s happened.”

  “How much space?”

  She smiled and his heart bloomed. “Well, you will only be across the road.”

  He sat back on his haunches. “I can do that, although I don’t want to. We’ve wasted so much time already. I guess that’s why I’m so impatient to make you mine.” She simply smiled at him. “Okay, I can do this. I’ll give you your space. Just let me know when you’re ready. I’ll be here waiting with my heart on my sleeve.”

  “Thank you.”

  He rose to his feet and with a pain lodged in his chest he said, “I’ll go grab a few things and move over the road.”

  He’d give her the space she needed, but it felt as if someone had placed broken glass under his skin.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  A week later and here she was ready for her big audition, but all she could think about was Tom. They’d had dinner together with Connor last night at her house. He’d made such a big deal out of how she would slay everyone with the song she’d written. The boost to her confidence was just what she’d needed, but she also heard the faith and pride he felt for her in his words.

  She loved him and her whole body lit up with love when he looked at her. He loved her too. She knew that now. She’d stayed the night with him since her infectious stage was likely over.

  As she sat down at the keyboard in the studio, she thought Fate was very cruel indeed since the song she had to play was a heartbreaker. Hard to sing when she was so happy. Not only would she have to play the piano track for it, but then she was supposed to go back and lay down the backup track.

  She’d run through it a couple of times yesterday and hadn’t made it through the first time because she’d broken down. That’s when she’d realized she was being an ass not trusting in Tom.

  “Bryce, I will go through it twice,” she said. “Let me know when the big-shots get here and are ready to hear me, okay?”

  Bryce Scoggins nodded at her from the control booth. “You bet, sweetheart,” he said over the speaker system.

  Kendra gave him a tight smile and stretched her fingers a little before poising them over the keys. Then she began playing and just concentrated on the instrument instead of hearing the lyrics in her head.

  When she finished, Bryce said, “That was good, honey, but seemed a little stiff. Cold. Needs more emotion if you want to impress them.”

  Kendra sighed. She trusted Bryce’s expert opinion. “Okay. I will sing along this time and see if it makes a difference.”

  “Good idea.”

  She began the intro and came in at the correct cue. As she sang the sad lyrics, Kendra let the pain come through, remembering how she’d felt about Tom when she’d had Connor on her own. She swayed to the beat as her hands moved gracefully over the keyboard. By the time the song was over, tears rolled down her cheeks.

  “Jesus, Kendra,” Bryce said. “You got me almost bawling in here.”

  Kendra wiped away her tears and gave a shaky laugh to cover her inner turmoil. “Is that a good thing?”

  “Hell, yeah. You do it that way for Shaina Collins and you’re going to nail it,” Bryce said. “They’ll be here soon. You want to do it again?”

  Kendra needed a little time before she played or sang it again. “No. I’m good.”

  Bryce picked up his cellphone and said something that Kendra couldn’t hear through the glass separating them. When he hung up, he turned on the speaker system. “They’re here and on their way to the studio.”

  Kendra felt like a thousand birds had nested in her stomach and they were fighting to get free. She put a hand to her midsection and took a deep breath. Standing up, she went to join Bryce in the control booth. She made sure that her sparkly, flowy black miniskirt, purple mid-drift shirt, and black leather jacket were in place.

  “Don’t worry, Kendra. You look hot,” Bryce said, waggling his eyebrows.

  She laughed into his blue eyes. “Shut up. I’ll tell your wife you said that.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” he scoffed.

  The door opened and Kendra felt faint with nerves as Shaina Collins and her entourage entered the sound booth. The studio manager, Russ Stark, made the introductions and Kendra worked hard not to go all fangirl on Shaina. Shaina had a golden voice that matched the rest of the gorgeous, statuesque blonde.

  Russ smiled at Kendra. “Ready to show them your stuff, kid?”

  Kendra put a confident smile on her face, even though fear made her heart race. “Definitely.”

  She left the control booth and entered the studio. Sitting down at the keyboard, she thought
of the man she’d almost lost by being so silly, the one who would always hold her heart, and started to play.

  A few hours later, she drove home on a high. Shaina had loved her song. She was so excited. This could be her big break.

  The only person she wanted to tell was Tom.

  She dialed her hands free.

  “How’d it go?”

  She smiled at the eagerness in his voice. “It was incredible. They loved the song. I wanted you to be the first to know because your pep talk last night and faith in me really helped. I love you, Tom.”

  There was silence for one moment but then thank God, he said, “I love you too, Kendra. And always will.”

  The grin on her face was so wide she must look like a clown. “I know. I’ll see you soon and we need to talk.”

  When she hung up, she didn’t sing a sad song; she sang her favorite song, A Thousand Years

  Heart beats fast

  Colors and promises

  How to be brave

  How can I love when I'm afraid to fall

  But watching you standalone

  All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow

  One step closer…

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  That evening, Kendra was on her way to Bad Boy Autos. Marcus had called and invited her to dinner to celebrate her success. She had wanted to talk with Tom and tell him everything she was feeling, but Tom needed to be with his father. For some reason he didn’t want her there, which raised her insecurities again until he’d told her Marcus had a huge celebration planned and he would join her there later.

  They had bought her song. She would soon be known across USA when Shaina turned it into a hit.

  Marcus was taking her to Providence, an upscale restaurant on Melrose Avenue, but she had a stop on the way.

  “I don’t know why I had to meet him at the shop,” she muttered as lightning lit up the sky. “We could’ve just met at the restaurant.”

  The first raindrops started peppering the windshield when the van jerked and she heard an ominous, familiar flapping sound.

  “Oh, no, no, no!” Kendra quickly pulled over on the side of the road before she ruined another rim. “I don’t believe this!” She pounded on the steering wheel. “Shit!”

  She sat fuming for several minutes as cars whizzed by her and then opened her door. Rain immediately battered her, completely soaking her nice dress and ruining her makeup and hair. She saw that the driver’s side rear tire was flat. Furious, she stomped as well as she could in high heels around to the hatch and opened it.

  “I can do this,” she muttered. “I can put this damn donut on it just as Tom taught me.”

  Her anger gave her strength, and she succeeded in getting the donut out of the well. She leaned it against the bumper and grabbed the lug wrench. Now that she knew how to do it, loosening the lug nuts went fast. She laid them in the van and looked at the jack.

  “Where do I put it?” She went over her lesson from Tom, trying to figure it out. They hadn’t got to that part in her lesson, but it didn’t take a professor to work it out. But as she made to wind up the jack the handle snapped off in her hand. “Goddamn it to hell. I should have let Tom buy me a new car with self-inflating tires. We will pick one out tomorrow—together and I with the money from the sale of my song, I can finally pay for it.” She put the donut back in the van, threw the lug wrench into the back and shut it.

  Back in the driver’s seat, she shoved her soaked hair out of her eyes, and called Marcus’ number. “You better pick up.” When he didn’t, she swore and called everyone else, but no one answered their phone.

  At wit’s end, Kendra leaned her head against the headrest and let out a primal scream. There was only one final number she hadn’t called. Bringing up Tom’s number, Kendra looked at his picture and traced it with her finger. He would be with his Dad... but needs must. She hit the call button.

  * * *

  Tom took his buzzing cellphone out of his pocket and surprise shot through him when he saw that it was Kendra. He hit the answer button. “Hi Kendra?”

  “Yes. I’m sorry to bother you as I know you’re with your father, but I called everyone else and no one’s picking up. You won’t believe this, but I have another flat tire. I tried changing it, but the jack’s handle broke. I got the lug nuts off, if that counts. And I must admit I’m feeling pretty exhausted.”

  Hearing her voice made Tom happy, but hearing that she was stranded again didn’t. “Where are you?”

  “On Welles Street, a little past Carter Avenue.”

  “I’ll be right there. You get in that fricking clunker and lock your doors.”

  “I already did.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Tom jammed his cellphone back in his pocket and ran from the shop.

  * * *

  Kendra’s heart kicked into a fast rhythm when she saw a car pull up behind her. A woman alone in a broken-down car on a stormy night; sounded like a good start to a horror flick. When they blinked the lights twice, relief washed through her because she knew that it was Tom.

  She watched in her rearview mirror as he got out of his Mustang and walked to the van. Getting out of her car, she met him at the rear. He was already soaked, as was she. Rain ran from his hair down his face and dripped from the suit he wore. He’d never looked better to Kendra.

  “Get back in the van,” Tom shouted over the growling thunder. “You’re sick, remember.”

  Ignoring his order, she said, “I’m almost fully recovered. I already have the lug nuts off, so it shouldn’t take long to fix it. We could use your jack.”

  “Shit, I forgot to bring one to fit this wagon.”

  “What do we do now?”

  He didn’t say anything as his gaze traveled over her. Despite the chilly rain, she heated under his slow perusal. When his eyes returned to hers, she clearly read the desire in them.

  “Don’t look at me like that.”

  Tom moved closer. “What?”

  She shouted to be heard over the crashing thunder. “Don’t look at me like that!”

  Just seeing Kendra’s beautiful face again filled Tom with hunger, but it was more than just physical. He hungered to always be with her, to share a life, and to be a family with her and Connor.

  Maybe it was the storm, but Tom felt a torrent of emotion flood his heart and he couldn’t hold back. “Like what?” he yelled back. “Like I want you, and I need you, and love you? Because I do! I’ve never lied to you, not once Kendra. I may have run from you before, when I was young and stupid, but I’m not running now. Can you trust me? Can you let me into your life and heart?”

  The moisture that filled her eyes broke his heart. He wanted to pull her against him and promise that everything would be all right, but he needed her to believe it, to believe in him.

  She brushed her wet hair off her face. “I’m so sorry it’s taken me this long. I do trust you. I’ve been miserable without you and I can’t believe how wonderful you’ve been to both Connor and I, even when you thought I didn’t want a relationship.”

  “I feel as if I’ve waited a lifetime for you Kendra, I’m happy to wait forever if that is what it takes to make you understand I’d never hurt you. I’d never leave you.”

  She took a tentative step towards him. “I want, need, and love you so much it hurts when you are not around. If you still want me in your life, I’m yours.”

  He softened his expression. “Do you really mean that? You’ve forgiven me the past and you trust me with your future? With your heart?”

  “Yes. Is it too late? Have we wasted so much time we can’t find our way back?”

  He grabbed her upper arms. “Do you want it to be too late?”

  Mustering her courage, Kendra shook her head. “No, I don’t want that! I want to plan a life with you and Connor. I want to have more children with you and I want you there with me.”

  Cupping her face, Tom asked, “I can live with that.”

  More thu
nder crashed overhead and Kendra had to scream to be heard. “You are all I want and I know you’ll never hurt me.”

  “I want to kiss you.”

  “There’s a small chance you might still get mono.”

  “I don’t care.” Tom’s mouth descended on hers with a hunger borne of all three: need, desire, but mostly love. He didn’t care if he caught mono, it was worth the risk.

  Fire met fire as she parted her lips and tried to convey all those things back to him.

  His arms encircled her in a crushing embrace as they continued kissing while jagged lightning arced across the sky. Neither of them cared about a broken-down van, a dangerous storm, or being buffeted by sheets of rain. All that mattered was that they were together again.

  Kendra was left reeling when Tom suddenly drew back from her. He jammed a hand in his suit pants pocket and pulled something out. “What are you doing?” she asked when he kneeled on one knee in a huge puddle.

  “What I should’ve done four years ago.” Tom tried to remember the carefully rehearsed proposal that Lexie had helped him with, but only a few phrases came back to him. “Kendra, you’re the most amazing, brave, gorgeous woman I’ve ever met, and I was such an idiot and coward not to admit my love for you back then. I’m sorry that through my cowardice I hurt you so much—”

  The sky split, making them flinch.

  Tom resumed in a moment, “And wasted so much time because I was too scared to take a chance. But I promise—” More thunder intruded on what was supposed to be the most romantic moment of their lives. “I’ll not waste any more time or ever leave you and Connor ag—” The storm just wouldn’t give up. Tom yelled up at the heavens, “Shut up! I’m trying to propose to the woman I love here!” In a rush he said, “I loved you then, I love you now, and I’ll always love you.” He held up a ring box, removed the ring from inside it, and threw the box over his shoulder. “Kendra Black, will you marry me?”

  Dumbfounded, Kendra stared at the ring and then into his eyes. He was all she’d ever wanted since she’d been sixteen, and she couldn’t believe that she was getting her wish. Love beat through her like the rain on her head. This man loved her and her heart flew free, flew straight to Tom and into his trustworthy hands. Before the next thunder roll, she said, “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!”