Racing Hearts

by Candi Heart

  My. He’d asked if I was his bad girl. Dangerous territory.

  “Yesss,” I whispered, shivering beneath his hands.

  Nipping his lip, I practically clawed at his back, wanting him closer to me. He ran his fingers along the delicate ridge between my legs, and when he dipped his fingers inside me, my eyes fell closed at the warmth of his fingers. He moved them in and out, and I arched my back and moaned, wanting more.

  When he took them out, I pouted until he sucked on his fingers and then reached over somewhere, seeming to pull a condom out of nowhere. Without breaking eye contact, he slid it over his impressive length and positioned himself over me. With a painfully slow ease, he guided himself inside, sliding all the way home in one fluid movement that made me groan out in relief. His hands grabbed the strands of my hair, gently tugging my head back.

  He was a beast as he began to thrust inside me, fast, frenzied, and hungry, desperately chasing his release. I wrapped my legs around his back and loved the way his hands pinned me down against the bed, his gaze boring into mine as we shared a breathless, intense moment. It was just a short one until his eyes fell closed, but it caused such a stir inside me that I felt my pleasure building faster than it ever had, due to that one searing moment of intimacy he had offered me.

  With skin slapping against skin in a bestial urgency, our chorus of moans permeated the air, the scent of our lovemaking turning me on even more than I thought possible. Jerking against me, he stilled right as I clamped around him, and the torrential storm of my release was in perfect harmony to his inside me.

  He slowly rolled off, falling against me, both of us panting hard.

  I laid my head on his chest and tried to even out my breathing. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and lazily caressed his thumb against it. When I could find my voice again, I said, “You’re incredible, Tyler.”

  He looked down at me, and I gazed into those incredible sky-blue eyes, which now looked satiated and content. He smirked and said, “You took the words right out of my mouth.”

  Kissing me softly, he got up, went into the bathroom, and I heard the shower start. After a record-breaking quick shower, he emerged from the steamy bathroom, and offered to clean me, too, a warm white washcloth in his hand.

  Once he was done, he planted a chaste kiss on my right breast, tossed the washcloth back into the bathroom, threw on a dress shirt and khaki pants, and slipped his feet into some shoes.

  “I have inspections,” he said, smiling at me as he ran his fingers through his damp, dark hair. “I’ll be back soon, I promise,” he said, kissing me once more and then disappearing out the door.

  I MUST HAVE DOZED OFF, because I woke a short time later to the empty suite. After washing my face, I slipped on the maxi dress and tied my hair up into a loose bun. As I adjusted my necklace in the mirror, I looked down and spotted a note and a fancy black credit card on the dresser. In the note, he practically demanded I go have fun, shop, do whatever. But the thrill of all that was somewhat muted as I thought of doing those things without him by my side.

  I did eventually make my way out, but I did little more than grab a coffee by the Bellagio Fountains and wander around taking in the sights, making mental notes of the things I wanted to do if I could manage to get a full day out of him at some point.

  I looked at the time on my phone to see it was well past ten p.m. There were plenty of shops still open, but I decided to be conservative with Tyler's card. It wasn’t my money, after all, and I really only wanted something fitting to wear for evening events and the race. I still had the dresses he’d picked out, all of them beautiful, but they were a bit casual for what I suspected the NASCAR event would be. So this time I opted for a tight black dress that showed off my voluptuous hips and breasts, floor-length with a slit up the side, giving a peek at my right thigh. The silver cross-strap heels went perfect with it, and I even gave in to the salesgirl, who convinced me I needed the rhinestone teardrop earrings to go with the ensemble. After that was taken care of, I purchased a few more basic outfits, such as capri pants and flirty cutout tops in pretty colors I could easily play up with accessories. I headed back to the hotel room after a few hours, ready by then to crawl into the king-sized bed and wrap myself in delicious slumber until Tyler got back.

  I half-thought about greeting him in a sexy new outfit, but not knowing what our plans might be, I decided against it. And before I knew it, I was out for the count, not waking until I felt the soft of his lips pressed to my cheek.

  Straining to lift my heavy eyelids, I marveled at how deeply I’d slept. I hadn’t even heard him come in.

  “Sorry I couldn't be here sooner,” he said, lifting up a cup of coffee. “You’ll need this for the night we have ahead of us.”

  I grinned, a bubbling of excitement stirring in my belly. Anything this man had planned was sure to be exciting, and I was sure he’d more than make up for his absence, though he’d probably need to get to sleep early for the preliminary race tomorrow.

  “How’d it go?” I asked, sitting up and taking the cup from the nightstand, putting it up to my lips and blowing on it. I glanced at the bedside clock to see it had just gone past midnight.

  Sliding off his shoes and pulling his shirt over his head, he spared me a glance, taken off-guard by the question. “Let’s not talk shop. Tonight is all about you.”

  Warming at that, I kicked off the covers and set my coffee down. I stripped down as I made my way to the shower ahead of him. “Well, I’ll start my night wet, then.”

  He grinned, and a dark look overcame Tyler's cool blue eyes. He stalked behind me, and I could feel his heat radiating off him.

  Chapter 14

  Tyler

  SHE WAS LIKE A DRUG, and I couldn’t keep my hands off of her. All throughout the inspections, and then through practice, I was consumed with thoughts of Charlyse. She was a distraction, and though warning bells were screaming in my head and in my heart, I ignored them, intent to consume her completely.

  Trailing kisses down her golden skin, I then licked the beads of water dewing her arms. I nipped and tugged my way to her neck, getting impossibly hard as the softest, sweetest moan plumed the air. Even though I’d already had a taste of her when we first got to the suite, I still fully intended to make up for the time we’d had to pass up at the quaint little bed and breakfast we’d stopped into.

  Claiming her mouth as the warm water rained down on us, I kissed her deep and long, my fingers slipping inside of her smooth walls, my eyes squeezing shut as her warmth clamped around me, glazing my fingers.

  Already soaking wet. Removing my fingers, I put them in my mouth to taste her. Fucking delicious.

  I returned my fingers down to her soft, wet mound, and pushed them inside, and then used my thumb to press down on her most sensitive spot. A few strokes there, combined with my mouth around her nipple, and she was shuddering and yelling out as I pinned her against the shower tile wall. She opened her eyes and smiled at me, then licked her lips when she looked down at my straining length between us.

  I groaned as her hands closed around me. Then I sighed as she descended to her knees, her eyes wide and supplicant, wanting to please me. The water was running down her shoulders and off her breasts. So fucking sexy.

  She was so damn beautiful. Scary beautiful. And the stirrings of fear were turning into full-blown alarms in my head. I didn’t want to fuck this up. But something would fuck this up. I was certain of it.

  It will probably be me.

  Shivering as her warm mouth closed around the tip, her sweet pink tongue flicking me softly, I groaned and drew her hair up in my fist, gripping gently at the scalp, encouraging her to continue. Thrusting deep into her slick mouth, I slid against her tongue, careful at first to avoid driving myself to the back of her throat, even though that was what I wanted the most.

  She was insistent, though, sucking me in and driving her whole mouth as far over me as she could. Shuddering as I brushed the back of her throat, my eyes roll
ed back as her jaw went slack, making it easy for me to use her mouth as I pleased.

  It took all I had to subdue the beast within me and take her mouth carefully, stroking my length against her tongue, the build of my release a torrent of electric tension thrusting me in and out of her, until I couldn’t hold it back a moment longer.

  When her mouth closed all the way around me and she suckled hard, her head bobbing up and down feverishly, and I lost it, growling out her name like a curse. I tugged her hair and held her head still as I filled her mouth with everything I had in me, my gaze searing into hers as I watched her swallow it all, lick me ever so softly, and then cup her own breast.

  “Fuck,” I hissed as she stood up. I took one of her breasts into my mouth and she cried out as the warm water continued to tumble down on us. I watched as she drank in a few mouthfuls of shower water, and then spit some back out to rinse her mouth. Grinning, I leaned up to kiss her hard and fast, and then I grabbed the shampoo and squirted it into my hands and washed her hair. As I did that, she used the sponge and shower gel to wash me.

  After we dried each other off and made it to the bed, we didn’t leave it for an hour after that.

  It was after midnight now, and after getting dressing up, we headed down to the bars. Charlyse was a vision in black, having chosen a fitted little number that fell to her feet, a sexy-as-fuck slit up the side, showing her creamy thigh. She’d managed to work some sort of elaborately pinned miracle with her hair, sweeping it up in a tower of dark, fiery layers she had the forethought to accent with some kind of diamond-looking earrings.

  She looked like money, and not because she was dating me. Charlyse had a sort of in-built class that would resonate even if she were wearing a dress from a thrift store.

  “To big wins,” I toasted, clinking my scotch on the rocks to her martini at the hotel bar. Mine, black label. Hers, chocolate. Harsh and bold to soft and creamy.

  “To Dalton Enterprises,” she came back with a wink.

  Be still my... heart.

  After our good luck drink, we headed down to the pre-NASCAR kickoff party.

  I NEVER LET HER OUT of my sight as we mingled at the top of the South Pointe Hotel. This was where the Las Vegas Motor Speedway held their private yearly party, and was the race’s sponsor this year. The view was fucking amazing, but I had seen it before. The only thing I wanted to look at was Charlyse. I had told her I was going to get us drinks, and foolishly left her alone standing in front the bank of windows looking out over the glittering strip, her back to the room. Of course it didn’t take long for the wolves to descend—or one wolf in particular—and I gritted my teeth as I watched Justin Barnes stroll up to her and strike up a conversation. Being the pleasant and polite person she was, she smiled at him as he spoke, and was probably answering the questions that the cocky blond driver was asking.

  Plucking up my beer and her chocolate martini, and throwing a twenty in the tip jar, I strolled over to them, trying to maintain my simmering jealously. My father had taught me that becoming the green monster would never get me anywhere, and would backfire most of the time. Especially when there was media around. I eyed the reporters wearing their PRESS badges, and wondered if there were others who chose not to identify themselves, just like at the last party. Keep it cool, keep it contained. Don’t ever let jealousy rear its ugly head, I heard my father’s voice in my head, and I sucked in a breath to calm myself.

  With a forced smile, I touched Charlyse’s elbow and handed her the drink.

  She looked at me with a smile. “Thanks.”

  Like a caveman, I leaned down and kissed her fully on the mouth in front of Justin, obviously staking my claim. I broke the kiss and looked down at her, and then toward him. I had heard a few shutter clicks as we kissed, but I didn’t care about the press.

  “Oh, hey, man, didn’t see you there,” I said, biting back a smile.

  Justin had a cocky smile of his own, and took my proffered hand, shaking it. “Mr. Dalton.”

  “All ready for the race tomorrow?” I asked, eyeing him carefully. The bastard was young Brad Pitt handsome, with perfectly styled blond hair, a strong, scruffy jawline, and broad shoulders. His only drawback was his height, but most drivers weren’t big guys. It was to their advantage to be on the shortish side to fit into the cars better. I always struggled with that when I was racing, since I was over six feet, but I made do.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” Justin drawled in his Southern way. If we weren’t at this fancy party, he’d probably have a mouthful of dip tucked into his lip. Hell, I was surprised he didn’t have some in there anyway.

  “Good,” I replied, trying to remain professional when I just wanted to slug him for talking to Charlyse.

  Just then a phone rang, and Charlyse reached into her tiny purse and looked at the screen. Smiling, she looked at us both and said, “Excuse me,” and walked away. “Hey, you...”

  Justin looked at me with a grin. “That your girl, or just another piece of ass?”

  Feeling my blood begin to heat up, I took a discreet breath and beat back the green monster. “Yes, she’s with me. No, she’s not just a piece of ass.” If Justin hadn’t been one of my top drivers, and needed to be on top of his game tomorrow, I would have folded his teeth back for that comment.

  “Well, she’s hot. And that ass, mmm,” he continued to goad me as he stared at her across the room.

  I used my beer to gesture toward him. “You need to watch the way you talk to me, Barnes.” I narrowed my eyes at him and then let a few long seconds linger in the air until he nodded slightly at me. “Now get lost, and watch your Ps and Qs,” I commanded through gritted teeth.

  He saluted me with that cocky grin of his, and walked off to annoy someone else. I was surprised he didn’t have his own arm candy with him, but then again, the guy was unpredictable.

  I watched Charlyse smiling and laughing on the phone and I wondered who she was talking to. Was it another guy? A former boyfriend? That Thor-looking motherfucker she had been with at the party in Austin? I meant to ask her who he was, but never quite drummed up the nerve. Because—jealousy. I supposed it was because I didn’t want to know. I saw her running her fingers over a loose curl that had escaped her hairdo, and she was still smiling and nodding. Trying again to control the green monster, I sipped my scotch and continued to watch her.

  What the hell are you doing, Tyler? my inner voice asked.

  I wasn’t sure. What was I doing? Getting too invested in this girl, that was what. A girl like her probably had dates every weekend, and had men blowing up her phone. I also had my pick of women, but I was just too busy anymore to devote my time to a relationship. Most of the time, women were great at the beginning, all sexy and attentive. Then when they realized how busy I was, they got clingy and whiny. I couldn’t picture Charlyse like that, but then again, I didn’t really know her all that well, did I?

  Sure, I had memorized every inch of her succulent body, and I knew she loved old 80s tunes and had a great singing voice. I knew she was a mechanic with unusually clean fingernails, and that her father owned the largest race car mechanic’s shop in Austin. I knew that she liked to sleep on her side, and that she sometimes mumbled in her sleep.

  But did I truly know her? Like... what was her biggest fear, or her favorite color, or had she ever been married before, or even in love? Did she want children? What was her mother like? Did Mom approve of her daughter being a mechanic? Did she have siblings, and if so, what kind of relationship did she have with them? It seems I had a lot of questions to ask her. But would any of those really tell me what mattered most about her? What was deep on the inside? After all, everyone put their best face forward at the beginning. Even though I felt like Charlyse was being one-hundred percent her, it was impossible to truly know a person after just a couple of days.

  The fact that I was even having this internal conversation told me I was already getting too close to her. Aside from needing to get to know her better, I had ask
ed her along on this trip because she was beautiful, fascinating, and we seemed to form an easy friendship. Obviously, we had become much more than friends, but it was still easy to fall into step with her whenever we were near each other.

  It was for this very reason that I knew I had to begin to distance myself. If I got serious with her, I was sure I would just end up hurting her—and myself in the process. Because while I could succeed at racing, and in business, I was piss-poor in relationships and had no time for them. Charlyse didn’t deserve a half-assed boyfriend in her life.

  After this long weekend was over, it would be over.

  But, until then, I would indulge in her sweetness, treating myself to her beauty and her body so when it was over, I would have nothing but good memories to hold me over. Even though I wanted to possess this girl like I’d wanted to possess nothing else for as far back as I could remember, it could never be a forever thing.

  I had already merged with her in a way that took me wholly aback, like the completely unreasonable sense of jealousy I’d felt when I saw her talking to Justin earlier. He was looking at her like she was a racetrack; unexplored and unconquered magic he burned to ride, circle within, and impress himself upon. I knew that look because it was the one I’d had the moment I laid eyes on her, too.

  But he would never have her, because she was mine, if only for a little while. It was her own heat that drew me to her like a moth to a flame, and I was going to unravel her until I reached the deepest, most feminine truth at her core before this weekend was over.

  “Let’s get out of here,” I murmured in her ear once she ended the call and made her way back to me. The party was just getting started, but I had no interest in doing any more mingling. We’d been here an hour and I was much more interested in getting Charlyse back to the suite. But first, I wanted to take her down to see the vintage cars and new roadsters the hotel had on display in the lower level garage beneath it.