Quarter Mile Hearts(47)

“What did you have in mind?”

“Anything that involves me taking you upstairs and getting you out of those sorry excuse for shorts.”

“Uh-huh. I need to collect something.” His face falls and I tap his nose. “But, it will be worth your while.” I lean closer. “I promise.” And with those breathy words, his eyes glaze over. My lips press against his, hesitant at first, but when he drags me closer to the edge of the counter, my confidence grows. Heat sweeps through my body now that his muscular body is nestled between my legs. My hands skim down his chest, feeling the ripple of his muscles through the material of his t-shirt and hook over the top of his jeans. His muscles tense when my knuckles brush against his warm skin.

He lowers his head. “You should get dressed now,” he warns in a low voice, and I don’t know if he’s joking or not. I slide down off the counter and try to squeeze past him, but his arms trap me. I look up and it’s not just his arms I’m trapped in. Hungry eyes search my face, and I swallow thickly.

“I’m giving you five minutes, and if you’re not fully dressed, it’s all coming off.” Without waiting for an answer, his hand grasps the back of my head and his lips crash into mine. Then, just as abruptly, he steps back, and with one last look, I run up the stairs.

My mind has gone blank, and I am half panicked and half intrigued about what he’ll do if I’m not ready. Should I just sit and twiddle my thumbs until my five minutes are up.

The lines of our relationship are blurring and I am still trying to get my head around the idea of Max and me being anything other than enemies. He wants me to take a chance on him, but I’m not quite sure what he means or what that involves. Since the night after the movies, I am thinking of him in a totally different way and after last night… well. We have a shared history, yeah; much of it was based on mutual annoyance and irritation, but our one sexual encounter was anything but. He says I got under his skin, what the hell does he think he did to me.

I’m not planning on hanging around for long so maybe I should enjoy it while I can. Then once I go, I’ll hopefully have gotten him out my system, as long as he doesn’t end up buried further under my skin.

Quickly, I pull out shorts and a striped tank top and slide my feet into my sneakers before I bound down the stairs. Max waits at the bottom; his hungry eyes watch me until I stop in front of him.

“Ready?”

He nods. “You made it. Just.”

“Next time you’ll need to give me less time.” I push past him and wait outside until he pushes off the banister and stalks out the door.



• • •



Without a word, he drives to the garage but keeps glancing sideways at my legs and then at me. His scrutiny is making me a little hot under the collar, but I keep my head facing forward and hum along to the music. The shop is all locked up when we pull up outside, which it should be, but I point to the side to another smaller storage shed.

“Just there.” He looks at me quizzically but draws to a halt a little ways from the door. I jump out of the car and pull a key ring from my pocket and make my way over to the door. Unlocking the padlock, I swing open one door and then the other before I disappear inside. Behind me, I hear the car door open and then slam. When I peer over my shoulder, I see Max sitting on the hood of his car, arms folded over his chest, watching me with interest.

I bend to unhook the tarp at the front, and I can practically feel Max’s hot gaze burning into my legs and backside. Working my way around the car, I pull off the cover to reveal my Charger. I chance a glance over at Max; his mouth has dropped open, and he pushes off his car to stride over to me.

“Your ’67 Charger,” he breathes out.

“That’s her. She’s a bit dusty but otherwise in mint condition.” I run my hand over the bodywork and walk slowly around her, almost forgetting that Max is standing there.

“Does it run?”

“She better; my dad promised he would look after her.”

Max jogs over to the shop and disappears inside. He returns minutes later with a canister of fuel.

“Get in,” he orders and opens the fuel cap and starts to pour it in. Once he’s closed it and climbed into the passenger seat, I slide the key in the ignition and turn her over. It takes a few tries, but eventually, it catches and a huge smile spreads across both our faces.

“You wanna go for a drive?” I turn to look at him and can’t keep the smile off my face.

“Sure.” He gives a slow nod and my heart double beats. Whether it’s because I’m behind the wheel or because Max is with me, either way I feel the adrenaline rush through my system.