Beth rushes over and she grabs me, jumping around on the spot.
“You had us worried.”
“Tell me about it.”
Zach is nowhere to be seen. According to Beth, he roared off in his Evo, leaving Tate to follow in the Challenger. I spot Tom Anderson make his way over to Dad and shake his hand. I shield my eyes against the sun, and I wouldn’t say that Tom looks happy, but he’s not got a face on him like his son. Dad, on the other hand, looks relieved.
“Celebration at The Three Monkeys,” Aaron calls to me as he and Beth climb into his truck. I nod and wait for Max. He’s talking to my dad and the two of them approach. Dad holds out his arms, and I launch myself at him, forgetting for a minute that he is still healing, but he doesn’t seem to care. He grips me tightly.
“Thanks,” he says gruffly and makes a funny sound in the back of the throat.
“Anytime.” I feel myself choking up too, and I hold on tighter.
“I’m proud of you,” he mumbles, and I have to bite my lip to stop from crying but nod instead.
“Right, enough of this sappy crap. I’ll see you two at The Three Monkeys.”
“See you there.” Max nods and waits by the car for me while I give my dad a quick kiss on the cheek and run over to Max.
“You drive.” I toss the keys over the roof to him and climb into the passenger side.
• • •
The celebrations are well underway by the time we arrive at The Three Monkeys, and a huge cheer goes up when I walk in the door. Slightly embarrassed but also touched that so many people are here, I hold my hands up in a self-deprecating gesture. Uncle Pat hands me a beer and one for Max and we make our way over to a table where Beth and Aaron are sitting.
People pat me on the back and say well done as we pass. I’m not used to so much attention.
“Will we see you at the quarter mile tonight?” Ryder asks as he and Kyle sit down at our table. Max tenses slightly and I reach under the table to run my hand over his leg.
“Nope, my racing days are over.”
“But...” Kyle starts, and I cut him off.
“I’m not a racer. I only did it so we didn’t lose the garage. Now that’s over with…” They start to grumble about how they could clean up on bets, but I tune them out. Max hasn’t said a word, his dark eyes watch me as the muscle in his jaw flexes.
“I’ll be right back.” He slides out from his seat and heads over to the bar. I leave the guys talking about racing tonight and make my way over to the jukebox. It seems a lifetime ago that Max had me pinned to this jukebox on my first night back. So much has changed since then, but I think it’s only me who’s changed because everything else looks the same. Before I was so desperate to escape, and now... well, now I’m desperate to stay. I lean against the jukebox and watch them all.
Dad and Maria are together—kissing—which is actually pretty gross, so I avert my eyes. Beth and Aaron are together as always, her sitting on his lap, his arm protectively around her stomach and the adoration and love that shines in their eyes chokes me up. I have to look away because seeing them together causes a rush of emotion and makes me crave that. But then I see Max watching me from the other side of the bar while he stands waiting for our drinks. And I melt. There is something else in his gaze when it meets mine. It’s still sinfully wicked and bad, and he still makes my insides clench with just that one look. A smile that curves over his mouth, as though he wants to eat me up, but I see something else in his eyes and it undoes me. It makes my heart double beat.
As if I didn’t have enough reasons to stay, Max has given me one more, a pretty big reason. All this time, I was fighting how I feel about him, how I’ve always felt about him, and now I know he feels the same. He isn’t bothered about racing. He would have taken my place, not for the adrenaline rush or the kick, but to keep anything from happening to me. I’d say he’s definitely worth sticking around for.
With one hand braced against the jukebox, I take my time with my selection, the corners of my mouth twitch as a song catches my eye. Without hesitation, I punch in the number. “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” by The Clash sounds over the speakers. Before I can move away from the jukebox, the fine hairs on the back of my neck tingle and the familiar smell of Armani reaches my nostrils. A strong arm wraps around my waist, and I look down to see a tanned forearm and smile as Max’s hard body presses up behind me, his even harder dick brushing against my backside. He moves the hair away from my neck and brushes a kiss across the back of it. Electricity tingles down my spine as his lips follow my hairline to my ear.