be
serious.”
“What?” he
asked, grinning, as he took the keys out of his pocket. “You don’t
like my wheels?”
She rolled her
eyes. She shouldn’t be surprised his street car was one of the
fastest and most expensive money could buy. His whole life revolved
around his need for speed, and she would do well to remember that
before she got in any deeper.
“I like it just
fine,” she said, walking to the passenger’s door. She stood back to
give him room while he opened her door. Once she was settled
inside, she fastened her seat belt, hoping that would be enough to
protect her from harm once he climbed behind the wheel. She shot
him a sidelong glance. “I hope you don’t drive on the street the
way you do on the track.”
Justin laughed
as he started the car. “If I did, they’d throw my ass in jail.” He
reached for her hand. “Trust me, you’re safe with me.” Looking her
in the eyes, he leaned in closer. “You believe that, don’t
you?”
She wasn’t as
concerned about her personal safety as she was about her heart.
“Sure, if you say so.”
Chapter
Nine
By the time Justin
pulled into the driveway of Anna’s tidy little bungalow, he wasn’t
ready for the night to end. Two hours had passed since they’d left
Jimmy’s. They’d driven around, parked at the lake, and talked about
everything: her students, their families, her books, and his
business interests. He felt like he knew her better, which only
made him want her more.
The only topics
that seemed to be off limits were the two he suspected they most
needed to address: Tom and racing.
If Justin was
certain of one thing, it was that a few hundred miles wouldn’t be
enough to quash his interest in her.
“Would you like
to come in for a coffee?” she asked, removing her seat belt.
He wasn’t
interested in coffee, but he would take any excuse to spend more
time with her. “Sounds great. Thanks.” He jumped out of the car and
walked to the passenger’s side to open her door.
“Thank
you.”
Justin rested
his hand on the car behind her head. He wondered if she would
retreat if he tried to kiss her. As much as he wanted to, getting
to know her was more important. They’d had so little time together,
and he didn’t want her to believe he’d come all that way for the
wrong reasons.
She licked her
lips. “What’s wrong?”
“Wrong?” he
asked, taking a step back. “Nothing’s wrong. Why?” She surprised
him by wrapping her arms around his waist and drawing him back
in.
“On the island,
you seemed…” She shrugged. “I don’t know, interested in me. Now I’m
not so sure.”
He released the
breath he’d been holding as he moved closer. If her neighbors were
curious about the flashy sports car in her driveway at the late
hour, he intended to give them even more to talk about.
Stroking her
face with one hand, he looked into her eyes. “How can you even ask
me that?” He kissed her gently, trying to gauge her reaction. When
she seemed receptive, he deepened the kiss, trapping her face in
his hands as he had his way with her mouth.
She blinked
several times when he pulled away, as though she was trying to
orient herself. “I-”
He kissed her
again, halting her words. If she was going to protest, he didn’t
want to hear it. He needed her, and if she didn’t share his
feelings, he would rather postpone the harsh reality while losing
himself in the sweet promise of her lips just a little while
longer.
“You blow my
mind,” she said, chuckling in spite of her ragged breathing. “You
are without a doubt the sexiest man I’ve ever met.”
He laughed at
her characterization, knowing she wasn’t the kind of girl who threw
those compliments out there without turning ten shades of red. That
was what he loved about her. She was so genuine. Anna didn’t care
who he was or how much money his family had. She liked him in spite
of the fact he was a race car driver, not because of it, and that
was one of the many
serious.”
“What?” he
asked, grinning, as he took the keys out of his pocket. “You don’t
like my wheels?”
She rolled her
eyes. She shouldn’t be surprised his street car was one of the
fastest and most expensive money could buy. His whole life revolved
around his need for speed, and she would do well to remember that
before she got in any deeper.
“I like it just
fine,” she said, walking to the passenger’s door. She stood back to
give him room while he opened her door. Once she was settled
inside, she fastened her seat belt, hoping that would be enough to
protect her from harm once he climbed behind the wheel. She shot
him a sidelong glance. “I hope you don’t drive on the street the
way you do on the track.”
Justin laughed
as he started the car. “If I did, they’d throw my ass in jail.” He
reached for her hand. “Trust me, you’re safe with me.” Looking her
in the eyes, he leaned in closer. “You believe that, don’t
you?”
She wasn’t as
concerned about her personal safety as she was about her heart.
“Sure, if you say so.”
Chapter
Nine
By the time Justin
pulled into the driveway of Anna’s tidy little bungalow, he wasn’t
ready for the night to end. Two hours had passed since they’d left
Jimmy’s. They’d driven around, parked at the lake, and talked about
everything: her students, their families, her books, and his
business interests. He felt like he knew her better, which only
made him want her more.
The only topics
that seemed to be off limits were the two he suspected they most
needed to address: Tom and racing.
If Justin was
certain of one thing, it was that a few hundred miles wouldn’t be
enough to quash his interest in her.
“Would you like
to come in for a coffee?” she asked, removing her seat belt.
He wasn’t
interested in coffee, but he would take any excuse to spend more
time with her. “Sounds great. Thanks.” He jumped out of the car and
walked to the passenger’s side to open her door.
“Thank
you.”
Justin rested
his hand on the car behind her head. He wondered if she would
retreat if he tried to kiss her. As much as he wanted to, getting
to know her was more important. They’d had so little time together,
and he didn’t want her to believe he’d come all that way for the
wrong reasons.
She licked her
lips. “What’s wrong?”
“Wrong?” he
asked, taking a step back. “Nothing’s wrong. Why?” She surprised
him by wrapping her arms around his waist and drawing him back
in.
“On the island,
you seemed…” She shrugged. “I don’t know, interested in me. Now I’m
not so sure.”
He released the
breath he’d been holding as he moved closer. If her neighbors were
curious about the flashy sports car in her driveway at the late
hour, he intended to give them even more to talk about.
Stroking her
face with one hand, he looked into her eyes. “How can you even ask
me that?” He kissed her gently, trying to gauge her reaction. When
she seemed receptive, he deepened the kiss, trapping her face in
his hands as he had his way with her mouth.
She blinked
several times when he pulled away, as though she was trying to
orient herself. “I-”
He kissed her
again, halting her words. If she was going to protest, he didn’t
want to hear it. He needed her, and if she didn’t share his
feelings, he would rather postpone the harsh reality while losing
himself in the sweet promise of her lips just a little while
longer.
“You blow my
mind,” she said, chuckling in spite of her ragged breathing. “You
are without a doubt the sexiest man I’ve ever met.”
He laughed at
her characterization, knowing she wasn’t the kind of girl who threw
those compliments out there without turning ten shades of red. That
was what he loved about her. She was so genuine. Anna didn’t care
who he was or how much money his family had. She liked him in spite
of the fact he was a race car driver, not because of it, and that
was one of the many
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