by Misty Evans
“My neighbor?” Alex said in a humorously mocking voice and pointed to himself. “She’s a tough cookie. I’ve turned the A-man charm on full blast, but I don’t think she likes me.”
Van kicked his ankle. “I don’t.”
That’s not what your kisses say. Nor what her hand on his cock has said earlier. He glanced at her, then spoke to Liam again. “I hope to change her mind.”
Becca sipped her drink. “You won’t if you keep criticizing her food choices.”
He stared deep into Van’s eyes. “Maybe I should make her dinner. A meal so delicious, she can’t help but enjoy it without worrying about fat or calories. I bet I know something she’d like to eat…ooof…”
Her second kick connected with his shin. Hard.
For half a heartbeat, he saw stars. Next thing, she was shoving him out of the booth.
“Move. I need to hit the ladies room.”
He stood and then danced on one leg as shooting pains ran up and down his shin.
“I’ll come with you.” Becca had a frown on her face that matched Van’s. As she passed Alex, she gave him a what the fuck look that said he was in deep trouble with both of them.
He collapsed back into the booth and chuckled, watching Van’s awesome ass as she walked away. He shouldn’t have done it, shouldn’t have teased her like that before she was ready for Becca and Liam to know about their relationship, but after the movie theater, he knew—knew—she was finally succumbing to his charms.
And didn’t that scare the hell out of him?
Be careful what you wish for, his mother always said. In her world, wishes were for other people, No good came from wishing if you were a McIntyre. Work, work, work, was their motto, and serve everyone else. As if somehow since his sister’s accident, helping others was the only way to safeguard their family from further pain and suffering.
“What are you doing, man?” Liam played with his straw. “Something going on between you and Van?”
Alex rubbed his shin. He wanted Vanessa, but he didn’t. Not in the way he’d wanted other women. Every time he looked at her, he yearned for something…something more than sex. Not that sex with Van wasn’t always on his mind, but still…
“I just like giving her shit. I wasn’t lying when I said she doesn’t like me.”
“But you like her.”
There was clear accusation in his tone. “I like winding her up, that’s all.”
“She’s not like your other girls, Alex.”
Like he didn’t know that. The bruise on his shin was living proof. “You make it sound like I’m a user.”
“She’s Becca’s friend. Mine too. Don’t lead her on if you’re not serious.” His stare was hard, flat. “She could be good for you, but she’s not a throw-away.”
A throw-away. It sounded callous but that’s what all the other girls had been. One and dones. No strings attached.
Seemed like that’s what Van wanted, though. She teased him with sex, then withdrew when he tried to be anything other than her boy toy.
The thought soured his mood. He wasn’t against being her boy toy, necessarily, but he still felt that tug for a deeper connection. “Relax, man. Vanessa isn’t interested in having a serious relationship with me. We’re neighbors, that’s it.”
And if welcome-to-the-neighborhood sex was part of the package, he wouldn’t complain.
He still planned to woo her. Take her on an official date and see what happened. Maybe he’d get under her skin the way she was getting under his. After her attack in the movie theater, things were looking up in that department.
“Tread lightly,” Liam said. “Friends or not, you hurt Van in any way and I can’t be held responsible for what Becca does to you.”
Liam was the closest thing to a brother Alex had ever had. “Warning taken, and just so you know, I would never hurt Van. I respect her too much. Besides, Becca wouldn’t have to defend her honor. If I did anything to Van, she’d cut my balls off herself and burn them.”
Laughing, Liam raised his glass in a toast. “To strong women.”
Alex knocked his glass against his friend’s. “May they forever keep us worshipping at their stiletto-clad feet.”
* * *
“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, sister?” Becca’s voice was low and dangerous. “You’ve been ducking me for a week. Time to come clean.”
Van swallowed hard and tugged at the hem of her blouse. She didn’t need to use the bathroom, she just needed a reprieve from Alex. She didn’t like her hand forced.
She’d planned to tell Becca about them if there was something to tell. She didn’t want to be forced into it. The little shit.
She normally told her bestie everything, but becoming one of Alex’s notches wasn’t exactly something to be proud of. “Would you believe me if I said, nothing?”
Becca folded her arms. “Try again.”
Becca’s dark brows drew down and uncharacteristic frown lines marred her smooth forehead.
Van sighed. “Okay. Fine, but please don’t judge. It was totally a moment of weakness.”
Becca cocked her head and her eyes bulged. “Oh, my God. You slept with him? Alex, I’m a sex machine, McIntyre. You slept with him?”
When she said it like that… “Look, I don’t even know what happened, it was after the reception and you and Liam had left and I was feeling lonely and irritated and I went to give him his credit card, and he was shirtless.” She blew out a breath. “Becca, I mean, seriously. It wasn’t fair. Somebody should have warned me.”
Becca held up a hand. “Go back to the part where you said after the reception. You mean you slept with him in Jersey? I’ve been back for weeks and you didn’t say a thing?”
Van shoved her hand through her braids as she paced. “Look, at first I was a little mortified and I sort of hoped I could just avoid him. I’m not the kind of girl that falls for his brand of bullshit. I mean, there I was, naked, practically etching my name into his bedpost myself and I was embarrassed. Next thing I know, he’s moving in next door. Being all persistent and shit.”
Becca softened. “Oh honey, you could do worse than Alex. He likes his fair share of women, but he’s actually a really good guy underneath the sex machine.”
Van nodded. “The Boy Scout has nothing to be embarrassed about. Jesus, I mean, he’s well, yeah, uh…” How exactly was she supposed to explain? “The man must take special vitamins or something because, he has a certain…level of stamina.”
Becca flushed and laughed. “Well, I guess I don’t have to ask then.”
“Ask what?”
A giggle escaped Becca’s lips. “How it was. I mean you should see your face. Your eyes are a little glassy and your lips are parted. Not to mention, the way you play with your hair when you talk about him, it’s a dead giveaway.”
Oh hell no. No way was she letting Becca go into matchmaking mode. “No. no. no. It’s not like that. It was a mistake.”
Her friend’s lips turned up at the corners. “Is that why you two were playing footsie at the table? And why you were totally making out during the movie? Why didn’t you call like you said you would and tell me all of this sooner?”
Heat prickled Van’s skin as she flushed. If she were as fair as Becca, she was pretty sure she’d be lobster red.
“Oh shit.” Van ducked her head and leaned against the sink, gripping the edge for stability.
Becca shook her head. “I’m just so pissed because Liam bet me that something had happened with you guys and I said not yet. So now, well, I won’t tell you what I owe him.”
Van was unsure if she wanted to laugh or hang her head. “Are you serious right now?”
Her bestie shrugged. “The tension around the two of you crackles. Before the wedding, it was clear you didn’t like him, but afterward, it seemed like you were forcing it. And…if you’re going to make out with a guy, go with clear lip-gloss. His lips are tinted passion pink.”
Van covered her face. “Fuck.”
&nb
sp; Becca laughed. “Would you relax and cut yourself a little slack? I’m actually kind of proud of you. I know you can get a little in your head sometimes and you always look before you leap. If it weren’t for the whole man-whore thing, I’d say Alex would actually be good for you. Get you to have some fun and relax a little. Think about something other than your job. You’re twenty-four years old and way too serious.”
“Becca, I slept with him. Do you have any idea how many women he’s slept with since he moved next door? I bet you it’s more than twelve.”
Becca winced. “You might not be wrong about that, but Alex knows I will kill him if he ever hurt you.”
She smirked even if her eyes prickled with tears. “No need for all that. It hasn’t happened again.”
“Do you want it to?”
“No.” She sighed. “Yes.” Fuck. “I don’t know. I mean my body is all, ‘Well, you’ve already gone there, so you might as well avail yourself of that very nice body again.’ Then my brain is all ‘When did you become that girl?’
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting him, Van. He’s sexy.”
Yes, he was. And the idiot knew it. “I just wish I could control how I felt around him. One minute I’m holding strong, the next he’s growing on me like a truffle.”
Becca grinned. “I’ve never seen him like this. I’ve seen a lot of women he’s brought around. You’re nothing like them. He’s forced to raise himself to your level. You could be more than a notch if you wanted to be.”
Something unfamiliar squeezed her heart, but she didn’t dare examine it. “We’re too different, Becs.”
“Maybe that’s why it could work. Look, you obviously are into each other. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, why don’t you go out with him, I mean, like, without Liam and I tagging along? You have nothing to lose.”
That’s where she was wrong. If she let Alex get close, she had everything to lose.
But one date wouldn’t be the end of the world. One more time with him and maybe she could get him out of her head. “I suppose this is the part where you tell me you know exactly what I should wear.”
Becca’s grin spoke volumes.
Chapter Eleven
Van rolled her lips inward, carefully distributing her lipstick. There is no reason to be nervous. It’s just Alex.
They’d hung out a dozen times. Hell, they’d already slept together. So why did this date feel real?
Maybe because she’d let Becca dress her…again. Why that girl insisted on leather was beyond her. Tonight, Becca had picked out a white leather and jersey paneled dress with strategic cutouts. The dress had a built in bra so she could go braless.
As Van admired herself in the mirror, she had to admit she looked hot. She’d left her braids down, pinning back the front pieces so they didn’t fall into her face and she wore silver dangling earrings that gave her some shimmer. The shoes were Louboutins. White with patent leather red accents. Becca had completed the look with a red clutch purse which honestly would only fit a condom and her phone. The whole outfit screamed “Fuck me. I’m yours.”
Not to mention, given the strategic paneling, all she could wear was a thong and stockings, no garters. She flushed hot as she remembered what happened the last time she’d worn stockings around Alex.
Van checked her makeup one last time before heading down the stairs. Before she could make it down to the foyer, her doorbell rang.
He’s early.
Van opened the door and Alex stood on the other side leaning against the door jamb. “I—” He started to speak, then stopped, his mouth hanging open. For a long moment he stared at her, his blue eyes going dark. She watched in feminine satisfaction as he tried to work his mouth several times before finally settling on “Wow.”
He’d paired a blazer with gray pinstripe slacks and the softest looking white shirt she’d ever seen. And of course he smelled divine. Musky, but not overpowering, and a little spicy. It made her want to lean in. “Hi.”
He licked his lips then met her gaze. “You know that thing they say about what happens to men physiologically when they’re turned on?”
“What’s that?”
“All the blood rushes from their head so they can’t think and their feet so they can’t run away.”
She laughed, fully enjoying his reaction to her. How long had it been since she had a date? Since she let herself relax and enjoy someone else’s company? Since she entertained the possibility of more than a fun roll in the hay with a guy? Too long to remember.
Becca was right. It was time for her to start having some fun.
The restaurant he selected was in Mission Hills, not far but off the beaten path but enough so it wasn’t too crowded. The ambiance was romantic and intimate and the staff was attentive. The hostess and waitresses all seemed to know Alex. She did her best to not think about why. Was this his go to place to bring dates? How many—
No, she wasn’t going to do this. She was going to enjoy herself. Relax.
“I know I’ve said it a million times tonight, but Jesus, you have me speechless.”
Just the way he talked to her was enough to have her flushing again. “Thank you. All of it courtesy of Becca.”
“I’m not sure if I should thank her or beg for mercy next time. I’m only a man. I can barely take it.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take it easier on you next time.”
He grinned. “So I just got you to agree to a second date.”
Exasperated, she shook her head. “Slick.”
He shrugged. “When I know what I want, I go after it.”
She shifted under his scrutiny. “Is that how you attack racing?”
He took a sip of his wine. “Yes. Usually it works.”
Van shook her head. “I can’t even imagine. I mean it’s dangerous even if you know what you’re doing, right? You have to be totally focused in on the race.”
“Much of it is about your gut and how you feel in the car. Distractions will make you lose—or worse.” He tried changing the subject. “How’s your presentation going? Have you worked out the kinks?”
Van laughed. “You’re kidding right? We’re talking racing and you want to know about my presentation? It’s fine. I’m ready. I’m rehearsed. Totally prepared. Now back to the cars and whizzing around at death defying speeds.”
The rumbling laugh that rolled out of him had the butterflies dancing in her belly. It wasn’t really fair that he was so damn sexy. She’d never had a chance. “Okay, racing, but I genuinely want to know about you.”
“Yes, yes. Me. We’ll get to it. Back to the cars.”
“What do you want to know?”
“For starters, how did you get involved?”
He shifted in his seat and slid his gaze away, but she saw the way his eyes lit up at the thought of racing. “I’ve had this morbid fascination with cars and speed since I was a kid. At first it was karts with a friend and his father, then I graduated to bigger, faster machines. Time trails. Dirt tracks, paved tracks. Stock cars, hotrods. You name it. I’ve tried it all. Well, except Formula 1. It’s nearly impossible to get traction in that field unless you head to Europe.”
“Should I expect to see you in a Fast and Furious movie any time soon?”
“No.” He chuckled. “Street racing is out, the one thing I’ve never tried. Fun, but illegal and highly dangerous. The stunts they do in those cars are insane.”
“The way you talk about cars and racing, you’re really into it. Have you ever considered making it your career?”
“Uh, never going to happen.”
“Why not? You clearly love it and dedicate a lot of time to it.”
“My work at 3 Wishes is more important. Besides, my parents would disown me if they caught me racing.”
She cocked her head. “Have they ever seen you race?”
He laughed, the sound harsh and bitter. “Uh, negative.”
“Why not?”
He sat back and swallowed hard. “My sister,
Jen, you met her at the party. She was in a terrible accident when we were kids. Hit and run by street racers. It took years of physical therapy for her to walk again and she spent months in the hospital.”
“Oh, my God,” Her heart hammered. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea. You would never know talking to her that she’d been through something so traumatic.”
“Yeah, that’s Jenna for you. She’s resilient, tough and she loves life, so she doesn’t talk about it.”
“That must have been terrible for you.”
“It’s the whole reason my family founded 3 Wishes, and in the end, why my parents divorced. The doctors initially told my parents to prepare themselves that Jen wouldn’t make it. But she’s a fighter. She not only didn’t die, she thrived after her liver transplant. While she was in the hospital, my parents met other parents with terminally ill children or children who weren’t expected to make it for whatever reason. It gave them the idea for 3 Wishes. But, yes, Jen’s accident interrupted my racing career. It was understandable. Any type of car racing reminded her and my parents of the accident and scared them. If they found out that I was still doing it on the side, they’d flip out.”
“Jen doesn’t know either?”
He shook his head and played with his silverware. “Sometimes I feel guilty. Like I’m betraying her, yet, I can’t seem to quit.”
“So none of your family has ever been to see you?”
“Nope.” His lips curved. “None of my friends, except Liam, either because I can’t let it get back to my parents. Luckily they don’t pay any attention to sports and there isn’t a lot of press about the types of races I do except in the racing fanatic circles. The only people who actually know me and know about this are you and Liam. If you come, it’ll be nice having someone with me in Vegas.”
“Liam is obviously your bestie so of course you’d share your secret with him, but why me?”
“Well, besides the fact you found my jumpsuit and I had to come clean, it’s easy to be myself with you. You cut through the bullshit and you’re honest. With most people I never know what they want from me so it’s hard to let my guard down and be myself.”