Fast Lane (Consumed by Love Book 1)

by Lizzie Hart Stevens

  “Fuck, Patrick, I’m sorry. I tried to work through it and deal with it all, and I’m just exhausted from being so on edge all the time around you.”

  He’s quiet as he grips the steering wheel until his knuckles turn white. Then he exhales slowly.

  “Okay, Lex, whatever you want,” Patrick says in a dry, even tone. He then gets out of the car and walks around to my side to open the door for me. I’ve just ripped the man’s heart out and he’s being a perfect gentleman. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “Patrick, I really believe there’s someone better out there for you. I hope you don’t hate me. I truly am sorry,” I say, while grabbing my purse and climbing out of the car.

  “I could never hate you. I don’t understand why this is happening, though. I love you, Lexi.”

  “Goodnight, Patrick.”

  “Yeah. See ya, Lex.” He’s obviously crushed that I don’t feel the same way; I couldn’t bring myself to say those three little words. As I walk toward the door he slides back into the car. I turn around to see him watching me in his rearview mirror to make sure I get inside okay before he drives off.

  I WALK THROUGH the door of my house and lock it behind me. I’ve lived here for a few years now, but I still haven’t taken the time to decorate. I’d rather spend my spare time at home, reading, or chatting with friends on social media. I have a couch, a chair, a TV (that I rarely ever watch), and a bed. What more do I need? I enjoy being on my own, not having to share my space with anyone. Men just seem to cause me stress.

  I’ve lived on my own since I was eighteen. I never knew my mom—she passed away giving birth to me. My dad died from heart surgery complications a couple of months after I graduated high school. Being raised by my dad, I learned a lot about cars and how to stick up for myself. He also taught me to never seriously date a man I couldn’t marry. While I’m relieved that things are over with Patrick, I can’t help but wonder how he’s going to deal. He’s never been violent, but I’ve seen him lose his temper more times than I can count. And the way he grabbed my face tonight was scary.

  I decide to have a long, hot shower, slip into my favorite pair of fleece pajamas, and curl up in bed under my blue flannel blanket. My mom made it while she was pregnant with me. It’s the only thing I have from her other than pictures. It’s brought me a lot of comfort over the past twenty-four years.

  As I lie in bed, I remember that I forgot let Brea know I was home safe and quickly send her a text.

  Me: I’m home. Fill you in on Patrick tomorrow.

  Brea: It’s about time you texted me! I was getting worried. I called Josh. We have an appointment with him at one tomorrow.

  Me: I’m really looking forward to some fresh ink.

  Brea: Love ya, chick. See you tomorrow! Stoplight Café for lunch first?

  Me: Sure, sounds great! I could go for a big plate of cheese fries. I’ll meet you at your place at 11:30.

  Brea: It’s a date! Nighty night! Xx

  Me: Goodnight. Xx

  I place my phone on the nightstand, switch off my lamp, and curl up on my soft, warm bed. Just as I start to drift off to sleep, the doorbell rings. Seriously? I just got comfortable! I throw off my blanket as I get out of bed, and grab my robe to go answer the door.

  “Who is it?” I ask loudly before I open it.

  “It’s Derek, Lexi.”

  My neighbor. He has short brown hair and bright, sparkling blue eyes. He wears his facial hair very short and neatly trimmed, not one of those bushy lumberjack beards. His muscles are toned, but not overly bulky, and he’s just under six feet tall. Derek moved into the neighborhood about four months after I did.

  I open the door to see him covered head to toe in dirt and grease. He details cars in his spare time. “Wow, Derek…you got a mess tonight? What happened?”

  He looks a little embarrassed, and tries to wipe his hands clean on his shirt. “Ah, yeah, sorry to pop over like this. I know it’s getting late. I’m trying to tune up a car for a friend, and the oil plug was stuck. I managed to get the plug off, but knocked the drain pan out of the way in the process and now my garage, and myself, obviously, are a mess. Anyways, I was hoping you might have some kitty litter I could use?” He smiles widely at me, flashing his dimples. I can’t help but giggle just a tiny bit.

  “You’re in luck. I keep a small bag of it in the garage just for this type of thing. Give me a sec and I’ll grab it.”

  “I owe you one, Lex.”

  On my way back from the garage, I stop in the kitchen to grab an extra bottle of blue dish soap from under the sink. Derek’s still trying to clean his hands off with his shirt, which is as dirty as the rest of him.

  “Here.” I say handing the soap and kitty litter to him. “Thought you could use the soap too,” I say with a snicker. He takes it from me, careful not to touch me with his dirty hands, and chuckles.

  “Thank you, Lexi. Sorry again for bothering you. Have a good night,” Derek says, and jogs back across the street.

  I lock up the door and head back to bed.

  I FEEL LIKE A HUGE weight has been lifted off my shoulders, not having to deal with Patrick anymore. As much as he loved me, I feel like he hated me that much more. Today is going to be all about starting over. A new me. I’m no longer going to let a man dictate my life. I’m going to have a kick ass day with my best friend, and swear off men forever. Okay, maybe not forever, but for a long time.

  I just called a taxi to take me over to Brea’s since I left my car there last night. When I arrive she’s already waiting on her front porch. I hop out of the cab and meet her over at my car so we can leave right away.

  “Hey, Brea, have you been waiting long?” I ask as she gets in.

  “Nope. Just walked out of the house.” She slams the door hard.

  “Hey! What did my car ever do to you?” I snap, giving her the stink eye.

  “Shit. Sorry, Lex. I’m not used to these heavy doors,” she apologizes while putting on her seat belt. “Anyways, spill the beans. How did Patrick take the break up?”

  “It was kind of eerie, actually. I was expecting him to have a huge freak out and go all spazz at me, but instead he was kind of quiet and seemed really crushed. I think I may have actually broken his black heart.”

  “Don’t you go feeling sorry for that asshole. There is no excuse for any of his freak-outs at you, Lex. You don’t deserve that kind of treatment. You need a man that is going to worship the ground you walk on. He should build you up and make you feel like a queen, not tear you down and make you feel like you’re smaller than a grain of salt.” Brea was always there to build up my self-esteem every single time that Patrick would crush it.

  “You know, Bre, I think I need a break from guys for a while. I need to focus on me. Besides, why would anyone want me anyway?”

  We arrive at the Stoplight Café and go inside to find all the tables full, except for one in the very back corner. The Stoplight (as we call it) is just very cozy little diner with spots to sit all along the bar. The entire dining area, which again is not all that big, has a perfect view of the grill and the fryer. You can actually watch your meal being made. It’s kind of fun and has a fifties feel to it.

  We order our usual: cheeseburgers and cheese fries. Brea orders an iced tea and I order a Pepsi. It doesn’t take long before our food arrives. As the server sets our plates down, I hear the bells on the door as someone walks in. I don’t think anything of it. I’m too excited about my cheese fries. These things are amazing. And they’re probably going straight to my ass, but who cares. I’ve never been one to worry about things like that.

  Brea and I are chowing down and discussing our tattoo appointment when I feel a shiver. You know that one you get when you think someone is staring at you? Yeah, that one. I turn around quickly, expecting someone to be standing over my shoulder, but there’s no one there. I must be paranoid after what happened with Patrick. Just then, my eyes wander toward the barstools to find the most beautiful man I have ever se
en. He is giving me a delicious smirk.

  I realize that he’s caught me staring at him, and my mouth is full of cheese fries. I quickly finish chewing and direct my gaze out the window. My face feels flushed.

  Shake it off. You just got out of a shitty relationship. Men just complicate your life. Maybe you have some cheese on your face and that’s why he’s staring at you like a hungry beast that wants to lick it off.

  “Earth to Lex. Are you going to finish your food? We have to go soon. If we’re late for our appointment, Josh will make sure these tattoos hurt a little more than they should. What has you lost in outer space all of a sudden?” Bre asks, glancing around the diner in search of what has me so flustered. “Ah, never mind,” she says, grinning. “I found him. He’s hot, Lex. Go say hi!”

  “No!” I whisper. “Are you crazy, Brea? I just broke up with Patrick last night. I need some breathing room. Besides, I spend so much time working at the restaurant. I don’t have time to be dealing with another needy, whiny asshole that is just going to freak out at me over random things that piss him off. It’s time to focus on myself for a change.”

  Brea shrugs. “Okay, girl, but you could be missing something amazing here. You never know. What if he’s ‘the one’?”

  I damn near spit out my drink. “Right, Bre, like ‘the one’ is going to be the most gorgeous tattooed man I have ever seen sitting in a diner. Fat chance. I’m sure he was just staring at me because I have food on my face or something.”

  “Well, you’re right about one thing,” she says, grinning.

  “What?” I ask, looking confused.

  “You do have food on your face,” she says, pointing to some cheese on my lower lip. She hands me a napkin. “Wipe that sauce off and let’s get going, Sunshine. We don’t want to keep Josh waiting. You know how he gets.”

  Brea heads over to the counter as I gather my things. Suddenly, I feel the air shift behind me as I get a hint of the most breathtaking cologne I have ever smelled.

  Oh God, it’s him. Stay strong, Lex. Play it cool. I turn my head to pretend I’m looking out the window at the parking lot. I see out of the corner of my eye that my suspicion is confirmed. I quickly snap my head back toward the cash register as Brea steps out of the way for me to pay.

  I start to open my purse when I feel his warm breath on the back of my neck. A low, sexy voice softly says in my ear,

  “It’s on me, beautiful.”

  “Um, thank you. But that’s not necessary. No offense, but I don’t know you and I am perfectly capable of paying for my own meal,” I say while turning around to face him, trying to hide my attitude and sound appreciative.

  Holy shit, he’s tall. He must be at least 6’4’’and built. Wow, is he ever built. And the tattoos….hot! From what I can see, his arms and even his hands are covered, along with his neck. My God, he has the longest, sexiest, most amazingly gorgeous tattooed neck I have ever seen. I swallow hard, realizing I’ve been staring at him, and nervously bite my bottom lip.

  He gives me that delicious smirk again and sticks out his hand. “Hi, I’m Coen Walker. Nice to meet you.”

  “Uh, Lexi Taylor.” I say, sticking my wallet back in my purse. My cheeks flush.

  “Look, Lexi, I don’t just go around buying random gorgeous girls lunch.” He rubs the back of his neck. That delectable neck that’s begging for my touch.

  What is wrong with you, Lex? This guy probably has women knocking down his door daily. Besides, you finally have a chance to breathe without Patrick to worry about.

  “You have the most amazing brown eyes I have ever seen.”

  Wait, what did he just say? Is he still talking to me?

  “Um, thank you. It was nice meeting you as well, but we’re in a rush. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime.”

  “Looking forward to it, Lexi. It was my pleasure,” he says, dimples showing as he smiles.

  I turn, damn near tripping over my own feet, and rush out the door to where Brea is waiting for me. She gives me an “I told you so” look.

  “Don’t even say it, Brea. He paid for my lunch and said hello. That’s it! Now let’s go before…” My phone vibrates and Diamond Tattoo Studio flashes across the screen. It’s a text from Josh:

  Josh: You two have about 5 minutes before I purposely misspell words on these pretty little tattoos of yours.

  Me: Shit. Sorry, Josh! We got held up at the Stoplight. It was busy in there today. Leaving now. See you in two.

  Josh: Make it snappy, woman! Time is money!

  “That was Josh, wasn’t it?” Brea asks.

  “Of course it was. We aren’t even technically late yet. Let’s go before he gets his briefs in even more of a bunch,” I say with a laugh. “He threatened to misspell words.”

  We hop in the car and head to the tattoo studio.

  PANTING.

  Sweaty.

  Spent.

  My bedroom smells like sex from the past two hours I’ve spent with this chick. She gives some of the best head I’ve ever had.

  I’m lying here, staring at the gray walls of my bedroom. Black silk sheets wrap around my sculpted body that I work so hard to maintain. I don’t make it a habit to bring random girls home, but after I won the race last night I was feeling the adrenaline surge. Plus, it had been a few months, and a man has needs.

  I feel the bed move and her tiny arm slides across my back.

  “Mmm…so what’s for breakfast in the morning?” she moans.

  And there go the alarms sounding in my head. Ding ding ding! Times up!

  “I don’t do the cuddling thing. You need to go now. Sorry if you got your hopes up. Thanks for a great time. I’ve called you a cab.”

  She jerks back and pulls her arm away from me, then rolls off the bed and jumps to her feet in a huff. “What the fuck, Coen? I didn’t know you were such a selfish asshole!” She continues stomping around my room gathering her clothes.

  “Yeah, well, you go throwing feelings into things and you just get hurt,” I reply.

  “Do you even know my name?” she asks.

  “No. And I don’t need or want to know it,” I say, lifting myself up to a sitting position against the headboard. I do know it, but I don’t want to give her any false hope. Easier to be an asshole now and get it over with. She tugs her shirt over her head in fury and lets out a loud, frustrated growl as she storms out and slams the door.

  I don’t have time for drama queens and clingy chicks. I learned a long time ago to not let anyone get too close. I have my car and my racing to keep me happy. Everyone only cares about themselves. No matter how much you bend over backwards for them, they’re all the same.

  I slide out of bed and stride over to the window to make sure Miss Drama Queen got into the cab safely. I can’t have it on my head if something would happen to her. She’s just climbing in as I glance down, and the cab pulls away.

  Rubbing my hands over my face, I let out a deep sigh and slip back under my silk sheets. My eyelids are feeling heavy. There’s nothing like a quick quarter mile victory and a two-hour romp to wear a guy out.

  Besides, I have a busy day planned tomorrow.

  When I wake up, I have only three things planned for the day.

  1. Washing my skanky sheets.

  2. Getting some fresh ink.

  3. Bringing home another win (minus a drama queen this time).

  I shower, change my sheets, and put on my favorite black, tight-fitting t-shirt and jeans, along with my favorite black pair of Chucks. As I’m lacing them up, my stomach growls. Maybe I better add “grabbing some lunch” to my to-do list. I pull my car into the gravel parking lot at the Stoplight Café, and notice that it’s a little busier than usual as my stomach growls again. I decide to take my chances on finding a seat. I’m fucking starving.

  The bells rattle against the glass door as I stride in. Right away, I spot one seat free at the counter. Perfect. I slip my legs over the red bar stool, and it’s not long before someone comes to take my order. Tha
nk God! After reading the menu, I run my hand through my hair. I keep it long on top and shaved on the sides. Mentally, I run through my schedule again for the rest of the weekend. Worried I’m going to forget something important.

  My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard. Turning slightly on the stool, I glance out of the corner of my eye and see the most gorgeous redhead I have ever laid my eyes on. She’s wearing light blue skinny jeans with a teal tank top, and fuck if it doesn’t hug her body in all the right ways.

  She’s talking to some other chick. By the sound of it she just went through a break up, but she seems relieved about it judging by the smile on her face. I can hear a little bit of a southern accent, but I only notice it when she says certain words. The two of them are sitting at the table off to my right, beside the wall of tall windows. This is perfect.

  While I was so busy staring at the sexy redhead, my food arrives. I turn my attention to my lunch. This juicy cheeseburger and these fries were just what I needed.

  And so is she.

  I have to get that thought out of my head right fucking now.

  She’s just another hot chick, Coen. Forget about her. Girls just complicate things. I wipe my mouth with my napkin and place it on top of my empty plate as I glance over to her table one last time. I have to get out of here. My palms are sweaty, and it’s suddenly getting a little harder to breathe.

  Shit. She sees me looking at her. I notice she has cheese sauce on her face.

  I wish I could go lick it off.

  What the fuck, Coen?! Snap out of it!

  I already know I’ve been caught, so I give her one of my signature smirks. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear as her cheeks turn a light shade of red, and quickly snaps her head to look out the window. I grab my phone from my back pocket and pretend to check my messages while I wait for her and her friend to get up. I don’t know why, but I feel like I have to talk to her, even if it’s just for a second. I’ll buy her lunch and that will be it. Just a friendly gesture, you know, since she just went through a break up and all.