by Dawn Doyle
I pulled over to the side of the road and turned to her. “What is? What’s ridiculous?”
Her lids opened, showing me her large pupils, the dark-steel color of her irises almost disappearing. “I never get nervous,” she rushed out. “Why do you make me nervous, Blaine?”
I swallowed hard, catching the sight of her chest rising and falling in quick succession, the dip in the center of her shirt gaping a little and exposing the skin there, right where I wanted to run my tongue over. I checked my rear view mirror and saw a small car idling at the curb, not far behind us. “We should go,” I said, shifting into first.
“Why, what’s wrong?” she asked as I kept my gaze on the car. She looked behind her, out of the rear window.
“What car does Mica drive?” I asked, even though I suspected.
“A Fiesta.”
Bingo!
“Oh, it’s so fucking on,” I ground out. “Hold on, baby, this could get bumpy.” My tires spun as I stomped on the gas, shifting my gears as I drove faster down the dark, quiet road.
“He’s followed us?” Robyn practically screeched. “What in the actual fuck is he thinking?”
The small car took off, too, though his attempts would be lame at best. He’d need a whole canister of NOS inside there to get it to catch up to me. But, I wanted to play with him for a while. “Well, a chase is a race, so let’s see what he’s bringing to this little tea-party.” I chuckled to myself, taking a sharp turn back to the highway, sure of the lack of cameras in the area.
Robyn held onto the handle of the door as I did, steadying herself. She was quiet as I weaved in and out of the few cars on the highway, easily hitting one hundred. Mica was way behind us, his headlights getting smaller as I darted through the traffic to the melodic sound of horns blaring. God, I’d missed this the past few weeks, just taking a ride out and seeing exactly what she could do. As I got past the cars, Mica was so far back I could barely see him, so I slowed a little, just enough for him to keep us in his sights. I wanted him to think he had a chance of keeping up, of getting between Robyn and me, but there was no fucking way he was going to turn us into an uncomfortable sandwich. I didn’t share my food, and I certainly wasn’t going to let him anywhere near what was mine.
Mine.
That was so fucking right. Everything that was mine was right here, and I was going to grip onto it like I feared for my damn life, my heart rate increasing as though panic was attempting to pull me back from the edge. Right then, I didn’t care. All I knew was that tearing up the asphalt with Robyn next to me, I didn’t want anything else. I just hoped I could get out of my shitty situation before she could find out who I really was before I even got to know her. I had to do that fast.
I raced up the ramp, my tires screeching as I braked hard, skidding into the turn, then hit the pedal to the floor to join the traffic. This highway was only two lanes wide and narrower than the other. A few cars were ahead, but I caught up to them in no time.
“You okay there?” I asked while maneuvering through the slower traffic with ease. Robyn still hadn’t spoken or moved. All she’d done was stare through the windshield.
“Keep driving,” she said in that fucking husky tone that ran right to my cock, her breaths coming quick. “Faster, or he’ll catch up. His engine has been modded and tuned, Blaine. He can go a lot faster than you think.” I looked in the rearview mirror and, sure enough, Mica was joining the highway. I snapped my eyes to Robyn for a brief moment, only to see her gaze still fixed forward, penetrating the space ahead, unblinking. “Drop to third and overtake this car, then pull in front. Make the next left.”
“Wha…?”
“Now!”
What the fuck?
There was no time to stop and ask questions, so I did exactly as she said and revved the shit out of my engine to get in front of the blue BMW, flooring it until I was ahead, then followed her instructions to cut in front and make the upcoming sharp left. “Fuck!” My car’s ass began to slide to the right, so I had to turn into it before I rolled.
“Drift!” Robyn yelled, just as I yanked my steering wheel in the same direction my ass-end was going, causing my baby to slide swiftly around the wide corner as our bodies were jerked to the left.
I straightened up, the force jolting us upright, then hit the gas again to pick up speed. The road was dark, the sides covering all remaining daylight with thick bushes and overgrowth either side. “Fuck me,” I breathed.
“Don’t slow down,” Robyn said while I continued to race, the needle quivering over the seventy mark on my speedometer. “There’s a cut in on the left here. It leads to the underneath of Cedar Bridge.”
Fuck, this girl knew the area better than me. I did as she said and looked out for the turn. The one-way road curved, the right side painted with white lines to follow the bend, but I took Robyn’s direction when she pointed toward an unmarked clearing. Only then did I slow down just enough to swing my car to the left, leaving no trace of us behind on the empty road.
A long, low bridge was in the distance—the highway we’d just been on. The flat gray road was covered in tire marks, the concrete scarred with curved black swirls, the tell-tale sign of fun times. The area reminded me of a scene in one of my mom’s favorite movies, the one where they raced their cars down the straight.
I checked my mirrors and saw no sign of Mica, and drove straight ahead, right under the bridge in the cover of darkness.
Robyn
Christ, my heart was pounding, my stomach flooded with adrenaline, and my nerves tingled so much it felt like I was being pricked all over with thousands of needles.
I was breathless, the excitement of the ride too much for me to contain, causing me almost to hyperventilate as I panted.
I missed this so damn much.
Blaine brought the car to a stop after checking the mirrors. “Still no Mica,” he said, looking around.
The interior began to suffocate me, the heat inside squeezing and choking my airways, but it wasn’t from the temperature of the car. I had to get out and away from the scorching person next to me. I opened the door at the same time I took off my seatbelt, then got out, slamming it behind me as I sucked in huge lungfuls of air, trying to cool myself down and slow my raging pulse.
I jammed my trembling fingers through my hair, combing it back, then lifting it from my clammy face and neck.
“Hey, you okay?” Blaine asked, coming up behind me. I didn’t need to see him to know he was there; I could feel his closeness without turning around.
“Yeah, I…” I trailed off, not knowing what the hell I was going to say, or how I was going to explain my behavior. He didn’t need to know about my crazy—not yet.
Warm fingers touched my arm, I spun at the contact, and looked up into his flushed face, his eyes standing out against his skin.
“What’s—”
The word had barely gotten past his lips when something inside of me snapped. I found myself silencing him with my mouth, taking his lips and parting mine to taste them. And he tasted so good. I reached up into in his hair, gripping the soft strands and keeping him to me, not letting him go as he kissed me back, his tongue entering my mouth and flicking against mine, a hint of cherry pops and mint filling my mouth as our lips worked in unison.
I felt myself pressing against his hard body, the planes of his muscles evident through the thin material of my shirt, each ridge as hard as the last.
His arms snaked around me, holding me tight to him, his large hands smoothing over my waist and up my back, closing me in. His fingers worked through my hair, gripping at the back, and my scalp buzzed with the sensations as he tangled them in my tresses.
I heated in places I hadn’t for such a long time, but instead of a slow burn, I was instantly set alight, the flames burning higher and hotter the longer we touched, my nipples pinching with the friction of our bodies.
A deep moan broke free, the vibrations coming from my throat, and Blaine’s grip on me tightened. My ey
es shot open at the sound, and I pulled back, trying to catch my breath. Blaine was leaning on the car, his back against the passenger door from where I’d launched myself at him in my speed-drunk stupor.
“Oh, my god, I’m so sorry,” I blurted out, pushing away and covering my mouth with my fingers. My skin tingled there, and my eyes dropped to his lips, my thoughts drifting to kissing him again. He’d said he wanted to kiss me again, right? He’d done so, but I was only giving him what he wanted. But the way I had… Fuck. I looked like I was nuts, but I was far from that. Full on insane, yeah, that’s what I was. I had to be, didn’t I? Who else would get in a car with a guy they barely knew and drive at high speeds like a maniac, only to be so damn turned on by it? Not any normal girl, that’s for sure.
But, I wasn’t normal.
He looked down at me, his wet lips parted and quick breaths coming through. The corners tilted up. “Well, if I knew that’s how you would react to my driving, I would’ve gotten you in my car weeks ago.” My stomach flipped as he took a step toward me, so I stepped back. “What’s wrong?’ he asked, his brows dipping in the middle and his eyes narrowing the tiniest bit. “I recall you up against me with your lips on mine just a couple of seconds ago.”
I ran my hand over my head, pushing my fingers through my hair to brush it out of my bright-red face. I swallowed hard while Blaine waited for my answer, but I didn’t know how to. That had happened more and more around him, and not only was it pissing me off, but it was probably annoying the shit out of him too. “I-I guess I got lost in the moment,” I finally replied, not able to look at him even though I wanted to. I could look at him all damn day, the way he gazed at me, the way his lips pouted a little when he seemed to be in thought… He was so beautiful, his strong bone structure only adding to his appeal.
“So, you didn’t want to kiss me?” He slightly turned his head, assessing me. “It sure fucking seemed like you did.”
“Jesus,” I hissed, turning away from him, doing a full circle. “Yes, I did, but I never meant to jump you like that.”
Blaine held his arms out. “Jump away, baby, cos I’m ready to go another round.” I cringed inside. “You can violate me anytime you want,” he said, and my jaw dropped.
I let my eyes run down the length of his body, from the loose black tie around his neck to the white Nike flats on his feet. I lingered on the front of his jeans, a noticeable bulge at the front. I blinked once then lifted my gaze, about to speak, but was cut off by my phone ringing.
I dug into the hidden pocket of my skirt and pulled out my phone. “Hi, Ella.”
“Are you coming back inside soon?” she asked, her voice hushed. “Your Aunt Joan asked me where you were.”
Blaine moved away from the car toward me, and I didn’t back away this time. “Uh, I won’t be long,” I replied, looking up as Blaine lifted his hand and ran his fingers down my cheek. I sucked in a breath as he stroked toward my neck, my skin prickling under his touch, the sensations working their way to other parts of me. “We’re coming back now.” As soon as I said that, I regretted it. I might have made a fool out of myself, but I wasn’t ready to end this time with Blaine. I just needed a few minutes to cool off and to get myself under control.
“Ok, good, cos you need to come back inside with your guy.”
My guy.
If Blaine were my guy, then I wouldn’t be leaving any time soon, but I knew I had to.
Blaine grinned, telling me he could hear every word Ella had said. I stared at his mouth, his straight teeth, and wanted to feel his lips on mine again.
“Hello, you still there?”
“Uh, yeah.” I cleared my dry throat. “See you soon.” I hung up and put my phone back in my pocket. “I guess we should go,” I said, stepping around him and opening the door. “Aunt Joan’s looking for me.” I stared out the window as soon as I closed the door, unable to look at him.
Blaine got in the driver’s side. “Robyn,” he said, his tone low and sexy as hell. “Hey.” He took my chin and turned my face toward him. “The night isn’t over, baby, so don’t think for one second you’re off the hook. I’m not letting this go.”
Oh, fuck.
“Letting what go?” I already knew the answer to that—he didn’t need to spell it out for me.
At my answer, his jaw tensed. “I know you like me—you said it yourself, so kissing me wasn’t just a reaction in the moment.” He started the engine and turned the car around, heading back the way we came. His fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter. “You wanted to, and I wanted you to, so don’t act like it was nothing.”
“What?” Where the hell had that come from? “I didn’t—I’m not,” I countered.
Blaine blew out a long breath. “I get it, Robyn. You come all the way out here with me, then you kiss me like you were ready to tear my clothes off, then…”
“I-I…”
“Forget it—it doesn’t matter.”
“Blaine, what the hell?”
He didn’t reply and didn’t speak to me on the journey back to the retirement home. When he pulled up into his space, he waited until I got out and shut the door. Right then, my high deflated faster than a burst water balloon, the spatter of cold liquid snuffing out my rush. It wasn’t just from the speed, either. Being with Blaine had opened something inside of me, and whatever had caused him to shut down made me wonder what I’d done.
I spotted Mica across the room, and my temper flared. I marched over to him, poking my finger hard into his bony chest and got up in his face. “What the fuck do you think you’re trying to pull?” I spat out, glaring at the asshole. “How fucking dare you follow us. What I do and where I go has nothing to do with you.”
His face paled, and he held his hands up. “What are you talking about? I haven’t been anywhere.”
“Cut the bullshit, Mica, we saw you,” I hissed. “What did you expect to gain by coming after us?”
Mica shook his head quickly. “I swear, Robyn, I didn’t go anywhere. I came back inside and haven’t been out since.”
I looked over my shoulder and saw Blaine coming inside, his hands in his pockets, his mouth tight, and his eyes down toward the floor. The moment he looked up and saw me talking to Mica, he turned away.
“Where have you been?” Ella asked, walking up beside me. “I was starting to get a little worried when you didn’t come back.”
“Ask Mica,” I bit out. “He knows.”
“I don’t!” he said, raising his voice. “I told you, I came back inside when you refused to leave that asshole.”
I ground my jaw. “Oh really?” I asked, sarcastically. “If you were here, then who the fuck was in your car, huh?”
Mica’s face dropped, his eyes snapping toward the doors. “What?” He rushed by me, and I let him.
Ella gripped my arm, looking at Mica’s retreating back, then spoke to me. “What the hell’s going on?”
“We went for a ride in Blaine’s car, and Mica followed us. We lost him over Cedar Highway.”
“Uh, babe, Mica’s telling the truth,” Ella said, and my heart skipped. “He followed you and Blaine out but came back inside a couple of minutes later. He’s been here the whole time.”
I stared at Ella, then walked away with her chasing behind me. I stopped next to Blaine at the bar. “It wasn’t Mica who followed us,” I said in a breath. I had no idea who would take his car, but whoever it was, had purposely followed us.
He turned his head slowly toward me, his eyes emotionless. He took a deep breath then let it out quickly. “Figures.”
“What figures?” I asked, trying to conclude why he was so different with me than he was at the bridge.
“Nothing. Forget I said anything.”
I wouldn’t, though. Nothing was making sense. We’d been kissing not long ago as though we couldn’t get enough of each other, and now he was cold as if nothing had happened, like we hadn’t left here together and sped through the city as if we were on the run.
I
spotted Uncle Lauge’s friends close by, one of them looking over at us with a snarl. His anger was aimed at Blaine.
“He couldn’t even last a few minutes here,” he said. “Let’s see how long it’ll be before he takes off again.”
“Give your grandson a break,” Uncle Lauge replied, rolling his eyes as though he’d heard that a thousand times. “Robyn seems to like him, just like I thought she would, so he can’t be as bad as you say.”
Grandson? He was Blaine’s grandpa?
My uncle hadn’t told me much about the other residents; he wasn’t one for gossip, and I would’ve definitely remembered if he’d mentioned Blaine’s name. But, he had mentioned one bitter old guy that held a grudge against his daughter’s son.
I turned to Blaine for his reaction, but he stared ahead as though bored. The old guy didn’t look at him like he was related, more like he couldn’t stand the sight of him.
“My car’s been stolen!” Mica jogged over to us in a panic. “Did you have something to do with it?” he asked, pointing at Blaine.
Blaine snorted, but I didn’t miss the confusion in his eyes. “Fuck, no. Why would I wanna steal that piece of shit? Anyway, I can’t drive two cars at once now, can I? I’m good, but not that good.” He smirked. “Especially when Robyn was sitting right next to me, dickhead.”
“See what I mean?” his grandpa sneered, and I glared at the old man.
Blaine sighed. “Grandpa, speak up.” He got up off his stool and towered above his grandpa, but it didn’t faze the old guy. “If you’re going to insult me with people present, at least have the balls to make sure they can all hear you.”
I froze to the spot as Blaine took off toward the doors, stopping only to hug a woman and kiss her cheek before he left.
What the fuck just happened?
Chapter 8