I see Brandon working on some tow truck off to my left and when he notices me his hand shoots in the air, waving wildly. I lift my hand and wave back, giving him a friendly smile before I feel an arm wrap around my shoulders.
I look toward Nixon to see that his eyes are narrowed and pinned on Brandon.
After a few seconds of watching his reaction, Nixon shifts his eyes back to me and winks.
I shake my head and focus on the five pretty dirt bikes that are all lined up in the bay.
“So like I told you last night, they only need tune ups on these bikes and, from the looks of them, they probably haven’t ridden them much. Just check the usual and let me know if you find anything that needs to be fixed before you fix it,” dad says and then walks into the office.
Nixon and I don’t say anything to each other. We each pick a bike to start with and get to work without having to say a word.
We have each checked and cleaned two bikes but he beat me to the last one so I’m sitting on a metal dirt bike stand while I watch Nixon check it over.
“Hey Emmie, haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been doing?” I hear from behind me. I turn to see Brandon standing a few feet away, a sweet smile on his handsome face.
“I’ve been doing good, how about you Brandon?”
“Fine thanks. How’s work going? Jack said you’ve been doing really well during your practice races and I’ve got my TV all geared up and ready to record when your season starts again,” he says, showing a ton of interest in my riding.
I feel Nixon’s heat behind me so I know I don’t need to turn around. I ignore the slight anger I feel pouring off Nixon and focus on my conversation with Brandon.
“Work is awesome. I was really nervous after last year’s injuries that it would affect my riding, but I seemed to get right back into the flow a few weeks later. Plus Collin has been on my ass to practice at least three hours a day.”
We both chuckle at my comment before Brandon speaks again.
“Good to hear. So do you think that-“
“Don’t think so pal,” Nixon growls, not letting Brandon finish his sentence as he steps closer to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders to essentially piss in his corner.
I turn my eyes to Nixon and give him my best death glare which he doesn’t catch because he’s too busy giving Brandon the same look.
“Emmie?” Brandon says.
“Uh, Brandon this is Nixon,” I say, hoping it doesn’t go any farther than that.
“Her boyfriend,” Nixon clarifies for me and I feel my eyes close slowly.
Brandon has asked me out a few times and I turn him down because he wants a relationship and I never did, until Nixon.
“Oh,” Brandon mumbles and looks down to the ground, completely avoiding my eyes.
“No Brandon you-“ I start to explain, hoping he doesn’t think it’s just him that I didn’t want a relationship with, but Nixon gives my shoulder a small squeeze and I stop talking.
“Well I have a lot of work to catch up on. I’ll see you around Em,” Brandon mutters and walks away, never once looking back at me.
I turn my attention to Nixon who still has an arm wrapped around me and narrow my eyes in his direction.
“Why did you have to do that?”
“Do what sugar?” he says, playing dumb.
“You know what. You couldn’t have staked your claim any more if you’d dropped your pants and pissed on me,” I growl. Nixon chuckles and then release me so he can go back to working on the bike.
“It needed to be done babe. That guy has a serious hard on for you and he needed to know that you aren’t available anymore.”
“Yeah but maybe that was something I needed to tell him, not you. Brandon works for my dad and I’ve known him for a long time,” I try to explain. Nixon just shakes his head a few times and picks up a screwdriver so he can start piecing the bike back together.
“It needed to be done quick babe. You would have dragged out the misery and avoided the topic until he got his hopes up about something happening between you two and then he’d be crushed when he finally found out the truth.”
I grit my teeth and don’t answer back because that may very well be what would have happened. I don’t like to hurt people’s feelings.
“After we’re done here we can run over to the grocery store and pick up some stuff for dinner. I’ve been itching to try out that awesome grill on your deck,” he says, his tone casual like the entire situation with Brandon never happened.
Just then my dad comes out of the office, his brown hair a frazzled mess like he’s been running his hands through it nonstop.
“You kids almost done in here?”
“Yep, we’re all done here Mark,” Nixon tells him and finishes screwing in the last screw. “Anything else you need us to do while we’re here?”
If I didn’t know any better I would say that Nixon is kissing my dad’s ass. The thought makes me giggle and both men turn their eyes toward me. My dad’s eyes are shining with humor, probably thinking the same thing I am. Nixon’s eyes are curious like he has no clue why I’d be laughing right now.
“No, we’re good here. Brandon came in for a little overtime and Jack volunteered to come in since you’re bike is running perfectly for the season opener Emmie Lou. You two can take off. Thanks for coming in to give me a hand,” dad tells Nixon, sticking his hand out for a shake.
Nixon eagerly takes my dad’s hand, working extra hard to gain his approval.
Dad lets go and walks toward me with his eyes extra wide and a smile forcing its way onto his face even though he’s trying to beat it back so he doesn’t offend Nixon.
I giggle and wrap my arms around his waist, giving him a tight hug when he plants a quick kiss to the top of my head.
“Your mama would have liked his manners,” dad whispers and I nod at his remark, knowing she would have loved that Nixon was working so hard to get dad to like him.
“Come by and see me before you need to go out of town for this first race and we can look at your competition a bit closer.” I nod and with a tight squeeze on both ends, our hug comes to an end and we smile at each other before dad turns to walk back into his office.
“You ready to head to the grocery store baby?” Nixon asks. I nod and we both turn to walk out of my dad’s shop.
Chapter 24
When I reach out the grab the handles of the shopping cart I realize that I still have some grease on my hands from working on the bikes. I need to get it washed off before I touch any food, so I tell Nixon to start looking for what we need and I’ll find him.
After spending a few minutes scrubbing the black smudges from my skin and cleaning under my nails I feel cleaner and head out in search of my boyfriend.
I smile just thinking of Nixon being my boyfriend. I never thought that would happen.
I find him back by the steaks, but he’s not alone. There is a tall blonde with her arms wrapped around his waist like she’s a little kid holding tightly onto a balloon string in fear that it might blow away. Their facing away from me so I can’t see the woman’s face, but that won’t stop me from bitch slapping her for touching what’s mine.
I make my way closer and their hushed conversation becomes clearer.
“Come on Nixon, we can run back to my hotel room for a quick fuck. It’s only about five minutes from here and I need you to get back inside me before I leave. It’s been like four months since I’ve had you,” blondie whines.
Well at least I know he wasn’t sleeping with this woman while we had our agreement. That makes me more confident that he wasn’t with anyone else, since this girl’s ass is tight enough to bounce quarters off of and her hair is shining like the sun especially next to her smooth tanned skin.
She’s actually super hot despite the fact that she’s got her fake ass nails digging into my boyfriend’s back.
“I can’t today Charlie. Maybe some other time, okay?” Nixon tells her.
Okay, so
that wasn’t the answer I was hoping he’d give her. I thought that he would give her the same treatment he gave to Brandon at my dad’s shop.
Instead of making myself known I cross my arms over my chest and decide to listen for a bit longer. Maybe I’m just jumping to conclusions and he’ll tell her off.
“Come on baby. I will let you do anything you want to me,” she purrs but her voice just comes out sounding like a whiny teenagers.
“Charlie I said some other time. I’ve been really busy with riding and traveling so I haven’t had a lot of down time to just call you. I promise I will.” He runs his hand down her back as if soothing her from his rejection.
My brows disappear into my hairline. What the hell is going on here?
Fuck this. I clear my throat and Nixon’s head whips around like it’s about to fall off his shoulders. His face pales when he sees the angry look on mine, but blondie barely acknowledges me. She raises her brows as she does a once over of me, probably not seeing me as a threat, and then gives me a smirk before turning back to him.
“Who’s this Nixon?” she asks and runs her hand down his chest and across his abs.
I raise my brows in his direction, waiting for him to explain to her that he’s taken and not beat around the bush or drag out the situation.
Instead his words are like a punch to the gut.
“Hey you’re Emmie Black, right? I’ve seen you on the women’s motocross circuit. You’re pretty good on a bike. I didn’t know you lived around here.”
The tone he uses makes it sound like this is the first time we’ve met.
I feel tears sting my eyes and I bite my bottom lip, to the point that I feel the metallic taste of blood on my tongue, to keep those tears from running down my cheeks.
I shake my head slowly, letting Nixon know just how upset I am and do an about face, walking away from him and his blonde bimbo. If that’s the way he wants this to work then that’s fine with me.
Nixon King can go fuck himself.
I walk out of the grocery store and pull my phone out of my purse. I find the number of a cab service I keep on hand for nights I go out to the bar and call them up.
When the cab finally shows up ten minutes later I hop in more pissed off at Nixon than I ever thought I could be. He hasn’t even come out to look for me. He played it off like he had no idea who I was after promising his little friend that he would call her soon.
What a dick.
The cab ride home is spent in silence and anger.
Anger at Nixon for being such an asshole.
Anger at myself for falling for his shit when I knew he had the potential to hurt me.
Anger that I still didn’t get anything to eat for dinner tonight.
I decide when the cab drops me off that I’m done giving Nixon any more of my head space for the day. I need to go ride out my frustrations.
And that’s exactly what I do. I put on my protective gear and ride the shit out of my dirt bike on my track.
Before I know it four hours have gone by. I have crashed at least three times, luckily nothing that did major damage, but I’m sure I’ll have some bruises and sore spots for the next few days.
My next plan of action is a beer and my jetted tub to work out the excess pain and frustration of the day.
I make my way back to my house, Otis in tow, when I see that the lights are on in my kitchen. I know I didn’t turn them on when I got home, so someone else has to be in there.
And that someone is the one person I don’t want a fucking thing to do with right now.
I open the sliding glass door to find Nixon at my kitchen island cutting up vegetables for a salad. He looks up from the counter and gives me his sexy all American smile acting as if the incident at the store was all in my head.
“Hey babe, what else do you want to go with our steaks for dinner tonight?”
I feel my jaw unhinge and my mouth drop open. What the fuck is wrong with this guy? He’s pretending that earlier never happened and he’s still welcome here?
Fucking asshole.
So I decide to give him a taste of his own medicine. He deserves it before I kick his ass out of my house for good.
“Nixon? Nixon King, hotshot motocross rider? Is that you? I didn’t know you lived around here?” I spit out, feeling marginally better when his smile disappears.
I walk past him to the fridge and grab a beer before heading down the hallway, Nixon close behind me.
“Come on babe.”
“No. Fuck you Nixon. Leave your key on my kitchen table and get your ass out of my house. I don’t have anything else to say to you.” I attempt to ignore him, but he grabs hold of my upper arm and spins me around so I have to face him.
“Shut up and listen to me for one god damn minute will you?” he growls. I do because the sooner he finishes whatever bullshit he has to tell me, the sooner he gets the hell out of my house and I can get in the tub to relieve some of this stress.
“That woman’s name is Charlie. She works as a columnist at one of the top sports magazines in the world and she’s constantly calling me for sex when she’s in town.”
Well that makes me feel a hundred times better.
“Then give her a call like you promised and have her meet you at your house for sex tonight because you sure as shit aren’t getting it here ever again. Have a nice life, King.” I give him the finger and try to turn away again, but he stops me with his hands on my shoulders and forces me to face him.
“Damn it Emmie, listen to me for one fucking second, would you?”
I bite down on my lip so that I don’t yell at him again.
“She writes columns about all the riders but she puts her own spin on things. If she knew that you were my girlfriend then she would have made up some shit about how you were with me to climb your way to the top in WMX or that you were using me to gain sponsors. I’ve seen her do it with other couples before and they always break up because of it. I don’t want that to happen with us so I had to do what I did.”
He’s looking at me with sincere eyes, like he’s begging me to believe him, but I don’t know what to believe.
He was all too eager to break Brandon’s heart by telling him that we were a couple but when it comes to other women that are crushing on him, he doesn’t want anyone to know. Besides, I’m the top competitor in WMX and I would have nothing to gain in my career if we told people we were dating.
Nixon does have bigger sponsors than I do, but that doesn’t mean that I need them. I have wonderful sponsors who work their asses off for me.
Now I’m not sure what to believe, though, because that could be a spin someone uses and I know it would cause a fight between us.
I close my eyes and let out a large sigh, unsure if I should believe him or not. A bath sounds better than ever right about now.
“I’m going to take a bath. I need some space and I need to work out some of these knots in my shoulders,” I tell him and then shrug out of his hold.
Ten minutes into my bath I hear the bathroom door open and Nixon walk in. I keep my eyes closed and try to focus on the soft music playing from my music dock on the counter. I feel a fresh beer hit the open palm of my hand and I’m suddenly grateful that he thought to bring me one because I finished the first way too quickly.
Then I hear rustling next to the tub. I crack one eye open to see what he’s doing and find him stripping his clothes off. Both eyes open without my permission as I gawk at his naked form. His well defined abs flex as he reaches for the band of his boxers and his hand placement draws my attention to the sexy V that is like an arrow to one of my favorite parts of Nixon’s body.
When his underwear fall around his ankles and my vision falls on his half hard cock I begin to salivate at the thought of sucking on it until he comes in my mouth.
Nixon comes toward my head and puts his hands on top of my shoulders, pushing just enough to make me sit forward a bit. He takes the room I give him and climbs in behind me, wrapping his arms
around my shoulders and pulling my body back into his as he relaxes.
He places soft kisses from my shoulder to my ear, showing me a tender side that I’ve rarely seen from him, but instead of taking it a step farther like I thought he would he rests his head against the back of the tub.
Then I feel it’s necessary to clear the air with him because I’ve been stewing on the grocery store debacle while in the tub instead of relaxing. I can’t let go of this tension until we’ve talked through this further.
“What you did today was really uncool,” I tell him.
“I told you the reason why I did it. Why can’t you see that I was trying to protect you?” he growls, getting angry with me. If that’s the way he’s going to play it, I can get angry, too.
“Because you were all too quick to give that bitch what she wanted, Nixon. I heard you promise her that you would call her soon for a hook up before you dismissed me like you’d never seen me before,” I grit out, glad that he’s behind me so he can’t see the small tear that escapes the corner of my eye when I talk.
“I told you why I played it off like we’d never seen each other babe and I didn’t mean it when I told her I would call her. It was just an attempt to get her off my back.”
“Are you serious?” I practically yell. The sound bounces off the tiled walls echoing through the room.
“Am I serious about what?”
I remain silent for a few minutes trying my damndest to get my emotions under control. How can this ass not realize why I’m so upset?
“Why didn’t you just tell her that you were seeing someone and couldn’t be with her again? Why did you feel the need to give her hope of another hookup unless that’s what you wanted?”
I bring my beer to my mouth and drain most of it while I wait for his answer. I might need a few more of these after he speaks, so I should start chugging this one now.
“I’m sorry Em, I didn’t even think of that. I was just trying to get her off my back without drawing too much attention to us. I don’t want to be with her ever again. All I want is you,” he mumbles close to my ear before planting a small kiss below it.
I shake my head a few times, not sure if I should believe what he’s telling me. One thing that my previous relationships have taught me is that trusting people doesn’t always mean they’re telling you the truth.
Down & Dirty Page 17