Ridin' Dirty (Beautifully Dirty #2)

by Paige Steele

  “Well, of course, join the Mile High Club.”

  I just about spit the drink out of my mouth; that isn’t what I was expecting to come out of her mouth. “Well, if you’re game . . . meet me in the bathroom in ten. I mean, unless you want to do it right here in first class?”

  “Shit, let’s give them a show.”

  “I like the way you think.”

  We both start laughing. We never do exchange names, which was fine by me. I didn’t even try any pickup lines on her or anything. She seems like a great gal but not for me.

  Right after takeoff, she is out like a light. I follow right behind her a short time later. We both wake up with only about an hour to go before we land. We start chatting again, this time about family and what we usually do for the holidays. As we land, I stand and stretch. My shirt rises just enough, showing my abs off. She sits right in front of me with a clear line of viewing them, too. I look down at her, giving her a million dollar smile. I know I’m fit and my six-pack is tight.

  “Do you have a bag above?” I ask her, as I reach up for mine. Again, I watch her as my shirt lifts one more time.

  “Yeah, I have one in there somewhere and you, mister, are one fit man.”

  “That I am.”

  She smiles at me before taking her bag and walking off the plane. I follow behind her, admiring her ass all the way down the tunnel, after all, I’m still human and a guy. After entering the airport, I need to head to my connecting flight. She turns, waves goodbye and off she goes in the opposite direction. I head over to my next gate just as they call first class to check in.

  After landing and renting a truck for the week, I head out in the direction of my parents.’ Pulling into their driveway, I wonder to myself why they keep such an oversized house, for just the two of them. But I’m sure my dad feels he has worked hard for it, and for my mom, well, it’s for show. She holds many of her charity meetings here now. Clearly their marriage is one of convenience. Sure they love each other, but there is no spark between them, at least not from what I see. I will never settle for anything like that. I want what Mr. and Mrs. Evans have and has always had. You can tell by the way they look at each other that there is love, trust, commitment, and devotion.

  I know Ryan will be home sometime tomorrow, so I will spend tonight in. After giving my mom a hug and kiss on the cheek, my dad a firm hand shake, I headed toward my old room to drop my bags there. After about a couple hours of talking with my mom and checking emails, I decide to walk down the street to see Mr. Evans anyway. He’s outside in the garage. His back is facing me, and he is tilting back a beer. Walking up, I want to say hello. I miss having him around for advice. He was a huge part of my life growing up.

  “Hey there. You got one of those for me?”

  “Cooper . . . how the hell are you?” He turns, gives me a hug and hands me a beer.

  “Good, busy, crazy,” I say, smiling at him.

  “Ryan said how hard you’ve been working. I’m proud of you, kid.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for you taking us to the races. And I mean it.” He really was there for me, day in and day out, for races, as well as at home sometimes. My dad was just so busy building his company that he forgot how to be a dad, though he seems a bit more eager to find out what is going on with me than ever before, not sure what has brought on the change.

  “I might have driven the truck and signed the paper, but you did the hard part. You trained yourself for this day, so I know you’ll be great at it!”

  “It’s a lot of hard work, but there is nothing I’d rather be doing. So, if it takes me busting my ass morning, noon, and night, then I’ll do it.”

  I finish the beer while we shoot the shit for about an hour, before I hug him one more time then walk back home. It’s dark already, being that the East Coast is three hours ahead of us in California. With traveling all day, I’m somewhat exhausted, so I decide to hit the hay a bit earlier than I normally would have.

  Christmas is a little less than a week away, and I still need to pick up a few presents. I head out after breakfast to the mall. It’s packed of course, but I have a plan to get what I need and get the hell out of there.

  After I return home, I spend time working out in the gym that my dad put in. It’s nice getting in a long workout by myself. I crank Sam Hunt’s song, Raised On It over the surround sound and get in the zone for some training. Now is not the time to slack, when I have just over two weeks to go before I’ll be on the starting line for the first Supercross. I need to make sure I am ready for fifteen of the fastest laps I’ve ever done on a track, which means my core needs to be solid, as well as my legs and upper body. I start today’s training on the stationary bike. I ride it for ten miles at a high intensity then I’m on to upper body weightlifting. Right after I finish that, it’s time for the treadmill and sit-ups. I end the two and half hour workout with some leg training. I have a lot to prove to the team that took a chance on me.

  I walk out of the gym with just my shorts on, covered in sweat. As I reach in the refrigerator for a bottle of water, I realize that my mom has company and they are sitting at the table.

  “Cooper, you remember Mrs. Webb and her daughter, Sara?”

  I don’t really, but I’ll play along for my mom’s sake. “Yes, of course. How are you both?”

  “We are doing well I hear congratulations are in order.” Mrs. Webb is looking directly at me when she speaks, while I notice her daughter look down when I glance over at them.

  “Sara, how are you?” I ask, as if I remember her.

  “Good, thank you.”

  “Well, I’m headed up to take a shower, please excuse me. It was nice seeing you both again.”

  “Cooper, wait; if you aren’t busy later, Sara is in town for the holidays, too. So, maybe the two of you could catch up sometime this week.” My mom seems to be fixing me up. What the hell is up with that? Jesus, I can find my own dates, thank you.

  “Sure,” I say, as I turn to walk away. I don’t want to be rude, but I have no clue who she is.

  I step out of the shower, tucking a towel around my waist as I walk to my room. I reach for my phone; this would be one of those times that I need to text or call Ryan about who the hell Sara Webb is. As I hit send on my phone, I pull out my yearbook and start looking through the pages.

  As soon as I see her picture, I know immediately who she is. Ryan and I had taken her and her friend to the movies one night then we all went out to Ames Road. It’s a great place to park and overlooks pretty much the whole city.

  My phone dings, signaling me of a new text, I glance over and all I see is the fucking emoji of the smile face laughing and tears coming out of his eyes and Ryan’s name at the top of the screen. “Asshole” is all I text back, soon the same fucking yellow face comes back.

  Then, I start to picture the whole night in my head, as if it was yesterday. Ryan and Sara’s friend went for a walk that night. She put out in the cornfield without Ryan even really trying. She was more than willing. I, on the other hand, had the biggest set of blue balls around. Sara definitely knew how to get me worked up: she teased me, rubbed against me, and even talked a bit dirty to me. But in the end, no meant no. So she went home and I went and took care of my problem in the shower. Ryan ragged me for a week about it. I still haven’t paid him back for that bullshit.

  Now, Mrs. Webb and my mom are working together on the hospital charity ball this year. Damn, and I’m supposed to take her out, per my mom’s request. Lord, this should to be fun.

  I wake up the next morning to a text from Sara.

  Sara—Hey Cooper. It’s Sara. I’m sorry if your mom put you on the spot yesterday. Please don’t feel like you need to take me out just because you told your mom yes. BTW, you looked good yesterday and it was nice seeing you again.

  Fuck, how’d she get my number? I am going to have a little talk with my mother. She is not to give my number out to anyone. Now what was I supposed to say? Damn i
t!

  Cooper—No it’s fine. What are you doing tonight?

  I can’t be rude and if I get this over with, maybe my mom will stay off my back while I’m home.

  Sara—umm nothing.

  Cooper—Do you want to grab a bite to eat and a couple drinks?

  Sara—Really, Cooper, you don’t need to do this.

  Cooper—I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to.

  Sara—Ok, so tonight sounds good then.

  Cooper—Great, text me your address. I’ll be over about seven.

  Sara—K

  After getting the text with her address, once again, I remember the house from that night too; when I walked her up the porch stairs and kissed her goodbye.

  Me—Hey asshole, you want to go for a run?

  Ryan—Sure, let me throw on some shorts and I’ll be over.

  Me—K, I’ll be ready when you get here.

  We head out and our run ends up being an eight mile workout. The rest of the day I stay busy by helping my mom pull things out of the attic. She is getting ready for another event for New Year’s Eve and needs a bunch of boxes brought out.

  I jump in the shower around six to get ready to pick up Sara at seven. She is cute, but I can’t get my junior year out of my mind, and honestly, she is not who I will even be thinking about on this date. So, tonight I am going to plan to take her to dinner and call it a night; no need to drag it out.

  Dinner goes well and we actually have a good conversation. She is so focused on her career at Child Protective Services in Philadelphia, that she hasn’t made time to find that someone special. I explain to her about my move to California and what I’ve been doing out there. She says she knows some of it from her mom, based on what my mom told her. I tell her that Supercross comes to the East Coast to race, but in the lites class we have to decide if we race the West Coast circuit or if we want to race the East Coast ones. The team decided to keep me on the West Coast this year.

  After talking for two hours, she asks if I want to come back to her parents’ house; they are out for the evening with her father’s company for a holiday party. As we head out, there is a brief silence in the car. I can’t help but wonder if she is thinking of the last time we were here. I kinda chuckle out loud and don’t realize it.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Well, I was thinking about the last time we were heading to your house.”

  “Oh.” Is all she says as I see her turn and look out the window. I don’t want it to become awkward between us now; the evening has been going great.

  “Sara, don’t worry about it, we were young and I was a bit of player back then.”

  “Just back then, not now?” she asks, smiling at me and giggling.

  “Ouch,” I say back, laughing also.

  “Well, I was just young and didn’t have any experience, so I really had no business being in the backseat with you that night.”

  “Oh shit, I didn’t even know that.”

  “Don’t worry about it, I didn’t give you a reason to think anything different.”

  “I’m not a total asshole. If I knew, I wouldn’t have been such a dick after I struck out.”

  She starts laughing a bit harder.

  “What are you laughing at?” I am trying to sound sincere because I really mean it.

  “You weren’t too much of a jerk, after I stopped the hot and heavy make-out session we had going on that night.”

  I can’t help but join her laugh after that statement. “Sorry about that.”

  “No need; again, you had no idea.”

  As I put the car in park, we both take a deep breath. I’m not sure what I am actually doing here, but I also don’t want her to feel she isn’t good enough for me. She is not Ansley, plain and simple. We walk into her house, with her leading us to the kitchen.

  “Pick your poison; we have beer, wine, and a ton of liquor.” She is talking while opening the fridge and the cupboard above it.

  “Poison, huh?” I ask, chuckling at her.

  “Oh, you know what I mean,” she giggles back.

  “Ok, how about a beer.”

  She pulls out two beers, handing me one of them. She starts slowly removing the sweater she’s been wearing all night. This causes me to do a double take! She’s wearing a see through, silk black tank top, which shows me that she is also wearing a black-laced bra. Really . . . now why’d she have to go and do that?

  “Cooper, I was thinking that maybe we could have a do over?” She is moving closer and closer to me; clearly she knows what she’s doing, too.

  “Ok, I’m only going to say this once, so please listen . . . if this happens, then it’s a onetime deal. My life is crazy right now, so take it or leave it, but please decide before you rub up against me again.”

  All she got out of her mouth was, “I’m . . .”as she started to nod her head, before I have her up against the counter. Lifting her up by her ass, I sit her down, right on the edge of the granite. She starts pulling my shirt over my head, causing me to pull away from our kiss. Suddenly it’s like reality hits me in the face, causing me to shake my head back and forth. This isn’t what I want. This time, it’s me that stops what is about to happen.

  Ansley

  I’M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE out what the hell happened at Ryan’s house a few weeks ago. Seeing Coop, for the first time in years just about threw me for a loop, a loop I was not prepared for. The feelings I’ve tried to tuck deep in my heart came rushing to the top of it, and I can’t seem to get the picture of his face out of my mind. Cooper and I haven’t really discussed anything in detail, yet. I know it’s important for us to do so soon, so we can truly move forward with whatever may or may not be going on with us.

  I sit on the couch looking at my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, trying to catch up on what everyone is doing. Cara posted pictures of her at the beach with some friends, she looks good. I miss her terribly and need to give her a call soon.

  Thomas Rhett’s album is coming through the Bose speakers we have set up next to the T.V. Kenna comes over and jumps on the couch next to me. She starts singing his song, Call Me Up, to me. “Whatcha doing sitting at home all alone, girl? I’m free tonight, just sayin.’” She continues for a good a minute or two before we both get to laughing so hard the tears start.

  “Selfie?” she asks, holding up her phone.

  “Duh, of course.” She leans in close and snaps a dozen pictures of us in different poses.

  “When does your sister come in?”

  “She should be here later today. What about your mom?”

  “She’s flying in tomorrow around six. She has to work the three to eleven shift today, so she booked her flight for first thing in the morning.”

  “How long is she staying for?”

  “Until the twenty sixth; she has to get back for work bright and early on the twenty seventh.”

  “Why isn’t she staying any longer?”

  “Cause babies don’t stop coming,” I say, laughing.

  She is laughing too, then she tells me her sister is staying for four days. Her sister has only been here one other time, but seemed pretty cool. I’m looking forward to having the company around.

  Maddie took a flight home yesterday, so she won’t be back here until December thirtieth. We all have to attend a party that the director of Supercross is throwing on New Year’s Eve. After the first of the year, our schedules are all going to be crazy; it all starts on January second, when we do our first photo shoot for the upcoming racing season.

  KENNA, JOSIE, HER SISTER and myself, all get up early today to head to the mall. It’s Christmas Eve and I want to get a couple more things for the girls, my mom and well, my two best friends that I really haven’t shopped for in the last couple of years. Kenna and I weren’t expecting the bonus we got in the mail yesterday. Because of it, I am buying the new black thigh high boots I have been eyeing for the last month as well; until now I couldn’t justify buying myself something before Chris
tmas. Maddie is thrilled when we call her; she says she will be sure to spend hers the minute she returns, and I have no doubt she’ll do just that.

  “Ok, you two better spill it about the guys you all have to work with.” Kenna’s sister just turned nineteen but grew up with Kenna’s father and stepmother. Josie is actually her half-sister. If fact, they’ve really only been sisters for about five and a half years.

  “Haha, wouldn’t you like to know.”

  “Hey, I had to beg Mom and Dad for me to come here, so you, my favorite sister, better give me some details about all these hot riders.”

  “First, I am your only sister and second, Dad and your mom went to Hawaii for the holidays, which means you tag along with them or you come here.” Kenna gives Josie a little shove to her shoulder.

  “Oh, Josie, you’d love some of the riders that we have to work with at times.”

  “Shut up, Ansley, she will never leave if you tell her that.”

  We continue talking about the races and riders throughout the whole day. Pulling into our driveway, my phone beeps. After putting the car in park, I grab my phone out of my purse. It’s a three way conversation with Ryan and Coop.

  Ryan—Hey, what are you doing?

  Me—Who, me?

  Coop—Well, it can’t be me, I’m sitting right next to him. Lol

  Me—Then why are we in a three way conversation? Lmao

  Ryan—Because we can.

  Coop—You should’ve come home, it would have been just like old times with us all here.

  Me—My mom wanted to come here this year, plus I think it’s going to be fun showing her around a bit before she heads back.

  Ryan—Have fun, girl.

  Coop—Yeah, enjoy the time with your mom.

  Me—I will but I have to get going. Miss you both.

  Coop—Have a good night Ansley. We miss you too.

  Ryan—We will, night.

  WE GET BACK FROM the airport Christmas Eve night around seven thirty after picking up my mom. We spend most of the night sitting on the couch talking. She is telling me about her job and how busy it is since a couple of the nurses have changed departments. She’s been working crazy hours, though the money’s been great, she’s getting burnt out. Having a few days to relax and visit is going to be nice. She is seeing a guy that works at the hospital as a physician’s assistant; he seems like he treats her right, based on what she tells me. I’m happy for her and she deserves nothing but the best after all she’s been through.