by Nana Malone
“Again, with the zingers. Looks like you’ve got a new attitude to go with the new look. But I kind of want to take out the girl who always makes my favorite devil’s food chocolate cake for my birthday. I think she’s sweet.”
“Hm. And tell me, why have you never asked her out before, if you thought she was so sweet?”
“Because she’s been sending pretty clear I’m in love with Beckett Mills vibes until recently. And I’d like to get my shot before that goes away and she thinks he walks on water again.” He paused and gave her a full smile. “Besides, I’m glad you’re finally showing how gorgeous you are.”
Ricca blinked up at him, trying to discern the truth. He was an excellent liar. It made him a good actor in fantasies when they were down a model and needed someone to step in. “You run that line of bullshit by every woman you meet?”
Carter blinked once, twice, and then barked out a laugh. “Wow. Guilty as charged. But only a little. You are beautiful. It’ll be a wonder if they don’t ask you to stand in as a model, if someone has a Selma Hayek fantasy.”
Ricca rolled her eyes and leaned forward on her desk. “Cut the crap, Carter. What do you really want? I’ve got a couple sweet sixteens, a debutant ball, a proposal, and this Master Fantasy to plan that could mean a new job for me, so I don’t really have ti—”
A thought occurred to her. Carter had just been in Beckett’s office. Beckett had said last night he would play fair. But maybe he’d been lying. “I don’t know what your game is, but I’m not in the mood for it. You really expect me to believe you actually want to go out with me?”
Carter frowned. “Look, Ricca. Okay yeah, I get how this seems suspect. But there’s no agenda, I promise. You’re obviously trying something new, and I’m paying attention, that’s all. I wasn’t sent in here to spy or anything. Besides, Beckett gave me the impression that both teams would be working together on this fantasy.”
Ricca studied him, unsure of what to say. She also found it amusing that his gaze never drifted below her neck. The mark of someone deliberately putting effort in to not look. “Look, Carter—”
“Say yes. It’s just dinner, and you’ve got to eat anyway.” He grinned at her.
She opened her mouth to say no, but something about his puppy dog eyes made her think twice. “Okay fine, dinner.”
He grinned again, and she couldn’t help but grin back. He’d never really been her type. Too much like a fraternity guy. But he seemed sincere. Besides, he had a point. It was just dinner.
“So anything you don’t like to eat or do?”
Wow, he was all into this. “No, I’m pretty flexible.”
His eyes widened, and he gave her a lascivious smirk. “God, I hope so.”
She rolled her eyes. “Get out before I change my mind.”
After he left her office, her phone rang. Picking it up, she said, “Hi, Jaya.”
“Hey, I’m dying to know how the new look went over.”
“Well, Angel hated it, but that was to be expected.”
“Such a mean girl.”
“No argument there. Zach wouldn’t stop staring at me, and I got asked on a date.”
“Woohoo, Beckett finally got his nerve up. So what are we going to wear? This mi—”
“Um no. Negative on the Beckett front.”
Her friend went silent for two beats. “Oh. Okay, then who?”
“You remember Carter Sykes? He was on the San Diego most eligible list, right behind Alec. Number five, or something.”
“Oh yeah, I remember meeting him. So what, he just upped and asked you out today?”
“Yeah. Weird huh?”
“No. Not weird that he asked you. I’m sure you raised the temperature around that office by at least several hundred degrees. I’ve never heard you talk about him before.”
“Yeah, he’s kind of a player. Ever since that most eligible list came out, I’ve seen him with all kinds of women. Not my usual type.”
“Sounds like you’re not even interested. Then why are you going out with him?”
“Well, I gotta eat, right? And he seemed sincere. Besides, I haven’t been on a first date in over a year. I’d better get some practice if I want to get back in the market again.”
“Hm. Okay. You deserve a little rebound date, I guess. So what are you going to tell Beckett?”
“What do you mean what am I going to tell Beckett? It’s none of his business who I date.”
Jaya broke into the same Patti Labelle song they’d all been humming as they went shopping. “Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh. You got a new attitude.”
“What is it that Micha always says? If you want something, you have to make it happen. Waiting on someone or something is a surefire way to make sure you don’t get what you want.”
Jaya chuckled. “Are you really taking dating advice from Micha? You were there when we hid in her apartment watching Caleb strut his stuff half-naked. Does that seem like the woman who has it all figured out? We’re all trying to make it through, hon. Micha is right—you do have to go after what you want. I just don’t think Carter is it. Did you make your pro/con lists?”
Ricca had to smile. Good Old Jaya and her go-to decision making process. “I’m good. I’ve decided to go out with him. I’ve got nothing to lose, right? Besides, he’s cute. And I just got dumped. So like Micha says, best way to get over someone is to get under someone else. And if you’re so worried about me telling Beckett, I’ll tell him right now. He’s lurking in my doorway.”
“Oh. Yeah. Good luck with that.”
****
“Tell me you're not actually going to go out with that moron?"
"Don't you know how to knock? And it seems that you already have the answer to that question, if you're in my office bitching about it."
She wobbled in her heels as she came around her desk, and he had to school the twitch in his lips. She didn't normally wear heels. An ex had once told him what a hassle it was wearing brand new heels on carpet.
"Ricca, do me a solid and don’t go out with that guy."
She threw up her arms. "Are you serious, right now? You're telling me not to go out with him. Why?"
"Because he's a prick, and he's only noticing you because you’re showing so much—" His brain filled out the rest of his sentence but his mouth knew better.
"Showing so much what?"
"Skin," he muttered. "He's just not right for you."
"I'm not trying to marry the guy. It's dinner. What's with you? First, you go all protective, big brother on Jaya when she started dating Alec. Now me. I was serious when I said we weren’t little ducklings. I have a mother, okay? And you're not my brother."
Damn right he wasn't. "Why do you want to go out with him? Why can't you just date some nice guy who will treat you right?"
"Because I thought I had a nice guy. But then he dumped me on a night I had been planning for weeks.” She folded her arms over her ample chest. "Tell me. What the hell does it matter? Why do you care?"
His brain stuttered. Why? Why? Why? Because I think you're beautiful. Because I can't get the feel of your lips out of my head. Because I want to kiss you again so badly that I'm willing to kill for it. He couldn't say any of that. Instead, he said, "Because."
"Because what? Just tell me. Then maybe you can stop acting like a Neanderthal. Why are you dancing around me like a caged animal? How do we get back to where we were? We can't keep doing this."
"You’re right about that, so maybe you could stop running around looking like sex on a stick and focus on this fantasy. It's distracting as hell." His heart thudded, and the roar of blood drowned out thought.
Ricca raised an eyebrow and stalked over to him, hands on her hips. “Sorry to distract you. What are you going to do about it?"
She moved into his space, and her lemony scent wafted into his nostrils. She smelled soft and warm and delicious. His hands itched to run through her hair. He'd been dying to play with the loose strands ever since last night at his place.
>
"Oh, fuck it." He dragged her against him, dipping his head toward hers. This decision would be deliberate, and there would be no going back. His mouth hovered over her lips, and he felt her hot harsh breaths as she exhaled. With every breath, her breasts swelled against his chest. His eyes darted to her lips, and he watched, fascinated as her tongue peeked out to moisten them.
He lost the battle with himself. His body jerked at the electric shock when their lips met. She tasted just like he remembered. Sweet with a hint of spice. With a surprised gasp, she parted her lips, and he took the opening she gave him.
She dug her fingers into his shirt and pulled him forward. Backing her up, Beckett lifted her until she sat on her desk. Cupping her face, he held her tight as he devoured her and their tongues danced.
The sharp knock at Ricca’s door made them spring apart. Eyes wide, they stared at each other, both breathing heavily. Beckett straightened. "That's why." On shaky legs, he staggered out of her office.
Chapter Eleven
Beckett loved the smell of exhaust in the morning—not as much as ocean breezes, when he surfed, but what could he say, he was a total gear head. He suited up in his fire-proof suit and surveyed the throngs of other drivers. Every man and woman from across the world with a death wish and enough cash was here trying for a title. Carter hadn’t been able to swing Paris-Dakar. Even with all his connections, they were closed to new entries. So they’d gone for the Montezuma run. Starting in Cancun and running up north along the coast and inland.
Beckett watched the team working on the car like a hawk. Rally car racing was no joke on an ordinary day. This would be a hell of a ride, and he had a billionaire to take care of. Hundreds of teams from over fifty-one different countries. His primary focus was to keep Roberto safe, then to have some fun.
Against the orders of command central, his eyes also roved the crowd for Ricca. After he’d kissed her in her office a couple of weeks ago, she’d gone right along pretending like it had never happened. It drove him bat shit crazy. Even today, as she sported a skin-tight racing suit, his blood hummed and his body ached just from looking at her. Focus on the fucking race, ass-wipe.
Beckett dragged his eyes off of Ricca’s ass and was striding toward the car, when Serena stepped in his way. She tilted her head back to look up at him. “Change of plans,” she said. “Roberto’s driving today.”
Beckett scowled. “Bullshit.” He stepped around the couple and kept moving. “You have to be kidding. Roberto has never driven a rally car before, let alone even qualified for this race. You let him drive, and you’re putting him at risk. Not to mention we had to scramble to even get me into this race. They’ll never let him drive.”
Serena trailed behind him, taking two steps for every one of his. “Not the bullshit, Beckett. The truth. He wants to drive. I talked to Lila, and this will be the way to really get him into it. Not only is he paying handsomely for the privilege, he’s also contributing heavily to the race organizers. It’s a done deal. ”
He stopped and glared at her. “He bought the race? Why would you let him do this? I thought they were friends of yours.”
“They are. That’s why you’re going to make sure he doesn’t get hurt. I’m counting on you.” She shrugged. “That’s what happens when you have that kind of money. He can do as he likes.”
Beckett could only stare at Serena as she strode off. Her latest announcement just made everything so much more dangerous. Not only that, it meant he wouldn’t be able to survey the car. Only the driver and the pit teams had access to the car before the race. And probability was high that Roberto didn’t know a thing about cars. Beckett trusted the pit crew, but he’d never entered a race where he didn’t do some checks himself, and this made him nervous.
Not a damn thing he could do about it now.
When he found Roberto, the guy was hugging a barrel and dry heaving. “How are you doing? You ready for this?”
Roberto lifted his head, and while his eyes were lit with anticipation, his pallor was a little green. As it should be. People had died attempting this trip.
“Fine, fine,” Roberto muttered, but his eyes darted back and forth, back and forth.
Beckett smiled through clenched teeth and tried to peer at the mechanics behind Roberto, who were working on the car. “Relax. It’s your first Rally. We’re not going to go crazy. Our priority is your safety. Your priority needs to be having fun. When we pitched this to your wife, she was so excited for you to try something like this.” This was not the pitch they’d made to Lila. She didn’t seem the type to give in to her husband, and she was the client in charge of this fantasy. Zach or Serena must have pushed the idea. But why?
A fleeting grin passed over Roberto’s face. “You’re right. I just feel like the kid in line at an amusement park. Eager but a little scared too.” He eyed the barrel. “Maybe more than a little scared.”
“You’re supposed to be a little scared. If you weren’t, that would be a really bad sign.”
Beckett left Roberto and the rest of the pit crew to get ready. He grabbed his pads and ran through the checklist one more time. Rally runs were dangerous. He didn’t want any mistakes. He’d spent a couple summers growing up working in his uncle’s car dealership and he’d loved learning about the inner workings of the cars. That training helped in fantasies like this. That and Zach and Serena had all the action fantasy guys take all kinds of stunt driving classes and wilderness training.
From one of the side mirrors, Beckett saw Carter come up behind him. “Everything ready, B.?”
Normally, Beckett didn’t mind the nickname or Carter. But given the circumstances, he had to fight hard not to sneer. “Yeah, we’re good.” Looking over his door-less, Mini Cooper, he smiled. Maybe they even had a chance of placing in this event.
He cut through the bullshit. “What do you need?”
Carter leveled him a look. “I guess you heard the news?”
“Yeah, nothing to do about it. I just need the revised work-up on the cars to avoid. He’ll never make it at the front of the pack.” He muttered a curse under his breath.
Carter shrugged. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”
Except he wanted to shoot Carter. He’d have a real problem if he couldn’t get his mind in the game to navigate.
An hour later, ten rows back from the head of the race, Beckett strapped himself into the passenger side with his planning guide of the best route. He tried to force his brain to switch gears and enjoy the ride, but he couldn’t focus. Riding shotgun wasn’t his style. More than that, he knew what last minute changes could do. They hadn’t planned for this contingency.
“Would you relax, Beckett? This is going to be fun.”
Roberto’s smile was infectious, and he no longer looked ready to hurl. He appeared to be having a ball. For a brief second, Beckett exhaled. Maybe everything would be fine. All he had to do was keep the client alive. How hard could that be?
As Roberto gunned the engine for a start, and they jostled to life along the bumpy road, Beckett smiled. Nothing like a rally race in the morning to get the blood flowing.
Teeth clattering together, Beckett navigated and gave Roberto his best options for a route. More than once, Beckett thought he’d bit through his mouth guard. But they did well. Home base kept shouting instructions through their ear pieces about position and who was coming up on their rear. Roberto kept yowling with each bump and grinning like an idiot.
The moment Beckett started to relax was when they got slammed from behind. Roberto’s hands clamped around the steering wheel, and Beckett watched as the muscles in the guy’s jaw worked. “Hang on. You are in control. This is your car. You can recover from the tap. Just keep in cont—”
Suddenly, the car pitched forward again, and Roberto was no longer in control of the wheel, but rather fighting with his seat holster. A string of Italian words flew out of his mouth. Beckett didn’t understand the language, but from the tone, something was really wrong.
; Beckett grabbed hold of the steering wheel, trying to control the front end of the buggy while they careened downhill. In his side mirror, he watched as car after car made the turn and headed uphill through the rest of the course. “Roberto, hit the brakes.”
Roberto’s eyes bugged, and he darted his gaze between Beckett and the steering wheel, then back again. He pumped the brakes, but they only picked up more speed as they continued downhill. Road debris jostled the car and sliced Beckett’s arms as he held on for the ride.
“Roberto, down shift. Now!” As Beckett alternated between calling out instructions and radioing home base, he searched for something that would provide them and easier landing. A quarter mile ahead, he saw the rolling hills to the right.
Beckett grabbed onto the steering wheel and aimed right for them. He’d rather wreck the car than take a chance and wreck them both. As Beckett cranked up the emergency brake, Roberto white knuckled the steering wheel. The next thirty seconds went by so quickly, Beckett had no time to think.
Roberto cursed beside him, and the only warning Beckett had was the right shoulder harness flapping. Fuck. Roberto’s harness had come undone. “Hold on to the brace bar!” Beckett shouted.
Roberto did as he was told, but the brace bar wasn’t enough. They hit a bump in the road, and the top half of Roberto’s body jerked out of the buggy. “Fuck. Grab my arm.”
The other man wasn’t big, but at the speed they were going, when Roberto snaked his tan hands around Beckett’s arm, it felt like over a hundred pounds of dead weight yanking on his shoulder. Pain radiated in the joint as sweat poured down Becektt’s face. The emergency brake was helping, but it only stopped the rear wheels, and they were still picking up speed. How the hell was he going to crash land them without killing Roberto and sending the guy flying?
Beckett could feel the sweat on Roberto’s palms as they slid on his arms, and he tried for purchase. Beckett met Roberto’s frozen stare with a hard one. “Listen to me, man. You’re not going to die. I won’t let that happen. I’m not letting you go.”
Beckett tried again to yank Roberto back to a sitting position, but no luck. The guy was already two thirds of the way out of the seat, and without leverage, Beckett couldn’t make that happen.