Behind the Wheel (Hearts & Horsepower Book 2)

by A. K. Evans

  I hadn’t actually had the forethought that I’d approach Ricky and be assaulted, but thinking back now, I realized it was the kind of thing I could see him doing. While I’d never witnessed him being physically violent with anybody before, especially not a woman, he wasn’t exactly the poster child for all things good and honest. So, it wasn’t exactly a surprise that he’d gone that far with me, especially when I insulted him.

  Aside from what Ricky did and how horrible that should have made me feel, I attributed my current mood to everything I’d experienced following the incident. The best of those things being Knox.

  Yes.

  Everything about Knox.

  Sure, I’d had a brief moment of concern that I was giving in too easily. But it was brief. And yes, I could have held a grudge, which would have been justified, and made him go through hell to prove how sorry he was, but the man had beat up another guy who attacked me. I thought he deserved a little bit of a break.

  And not once had I regretted giving it to him.

  It was clear he was already punishing himself enough for how he’d treated me.

  At this point, I was grateful and hopeful.

  Grateful that Knox and I had the chance to clear the air. I was happy to gain some perspective and insight into his mindset. Maybe he handled it wrong, but there was no denying he had legitimate concerns.

  My hopefulness came as a result of last night’s conversation in particular. Knox and I were in a good place now. I didn’t expect it would be perfect; however, it thrilled me to know that we could work toward developing, if nothing else, a better working relationship. If a friendship came from that, I’d be ecstatic.

  Of course, there was one small thing that had disappointed me last night. We never discussed the one thing that had been a daily thought in my mind ever since it happened.

  That kiss.

  I really wished Knox would have brought it up and addressed it. He didn’t, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do it. I certainly wasn’t prepared to bring it up last night. Maybe that would change if Knox and I got to a place where I didn’t feel any apprehension.

  Typically, I wasn’t the kind of girl who held back from speaking my mind and saying whatever I was thinking. I went after what I wanted all the time. But the tumultuous start Knox and I had made me weary. So, I held myself back from getting answers on everything I wanted to know.

  Maybe it would come in time.

  For now, though, I needed to get myself up and get some pain meds in me. Throwing back the blanket, I slipped out of bed and into the bathroom. After handling my business in there and grabbing the medicine, I walked downstairs and straight to the kitchen for a glass of water and something small to eat.

  Foolishly, I’d assumed that I was the only one awake at that early hour.

  Because I walked into the kitchen and stopped dead in my tracks.

  Knox was there. And he wasn’t wearing a shirt.

  His back had been to me when I first walked in, but the minute he heard me there, he turned around. I couldn’t do anything but stare at the wall of his chest.

  From the very first day I saw him I thought Knox was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. Now, though? Seeing him like this. My mouth was parched at just the sight of his naked torso.

  And his arms. My goodness his arms. He’d held me in them yesterday, I knew he was strong. But I hadn’t realized he was this strong.

  What kind of cruel torture was this?

  All I could think about was how badly I wanted to move to him and run my mouth all over his gorgeous body. I wanted that to be mine… in a very bad way.

  I’m not sure how long it took, but my eyes eventually moved up his body to his face. And that was when I saw Knox was fighting his own battle. His eyes were pinned on my bare legs. They weren’t totally naked, of course. But I was wearing a pair of lightweight, cotton pajama shorts that just barely covered my booty. Suffice it to say, he was getting just as much an eyeful this morning as I was.

  I cleared my throat, and Knox’s eyes flew to mine.

  My lips twitched a moment as a sheepish look washed over him.

  “Good morning, Knox,” I greeted him with a grin.

  “Yes, it is,” he said.

  Tension.

  Sexual tension suddenly became a term I understood well. Not once had I experienced it before, but now I knew it was a real thing.

  And I liked it a lot.

  When I failed to respond, Knox returned the sentiment and said, “Good morning, Avery. How are you feeling today?”

  Holding the bottle of painkillers up in front of me, I replied, “I’ve got some pain in my face that’s slightly unbearable, so I’m here for water and a banana.”

  “Anything else bothering you?” he asked.

  “No. I actually feel really good, otherwise,” I told him.

  “That’s great news,” he returned.

  “Were you looking for something to eat?” I asked.

  Shaking his head, he answered, “No, I was looking for your coffee pot. I thought I’d put some on for us.”

  I smiled nervously and shifted back and forth. “Um, well, I’m really sorry, but I don’t have a coffee pot,” I shared.

  “Oh. Okay. Well, I guess we could go out and grab a cup then,” he suggested. “Is that what you normally do?”

  I shook my head. “No. I actually don’t drink coffee. Once I’m up, I’m up. No caffeine needed.”

  His eyes widened. “Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good to know.”

  I moved to the cabinet with the glasses, grabbed one, filled it with water, and took a sip. From there, I walked over to the opposite corner of the kitchen and pulled a banana off and held the bunch out to Knox. “Want one?” I asked.

  He seemed to have been watching me, completely mesmerized. “No, I’m good,” he replied.

  I shrugged and set them down. After pulling the peel about halfway down my banana, I took a bite. I chewed, swallowed, and took another bite. By the time I’d taken my third bite, Knox made a sound. It was then I realized I’d been eating and staring at his chest.

  I returned my attention to his face and saw a look I hadn’t ever seen from him. It was dark and intense and incredibly captivating.

  Nevertheless, I lamented, “I’m sorry. If you give me two seconds to finish this, I’ll pop a couple of painkillers and get myself dressed. I don’t mind riding with you so you can get some caffeine, but I’d really appreciate it if you could take me to the shop so I can pick up my truck this morning. I’d like to get to the track before the first round of eliminations.”

  Knox shook his head as though trying to rid his mind of something and said, “I’m sorry. What?”

  “What what?” I returned after swallowing another bite.

  “You’re planning to go to the track today?” he clarified.

  “Well, isn’t everyone still racing today?” I questioned him as I took the peel off the remainder of the banana and tossed it in the trash.

  He nodded. “Yes, but I just thought with everything you went through yesterday that you’d want to take it easy today.”

  Cocking an eyebrow, I repeated, “Take it easy?”

  He dipped his chin.

  I finished the last bite of my banana, pulled a few pills out of the bottle, and popped them in my mouth. Then I chased them with a gulp of water.

  “I’m going to the track,” I declared after I set my glass down. “Ricky’s not taking that away from me, too. He might have been responsible for what happened to my car, but I’m not letting him or anybody else stop me from doing what I love. My new car might not be ready for a while, but I’m still going to spend my time doing what makes me happy. No matter what comes my way, I’ll always keep going.”

  Knox didn’t immediately respond. He stood there a long time just looking at me, deep in thought.

  “Okay, new game plan,” he eventually declared.

  “What?”

  “You ge
t ready, we leave and head to my house so I can shower and change, and then I make breakfast and coffee there. After, we’ll go to the track together. And assuming you get through the day without any new symptoms popping up like the doctor said was possible, I’ll take you to get your truck afterward,” he said.

  “What just happened here?” I asked.

  “Hey, I’m just following the doctor’s orders,” he argued. “He said you should be watched for twenty-four hours. Technically, you’re still not out of that window.”

  “You’re going to blame this on the doctor?” I scoffed.

  “Yep.”

  There wasn’t an ounce of shame in his response. He was taking advantage of the situation by blaming it on the doctor mentioning I should be careful for twenty-four hours. Lucky for Knox, I totally didn’t mind that he was being an opportunist.

  So, with a smile tugging at my mouth, I rolled my eyes and ordered, “You need to put on a shirt. I’m going to go get changed.”

  Then I walked out of the kitchen toward the stairs.

  But I struggled not to look back for one last glimpse at him.

  “How about I cook breakfast while you shower?” I suggested after Knox had started the coffee pot back at his condo.

  “What are you making?” Knox asked.

  “What do you have?”

  “Eggs, bread, bacon, pancake and waffle mix—”

  “Do you have a waffle iron?” I cut him off.

  Grinning, Knox moved to the opposite side of the kitchen, opened a cabinet, and bent down. After pulling out the waffle iron, he answered, “Yes.”

  “Are you cool with waffles this morning?” I asked.

  “I’m good with anything you want to make,” he assured me.

  Nodding, I returned, “Then unless you’ve hidden anything I’ll need for filling your belly this morning, you should hurry up and shower. We don’t want to be late.”

  Knox shook his head at me, but he was smiling while he did it. Without saying another word, he walked out, leaving me alone in the kitchen to pull myself together and make breakfast.

  By the time I had three waffles completed, Knox returned.

  He walked past me, and I couldn’t stop myself from taking a deep breath. He smelled incredible.

  From that point forward, I knew I was going to struggle not to launch myself at him and kiss him the same way he’d done with me just over a week ago. Today was surely going to test my self-control. Since I hadn’t really ever been good at holding myself back, I wasn’t convinced I’d be successful.

  And that terrified me.

  Because the last thing I wanted to do was ruin all the progress we’d made.

  By some miracle I managed to get through breakfast without incident, and before I knew it, we were back on the road heading to the track.

  “There she is. How are you feeling, holeshot?”

  Knox and I had made it to the track and just walked up to Logan’s pit. Logan was standing there with the rest of the crew, and it was Nash who’d announced my arrival.

  “Here I am,” I replied.

  “What did they say at the hospital?” Kieran wondered.

  “I was lucky,” I started. “Just the bruising, swelling, and the cut.”

  “But she needs to watch out for any new symptoms that arise in the twenty-four-hour window since we left the hospital,” Knox added. “Which is why she’s still not driving.”

  “I’ll bet that’s the reason,” Ryker mumbled.

  Logan ignored Ryker’s comment and asked, “Are you in any pain?”

  “I’m okay. Just a little sore,” I answered.

  “What happened here after we left?” Knox asked.

  The guys all shared awkward glances at one another before Nash replied, “Since Avery left yesterday, they didn’t call the police. But the track officials did ban Ricky from coming back to the track for the rest of the season.”

  Knox’s hand came to the small of my back. “We’re going to have to make a stop after we leave here,” he urged.

  “What?” I asked.

  “We’ll go to the police station when we leave so you can file a report and press charges,” he explained.

  I shook my head.

  “Why are you shaking your head?” he wondered.

  “I can’t do that,” I told him.

  “You need to,” Knox ordered.

  “I don’t mean to stick my nose in this,” Logan began. “But I’m with Knox on this one, Avery. You were assaulted.”

  “I know,” I returned.

  “He can’t get away with doing that to you,” Kieran added.

  They didn’t get it.

  If the whole situation had played out differently, I wouldn’t have thought twice about pressing charges. Ricky was vile, filthy scum. He deserved what was coming to him. But the situation didn’t result in me being the only one who was assaulted.

  “I can’t do it, guys,” I insisted. “Listen, I understand what you’re saying, and I would normally do this. But I know Ricky.”

  “Don’t let him intimidate you,” Knox urged. “He’s not going to come anywhere near you again.”

  Growing more and more frustrated, I shook my head. “It’s not that. I’m not afraid of him,” I assured Knox. My eyes left him and went to all the men standing around me. They were all so concerned for me. I loved that I had that, which is why I wasn’t willing to jeopardize it.

  I brought my eyes back to Knox and said softly, “You assaulted him.”

  “He deserved it.”

  “Maybe, but I know how Ricky works,” I returned. “If I press charges against him, he’s going to press charges against you. I’m not okay with that.”

  “Avery,” Knox started. “Listen—”

  “No, Knox,” I cut him off. “I’m not taking that chance. You’re not going to get into trouble because of me. And I know as long as Ricky is worried that I might press charges, he won’t do a thing to you. Though, the fact that you pummeled him into the ground is probably the bigger blow to his ego right now.”

  “If nothing else, you should at least file the report,” he urged.

  I sighed. “I’ll consider that,” I promised. “But can we just enjoy the racing today?”

  Knox thought a moment, but finally dipped his chin and replied, “Yeah.”

  At that, the tension lifted. Everyone welcomed me back with open arms and I enjoyed a day of racing. Throughout the day, there were several moments when I was caught off guard by a feeling that swept over me.

  My eyes would fly to Knox and move from him through the rest of my co-workers that were standing nearby. And I would experience this overwhelming feeling of love. Not in the sense that I was in love with anyone but in the sense that I loved this new family I’d found.

  Out of the blue, it hit me just how much they all meant to me. At the same time, it scared me. Because I didn’t want anything to happen that could risk taking them away from me.

  So, when the feeling hit, I allowed myself to sit with it, but I did my best to focus only on the best parts of it.

  And by the time I got home, showered, and was back in my bed, I had to admit I had the best day I’d had in a really long time.

  Even still, I had a difficult time falling asleep.

  Because my mind was completely consumed by Knox and what I was feeling. And now, as happy as I was about the day I’d had today, I couldn’t help feeling a bit of sadness creeping in.

  That attraction I had to Knox was slowly turning into something else. All I felt was longing. Longing for something I didn’t have, something I’d never had.

  I made no secret of the fact that I was attracted to him from the moment I first laid eyes on him. That feeling only grew stronger after the incident at the track yesterday. Knox shirtless this morning, standing in my kitchen, sealed the deal. I wanted him. Badly. And to be completely honest, it didn’t lessen as the day progressed and he had a shirt on.

  Because throughout the day at the track, even th
ough we didn’t spend every minute together, I felt something happening between us. Neither of us was avoiding one another like some kind of virus. I stole glances, he offered winks, I smiled knowingly, and he shot appreciative looks.

  So, as I tried to find sleep, I wondered if Knox was in his own bed feeling anything like I was.

  By the time I finally drifted off, I had no answer. But I had hope. And that was more than I’d had in a very long time.

  Things were starting to look up.

  It was early Tuesday morning, and I was already at work. Ryker was the only one who was here this early with me. He was already out in the shop working on a car. I expected everyone else would start arriving within the next ten minutes or so.

  For the first time since I started working at LT Motorsports, I was feeling a level of positivity I had imagined I would have experienced from my first day. Considering everything that had gone down with my car, feeling that need to prove myself to my co-workers, and the hostile relationship I had with Knox for the first two weeks, it had been difficult to stay upbeat.

  But I was convinced I’d turned a corner.

  Yesterday had been the best day I’d had at work since I started. There was no longer any tension in the air, and I didn’t feel any anxiety about seeing Knox. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I couldn’t wait to see him. And when he finally walked in, it gave me the greatest feeling to be able to smile at him and give him a morning greeting.

  Knox and I even had lunch together yesterday. Of course, Kieran and Logan also happened to be in there at the same time, so it’s not like we had the opportunity to have any intimate conversations or anything. The simple fact that we were able to be in the same room while we were at work gave my mood a huge boost.

  And I could have easily settled for that this week. Knowing that Knox and I were on good terms was enough for me.

  In addition, he continued to prove how concerned he was for my physical well-being. During lunch, the topic of what happened over the weekend came up again. Knox, once again, asked me if I would consider at least filing a police report. Knowing how much it was bothering him, I decided it wouldn’t hurt. So, I agreed. And Logan insisted we go immediately to the police station to take care of it.