Tell Me No Secrets: Secret Baby Romance Collection

by Jamie Knight

  I popped the hood and started looking around. The car was in relatively good condition from what I could tell, but cranking over the engine and getting it driving would give me a better picture of what was going on.

  “Alright, are we ready to do this?” called a voice from the doorway.

  I looked over and saw her standing just inside the garage. My mouth fell open as I watched her walk from the doorway toward where I was standing, looking over the car. She was wearing tattered blue jean shorts that were so short, they showed her entire thigh and leg. If it were any higher, I would have been able to see everything. And boy, did I fucking want to.

  She was also wearing a short t-shirt that barely covered anything, showing her skinny waist. She looked like she was trying out for a music video, not getting ready to get greasy, working on a car.

  “Are you sure that's what you want to wear?” I asked her.

  “What's wrong with it?” she asked, looking down at her clothes. “You don't like it?”

  She looked up guiltily at me, almost like she was teasing me. Her smile was so sweet that it made a part of me soften like butter. It also turned me on completely.

  “Uh, yeah, I guess...” I replied nervously. “That's not what I mean. It's just, working on a car can get pretty dirty and what you're wearing looks like something you want to wear later. I would just hate to have you ruin your clothes, that's all. It's up to you, of course.”

  I felt the air growing thicker and it was hard to breathe. I took a few steps, fanning my face, hoping that I could somehow find a way to not be so turned on, being near her. I hoped that she would put me out of my misery and change clothes into something that had better coverage for her body.

  Hell, I wouldn't have minded if she came out wearing a nun's habit. Actually, that would have been even better because then I could have ignored her more easily. I could have focused my mind on fixing her car, and not allowed myself to be distracted of thoughts of her tight, hot body rubbing against me.

  “I would rather wear something that let me move around a little better, so this is going to be the best option,” she said. “I'm ready whenever you are.”

  She gave me the thumbs up sign and walked around to look under the hood. I shrugged and started telling her what I was noticing about the car.

  “It looks like you need a radiator flush,” I told her, pointing toward the radiator. “And I'm not sure when the last time you did an oil change or tune up was, but it looks like it might be about time to consider doing those, too.”

  “Yeah, my dad's been riding me about that,” she said, brushing her hair back out of her face. “I just haven't had much time to do it. And when I have had the time, it's not exactly one of the first things that I think about, if you know what I mean.”

  She winked at me playfully. I nodded and smiled back, but part of me felt embarrassed. I didn't know what she meant. The only life that I'd ever known was the Air Force.

  I had a pretty good understanding of how civilian life was going to go for me, but I didn't know what a girl like her would spend her day doing. As far as I understood, she was in school and that was it.

  “Why haven't you had time?” I asked, genuinely curious.

  “Well, it's just been a lot, you know? Trying to figure out what I'm going to do with my life after I graduate. Graduation used to be this date sometime in the way off future, but now it's here. Like, it's happening right now. So, I've been trying to see what I'm going to do...”

  She looked off in the distance while wringing her hands.

  “Can you hand me the screwdriver over there?” I asked her, hoping it would offer a minor distraction. I could tell that the conversation was starting to make her anxious and antsy.

  She handed me a screwdriver, not the one that I needed, but I took it anyway.

  “Thanks. I appreciate it,” I said, taking the screwdriver from her and pretending to tinker around under the hood with it.

  “You're welcome,” she said. “You know, maybe I should think about trying this on for size. Female mechanic. I bet you don't see too many of those, do you?”

  “No, you don't,” I said, somewhat impressed by the thought of her going into the same profession that I was in.

  I reached over and grabbed the screwdriver that I did need, and took the battery out. It didn't come out that easily since it was a little rusted, but after a few minutes of struggling, I managed to get it out.

  “We're going to need this to make sure that we get the right replacement,” I said, holding up the battery. “And besides, we can make sure that the old battery gets disposed of properly.”

  She smiled at me appreciatively.

  “So, we're making a trip to the auto parts store?” asked Natalia, an excited grin starting to show on her face.

  “Yeah, we probably should do that now,” I said.

  She clapped excitedly.

  “I'll pull the car around front,” she said, jumping up and running out the door.

  She was excited to drive her father's convertible. I had to admit that I was a little eager to get in the car myself. Convertibles were the ultimate car lover's car. Of all the cars that I had worked on, convertibles had always been a favorite.

  Seeing her pull it around front was a magical moment. The car seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, its sleek body gleaming in the morning sun.

  “What a gorgeous machine,” I said, impressed.

  “And wait until you see how she handles,” said Natalia, sounding like a diehard gear head.

  I walked over and sat down in the passenger’s seat of the car, watching her wild eyes glitter in the light. There was something about her that just radiated excitement.

  “You might want to put on your seatbelt,” she cautioned, pushing her foot against the gas to rev the engine.

  “Are we going racing?” I asked her.

  “Oh no,” she said, clutching her chest. “I don't want to do anything that might be too strenuous for your pacemaker.”

  I hadn't expected her to say that. My mouth fell open in surprise. She had poked fun at the elephant in the room, our vast age difference.

  But, it was almost like a joke because being around her, I didn't feel like there was much of an age difference between us. In fact, she had an air about her that made her seem more mature than her young age suggested.

  She sped down the road, leaning into curves so sharp that I thought we were going to tip over sideways. But, despite the fact that she was driving fast, giving the engine a chance to stretch its legs a little, so to speak, it wasn't reckless. It was purposeful and fun. It was liberating and exciting. It was everything that I imagined Natalia to be.

  Chapter 10 - Bradley

  I had to stop myself from thinking those thoughts. I didn't know how, but I had to find a way to release myself from this trance where all I seemed to think about was her. And thinking about her in that way would only lead to trouble.

  What that trouble could be, that was yet to be seen. But, it was the implications of that trouble, the impact that it could have on my friendship or, hell, my living situation, that I most worried about.

  “Maybe we should head on over to the store,” I said, trying to move things back into the right direction.

  “Boo, you're no fun,” said Natalia, faking a frown and turning the car down a road leading to the highway. We drove for a few minutes before hitting a strip mall that had an auto parts store in it.

  Her insult stung only a little bit. I didn't want her to see me as the no-fun-having old guy that her dad had staying in their house. But I also didn't want to start developing feelings for her and complicating things. I knew that holding up my end of the bargain and helping her to get her car situated would help me to focus on something else.

  I had to admit, though, that being out here with her driving me around made me feel like we didn't have a care in the world, like we were just a girl and a guy out having a good time.

>   When we arrived at the store and went inside, Natalia looked around at everything like she was confused.

  “All of these things go inside my car?” she asked.

  I chuckled.

  “I take it that you've never been inside an auto parts store?” I asked.

  She shook her head hard.

  “No,” she admitted. “My dad has always taken care of all of the car stuff for me.”

  “Well, if you're going to get on the fast track as a female mechanic, it might be a good idea for you to get familiar with this store.”

  She beamed at me warmly, rocking on her heels. It was so easy to joke and laugh with her. I hadn’t had this much of a natural connection with someone for a long time. What a fucking pity that she had to be so much younger— and my friend’s daughter.

  She walked slowly through each aisle, carefully looking over item after item. It was like she was taking a mental inventory of everything. I stood watching her. I wasn't quite sure how much she was retaining, but I liked watching the process of her learning. It made me look at my profession in a whole new light, through a new set of eyes.

  I walked up to the counter and saw a guy in his twenties standing there. He had on a long sleeved flannel shirt and he had rolled up the sleeves. He reeked like he had been chain smoking cigarettes right before coming to stand behind the counter.

  “How can I help you?” he said emotionlessly.

  “Yeah, I actually need to get a replacement for this battery,” I said, putting the battery up on the counter. I didn't know my own strength and it slammed harder than I thought that it would.

  “Whoa there, take it easy,” said the guy, sounding a little annoyed.

  “One battery, please,” said Natalia.

  She had walked over to the counter and stood in front of it, leaning down so that I thought that her breasts would spill out of her shirt. The guy behind the counter's eyes almost bulged out of his head like a cartoon wolf ogling a hot girl.

  “Well, hello there,” he said, leaning on the counter so that he was almost eye-to-eye with Natalia.

  Natalia stood up straight, the smile leaving her face. She was just trying to be friendly and this guy was trying to flirt. I could tell that Natalia was not interested at all.

  The guy, however, did not get the memo. He continued to lay it on thick.

  “What's a hot girl like you doing in here?” he asked as he rang up the battery and charged her for it, ignoring the obvious signs that she wasn't interested in him.

  I groaned loudly. Guys like him really pissed me off. It was one thing to flirt, but it was another thing altogether to do so ad nauseum, ignoring clear signs that your flirting is not fucking welcome.

  “I'm here doing what everyone else is doing: finding parts that I need to fix my car,” Natalie replied.

  He nodded, licking his lips as he stared at her.

  “So, your dad is teaching you how to fix your car?” the guy asked. “That's pretty awesome. Maybe once he finishes with his lesson, you can come have a private lesson with me.”

  I could feel the smoke behind my ears. I was fucking livid. This punk automatically assumed that I was her father.

  I looked over at Natalia and saw that she had a pained expression on her face, as if she was really embarrassed. But, just as quickly as the look came, it went. Instead, she smiled that sneaky smile of her and moved closer to me.

  “This isn't my dad,” she said, nudging her body against me. “Well, he's not my biological dad. But, I do like to call him daddy sometimes.”

  She moved in closer and kissed me right on the lips. The counter guy was shocked, his mouth falling open wide with shock. I had to admit that it caught me off guard, too. Her lips were soft and warm. Her kiss tasted so sweet. I couldn't believe that it was happening.

  We stood there kissing for what seemed like an eternity, but probably actually was only a minute or two. When she pulled away, the counter guy wasn't even standing there anymore. He had wandered off to go help another customer that had walked in and was looking lost.

  It was a good thing that no one else had been standing there because it took me a minute to get my bearings. The kiss had caught me off guard, but there was something else…

  She was an amazing kisser.

  “That was awesome,” said Natalia softly, like she had been surprised herself.

  “Yeah,” I said, nodding dumbly.

  “Do we need anything else, then?” she asked, looking around the store.

  I just shook my head, not even trusting myself to speak. I was sure that my words would have come out unintelligible. We walked out of the store, listening to the bell chime behind us. I felt like I was walking on clouds, like I was in a dream that I didn’t want to wake up from.

  I slid into the passenger’s seat, surprised that my feet had somehow worked long enough for me to make it to the car. Natalia sighed and growled, frustrated.

  “Did you see how that guy was acting?” she said, as if I could have ignored him, even if I had tried. “The nerve of him to assume that you were my father. What if you were my husband?”

  She paused, a faraway look crossing her face. I would have paid a million dollars for her thoughts if I could have. Then she shook her head and looked down at the steering wheel, clutching it so hard that her knuckles whitened.

  She spit out, “It’s just that I hate when people make assumptions like that. It was really rude and I was truly embarrassed. I’m sorry that you had to experience that.”

  I couldn’t believe that she was apologizing for someone else’s behavior, something that she could not have controlled. But, I appreciated the fact that it did make her so upset. It seemed like she cared.

  “It’s okay, really,” I said, shrugging. “I guess it’s something that I just have to get used to. I mean, I am pretty old compared to you. And having these injuries doesn’t make it any easier for people not to think that I’m not just some crippled old man. Maybe we should go by the mall on the way back and get me some cool, young clothes to wear. And I’ll start saying words like ‘adorbs’ and ‘fleek’ and ‘bish’, maybe get a piercing or two so that people won’t mistake me for some sweater-wearing old geyser anymore.”

  I smiled, hoping that my jokes might make her smile. When she laughed weakly, I knew that it had worked.

  “You’re not old,” she said as her manner strengthened. “It’s just that people need to be more sensitive to what they say sometimes. And even if you were an old, bent over man with an oxygen tank and a full walker, on what planet is it okay to reference a customer’s age while ringing up a part?”

  I stammered out a few words in an effort to answer her question, but the truth was, I didn’t have an answer.

  “Anyway, I just want to apologize for that,” she said, turning the car on and revving up the engine.

  “It’s fine. You don’t have to apologize,” I said, smiling at her sweetly.

  I wanted to reach over and brush my hand against her cheek, but I stopped myself. The kiss had been more than enough for the day.

  We rode in silence the rest of the way home, listening to talk radio discuss everything from the news antics of the president to the latest movie that had everyone flocking to the theaters. To me, it was just white noise. My mind was still focused on the kiss. I could still feel her soft lips on mine. I kept feeling her body pressed against mine, delicate, soft, and warm.

  The more I thought about it, the more turned on I became. I felt an erection beginning to build in my pants and I started to panic. I didn’t want her to see it. That would creep her out for sure. I shifted in my seat so that my body was turned away from her and I crossed my leg at the knee.

  She looked over at me, confused.

  “You okay?” she asked, trying to keep her eyes on the road and not look at me. “You look very uncomfortable.”

  You have no idea, I thought.

  “No, I’m fine,” I said, trying to
think about baseball or someone puking, anything to stop the rock hard boner that I was trying to hide from her.

  It had finally calmed down by the time we got back to her house, so I hurried out of the car and to the door before she gave me another raging boner and then had a chance to see the enormous bulge that had formed on the front of my pants. It seemed this girl did very powerful things to me that made me want her so badly I could hardly stand it.

  Chapter 11 - Natalia

  When we arrived back at the house after leaving the auto parts store, Bradley took off from the car to the house like he couldn’t wait to get away from me. I hadn’t expected that response and I didn’t know what to think, to be honest.

  Was it okay? Will he tell my dad I kissed him? I had so many questions circling my mind that I couldn’t concentrate.

  I went to my room and lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling and holding a teddy bear, deep in thought. I smirked at the thought that I had made a move, even though it wasn’t quite at the time or place that I thought it would happen. As a matter of fact, I hadn’t really thought about how things would happen. But, it seemed like it was just right.

  Seeing how Bradley reacted, though, left me on pins and needles until I knew what he thought. Maybe he was repulsed by my impulsiveness. Maybe he was in his room packing up his things to leave, and trying to figure out how he would explain things to my dad.

  My dad. If he found out about this, I wasn’t quite sure how he would react. And I wasn’t ready to find out. I figured that the only thing that I could do was just wait and see how it would all play out.

  At the very least, I had two weeks until my dad made it back into town. I wouldn’t imagine that, even if Bradley did plan on telling my dad something, that he would do it over the phone. I was about to get up and see where Bradley went off to when I heard a soft knock on the door.