Head Over Wheels Read online

  “That snort! What have you got to snort about?” she demanded. If there was one thing she had learned about Malcolm in the last several years, it was how he hated confrontation of any kind. Well, with anyone except his father. The two of them had had some major blowups in the garage, but if anyone else pushed, he tended to back down.

  “Just let it go, Dani. You’re not driving. Period.”

  “Then I want to go home,” she said, resuming her pouting position.

  “I’m not taking you home,” he said mildly, reaching for the radio and turning it on.

  She reached out and turned it off. “Then when we stop for gas or for a break, I’ll just call my mom or someone to come pick me up.”

  “We’re not scheduled to stop for another two hours. You can’t expect your mother to drive that far to come get you.” Again, his tone was completely calm and reasonable and it just irked her that much more.

  “My mother would drive anywhere to get me if I needed her,” she countered, feeling slightly smug.

  “But you don’t need her, Dani. You’re just being a brat because you’re not getting your way.”

  It didn’t matter that he was completely accurate, but it pissed her off how well he knew her.

  “I bet your father would have let me drive,” she murmured.

  “I’m sure he would have,” Malcolm agreed, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “And then regretted it. But he’s not here so...”

  In that moment, she knew it was pointless to keep arguing. The man was as stubborn as he was honest, and this wasn’t a fight she was going to win.

  At least not now.

  So she turned the radio back on–the classic rock station Malcolm favored–and forced herself to relax and think of something else to talk about.

  “You’ve been to this car show before, right?”

  Nodding, he replied, “We used to go every year. The last few years we’ve been too busy to do it. This is the first time we’ve entered a car of our own into the show. Usually we just go to see what’s out there.”

  “And you’re really going to sell it at the auction?”

  “Yup.”

  Unable to help herself, she sighed.

  Malcolm briefly turned his head to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s nothing,” she said but knew she was lying. “If I had that kind of money, I would have bought the car myself.”

  “Because of the photo?”

  “Yeah. I know it’s crazy because it’s not the actual car, but…I don’t know, ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved those pictures. There’s a whole series of them with both my grandparents and great-grandparents. I even have one framed in my apartment. Everything about them was cool and now that I’ve seen the car in person…” She trailed off, knowing she sounded ridiculous. It was an unattainable dream–not to mention unrealistic. As Malcolm already said, she was a terrible driver. There was no way she should even consider owning a car like that. There was no doubt that she’d ruin it in a heartbeat.

  “You okay?”

  Turning, she glanced at him. “I’ll be fine. I don’t know why I’m being like this over a car.” She shook her head. “It’s weird, right?”

  “You think everything’s weird,” he countered.

  That surprised her. “I do not!” she cried. “When have I ever said that things feel weird?”

  He glanced her way again. “You really want to do this?”

  “Yeah, I really do. Let’s hear it.”

  Shifting slightly in the driver’s seat, he rested one arm on the door and the other on the steering wheel. “You think it’s weird how I don’t drink coffee.”

  “Everyone drinks coffee!” she argued with a small laugh. “Ever see the lines at Starbucks?”

  “Clearly not.”

  “Okay, fine. What else have you got?”

  “You think it’s weird that my father never took me to Disney World.”

  “Again, everyone’s gone at least once, Malcolm. People travel from other countries to go there.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t see the appeal.”

  With a dramatic sigh, she said, “In having fun? Uh, yeah. I got that. Go on.”

  “You’ve commented numerous times how you think people who haven’t binge-watched The Office, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Walking Dead, and Game of Thrones are weird.”

  “They’re great shows!”

  “You openly mock people who can’t name all the…wait, who are they? The Kardashians?”

  “Everyone knows them, Malcolm! And it’s not hard to remember, all their names start with K’s!”

  “You also mock people who don’t stay up to date with celebrity gossip and pop culture or who don’t watch TMZ.”

  She was beginning to see a pattern here…

  “And you think it’s weird that people do!” she countered. “So I’m not the only one who has issues or thinks things are weird.”

  Another shrug. “I never said you were. I’m just saying that you think everything is weird and not just a few random things.”

  “You know, I could point out all your issues too.”

  “I’m sure you could,” he said with a low laugh. It was low and gruff and when he turned his head and smiled at her, she felt herself tingle from head to toe.

  Dammit.

  “But unlike you, I happen to find all of your quirks…endearing.”

  “Endearing?” He didn’t sound like he believed her even a little bit.

  Nodding, she said, “Uh-huh.”

  “Now this I’ve got to hear. No one’s ever called me endearing.”

  Well…shit. Was he really going to make her explain? But when she didn’t expand–simply because she was too embarrassed–Malcolm reached over and gently patted her on the knee while smiling.

  “That’s what I thought,” he said, but not before his hand casually skimmed a little higher before he pulled it away.

  In that moment, Dani began to wonder if this attraction really was all one-sided.

  “Dani?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Do you mind telling me why we only have one room instead of two?” They were riding up in the hotel elevator in Hilton Head and he was surprised she wasn’t freaking out about their accommodations.

  “Your dad’s always going on about not spending too much money, so I just followed all the travel arrangements you’ve used in the past. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

  “Well, this is a little different. Do you want me to get you your own room?” he asked, hoping he sounded casual about it because he was nervous as hell about sharing a room with her. The front desk clerk said it was a king room with a sleeper sofa, so at least they weren’t sharing a bed. “I don’t mind taking the sleeper. You can have the bed.”

  He looked over and saw her chewing on her bottom lip–something he wouldn’t mind doing–and waited for her to respond.

  “I mean…I guess it’s not a big deal.” She looked up at him with a nervous smile. “But I can take the couch. You’re a big guy and I’m sure you’d be way more comfortable in the bed.”

  Of course he would, but he still was going to be a gentleman. “I’m fine on the couch. Trust me. You take the bed.”

  She studied him for a moment and he wanted to look away, but he couldn’t. She looked just as nervous as he did and that was at least some consolation. “If you’re sure…”

  The elevator arrived on their floor and they silently made their way to their room.

  “Malcolm?

  Nodding, he opened the door to the room and followed her inside. “I’m sure.” He looked around and there was plenty of room for the two of them with a small living room, a desk, the bed, and a bathroom. It wasn’t ideal, but it also wouldn’t be a hardship to spend the night there together. “What do you say we freshen up and then go grab some dinner? The restaurant downstairs looked nice or we can see what else is in the area.”

  But Dani shook her head. “Ugh, the last thing I want to do is get back in the truck. I’m ready to walk around and stay put for the night.”

  “It wasn’t that bad…”

  “Trust me, I love a good road trip, but I’m just ready to walk and not drive.”

  “I hear ya,” he murmured, taking in his surroundings. Walking over to the closet, he spotted the bedding he’d need. Behind him, he heard moving around.

  Staying where he was, he watched her check out the space before sitting on the bed and bouncing on it slightly. She looked at him and grinned. “Ooh…memory foam. My favorite.”

  Great. Just what he needed–not only knowing the kind of bed she preferred but also seeing her bounce on it.

  Clearing his throat, he turned, picked up his bag, walked over to the sofa and opened it up. It was a queen size, but it was still going to feel small and cramped for him. Not that he was going to say anything to Dani about it. Silently, he went to work putting the sheets and blanket on it and once that was done, he went into the bathroom and washed up. When he stepped back out a few minutes later, Dani excused herself to do the same. With nothing left to do, he called down to the front desk to see if they would need reservations for dinner and reserved a table for two for one hour.

  He had no idea how long Dani would need to get ready, but he didn’t want to rush her. They had driven a lot of miles today. They had stopped in Myrtle Beach to meet with a classic car collector who was mildly interested in the Vette before driving on to Hilton Head for the night. Taking some time to sit and relax was something he was completely on board with.

  With nothing else to do, he got comfortable on his bed and turned on the TV. After channel surfing for several minutes, Dani stepped out of the bedroom and smiled at him.

  “Whatcha doing?”

  Shrugging, he motioned to the television. “Just seeing if anything’s on. I called and made our reservations for dinner downstairs at seven. I hope that’s okay.”

  “It sounds perfect,” she said sweetly as she sat herself down on the edge of his bed.

  Without thinking, Malcolm moved over to give her more room, and before he knew it, she was practically lying down with him. He didn’t say a word but as he normally did when she got too close, he felt himself starting to sweat.

  “Mmm…this bed’s comfy too,” she said, her voice soft and a little sleepy. “Do you think there’s time for a quick nap?”

  “Um…I guess,” he stammered. “I could call and move the reservation to later or we could just get room service if you’d prefer.”

  Beside him, she lifted her head. “Would you prefer to get room service?”

  If we could eat it in bed naked…

  Forcing that thought aside, he forced himself to keep his focus on the TV. “I thought it would be nice to go down and eat. I figured you’d like it.”

  “Aww…you are so sweet,” she cooed. “I really don’t need a nap. This was just super comfortable. I’d like to go downstairs too. It’s not every day I get to go out to a fancy restaurant. It will be like a date!” Then she rested her head back down on the pillow and got comfortable again.

  Say what now? A date? Uh…

  “Oh, I love this show,” she said, interrupting his thoughts. “I always try to figure out which house the couple is going to buy, but somehow they never pick the one I think they should.” Shaking her head, she added, “I wish they’d all just listen to me.”

  Unable to help himself, he laughed. Leave it to Dani to think her way was the only way.

  “I’m telling you,” she went on, “I have great taste in houses and what kind of space will work best. If I wasn’t working for you and your father, I’d totally be kicking ass in real estate.”

  “Dani, I have a feeling you’d kick ass in anything you did,” he murmured.

  Beside him, she lifted her head again, her expression a little soft and…happy. “Malcolm King, that may be the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

  Was it possible he was blushing? He could swear his cheeks were heating up.

  “What?” he said, hating how gruff he sounded. “You know we think you do a great job with everything you do.”

  Her expression fell slightly before she nodded. “I know. You and your dad are always praising me and I appreciate it. I’m glad you’re both impressed with my work.”

  Had he said something wrong?

  Before he could ask, she was back in her position again with her head on the pillow. “Come on. Let’s see what their options are. Then you tell me which house you think they should pick and I’ll let you know if I agree. We already missed the first two choices, but they’ll recap them at the end before they decide.”

  It was a harmless game to play and he figured it would kill some time before they went down to dinner. And he had to admit, she made some valid points as she talked about each house. Once the episode ended, another one started so he got to watch it with her from the beginning.

  They laughed, they argued, and by the end of the episode, the couple chose the house neither he nor Dani picked and he understood her frustration.

  She jumped off the bed and stretched. “Give me two minutes to grab my shoes and purse and I’ll be ready to go!” He watched her walk away and began to second-guess his decision to skip out on room-service. They had been having such a good time that he hated to interrupt it.

  But he had nothing to worry about. They continued to talk about the show all the way down to the restaurant, and once they were seated, the conversation switched over to favorite foods and places to eat. The menu was full of Italian food–something he already knew Dani loved–but he found he enjoyed listening to her talk about her favorites and why certain meals held special memories of her family.

  Once the topic of food was exhausted, she asked about the next car he was going to work on and that turned to a long conversation about cars. He’d never dated a woman who showed any interest in what he did beyond how the car looked. Dani had a working knowledge of what went into a full restoration and he enjoyed knowing that she understood everything he talked about.

  Before he knew it, they had finished their dinners and dessert, it was after ten and the restaurant was closing. They both apologized for staying so long and laughed softly as they made their way out of the restaurant.

  “I am so full,” she said, her hand on her flat stomach as they waited for the elevator. He had to hand it to her; she didn’t shy away from food. If anything, she ate almost as much as he did–and that was saying something.

  “I don’t think I should have had the second slice of cheesecake,” he replied. “But damn, it was good.”

  “Cheesecake totally isn’t my thing, but that Death by Chocolate cake was literally to die for.”

  The elevator arrived and they stepped inside. They rode up to the room in companionable silence and he hated how the night was coming to an end. He opened the door to their room and let her go in first and wondered what they were supposed to do now. Would Dani go right to bed? Were they going to talk? Watch TV? Personally, he enjoyed staying up late and watching the television until he fell asleep, but…that was him.

  Without a word, she stepped into the bathroom and shut the door.

  Huh…that’s kind of rude…

  Shrugging, he walked over and grabbed his suitcase and was suddenly glad he’d packed some sweatpants to sleep in. Within minutes, he was shirtless and back on his bed flipping on the TV.

  Then he heard the bathroom door open.

  Dani walked out wearing a pair of black leggings and an oversized Malcolm and Son t-shirt. She made herself comfortable next to him. “What are we watching?”

  I seriously wish this woman came with a manual…

  He shifted over to put some distance between them without being obvious. “Um…I haven’t found anything yet. I was thinking one of the late-night talk shows.”

  “Is that what you usually watch?” she asked around a loud yawn.

  “Sometimes.”

  Turning her head, she looked up at him and Malcolm noticed she didn’t have on a stitch of makeup and, if anything, she looked even more beautiful than she normally did. “Well, what would you be watching if you were home?”

  Shrugging, he replied, “I don’t know. I kind of just channel surf until something catches my attention. But we can probably find another one of those home shows if you want.”

  “Mmm…” she hummed. “Okay.”

  Within minutes, they were settled in and casually commenting about the pros and cons of the home that was currently being featured. When the show went to a commercial, Dani turned to him again. “Malcolm?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I had a really great time tonight.”

  Smiling, he said, “Me too.” He could tell she had something else to say, so he waited her out.

  “I want you to know, I realize this wasn’t like…you know…a real date, but it was the best date I’ve had in a long time.” Then she sat up a little straighter and kissed him softly on the cheek. “I think I’m going to crawl into my bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Right then and there, he knew he wasn’t going get a wink of sleep.

  3

  “Do you want to grab breakfast down in the coffee shop or should we just hit a drive-thru on our way out of town?” she asked as she zipped up her suitcase the next morning.

  “Uh…” he cleared his throat and she could tell he was a little uncomfortable.

  Good.

  She was glad she wasn’t alone.

  Mortification kept Dani burrowed under her blankets until she heard Malcolm go into the shower this morning. She hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours all night because she had been kicking herself for her behavior last night.

  The only problem was that she couldn’t decide which she was more upset about–the fact that she had all but crawled into bed with Malcolm without being invited and then kissed him, or the fact that she had been a complete wuss and chastely kissed him on the cheek instead of doing what she really wanted to do.

  “Who am I kidding? I’m pissed I didn’t straddle him and kiss him until he couldn’t remember his own name,” she mumbled beneath her breath.