Head Over Wheels: Road Tripping Series Page 4

  Reaching up, she raked her hands up into his hair right before she broke the kiss and nudged his lips to her throat.

  And damn did it feel good.

  “Malcolm?” she said breathlessly. “The couch. The bed. Anyplace but…”

  She was up and in his arms before she even knew it and was pleasantly surprised when he placed her down on the bed. As much as she wanted to take a moment and catch her breath, Malcolm was still a flight risk and she wasn’t ready for this to end. Her hands fisted in his hair as she pulled him in close.

  And she happily sighed with relief when he lay down on top of her and settled between her thighs.

  Best. Night. Ever.

  The kiss went on and on, and as much as she was enjoying it, Dani desperately wanted Malcolm to touch her. Everywhere.

  As if reading her mind, his hands began to move–caressing her cheek, cupping her breast, before snaking under her shirt and undoing her bra.

  Yeah, I could die right now and be completely happy…

  And just like her fantasies, the rough skin of his hands felt incredible–panty-melting. And the more he touched, the more places she wanted to be touched. She squirmed underneath him, all but humping his thigh to get some friction and relief where she wanted it most.

  Clearly the man took hints well because no sooner had her actions become a little frantic when his hand reached down and cupped her between her thighs. He lifted his head and gave her the sexiest smile she had ever seen.

  “Is this what you want?” he murmured against her lips.

  “Yes,” she sighed. “For starters.”

  His husky laugh made her all tingly–or maybe it was his hands–but either way, she was so close to having an orgasm that she was almost embarrassed. She’d never come this fast from foreplay, but she wasn’t going to complain. And no sooner was that thought out of her mind than she felt like she was soaring. Dani clutched for him even as she panted his name over and over and over. And when she finally settled down and felt completely boneless, all she could do was look up at Malcolm and say, “Wow.”

  One dark brow arched at her. “You okay?”

  “More than. Please tell me we can do more of that.”

  “Dani…”

  And that’s when she heard the hesitation in his voice and knew she had to think and act fast.

  “Just tonight, Mal. Please.” She knew she was lying because one night was never going to be enough. And she prayed if she could just get him to let down his guard for this one night, she could get him to change his mind about them.

  About a future.

  He sat up, straddling her, and pulled his t-shirt up and over his head, and she almost wept with relief. They had this one night for now, and she was going to try her hardest to make it one he’d want to experience again and again.

  “As you can see, we went with the two-tone exterior, pairing Roman Red with Ermine White in the sculpted side panels,” Dani was saying the next day. They were setting up for the auto show and the Corvette had already drawn a lot of attention. Normally his father was with him and handled talking to enthusiasts if he was busy, but right now Dani was holding her own.

  She moved to the front of the car, placing her hand on the hood. “The hood has a front hinge and you can see the three-unit front grille.”

  She looked like a denim-clad Vanna White–but instead of turning over letter tiles, she was walking around the car and motioning to every detail she talked about.

  “We restored the original dual headlights in the front fender,” she went on before walking around to the driver’s side of the car and motioning to the handle. “Push-button door handles and key locks. And as you can see, we went with the soft folding top with the power-operating mechanism for safe and easy folding.” She looked over at him with a shy smile before she continued with her spiel.

  It was hard to say which turned him on more–the fact that she was the perfect combination of sweet and sexy or that she knew so damn much about cars.

  Then the image of bending her over the car and having his way with her like he had last night came to mind and he realized he didn’t have to choose between the two.

  They equally turned him on and in this particular scenario, it was like he could have his cake and eat it too.

  The images that statement brought to mind had him ready to…

  “So are you looking to sell or are you just showing it?”

  Snapping out of his reverie, Malcolm forced himself to put his attention where it needed to be and spent the rest of the day talking about the Vette. The show hadn’t even officially started–this was just the day to set up–and he already wished it was all over. The only thing keeping him sane was the fact that he and Dani were heading back up to the room.

  Last night, he swore it was only going to be a one-time thing.

  Well, three times, but only the one night.

  It was amazing no one could smell smoke, because surely his pants were on fire for that lie.

  They walked across the lobby and into the first elevator along with about ten other people. They were packed in tight but he still noticed as Dani leaned against the back wall, sighing. “Oh, my gosh. I don’t know how you and your dad do this sort of thing all the time. It’s exhausting!”

  He laughed softly, mimicking her pose. “And we haven’t even started yet. Car enthusiasts love to talk. If you think today was exhausting, tomorrow’s going to double it.” Beside him, he saw her pout. “What’s the matter?”

  “So you’re saying we’ve got three more days of…all that and more, right?”

  He nodded.

  “And I should probably rest as much as I can so I can handle it, right?”

  Another nod.

  “Well,” she glanced around and frowned. “Son of a mother trucker.”

  “Uh…what?”

  She nodded toward the family with a young boy standing in front of them and he realized she didn’t want to curse in front–or behind–them.

  Which was kind of cute.

  But also made no sense. “I don’t get it,” he said after a moment.

  Rolling her eyes, Dani sighed with relief when the doors slid open on their floor. She stepped out and was walking five paces ahead of him, leaving him more confused than ever.

  Was she mad at him? Was she sorry she came on this trip and wished she could go home?

  He was just about to offer to leave a day early because she was clearly unhappy. But as they walked into the room, she turned and gave him a shove. Malcolm’s back hit the wall as the door slammed shut. “What the…”

  And then she was in his arms and climbing up him like she was more than a little crazed.

  And he loved it.

  They clumsily made their way over to the bed, knocking over the luggage rack, banging into the dresser, and tripping over a pair of Dani’s shoes–but all the bruises he was going to have were worth it as he laid her down. As he settled on top of her, she wrapped herself even tighter around him–which he didn’t think was possible.

  Kissing her was something he was coming to crave.

  Touching her was practically a religious experience.

  And hearing her soft purrs and moans were the most erotic sounds ever.

  Everything in him told him not to let this go any further, but there was no way he could stop now–not after knowing how good they were together. Maybe tomorrow he’d see things more clearly. For all he knew, this was just a matter of the two of them scratching an itch or simply giving in to curiosity or even just a way to pass the time.

  Liar…

  Hell, it didn’t matter what he thought because in another minute, he wasn’t going to be able to think of anything except how much he hated his own stupid thoughts.

  So he shut his brain off and let his body take the wheel.

  5

  “Can I drive the car?”

  “What?!” Malcolm’s head snapped around so fast that Dani was surprised he didn’t break it.

  Smiling sweetly, she placed her hand on his arm. “Oh, come on…the show’s over and I know we’re hitting the road in the morning. Can’t I just take it for a spin around the parking lot? Please! The back lot is huge and most of the cars are gone so it will totally be safe! I love this car so much and it’s just for sentimental reasons. I’d love to tell my grandpa how I drove one just like his.”

  Her eyes welled with tears and she knew she was laying it on thick, but for a good reason.

  “Dani…”

  “Please, Mal!” she begged. “I’ll be careful, I swear!” It was no secret that she was a lousy driver–or how random things seemed to get in her path, forcing her to dent and scratch her car–but how much trouble could she get into in an empty parking lot?

  “Um…”

  Moving in close, she clutched the front of his shirt. “I’m begging you. This would mean so much to me!”

  She knew in that instant that she had him. His shoulders sagged and he let out a long breath. “We’re supposed to deliver the car to the buyer, Dani. It’s not my car anymore.”

  “No papers have been signed,” she said and immediately held up a hand when he went to argue. “And nothing’s going to happen. Just five minutes around the parking lot, Mal. Then we’ll load it onto the flatbed and be on our way. I swear.”

  Malcolm took a step back and muttered a curse. Raking both hands through his hair, he stared hard at her. “Don’t make me regret this…”

  “Yay!” Hugging him, Dani placed a loud, smacking kiss on his cheek. “Okay, let me grab my purse and…”

  “No,” he quickly interrupted. “In the morning. It’s already getting dark out and I want you to have full visibility when you’re driving.”

  “That’s a little insulting…”

  “No, the way you think you can drive is insulting,” he countered before letting out another long breath. “Just…please. Can we do this in the morning?”

  “Just as long as you promise not to change your mind.”

  His smile was slow and a bit lopsided but utterly adorable and instead of answering her, Malcolm took her by the hand and led her across the event space, back through the hotel lobby, and up to their room.

  Good to know he’s not changing his mind about us, either…

  Yeah, she had to admit, she really expected him to stick to the initial one-night thing, but this was going on to night three and she certainly wasn’t going to be the one to rock the boat. So she followed along, loving how big and strong his hand felt wrapped around hers. Inside she was doing cartwheels and skipping around with unicorns.

  God, I’m such a dork…

  Once they were back in their room, she turned to ask him about dinner, but–for the first time–Malcolm was the one to initiate the contact. Dani was seriously beginning to wonder if he ever would and he did not disappoint. His big, work-roughened hands cupped her face as he dove in for a kiss that was all heat and need and a little dirty. It didn’t take long for her to go from “oh my” to “take me now.”

  And it was so glorious that all thoughts of dinner and cars were completely forgotten in a flurry of clothes flying and limbs tangling.

  She had no idea how much time had passed but by the time she was staring up at the ceiling as she tried to catch her breath, Dani was fairly certain she’d died and gone to heaven.

  Greatest trip ever…

  And as she curled up next to Malcolm with her hand gently resting on his chest, she couldn’t help but smile.

  “Mal?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Thank you,” she said softly.

  His low chuckle was his first response. “My pleasure.”

  Men…

  “Not for what we just did–although it was spectacular–but I meant for this trip. For trusting me enough to bring me along. It’s been amazing.” Pausing, she pushed herself up so she could see his face. “I’ve wanted something to happen between you and me for so long and…and I just want you to know how much you mean to me.”

  It was a little dim in the room, but she could have sworn he looked mildly uncomfortable.

  Maybe I just rocked his world a little too hard…

  Sure it wasn’t realistic, but for now, it was all she had.

  “I thought you said you knew how to drive a stick!” Malcolm yelled the next morning as he all but yanked Dani from the car.

  “No, I said I know how to ride one,” she said saucily with a wink.

  “Dammit, Dani, this isn’t a joke! Not only did you nearly grind the transmission out of the damn car, but you jumped the curb!”

  “There was a squirrel!” she cried. “He was eating a bagel! What was I supposed to do, hit him?”

  Pinching the bridge of his nose, Malcolm silently counted to ten. “Just…get in the truck,” he said, his voice low and menacing. There was no way he could even look at her right now. She’d look at him with those big green eyes and he’d crumble. And right now, that wasn’t what needed to happen. He’d spent months working on this car–getting it into prime condition–and she’d nearly wrecked it all because of a bagel-eating squirrel.

  And the thing that pissed him off the most was that he knew better. He knew she couldn’t even drive an automatic car without getting into trouble. What had possessed him to think she’d be able to handle the Vette?

  Obviously he was thinking with the wrong head and that was not acceptable. How would it look if she had done real damage to the car? How would he possibly explain that to the buyer? It was the kind of thing that could ruin the reputation of the business he and his father had been building for years.

  What the hell am I doing?

  Off in the distance, he heard the truck door slam and knew things were going to have to be dealt with. He hated confrontation and unfortunately, that’s what was going to happen once he joined Dani in the truck. But before he could even think about it, he needed to inspect the car and see what kind of damage she did and then get it up on the flatbed.

  There were some scuffs on the front passenger tire and some dirt, but luckily that was all. Then he got behind the wheel and drove it around the parking lot a couple of times to make sure the transmission was okay. Once he felt confident that it was, he went through the process of getting it loaded and secured. By the time he climbed into the truck, almost an hour had passed. Dani was pouting and wouldn’t even look at him, and right now that suited him just fine. They had seven and a half hours of drive time to get through and he seriously wouldn’t mind starting it out quietly.

  “I can’t believe you’re pissed at me,” Dani stated with a huff.

  So much for the quiet…

  “You conveniently forgot to mention that you don’t know how to drive a stick shift, Dani,” he said calmly. “That car is going to sell for close to a hundred thousand dollars. It’s not a damn toy!”

  And feeling less calm by the minute.

  “I mean, did you even think about that?” he demanded. “Did it even cross your mind how you could do serious damage to the car?”

  “Well…”

  “And honestly, I don’t appreciate you playing me like that!”

  “Playing you? Are you for real right now?”

  Nodding, he glanced at her as they pulled onto the interstate. “Yup.” Honestly, he couldn’t remember ever being angrier. He just wasn’t sure if it was Dani he was mad at or himself.

  This show was a big deal.

  This car and the sale of it were big deals.

  And he’d almost ruined it all because he couldn’t say no to Dani.

  Well that’s going to change…

  Malcolm expected a fight–Dani never shied away from one–but this time, she did. Without a word, she pulled her earbuds out, tucked them in her ears, and began fiddling with her phone. It wasn’t until they were crossing the state line between Georgia and South Carolina that she spoke.

  “Can we stop and grab something for lunch?” she asked, almost defiantly. “I know you’re anxious to get back to the shop, but I’m hungry. If you don’t want to stop, I’ll just wait and grab something when we stop for gas.”

  It was on the tip of his tongue to argue that he wasn’t trying to starve her or torture her, but he kept it to himself. Instead, he said, “No problem.”

  Lunch was painfully quiet and so was the remainder of the trip. When they arrived back in Raleigh, she grabbed her luggage and tossed it into her car before he had a chance to put an end to this. Reaching out, he gently grasped her arm and spun her around.

  “What?!” she snapped. All signs of the meek and quiet woman he drove with for almost eight hours were gone.

  “Okay, this has gone on long enough,” he said with all the heat he could muster after such a long day. “I’m not going to apologize for being pissed, Dani! What you did was irresponsible, and you know what? I’m equally mad at myself!”

  “Because you think I played you?” And yeah, that was total sarcasm.

  “Oh, please, you know that’s what you did! Looking up at me with those sad eyes and giving me the story about wanting to share the experience with your grandfather…” Pausing, he rolled his eyes. “You’ve asked to drive the car before and I’ve always said no! And apparently, with good reason!”

  “The squirrel was eating a bagel! How many times do I have to…?”

  “I don’t care about the squirrel! I care about how the car is a game changer for the business! I’m going to have to come in early tomorrow and get it up on the lift to make sure there isn’t anything wrong–no scratches or dings or dents from your little test drive!”

  “There’s not going to be any damage, Mal,” she countered. “It wasn’t a very high curb. And you know what? It was worth it. I’ve been wanting to drive that car since it came in and I’m glad I finally got the chance, even if it pisses you off.”

  And that’s when it hit him.

  “Is that why you did it?”

  “Did what?”

  “Slept with me?”