Hard and Fast (2 page)

“Lex! Nick’s leaving,” he heard, as a man from the group at the bar waved in her direction. She was swallowed into the crowd of people.

Lucas looked back at his table, wondering what had just happened. There was no way he had imagined the physical chemistry between them, or her subtle reaction. His body was still humming at a low frequency.

In all likeliness, she was here with another guy. Someone from the private party milling around the bar. But the night was young. With any luck, he’d have a chance at round two. Particularly since the other options in the room no longer held any interest for him. Lucas sat back down and ordered another beer as his prime rib dinner arrived.

Over the next forty minutes, he got several glimpses of black locs within the group of noisy men. She talked and laughed with many of them, but none seemed to have a claim on her. He finally drained his second bottle of beer, charging the tab to his room, and headed in her direction.

He was only a few steps from her position against the bar when she said something that must have been very clever, because the three guys around her roared with laughter, one of them almost choking on his drink. Lucas took in her bright smile and the teasing look in her eyes, wishing he could share the joke. He brushed her shoulder lightly as he leaned toward the bartender.

“Stella Artois, please. And whatever she’s having,” he requested, pointing to Lex’s empty cocktail glass.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. He met her gaze steadily.

“Thank you,” she said softly when the fresh drink was placed in front her.

“Club soda?” Lucas quizzed.

She shrugged with one shoulder. “I’m driving.”

He nodded. There was a pause. Lucas intended to wait for her to make the first move, ideally to indicate she also felt the attraction and his attention was welcome. It was usually a pretty easy strategy at a bar. But the seconds ticked on and she just watched him with those curious eyes. He cleared his throat and caved.

“How are your feet doing?”

She smiled.

“I’ll survive for a little longer, I think.”

“Good. But I’m happy to help you out again if needed.” His grin was meant to be charming and flirty, but her raised brows made him doubt its effectiveness.

“Really? And how exactly would you do that?”

Suggestive words sprang into his mind, like the offer of a soft bed to rest on and a long foot rub to ease any discomfort. The direction of his thoughts must have been clearly written on his face because she finally looked away. Lucas leaned forward so he could whisper near her ear.

“I’m a gentleman, so I’d do whatever you need me to do.”

“I bet you’re good at that,” she shot back, playing with the frosty condensation at the side of her glass.

“At what?” he probed, now facing her with his elbow resting on the bar. His fresh mug of Belgium draft beer remained untouched.

She rolled her eyes, suggesting he knew exactly what she was referring to. “At doing whatever a woman needs.”

“I can only try my best.”

Lex looked at him again.

“So, Lex, is it? Are you from Toronto?” he finally asked.

“Born and raised. But I can tell from your accent that you’re American. Visiting for work, I take it?”

“That’s a pretty accurate guess,” he conceded.

“A man like you, alone in a downtown hotel bar on a Sunday night, and looking for company? Not hard to figure out.”

“Ouch,” Lucas stated with a grimace. “I’m pretty, and a cliché.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it as an insult, just an observation,” she added. Her eyes twinkled with amusement, taking the sting out of her words. “Unless of course, you have a wife and kids back in . . . where, New York?”

She took a sip from her drink.

“Alexandria, actually. Born and raised in New Jersey, but I live in Virginia now,” explained Lucas, lifting up his left hand as evidence. “No wife, no kids. Not even a girlfriend.”

There was a silent pause as they both continued to assess each other.

“Lex. Is that short for something?”

She smiled wide again, her eyes sparkling.

“Alexandria, actually.”

Lucas laughed.

“Now, that can’t be a coincidence,” he replied, leaning a little closer so that her intoxicating scent teased him.

“Hey, Lex, this dude bothering you?”

Lucas didn’t take his eyes off her, but from his peripheral vision, saw that the guy asking was a couple back in the crowd, standing over six feet and big, almost as big as his friend Evan. But he looked slow and well into multiple cups of alcohol.

“Are you bothering me?” she asked with a big smile. She was enjoying the conversation. Lucas felt encouraged for the first time.

“I hope so, if you don’t mind,” he replied with a grin of his own.

“I’m good, Adrian, thanks,” she told the other man before facing Lucas again. “I’m leaving now anyway. Thanks again for the drink.”

“So early? We were just starting to get to know each other,” Lucas protested.

“Sorry, I have to be at work early tomorrow.”

Lucas followed her as they made their way through the crush of people pressing close to order drinks.

“All right, I’ll walk you to your car.”

Lex gave him a funny look.

“Okay, if you insist,” she conceded.

“I do. I’m a gentleman, remember?”

They were silent as she handed in a coat-check ticket and got back a long red raincoat that tied at the waist. He escorted her out of the restaurant.

“My car is in valet parking, so I’m just going to the front entrance. There’s really no need to accompany me,” she added.

Lucas looked down the long expanse of the hotel lobby, with the main doors at the opposite side. There was plenty of real estate for more conversation.

“No biggie. It’s on my way to the elevators anyway,” he dismissed with a shrug.

“Giving up on the night already?” she teased with raised eyebrows. “You’re walking away from a lot of potential.”

“Who says I’m giving up?” Lucas shot back. His gaze said very clearly that she had all his attention.

Lex let out a short bark of laughter, her lips spread wide in a big smile. He was now certain she was enjoying their banter as much as he was.

“Exactly what is it that you think you’ll accomplish on this short walk?”

“Nothing. I’m just enjoying your company, that’s all,” he lied smoothly while he plotted the right words to say that would convince her to stay with him for more of the evening. Maybe even all night.

“Liar. You think you can talk me into sleeping with you tonight,” Lex shot back, her voice still soft with humor. “And I bet you’re successful with almost all the women you meet. But, unfortunately, I really have to be up early in the morning.”

Her blunt assessment caused Lucas to stop his slow stroll. His expression showed a mix of surprise and intrigue. Lex stopped two paces ahead and faced him.

“And as tempting as whatever your offer is, I’m not what you’re looking for. I’m the exact opposite of what you want, Lucas.”

He heard two things in her statement: she remembered his name and she was tempted. Lucas smiled, slow and sexy.

“I haven’t made you an offer, Lex,” he clarified.

“Not yet, but you will.”

“Touché,” Lucas conceded. He continued their walk, slightly slower than before, and she fell in beside him.

“What do you think I’m looking for, and why is it not you?” he finally asked, genuinely curious.

“The answer to the first question would damage your fragile ego, pretty boy. And the second is way too complicated.”

Lucas snorted, not the least bit insulted.

“Try me. I’m tougher than I look, and I’ve got time.”

She looked him up and down, her eyes lingering in some interesting places. Lucas felt like straightening his back and flexing his chest. But he resisted the juvenile urge. Nothing he did would demonstrate just how strong or lethal he really was.

“Okay. But I don’t think I can handle it if you start crying,” she shot back, her lips twitching with the effort to hold back a grin. “You’re looking for someone fun, easygoing, comfortable with a casual hookup. A girl that’s not going to have expectations beyond a night or two. A week, tops. And all on your schedule.”

She wasn’t asking for him to agree, and he wasn’t offended. The summary was pretty accurate. Casual sexual encounters required honesty and clarity at the onset or they were bound to go disastrously and uncomfortably wrong. A complication that he never had time for.

“And that’s not something you’re into,” guessed Lucas. “I can respect that.”

“No, I prefer casual, actually,” she clarified, surprising him with the transparency. “And I’m partial to pretty men without expectations. But I need it on my terms, too. My available time is limited and I don’t like to waste it. And that’s where it gets complicated.”

They had both stopped walking, and now stood side by side in the middle of the marble-tiled hotel corridor. A small number of people walked about around them, but neither noticed.

“I’m pretty sure that’s not going to work for you, pretty boy,” she continued.

“Let me be the judge of that. I can compromise,” he replied softly, completely captivated by her frank statements and overall energy.

She looked back at him speculatively, her bold, golden eyes piercing into his. Lucas found himself holding his breath, willing her to see what she needed in order to make a connection between them worthwhile.

“Was that an offer?” Her expression was deadpan, but her tone was teasing.

Lucas laughed. He liked her. “I believe it was.”

“Thanks, but I have to pass,” she finally replied. “I don’t compromise very well. One of my character flaws, I’ve been told.”

She started walking again, much faster and more determined than before, and Lucas could only fall in step. He felt much more disappointed than he cared to admit. And it was more about the end of their conversation than a spontaneous roll in bed.

“Well, there’s no need to decide so quickly,” he added when they reached the large revolving door at the hotel entrance. “I might be here all week.”

Lex turned to face him, then backed into the open section of the turning door and pushed herself out of the building, her eyes fixed on his. Lucas shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, experiencing a rare moment of indecision. She’d already turned down his invitation and was walking away. It was just unmanly to chase after her further. Yet, a minute later, he was following her outside, ignoring the damp, windy night air that easily blew through the fine wool of his sweater.

The valet attendant had already taken her ticket and they stood waiting silently for her car to be brought up. He looked at her profile, then felt her look at his. Their eyes finally locked before the deep, low rumble of a powerful turbo engine vibrated around them. Lucas turned to watch the slow arrival of a late-model Porsche 911 Carrera, tricked out with sexy skirts, matte black sport rims, bright red brake calipers, and a slick storm-gray paint job. It was a beauty.

“This is me,” Lex said at his side, and he turned to find her watching the car as it rolled to a stop. Pride of ownership was written all over her face.

“Wow,” was all he could say.

She laughed, throwing back her head. Lucas couldn’t help laughing also.

“I was serious about my offer,” he added seconds later, feeling helpless to stop her from walking away.

Her lips quirked again, and she stepped to his side, close enough to brush against his arm, but still a breath away. Lucas looked down at her face, locked on those incredible eyes, and did what he wanted. He leaned down until his face was close to hers, then paused to gauge her reaction. Lex lowered her lashes and tilted her chin up an inch. His mouth covered hers without a plan of attack, only the irresistible need to touch her, explore the powerful attraction, taste her flesh before she disappeared into the night.

The kiss was open-mouthed and instantly hot, giving her a glimpse of what he had to offer and taking more than he was entitled to. Lucas was rewarded with her quick response. Lex leaned in until her soft curves pressed into his side. Her tongue met his, swirling around with arousing strokes. Lucas Johnson, elite security specialist and practiced bachelor, felt his knees go weak.

His lids were still closed when she pulled back, stepping out of his reach. His breath was caught somewhere between his stomach and throat, dreading what came next.

“Nice to meet you, Lucas,” she said softly.

He opened his eyes to watch her walk around her car and slide into the low driver’s seat. He was still standing in the cool night air, hands buried in his front pockets, as the sports car disappeared down the street.

CHAPTER 2

Alexandria Cotts entered her town house about twenty minutes later and tossed her car keys on the console table near the front door. She leaned against the wall and slowly unzipped her boots, her mind lingering on the night’s encounter.

Lucas. She should have taken him up on his offer. She could have gone up to his room, sweated out her frustrations in his bed, and still be home before eleven o’clock. What was the worst that could have happened?

Alex sighed while placing the boots and her jacket in the front closet, then walked farther into the house carrying her purse. In the kitchen, she turned on the gas stove to heat up the kettle. Her cell phone beeped with a text message and she took it out of her purse, and then tossed the purse on one of the kitchen chairs.

It was from her brother, Adrian, who was checking to see if she was home yet. Her twin was only a few minutes older than her, but still acted like he needed to take care of her. It was both sweet and exasperating.

Alex replied with a message to let him know she was safe and sound.

“Hey, Lex. You’re home early.”

The statement came from her cousin and roommate, Noelle Cotts, as she came down the stairs from the upper floor of the house.

“Yeah. I need to be in the office early tomorrow,” Alex explained. “Want some tea?”

“Sure. How was it?” asked Noelle, joining her in the kitchen.

Alex shrugged. The evening had been a bachelor party for her best friend, Shawn Hampton.

“It was okay. Typical stuff. They’re on their way to the strip club nearby, so I’m pretty sure Adrian’s happy I couldn’t stay,” she told Noelle with a wicked smile. “The last time I went along with them, I completely ruined his fun.”

“Yeah, well, you’re the only straight girl I know that can enjoy watching female strippers with a bunch of guys. It’s weird.”

Alex shrugged. It wasn’t the first time she’d heard similar comments, and it wouldn’t be the last. Other than Noelle, all her friends were male. It’s the way it’d always been since preschool. And having three older brothers certainly didn’t help.

“Don’t worry, Nick was a good boy. He left the party before I did,” added Alex. Nicholas Carter was Noelle’s boyfriend and a member of Alex’s group of friends.

“I wasn’t worried,” Noelle insisted, but it was clear she had been.

“Yeah, you were. I’m sure he’ll call soon to check in.”

Noelle ignored Alex’s ribbing. As cousins, the two women looked a lot alike in the face, with similar caramel skin, expressive brown eyes, and shapely lips. But that’s where the physical similarities ended. Noelle was five feet six inches tall and slim, but Alex barely hit five feet four, with lean limbs and curves that were more than a handful.

They also had vastly different views. While Alex was very liberal about lifestyles and relationships, Noelle lived with tightly held boundaries of right and wrong. And her boyfriend had to fit in or move on. It was the source of many hot debates over the years.

“So who was the guy you left the restaurant with?” her cousin asked above the whistle of the steaming kettle.

Alex waited until she had poured hot water into two mugs.

“Am I under surveillance now, or something?” she mumbled, adding bags of green tea and honey to each cup.

“Adrian had sent a note to Nick while I was talking to him before you got home,” explained Noelle as Alex sat beside her at the kitchen table and slid over her drink.

“Wow, Nick really is well trained. He checked in right on schedule,” retorted Alex, but Noelle ignored the jab.

“They asked if I knew who you were meeting up with,” she told Alex. “Which of course I don’t. I haven’t met anyone you’ve dated for at least three years. Maybe four.”

Alex shrugged. It was true, and on purpose. Her life and relationships were complicated enough without adding the opinions of her six closest friends; five of which were dominating males with the emotional maturity of a thirteen-year-old. And that’s not including her two oldest brothers.

“So,” persisted Noelle. “Who was he?”

“No one. Just some random guy that I met in the restaurant. We chatted a bit and he walked me to my car.”

“Hmm. That’s it?”

“What else could it be?” Alex shot back with a sardonic smile. “There was hardly time for a quickie—I’m good, but not that good.” There was no point in mentioning that toe-curling kiss.

Noelle rolled her eyes, pretending to be offended by the suggestion, but was unable to stop her lips from quivering with amusement.

“Did you get a number or anything? Are you going to see him again?”

“No, and probably not.”

“Why? You’re not seeing anyone else right now. You said things were finished with that French driver, right?”

“What’s with all the questions about my love life, Noelle? Are you reporting back to Aunt Nadine? ’Cause I’ll just tell you what I told her last weekend: boyfriends are not my thing. They are more work than what they’re worth.”

Noelle sat back and raised her hands in a defensive gesture.

“I was just asking, Alex. That’s what girlfriends do. They talk about boys and their relationships. There’s no conspiracy,” the younger cousin insisted, more than a little annoyed. “Geez, I thought we covered this lesson on being a girl back in high school.”

Alex shrugged. Maybe she had overreacted a little. But Alex wasn’t convinced that all the questions weren’t somehow instigated by her very loving, but very insistent aunt. The woman made it her business to monitor all the feminine aspects of Alex’s life since public school.

Most would agree that it was attention that was much needed, since Alexandria was the only girl in a house full of uncouth males while growing up. Her mother, Arleen Cotts, had died from complications within days of giving birth to the twins, and Hubert Cotts was not at all equipped to be a single parent of four kids. It had never occurred to him that his only daughter would need anything different from her three brothers. In fact, she had been known as Alex for most of her childhood. And, according to Nadine, who was married to Hubert’s brother Clifford, no one in the neighborhood even knew there was a girl in the house until her aunt had taken control of the situation.

Then, every other Saturday, Aunt Nadine took her for the afternoon to do “lady” stuff with her cousin Noelle. Most of it didn’t make any sense to Alex. She would much rather have played football or soccer with her brothers, or helped her dad do stuff in the garage. But it seemed so important to her aunt, and her dad couldn’t discuss it without blushing, so Alex went along with it.

By the time she was headed to college, Alex looked like every other girl. She wore the right clothes, dabbled with makeup, and could have a conversation about the typical female interests. But most of the time, it was just a public facade. At heart, she’d rather talk about cars or sports while wearing a hoodie and sweatpants. By the time she’d entered the working world, Alex was pretty good at balancing the two personas to suit the circumstances.

The cousins sipped their tea in silence for a few moments.

“So what’s going on at work? Why do you have to go in so early?” Noelle finally asked. She was always uncomfortable with silence.

Alex stood up from the table and walked back into the kitchen with her empty cup.

“We’re taking the race car up to the track for road tests. But I have to do some work before that,” she explained.

“Wow, I can’t believe you’ve finally built the hybrid car, Alex,” Noelle replied as she followed Alex and added her mug to the full dishwasher. “I remember when you first told me about the idea, and now it’s real.”

Alex couldn’t believe it either. Two and a half years later, she was finally testing a new, high-performance electric drive motor. As an automotive engineer, it was a dream come true and a career-building moment. Most of her former classmates who wanted research and development work had joined one of the big car manufacturers. They were still proving themselves in various departments, waiting for the chance to contribute to new designs. Even then, they were often assigned to small components, tweaking or updating pre-existing technology. It was really the only path available for new graduates, and the one Alex had also anticipated on completion of her degree.

That was until she took a co-op role with Magnus Motorsports in her senior year at the University of Waterloo. It was a small shop that designed and built custom components for high-performance sports cars. She had spent four months that spring doing every menial task, from lunch runs to cleaning everything in the shop. By the end of the first week, Alex was in love with the industry. Then, after demonstrating obsessive dedication to her job, she managed to secure a permanent position as a junior engineer that started right after her final exams.

Now, almost five years later, Magnus was a rising force in motorsport racing, with products ranging from small components to end-to-end customizations. Alex was their lead design engineer and they were about to start the testing phase of her latest prototype, the Cicada hybrid.

The Cicada hybrid was high-output dual-powered technology that could revolutionize the auto industry and would make or break her career. The early projections, based solely on the design schematics and very conservative estimates, suggested her design could outperform almost anything like it in the marketplace today. As a woman, and still very young compared to others in automotive engineering and design, Alex could not afford to under-deliver on the projected capabilities. If the Cicada failed relative to the expectations, she would be laughed out of her field, doomed to perform oil changes at Walmart for the rest of her life.

But Noelle didn’t know all of that. Her cousin really didn’t understand Alex’s job beyond the drawing of intricate pictures of machinery, building prototypes, and the supervision of the final construction. The rest was highly confidential to those other than her boss, Marco; one outside consultant; and a small group of investors. Not even her team knew the details of the Cicada project to this point. But that would all change tomorrow.

“I won’t be around much this week either,” Alex added once the kitchen was clean. “So don’t make any dinner for me.”

“But you’re still going to Kate’s shower on Friday, right?” asked Noelle.

Kate Nguyen was her friend, Shawn’s fiancée, and the bride-to-be for their wedding on Saturday. Alex was the best woman for the ceremony.

“Yeah, I should be there. I’m staying with Shawn at the hotel that night anyway,” Alex confirmed.

Her cousin raised her eyebrows, clearly expressing her disapproval.

“Really, Noelle, it’s the twenty-first century. I can sleep in the same room with Shawn without having sex with him the night before he gets married,” scoffed Alex. “He’s been my best friend since ninth grade. If we were at all interested in each other, I’m pretty sure something would have happened by now.”

It was an old debate, and one Alex really had no interest in having over and over. There was no way to convince most of the women she knew that a man and a woman really could only be friends.

“I didn’t say anything,” Noelle retorted, but her mouth was still twisted with disapproval. “Anyway, I picked something out for you from the gift registry. I figured you’d forget to buy her something.”

Alex had forgotten. She gave Noelle a guilty and grateful grin.

“I know, I know, I’m the best girlfriend in the world,” her cousin added while rolling her eyes.

“Thanks, babe,” Alex told her with light punch to the arm on her way out of the kitchen. “I owe you.”

“Yeah, you do. One hundred and twenty dollars to be exact.”

“’K, I’ll send it to you tomorrow. Good night.”

Upstairs in her bedroom, Alex dressed for bed in an oversized Indy 500 T-shirt. It was the only thing left from her last relationship. While brushing her teeth in front of the bathroom mirror, she thought through all the things that needed to be done at work in the coming week. Not the least of which was a very extensive systems security review.

There were many projects similar to hers currently in the works all over the world. But her development of hybrid fuel technology with high-performance output was the most advanced that they knew of. Marco was concerned that any leaks about Alex’s design and the Cicada schematics could destroy their efforts to be first to market. As a small Canadian player in the global arena, they couldn’t afford to lose that advantage. Every effort had to be made to keep their information secure, including new information security protocols and a full audit and document cleanup. Everything related to the new engine had to be filed within one secure server on the network or destroyed.

There was a lot of tedious, time-consuming work and it needed to be done before they started a very aggressive testing schedule this week. Which meant tomorrow would be hectic and intense. The official product launch was two months away, but if there were any delays to the initial testing timeline, it could put her team behind schedule.

With all that could go wrong in the coming week, it was possible that Alex would not be able to attend Kate’s bridal shower Friday evening. That didn’t bother her too much. She was only going out of obligation to Shawn and so Noelle wouldn’t have to attend alone. Worst-case scenario, Alex could apologize afterward with a gift in hand, thanks to Noelle’s foresight.

Satisfied with her backup plan, Alex climbed into bed and turned off the night-light. She took a deep breath and tried to let sleep take over. But other thoughts interrupted. The plans for the upcoming weekend meant she would be back at the Metropolitan Hotel Friday night, then all day Saturday for Shawn’s wedding. That led her mind back to earlier in the evening, when she sat down to rest her feet and found herself in front of the most beautiful man she’d ever seen up close.

Lucas. With the sexy eyes, smooth cinnamon skin, and panty-wetting smile. Never mind those lips. And that kiss. That kiss had sent shock waves through her legs and left her wanting more.