Authors: Joy Daniels
Thanks to his experience with Natalie, he’d planned to keep his distance. But Sarah had seemed genuinely interested when he’d talked about cars and racing and she’d even warmed up to Mike. The real difference though was the vulnerability he’d sensed when she’d talked about her job and her car. The hint that there might be a real person behind her city-girl mask, one who wasn’t just interested in work and money. He had one night to coax
that
Sarah out. A ride would be a good way to start.
Cole flicked the ignition switch, looking over to make sure Sarah’s seat harness was fastened. Her fingers toyed with a loose tendril of hair, her smile almost shy. Did she have any idea of how hot it made him when she tucked those blond strands behind her ear, how badly he wanted to suck that soft lobe between his teeth? To give it a nip and see how she’d react? He was tempted to lean over right now and try…
He held back. This ride would be their foreplay and he was going to make sure it was good for both of them.
The road uncoiled before them, winding through hills and woods Cole knew well. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken a woman on a drive to impress her and never a woman who seemed as excited about it as Sarah.
Natalie had never been interested in anything as simple and fun as a fast ride. He’d tried with a few other women, but they were terrified before he even got going. Could Sarah handle it? Would she enjoy it? He shot a glance her way. Her eyes shone. Her tongue slipped out to wet her lips and his shaft pulsed. She was ready.
They approached the turn near the old logging trail. When they’d repaved these few miles of road, Cole had asked the highway engineers to put a bit of a bank into the turns and level the straightaways. They’d agreed to do so—for safety’s sake, of course. Yeah, right. He’d seen more than one of those guys whipping down this road in their souped-up Chevys and Fords.
Cole leaned into the curve, accelerating a bit on the exit as he would on a track. They flew through an S-curve and sailed over a small hill. At the top Cole felt that sweet moment of weightlessness deep in his gut. Sarah gasped. The smile that spread across her face told him that she was enjoying it as much as he was.
The car purred beneath him, a contented cat stretching its limbs, ready to pounce. After a couple more turns he slowed and pulled onto a gravel patch by the side of the road. A locked chain link gate was visible between the trees. Sarah’s breathing was rapid, color high in her cheeks. Eyes wide, she turned to him. “That was amazing! I’ve never driven like that before. The way you flew down the road, sped through those turns. It really was like flying.”
Amazing…? It took him a moment to understand. “What…you mean the ride here?” A bark of laughter burst out of him. “Darlin’, that’s how I usually drive. Hell, I was even holding back since we were on a public road.”
She looked confused. “You mean there’s more?”
Cole reached out, unable to resist tucking those blond strands behind her ear. “If you think that was something, you’re in for a real treat.”
He hopped out of the car, unlocked the gate and stepped up to the power box that controlled the lights. He flipped the master switch and a dozen suns lit the clearing ahead. Sarah sat silently, gaping. Cole tried to imagine the scene through her eyes.
The dense forest gave way to a huge open space dominated by a smooth half-mile-long oval of asphalt and concrete. It was modeled after the shortest track on the top-tier circuit, Martinsville Speedway, but with slightly more banking in the turns. Two sets of metal bleachers bracketed the short tower where a flagman could stand. A short pit road cut off a section of the infield, complete with a pit wall and a couple of corrugated metal lean-tos for crews to use during practice runs.
“I built this a few years back.” He gestured proudly at what his sister Carrie called the big-kids’ playground. “Here’s where I test cars to see what they can really do.”
He drove up to the flagman’s stand and the thick white starting line that crossed the track. This was just for fun, but the familiar burn of adrenaline flooded his limbs nonetheless. His body prepared for a race much the way it responded to the beautiful woman beside him. By instinct.
He checked his safety restraints and turned to Sarah. When he leaned across her seat to check hers, her eyes closed. From the look on her face, it was obvious that she expected him to kiss her. He was tempted, but if they started down that road there was no way he’d be able to pull back, and he really wanted to take her for a ride.
Besides, waiting would make it that much better.
He ran his hands lightly under the harness that stretched across her chest in an X, tightening it so that it held her firmly against the seat. “You good?” he asked. Unable to resist he brushed a finger across her peaked nipple and she gasped, leaning into his hand. Her eyes opened, pupils dilated. Oh, she was good all right. This was going to be fun.
He reached behind the seat and pulled out two helmets. In the confined space they were difficult to put on, but with a little help she managed. He slid a finger under her chinstrap to be sure it was secure. A pulse point in her throat hammered wildly, kicking his heartbeat into an answering rhythm.
He placed both hands on the wheel, caressing it for a moment before gripping the custom leather. Anticipation built in him, a delicious pressure that started in his chest and expanded into his belly and down his limbs. A good dose of it lodged in his groin thanks to the woman next to him. He shifted in his seat, then turned to his passenger with a grin.
“Ready?”
Before she could even nod, they were off.
Sarah was forced back against the seat as the car shot forward like a ball from a cannon. A roar filled her ears. The asphalt disappeared beneath them as the car picked up speed. The scenery blurred as they flew down the track. Cole’s hands gripped the wheel and they whipped through the first turn. Sarah could see his chest and legs strain with effort, but his eyes glowed with excitement. A smile played on his lips. He was in control.
The smell of gasoline and burnt rubber filled the cockpit. The mechanical purr of the engine sent chills down her spine in spite of the rising temperature in the car. Heat radiated through the soles of Sarah’s boots. Sweat beaded her forehead and her pulse soared.
They flew down the long side of the track, the engine revving and seat vibrating. The sensation moved up her thighs and settled in her pussy, making her clit hum with pleasure. It was almost too much given her current state of arousal. Another lap and she might come right there in his car.
They rounded the last turn, the finish line in sight. She’d never done anything this crazy, this reckless and exciting in her entire life—and she wasn’t ready for it to end. To her delight, Cole showed no sign of stopping. The grandstand was a blur as they zoomed by. Cole let out a loud “yee-haw!” and laughter bubbled in Sarah’s chest, the kind she hadn’t felt in ages.
The trees blended into a beautiful smudge of green and brown as they soared down the far side of the track. The car slid into the final turn again—if Sarah hadn’t been pinned down by the G-forces she would have thrown her hands into the air as if she were on a roller coaster. With a burst of renewed speed, Cole headed for the finish line a second time. Sarah’s pulse picked up too. Her competitive nature kicked in and she leaned into the seatbelt as if she could will the car to go even faster. She could almost hear the crowd scream as the white line passed beneath them. Her breath released in a satisfied whoosh.
Cole slowed the car and brought them to a stop at the top of the curve. Sarah sagged against the safety belt, fighting to slow her racing heartbeat. Had she ever experienced anything so intense and exhilarating? The power, the speed, the excitement. Blood pounded through her veins and throbbed between her thighs. She recalled what Cole had said about a rush “like no other” and shivered, grateful that the roar of the crowd had only been in her mind. They were alone. She was wet and needy, aching with desire, her body more revved up than it had been in…forever. Any last reservations flew out the window along with her fear. Months of frustration melted into hot need. She wanted this man. She flipped up her visor and turned to him, not caring if naked desire showed in her face. The time for coyness and games was over.
Before she could speak Cole unbuckled his harness and jumped out of the car. Disappointment stabbed her. Did he not feel the same passion, the excitement? But no sooner had she completed the thought than he appeared at her side, flinging the door wide.
His helmet was gone. The predatory gleam in his eyes made his intentions clear.
He made short work of the restraining harness and got rid of her helmet, tossing it behind the seats. He reached down and drew her from the car, his motions gentle in spite of the urgency in his face. Pulling her clear, he slammed the door with his hip.
A wicked smile crossed his lips. Whatever he was thinking, she wanted a piece of it.
The air was cool but she was still hot from the ride—and getting hotter. Hands seized her waist and she was pressed up against the car, his mouth coming down hard on hers. “Yes,” she moaned into his kisses. “Oh God, yes!” His tongue thrust between her open lips in what she prayed was a preview of what was up next. She tasted the heady aphrodisiac of cool mint and beer. She writhed against him, bucking her hips. She wanted to feel all of him against her, needed to feel his heat deep within.
“I want you.” His words echoed her thoughts as he trailed a hand down her thigh. The other gripped her hip and jolts of pleasure shot from each point of contact straight to her clit. When he reached the hem of her skirt he started back up, bringing the material with it. When his fingers reached the bare skin above her stockings, he ground his pelvis into hers with a groan. He slipped his leg between hers. The denim of his jeans was rough against the sensitive skin of her inner thighs.
Oh, the things this man did to her. Her body felt like a wild thing, something out of her control, obeying only the desire in his eyes and the lust conjured by his hands. She straddled his muscular thigh, so wet her moisture must have been soaking into his jeans but she didn’t care. A moan escaped her lips. She was on fire for him, racing toward their inevitable conclusion faster than he’d raced them around the track.
Cole responded with a growl as his hand slid aside the thin material of her thong. A single finger brushed her damp curls. “You’re so wet, Sarah. So hot.” He kissed her neck. “It’s such a turn-on, isn’t it? Going fast? Driving hard?” The last two words were punctuated by thrusts of his hips that drew cries from deep in her throat.
“How much farther are you willing to go?” His voice was a harsh whisper against her ear. “We’re so close to the edge, darlin’. So close. Wanna take it all the way?”
His words were fuel to the flames of lust that threatened to devour her from within. “Yes. Please.” She was begging but couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop until he gave her what she wanted. What she needed. More. More of his hands, his mouth, his cock. More speed, more pressure, more of the thrills he had shown her on the track.
He pulled back and she cried out, bereft. His answering chuckle resonated deep in her belly. Walking backward, he tugged her toward the front of the car. On wobbly knees she followed, willing to go anywhere to feel his body against hers.
They were out in the open. The floodlights blazed down, illuminating their every move. There was nowhere to hide. Heat rose off the hood of the car, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was the man before her. Getting closer to him was her deepest concern. Feeling him within, her only priority.
He stopped in front of the hood, touching it with one finger, then laying his whole hand on it. Nodding, he turned her so she was facing the car.
“Put your hands on the hood, Sarah.” His words were both a command and a caress. He wanted to take her from behind.
She’d never done it that way, never understood how such a passive position could appeal to a woman. Yet the thought of doing it with Cole made her feel weak with need.
Cole behind her, over her. Holding her hips firmly while he thrust deep inside. Heat flared in her core. Her body was willing, even desperate. Could her mind embrace it as well?
She hesitated, body aching but frozen with uncertainty. Cole decided for both of them. His hand closed softly around her wrist and guided her fingers down to the warm metal of the hood. His body leaned into hers, bending her forward. His hard cock pressed into the cleft of her ass.
“Put the other hand down too, Sarah,” he said in her ear.
Without allowing herself to think, she did as instructed.
“Brace yourself, darlin’. It’s going to be a rough ride.”
Chapter Seven
Sarah’s skirt went up around her waist. Her thong slid down and Cole stepped back to pull it off. She could feel his gaze on her, his hands stroking her buttocks with an appreciative murmur. She canted her hips back to give him a better view and was rewarded with a throaty moan. The clink of his belt buckle was followed by the soft whir of a zipper and the crinkle of foil. She recalled the crossed flags she’d seen earlier—had it only been a few hours ago?—and her eyes sought out the flagman’s stand. She was ready to race for that finish line now. To be put out of this sweet, sweet misery after waiting and wanting for so long.
With a knee Cole urged her legs wider. He gripped her hips. The hot tip of his cock pressed against her opening. She wriggled, pushing back with a desperate sound, but the hands on her hips tightened.