“Who is she?” Autumn said as she did a little hop and grabbed onto my arm.
With a huff, I turned and headed back to my room. “May I please change?”
They both started a laughing fit and said something about my manwhore days being over. “Never!” I yelled out as I shut the bedroom door behind me.
Reaching over, I grabbed my cell phone and pulled up Paislie’s number and hit Call. I saved it when she called me the other day.
“Hello?”
I held the phone to Deuce who barked right on cue. “Deuce wanted to make sure y’all were still on for tonight.”
“Where do you come up with this stuff? Do you always use your dog to pick up women?”
I thought about it for a second. I’d never really used him except when he was a puppy. He was a total pussy magnet then.
“Not since he was about six months old. Before that he was lining them up for me.”
“Wow. Your sheer honesty was not expected. I don’t know if I should turn around and go back home or floor it and get there faster.”
The way my heart thumped in my chest had me holding my breath for a few seconds. Something about this girl did crazy ass things to me.
“My vote is to floor it.”
With a chuckle, she responded, “I figured it would be.”
Dropping my towel, I pulled on a pair of jeans and searched for a T-shirt. “I’m really looking forward to seeing you, Paislie.”
“Same here,” she barely spoke. “My GPS says I’ll be there in thirty-seven minutes.”
I glanced over to the clock and fist pumped. Perfect timing. “Perfect. I’ll have Deuce ready.”
When she laughed it did something to me I’d never experienced before. “Sounds good, see ya in a few.”
“See ya,” I said as I hit End and tried like hell to wipe the stupid grin off my face before facing my sister and Ashley.
The door to the bedroom opened and Ashley yelled out, “I knew it! Oh. My. Gawd! Who is she? Are you dating? What’s her name? Where did you meet her?”
Autumn was behind Ashley jumping as she wore a huge smile.
“Stop it, both of you. I’m not dating her—I met her in Vegas at a race, she lives here in the Dallas area so I invited her for dinner tonight.”
Ashley stumbled back. “Dinner? You invited her to dinner?” She spun around and grabbed onto Autumn’s hands as they started screaming.
My hands went over my ears before I pushed them both out of the way. “What in the fuck is wrong with you two?”
I made my way into the kitchen and lit a candle that Adaline insisted I have. I’d never admit it to her, but I loved the damn thing. It reminded me of their house. I’d been back over for dinner almost half a dozen times.
Ashley stood on the other side of the bar in the living room and looked at me. “Malcolm, I’m the closest thing to any sort of relationship you’ve had in a long time and you never once took me to dinner.”
I frowned. “That’s not true. We went to dinner all the time.”
She lifted her brow. “Yeah, after a roll in the sack and we were both hungry.”
Autumn walked between us. “Again, can we not reference the fact that the two of you had sex. It really bothers me for some reason.”
Ashley giggled. “It would my brother as well.”
“Fine!” I said. “We never went out to dinner on a date before. This isn’t a date. I mean at least not with me. Deuce invited her out to eat and she’s coming to have dinner with him.”
Oh shit. Why in the hell did I think that would be okay to say?
My sister looked at me like she really couldn’t believe what she just heard.
“What in the hell did you just say?” Ashley asked while my sister still stared at me, but now with more of a concerned look.
“Did you wreck at practice?” Autumn asked.
I dropped my head back and moaned in frustration. “Please . . . will you both just leave? Paislie is going to be here soon.”
Autumn and Ashley both said, “Paislie!”
“What an adorable name. What does she look like?” Ashley asked.
My hands came up and covered my face as I dragged them down slowly. “If I tell you, will you leave?”
“Yep!”
I closed my eyes and shook my head as I counted to ten and looked back at them both. “She is gorgeous. Dark hair, emerald eyes, a voice that sounds like an angel, a body that’s sinfully perfect, and a smile that leaves me breathless.”
Both of them stood there and stared at me. Autumn had tears in her eyes and Ashley looked stunned. “Where in the fuck was this Malcolm when we were—”
“Don’t say it!” Autumn cried out.
Looking at Ashley, I tried to figure out where that came from. Even though I had spent more time with her than any other girl, I never had the feeling that it would have led us anywhere else and thought she felt the same. “Ash, I think you’re amazing and . . .”
She placed her finger over my mouth and smiled. “Don’t say anything. I was kidding. Malcolm, what we shared was fun, but that’s all it was for either of us and we both knew it wasn’t going anywhere outside of the bedroom. But this girl has changed something about you. I saw it in your eyes the moment I looked at you.”
Autumn wiped a tear away as I looked at her with a confused look. “Why are you crying?” I asked and pulled her into my arms. She pulled back and looked into my eyes.
“This Paislie, she’s brought a part of you back to life, Malcolm. I see it.”
I shook my head and laughed. “I’ve only ever seen her twice and talked to her twice on the phone. The two of you need to slow your roll.”
I lifted my hand and wiped my sister’s tears away. “Now please, will you both go?”
I’d never seen either one of them move so fast. Ashley opened the door and screamed out when she ran into Janet, my assistant.
“Hey, Janet! Don’t tell Emmit I was here!”
Autumn gave Janet a kiss on the cheek as she said, “Hey, Janet! See you later!”
Both girls walked off laughing and cackling about me finally meeting someone.
Janet turned to me and gave me a questioning look. “Do I want to know?”
I shook my head as Deuce ran up to his second-favorite person in the world. Janet was a retired fifty-nine-year-old teacher who lived her life for NASCAR. She had volunteered to help out in the office back in Charlotte and quickly started getting every single person organized. When I approached her about becoming my assistant, her husband had just retired so traveling for them was no problem. She gladly accepted and she has been covering my ass ever since.
“I have it all set up. I’m not asking questions, it’s none of my business but I will say this, I smiled the entire time I was setting it up.”
Walking up to her, I gave her a gentle hug. She was a tiny woman, five foot if that and thin. I was always afraid I would break her if I hugged her too tight.
Pulling back, I asked, “Wait. Who is there watching everything?”
She shot me a dirty look. “Are you saying I don’t know how to do my job?”
I lifted my hands up in a defensive move. “No! I would never.”
“Just know I had to pull some strings to get this done for you.”
With a peck on her forehead, I said, “I owe you.”
She patted me on the chest and winked. “I’ve always wanted to go to Aruba.”
Before I could reply, she was out the door and gone. Glancing down to Deuce, I shrugged. “Are you ready for your dinner date?”
Deuce jumped up and barked as he wagged his tail. With a chuckle, I gave him a good pat and replied, “I feel the same way, boy.”
DRIVING UP TO THE SECURITY gate, I gripped the steering wheel harder.
What am I doing? I swore off all men and here I am again. Having dinner with Malcolm Wallace!
Stephanie and I had googled Malcolm after I accepted his invite. Needless to say, I wasn’t surprised to fi
nd out he was quite the ladies’ man. His reputation for being fast in and out of the racecar was evident.
Yet, here I am, about to have dinner with him. Maybe it’s the idea of seeing him again that was the driving force behind me being here. I wasn’t about to deny the strong attraction I felt for him. That’s never happened to me before. Of course, it could be from all the stupid romance books I’d been reading nonstop. Did he really make my stomach drop or did I imagine that? Why was it so hard for me to catch my breath after speaking to him?
I needed answers to the questions floating around in my head. That was the reason I was here. That and I couldn’t stop fantasizing what his lips would feel like on my skin.
My window rolled down as the security guard smiled. “May I help you?”
“Um . . . yes!” I exclaimed a little too excited. “Paislie Pruitt. I’m here to see Malcolm Wallace. He’s expecting me.”
“Oh yeah, yeah.” Turning, he yelled for the other guy, who popped his head out.
“James! I’m taking Ms. Pruitt in to see Malcolm.”
James gave a thumb’s up to the other security guard who turned back to me. “Just follow me and I’ll show you where to park. Malcolm is most likely waiting for you.”
With a smile, I nodded and said, “Okay. I’ll follow you.”
Driving down the tunnel, I held my breath until we got to the other side. People were everywhere. I couldn’t believe all the RV’s set up and all the people hanging out and having a good time. I tried to do a bit of research before this dinner and I found out a little about this world. I knew they would be qualifying tomorrow, then the next level down from NASCAR, the Xfinity Series raced that Saturday and then the big race was on Sunday.
The security guard pulled down what I was guessing was Pit Road and parked. Parking next to him, I dragged in a deep breath before exhaling it. “Okay, it’s not like it’s your first date, Paislie. It’s just dinner. Nothing else. Unless . . .” I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “No. No! Dinner only.”
The knock on my window had me letting out a scream so toe-curling, I was positive the glass almost shattered.
Peeking through my half-closed eyes, I saw Malcolm standing on the other side of the window with his head cocked to the side and the most adorable smile I’d ever seen.
Damn, what is it about a crooked smile and dimples?
“God, be with me tonight and for once, keep me strong,” I whispered before opening the door.
“Were you really in there just now talking to yourself?”
I let out a nervous giggle. “No, I was ah . . . praying.”
His eyes widened as I cursed under my breath. Way to scare him off, Paislie.
“Praying? About what?”
“Strength.” No! No not strength!
“For what?”
Shit!
“No . . . no wait. Okay, I wasn’t praying praying . . . well I was . . . I um. Shit.”
There went the stupid grin again. “You were talking to yourself,” Malcolm said as my knees wobbled and my stomach felt as if I was on a thrill ride.
With a nervous laugh, I nodded my head. “Yes. I was talking to myself.”
His eyes searched my face and I liked very much the way he was looking at me. My dark hair was pulled up into a simple ponytail. He had said to dress casual, so I did. Jeans and light-green shirt I knew popped the color of my eyes.
“You look even more beautiful than I remember.”
I felt my cheeks warm. “Let’s hope that trumps the talking to myself,” I said with a wink.
Malcolm’s smile grew bigger. “You hungry?”
Turning my gaze down to the ground, I found myself feeling something I’d never felt with a man before.
Excitement.
I was giddy to find out what he had planned and for once, I didn’t feel like I was going to be let down.
That’s when I noticed no Deuce.
“Hey. Where’s my date?”
With a long dramatic sigh, Malcolm shook his head. “Deuce wasn’t up for dinner tonight. Turns out he ate a little too much rawhide and isn’t feeling like himself this evening.”
With a pout I said, “Poor guy.”
Malcolm tried to appear somber.
With a raised brow, I asked, “Are you his stand in?”
His hand went to his sculpted chest. “If you’ll have me, I’d be honored.”
I snarled my lip up and shrugged. “I guess,” I sighed. “I was looking forward to that handsome boxer.” My eyes traveled over Malcolm’s body as I fought to keep the urge away to touch him. “I guess you’ll do.”
He tried to hide his amusement as he placed his arm out for me to take. “Let’s get this party started.”
The moment my body touched his, I felt it. Peeking up, I tried to see if Malcolm felt it too. If he did, he hid it well. We walked across the track as he helped me over the barrier and we started up the bleachers.
“Man, all I need to do is walk up and down these a few times a day and I’d be in great shape!” I said with a chortle.
We came out to where all the concession stands were and headed to another building with double doors.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
Malcolm opened the door for me and said, “Up.”
“Up is always a good thing,” I purred as I gave him a wicked smile and walked through the door. That time, I saw his reaction. Not only in his eyes, but in the way he attempted to hide the fact that he had to adjust himself.
He hit up as we stood there and waited for the elevator. “So, how long have you been turned on by racing cars?”
He looked at me with a somewhat surprised expression. “Turned on?”
The doors opened and we walked in. “Yeah. I’d have to think it was some kind of a rush that got you loving the need for speed. You must really enjoy it if you’re as good as they say. You’re turned on to the rush you get. Am I right?”
His eyes lit up and I wasn’t sure why. Maybe because I used the words turned on. Lord knows I was already looking at his perfect body. Damn, his ass looked good in those jeans.
Paislie. Stop!
“I guess you could say racing is a turn on. It’s more of an adrenaline rush than a sexual turn on, though.”
I made a tsking sound and slowly shook my head. “That’s not what Google says about you, Mr. Wallace.”
His head dropped back as he let out a roar of laughter. I couldn’t help but laugh along with him as the doors opened and we walked down a long hall to another set of elevators.
“Up again,” I whispered.
He cleared his throat and placed his hand on my lower back, causing my entire body to tremble. I was almost positive he felt it.
I stole a glance at him as he stared straight ahead. As if he was concentrating on something very intently.
When the doors opened, he nudged me ever so slightly and led me out. I loved the feeling and had never had a man do that before. It was nice.
When his hand slipped down and took mine, I forced myself to hold back the moan.
One look around and I was even more confused. “We’re on a roof?”
“Is that a question or a statement?”
“Both!” I said with a titter.
As we walked around a small building, I let out a gasp at the sight before me. “A picnic?” I whispered as I forced the tears down. I’d never been on a picnic before with a guy.
Three quilts were laid out on the roof along with three picnic baskets. “Do you like picnics?”
I walked up to the edge of the quilt and stared down at everything. A small bouquet of flowers was lying on the quilt. I swallowed hard and went to look at Malcolm when I noticed the view.
Covering my mouth, I sucked in a breath and stared out in disbelief. “It’s amazing,” I spoke into my hand. The view from up here was beyond anything I could have imagined.
“I take it you like it and you’re not afraid of heights?”
Spinning back to fa
ce him, I smiled so big my cheeks hurt. “No! I’m not afraid of heights. Yes I love it, and I’ve never been on a picnic before.”
His smile faded as he narrowed his eyes. “Really?”
I shook my head. “No. Never.”
He took both my hands in his and guided me to the middle of the quilt. “Well then, I get to be the lucky guy to give you your first experience with it.”
The lump in my throat was hard to ignore. When we sat down, he reached into one basket and took out two bottles of water, and then took out some plates. I couldn’t help but wish that Malcolm had been the one to give me many of my first experiences.
Overcome suddenly with this strange emotion, I focused on anything other than the handsome guy who was making my heart pound so loudly in my ears I could barely hear.
I am so screwed with my vow of hating men.
So screwed.
PAISLIE SEEMED TO BE OVERCOME with emotion for a quick moment before slipping back into her carefree mode.
“This really is amazing. Deuce is missing out.”
I nodded in agreement. “His fault for eating that whole bone I gave him.”
She flashed me a dazzling smile as she asked, “Are you sure he wasn’t sabotaged? You know, by someone wanting to steal his date?”
I glanced over to Paislie. My blue eyes holding onto her green as we both got lost momentarily in each other. “I do believe there might have been a hidden agenda to that oversized bone,” I softly spoke as she chuckled.
Reaching into the larger picnic basket, I smiled when I pulled out the chicken salad on croissants. Janet knew how much I loved her chicken salad.
“Hmm . . . I love chicken salad!” Paislie exclaimed.
“Then you will really love this chicken salad. My assistant, Janet, makes it all from scratch. I’m not even going to ask her how she pulled this off because I’m pretty sure I’d be buying her and her husband tickets to some fabulous hotel in Mexico somewhere.”
Paislie chuckled as I made up each plate. “So tell me,” she said as she pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them. I’d never seen anyone look so goddamn sexy yet cute as hell like she did that very moment. “How many girls have you done this with?”