“What’s that?”
“N…nothing,” I say with a tight knot in my throat. The urge to cry hits me like a bullet. “I…I’ll be right back.” I hop off the bed and bolt to the bathroom. I close the door behind me and stare at my reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing the disheveled woman staring back at me. I let the tears fall.
I’m not the woman who picks up a stranger in a bar and fucks him without even knowing his name. I fiddle with the ring hanging off the chain around my neck. What was I thinking? Not that it wasn’t mind-blowing. If I’m being honest, it was the best sex of my life. My body hums thinking about it.
If I didn’t feel so guilty, I’d go out and tell him I want to do it again. Instead, I gather up my emotions and stick them on the back burner for now. Plenty of time later to have a shameful meltdown. I wash my face with a warm washcloth and try to remedy my hair as best I can.
When I enter the room, I’m greeted with low, masculine snores. He fell asleep, thank God. I silently gather up my clothes and tiptoe as quietly as possible back into the bathroom to dress, so as not to wake him. I want to avoid the awkward goodbyes.
After I’m dressed, I quietly slink back into the room, staring at him one last time. I allow myself a few extra seconds to admire his beauty. My eyes roam every inch of his glorious body. He’s still asleep, looking delicious lying on his stomach with his tight ass in the air.
I could easily climb back into bed and get wrapped up in him again. It’s torture not to slip in next to him and run my hand down his smooth back and tight ass—stir him awake—until I’m writhing underneath him again. This time I’d take his glorious cock in my mouth and… “Go home, Charlotte.”
There’s no room in your life right now for anything more than what this was. The man’s dangerous because I’m already feeling things I shouldn’t. I don’t need to worry about stupid feelings, because I’ll never see him again. We both got what we came for tonight.
I can’t change the past, but I can try and start my future.
“The new me,” I mumble under my breath—slipping out of the room unnoticed. Time for the walk of shame. I enjoyed the pit stop. “Bye, Stranger.” I blow him a kiss.
Time to race forward and get my life back on the track.
Chapter Three
Charlotte
Driving out of LA toward the I-10, my mood’s darker than the starless night sky. I have at least a forty-minute trek ahead of me to my home in Fontana, but my eighty-five Camaro can make it in thirty. Still plenty of time to replay the events of tonight in my head and allow the guilt to consume me.
I’m half-starved by the time I leave the hotel. Thank God for the open In-N-Out Burger drive-through. I reach over and rustle to the bottom of the greasy paper bag sitting on the passenger seat, in search of the perfect crispy French fry. Once I hit the highway, I push the gas pedal and crank the radio, letting Bebe Rexha pour her heart out about being a mess and a loser. I know the feeling, Bebe.
The house is in semi-darkness when I pull into the driveway. Lilly always forgets to turn on the outside lights at dusk. The only illumination shining through the house’s front window is the flickering of the TV coming from the living room, which means my sister waited up to interrogate me. Great.
I grin, still able to make out the ocean blue cedar shakes on my tiny cottage home nestled in San Bernardino County. It’s even more charming in the daylight. The moment I saw it, I knew I had to have it. It’s not much by some standards, but I get a feeling of pride whenever I look at it.
The vibrant color is the first thing that made me fall in love with the place. That and the fact it’s ten minutes away from Auto Club Speedway, the home of my new racing team. I’m still amazed I signed a two-year contract with Donavan Racing Team. The thought puts a huge smile on my face. Not bad for a small-town orphan girl, who used to make her living in illegal street racing.
In the daytime, you can appreciate the mint green shutters and trim around the big screened-in porch, attached to the front of the house, accenting it’s charm. My new home isn’t big, but it’s mine.
Downstairs is open space concept with a living room, kitchen, and dining room. My bedroom is in the back of the house, leaving me plenty of privacy away from my little sister when I need it. Four years between us, and she can still be a bit annoying at times. Upstairs are two loft-style bedrooms and a bathroom, so she can have her own space away from her overprotective big sister.
I’ve always been independent, and Lilly and I have struggled since our dad died when I was seventeen. It’s nice to finally have a place to plant roots, and thanks to the sweet contract with Donavan Racing; we finally have a bit of financial security. For the first time in our lives, we don’t have the worry of money hanging over our heads, and it feels fantastic. I’m not rich by any sense of the word, but the new job has finally given Lilly and me some normalcy. And if I can win a big race or two, we’ll be set for life.
A crackling sound, like a twig snapping in half, from beyond the bushes cuts the silence, rousing me from my thoughts. A tingling sensation sweeps up the back of my neck as I hurry up the walkway at an accelerated pace.
My eyes dart around, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. It’s a pretty quiet, safe neighborhood, but nobody likes to hear strange noises when you’re outside alone after midnight.
Being a woman race car driver in a sport full of men, I’ve had my share of threats, and I’m always on alert. There are some pretty crazy fans out there who believe there’s no place for a woman in the sport. I’ve kept in pretty good shape and have always been able to protect my sister and myself, which reminds me, I need to start back at the gym this week on a serious exercise regimen.
I take a deep breath before entering the still house, preparing for the inquisition. The television is playing low, Lilly’s tranquil body spread out on the sofa. I’ll just quietly tiptoe past her and…
“Look what the cat dragged in.” Lilly’s raspy, sleepy voice rings through the small sitting room off to the side. Guess not.
“Go to bed, it’s late, and I have to be up early for track time.”
“Uh-uh.” She sits up and shrugs the blanket from her body before turning on the small lamp on the end table. “You should have been home hours ago.” She surveys my disheveled appearance and unruly sex hair with laser focus. I definitely looked better before I left the house.
“You didn’t have to wait up for me, Mom.” I stroll over to the kitchen bar, which serves as a room divider, and chuck my keys on the counter.
“Sure, I did.” She stretches her arms over her head and yawns. “I need all the dirty details.”
I’m used to holding back tears. I’ve always tried to remain strong for my sister since our dad died. But the stubborn, stinging drops prick the back of my eyes anyway. “Nothing to tell. I’m going to bed.”
Lilly has always seen right through whatever mask I’m trying to slap on my face to hide my true feelings. The way she’s carefully inspecting me with unblinking eyes, she’s reading me like a book.
“Hey, those tears in your eyes aren’t nothing. Sit down and tell me what happened. Do I need to kick anyone’s ass?”