Grady laughs as does Hedges. “I do believe we have a newbie,” Hedges says as he leads us into the garage. There are several cars in there in various states. One is nearly taken apart, another looks shiny and new, and another looks a little beat up.
Hedges leads us to one that isn’t new, but not super beat up either.
“I call her the Gretel,” he says as he slaps the hood.
“We’re going to drive that,” I say, pointing to the car.
“Of course,” he replies.
In a matter of moments, I’m strapped in with a helmet and fireproof suit. Grady drives us out onto the test track.
“Ready?” he asks me.
I look at him, really look at him. “But…you don’t race anymore,” I say over the loud roar of the engine.
He shrugs. “I don’t, well, I didn’t for a long time after Dad died, but a few years ago, I came out here. Hedges let me drive around the track. It’s been our little secret ever since.”
“That’s why you brought me here,” I state.
He nods. “I wanted to share it with you. I…wanted to share a part of me with you that no one else sees, well, not any longer.”
He reaches over and grabs my hand, placing it on the stick shift. “You ready?”
I nod. And before I can say “yes,” he guns it, and I fly back into my seat screaming. Then, I start laughing as we fly around the track, faster than I’ve ever driven in my entire life.
Grady tries to explain things to me as he drives. He calls out terms like “apex” and “banking,” but I don’t really understand, and I’m too focused on the sheer excitement and adrenaline of flying on the ground.
Every time he makes a sudden turn in the car, I scream in terror and delight. It’s like a roller coaster that’s gone off the track.
When we finally come to a stop, I realize my heart is racing and my throat is raw from screaming. He turns to me. All I can see are his eyes because of the helmet, but I can tell he’s grinning.
“What’d you think?”
“Oh. My. God,” I manage, my hands still gripping various parts of the car.
He laughs and opens his door, removing his helmet and coming around to open the door for me.
I get out and he pulls my helmet off. “I…” I trail off because words fail me.
He’s laughing now and leans in to plant a kiss on my lips.
I look up at him in awe of this man who can command not only any audience with his voice but also a car going a hundred-some miles per hour.
“You are amazing!” I announce, my arms flying around his neck as I kiss him, really kiss him. He doesn’t waste a moment and returns my kiss, lifting me off the ground in his embrace. We don’t pull back until the hooting and hollering of some people in the garage interrupts our make-out session.
“Get a room!” Hedges’s voice calls out from nearby. We pull back and grin like fools at each other.
“Thank you,” I murmur. He raises an eyebrow. I shake my head while still grinning. “The kiss was nice, but I meant for the experience and for sharing this part of you with me.”
“I want to share everything with you,” he says as he lets me slide down his body and stand back onto my own two feet. I wobble slightly, but not from the adrenaline leaving my body. I’m pretty sure it’s from his words, his voice is so sincere that I swear my heart skips a beat.
I draw a line over his lips and gently shake my head. “How was I so very wrong about you?”
He presses his forehead to mine. “Because I’m very good at acting. Remember, my mom is a famous actress; it’s in my blood.”
I don’t know what it is about that statement that jars a thought loose in my brain, but I step back and look up at him.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, stepping toward me in concern.
“Acting,” I say slowly.
He furrows his brows trying to understand me.
I hold up a hand. “What if…what if you can draw out the stalker…by acting?” I look into his eyes and see further puzzlement.
I lean against the car, letting my mind fully explore the thought before I speak. “What if…we set a trap? I mean, we’d need the police and your security team on standby and we’d have to be careful, but it could be done.”
“I-I don’t know, Emma. I mean, what if someone gets hurt. I think we should let the police handle it.”
“But they aren’t!” I say exasperatedly. “They haven’t made any major discoveries in weeks and this was going on before you met me, right? So…” I trail off because I realize how crazy I sound. “Never mind, you’re right. I’m being brazen, and it’s a dangerous idea. I don’t want you or anyone else getting hurt.” I feel silly for even suggesting it now, what was I thinking?
He brushes his gloved hand over my cheek. The leather is warm and smooth, and I almost want to tell him to keep the gloves on for now as a shiver of excitement runs through my body. I close my eyes and try to rein in my scattered thoughts. I need to have control. I can’t be thinking sexy thoughts, crime-solving ideas, and my feelings all at once. I feel my heart begin to slow with each deep breath.
“It’s not a bad idea, Emma. And…I have thought the same thing until what happened with Muffin. I just…let’s see how this week goes,” he says.
I nod, and he leans down to kiss me once more before taking my hand. “Come on.”
I let him pull me back to Hedges.
“Thanks, man. That was awesome,” he says as he shakes hands with his friend.
“Anytime. And you are welcome to ride along anytime as well, Emma,” Hedges offers as he holds out a hand.
I lean up and kiss his cheek, and he blushes.
“Later, Hedges,” Grady says as he pulls me along toward the exit. Once we are outside and away from prying eyes, he presses me against his car. Leaning down, his nose trailing along my cheek, he whispers, “I hope you don’t mind missing your homework time tonight because I’m taking you back to the inn, peeling these clothes off you, feasting on your sweet pussy, running my cock up and down your wetness until you are begging me to fuck you…then I’m going to make you come, again and again until you tell me you can’t come anymore. Then, we’ll start all over. This time, I’m not stopping until you pass out.”
My body trembles with excitement from his dirty words, and I squirm beneath him as he presses his erection against my belly.
“You feel that,” he murmurs as his lips brush over my jaw.
I nod.
“You’re going to feel so much more,” he adds as he releases me and walks around the car to get in the driver’s seat.
I stand there, mouth gaping, heart racing, as I try to quell the need that’s blossoming throughout my body. I physically ache for this man.
“Get in, my little investigator. We have things to do.”
I jump in the car without thinking another thought. Grady’s driving mirrors his race car skills as he breaks every speed limit to get back to the inn in record time.
Grady
The door is barely shut when I turn and stalk toward Emma. Her chest is already rising and falling with short breaths as she locks eyes with me.
“Clothes off,” I command as I begin stripping. She complies, and in a matter of seconds, we are naked.