Nobody paid much attention when the smokin’ hot brunette stepped into the garage. It was nearing the end of a long workday, and most of the guys were thinking about the beer and burgers waiting for them at the diner down the road. The open work bay was huge, with cars lifted on hoists, engines hooked up to monitors, and tires stacked ten high. The place was a bastion of masculinity and not many women dared to enter.
This one not only dared, she struck a pose as she scanned the place.
The Corelli garage wasn’t some neighborhood grease monkey shop. It was a high-tech laboratory focused on speed and power. Tools were ordered on peg boards, floors were swept spotless, and computers outnumbered cars. This was home base for a sport built on testosterone, and the men who worked here were filled with it.
The brunette didn’t flinch. Her gaze swept over the mechanics and engineers. It connected with a guy who wore black-rimmed glasses and a red headband. He jerked when he saw her and conked his head on the hood raised above him.
A corner of the vixen’s lips curled upward in acknowledgment, but she didn’t stick around to preen. Instead, she started down the wide aisle that led to the double doors at the end of the massive building. The tall heels of her boots clopped with every step she took, drawing more attention in her direction.
One by one, workers in the building forgot what they were doing. A grizzled veteran with a Fu Manchu mustache slowly straightened from the engine he was tweaking. “Holy shit,” he murmured.
A kid sweeping up metal shavings tripped when he saw her, and the handle of the broom banged him in the head. Embarrassed, he rubbed the red spot, but he didn’t stop gaping.
The hottie was on the hunt. She walked purposefully, never breaking stride as she met each of their gazes. Those sexy boots were zipped over tight-fitting jeans that cupped a backside curvy enough to make a grown man cry. A whistle broke out from the end of the garage she’d already searched. Her hips only settled into a more determined sway.
Damn, she was something.
Activity stopped as she passed until one end of the garage was working, while the other end stared. Finally someone with a company badge stepped out to meet her.
“Can I help you, miss?”
“I’m just looking for someone.” Reaching out, she smoothed the lanyard that held that badge over the man’s chest. “Don’t mind me.”
Her voice was like raw silk. The man stood dumbfounded as she walked right on past.
The woman’s dark hair swung as she walked, the wild curls tumbling this way and that. She had an angel’s face, but she wore that leather jacket for a reason. There had been hell and determination in her big brown eyes.
A barrel-chested guy in a pair of company coveralls stepped out in front of her next. He grinned at her from a scruffy face. “Hello, beauty.”
“Hi, beast.” She passed him, too, giving him a quick swat on the behind.
It was clear she was looking for someone in particular. A very lucky someone, indeed.
Badge Man caught up with her again. He was puffing as he tried to keep up with her runway model strut. “I’m sorry, miss, but you really can’t be in here without permission.”
She winked at him. “Then someone should have stopped me instead of holding open the door.”
His eyebrows rose, and he threw a fierce look back towards the front office. A line of techs and mechanics stood watching the scene. Two had even rolled out from under cars to observe.
“Whom is it you’re looking for?” the man persisted.
The brunette stopped. Without the clip-clop of her high heels, the place seemed nearly silent. Only one engine revved. It was the car to her left, the one where a mechanic was still working. Her gaze swept over the man’s backside as he leaned over the engine, and she licked her lips. “That’s him,” she said without even seeing his face.
“Cannon?” the man said in surprise.
The mechanic paused when he heard his name. He pulled back to respond, only his green gaze fixated on the woman’s feet.
The ones clad in those sexy black stiletto boots.
“That’s him,” she said throatily. “My husband.”
* * * * *
“Husband?” Corelli repeated. It wasn’t the driver, but his uncle, who ran the business side of the house.
Billy had never taken much of a liking to the guy, and he paid him little attention now. His heart was beating too hard, and his head had begun a dull throb.
Roxie. She couldn’t really be here, could she?
Her boots certainly were. He’d recognize them anywhere.
Slowly, he dragged his gaze upwards. Her feet were planted wide, and one hand rested on a slim hip. Her leather jacket was form-fitted and zipped closed. His grip tightened around the socket wrench in his hand as he finally looked at her face. A dark angel with a devil’s twinkle.
His chest tightened until he had no air. “Ex-husband,” he rasped.
“Are you an idiot?” his tech mumbled.
Billy barely heard him. What the hell was she doing here?
His eyes narrowed as he slowly stood upright. Her chin was lifted in that way that told him she was nervous, and her right foot was cocked onto its heel. She didn’t back off, though. She stood there, staring him down, waiting for him to make a move.
It pissed him off. He’d made his move. He’d left.
“What are you doing here, Rox?”
“I thought it was time I came after you for once.” Her gaze flicked to the thin man at her side. “We need to talk.”
Talk. Billy took the rag out of his back pocket and wiped his hands. He still couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that she was here, halfway across the country from where she belonged. It unsettled him, having two separate parts of his world collide. He’d thought he’d shut the door on his past once and for all. “We’ve talked enough.”
Her eyes glistened, and she swallowed hard.
It was enough to make him do a double-take.
When he focused on her again, though, her eyes had narrowed. She tilted her head to the side and swirled her hair around her finger. He braced himself, seeing the gears turning in her head.
“Okay,” she said silkily. Her red-tipped fingernails drummed against her hipbones as she stepped forward.
The sexy roll of her hips distracted him enough that he found himself rooted in place. When she settled her hand over his heart, he couldn’t move. She slid that dangerous touch upwards until she’d caught him by the nape of the neck.
Her brown gaze met his, searching. “Then we’ll do this.”
She tugged down as she lifted herself up onto her tiptoes. Her soft lips pressed against his, and Billy’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest. He dropped the wrench, letting it clatter against the floor, and caught her by the arms.
A whistle cut through the air, followed by a hearty “Hell, yeah.”
The leather of her jacket was chilled, but the body underneath it was warm and oh-so damn tempting.
His grip on her tightened even as he tried to pull back. The ache in his head was growing into a rumble. She snuggled closer, pressing her breasts against his chest. He jerked his hips back before she could rub against him there, too.
Adrenaline surged through Billy, pulling his nerves tight. He had to resist. He couldn’t get sucked back in. He hadn’t detoxed from her yet.
Jaw tight, he held her away from him. This had to stop. She’d messed him up bad this time. Really bad.
“Billy,” she said softly.
He tried not to look at her. He tried not to look into those brown doe eyes, but then she trembled. It went all the way through her, and a soft whimper caught his ear. He looked at her sharply and felt his stomach drop. The expression on her face was so open and honest, it tore right through him.
“I’m sorry,” she mouthed.
When she lifted herself to kiss him again, he couldn’t deny himself. He kissed her back, their mouths melding slowly. Achingly. He slid his hand into her hair and vaguely heard the hoots and hollers that broke out this time.
Their bodies touched, connecting from head to toe. As far as kisses went, it wasn’t the hottest or the most explicit. After over a day away from her, though, it was the hit he needed to ease his shakes.
And start him down the wrong path all over again.
Breathing heavily, Billy broke the kiss. He leaned his forehead against Roxie’s as he tried to make sense of everything. They’d really done it this time. He’d thought the break had been clean.
Why had she followed him home?
Shaking his head, he tried to clear his thoughts. Focusing on his boss again, he realized this wasn’t the time nor place to do that. “I need to leave.”
“You think?” Corelli straightened his badge around his neck. “We can’t have distractions like this. It’s not safe.”
Distractions. Had the man seen Roxie? Shit was going to happen.
Billy looked down at her, taking a deep breath. “You say you want to talk?”
She bit her lip, but nodded.
“All right.” He sucked it up. “We’ll talk.”
* * * * *
The drive to his place didn’t take long. He’d been renting a one-bedroom house on the edge of town for a while. The place wasn’t fancy, and he hadn’t taken any steps to make it that way. The roof was new-ish and the drafts had been sealed. That was good enough for him.
It wasn’t like the place was home.
“Give me a minute,” he muttered as he threw his jacket onto a threadbare lounger.
He took the time to clean up and put his head on straight. Knowing Roxie was out there in the living room didn’t allow him to concentrate. The house was too damn small. By the time he returned, he was more wound up and defensive than ever.
Billy swore under his breath. She was on his turf now. Why was he so rattled?
He found her looking at the pictures on the wall—photographs of the crew, him and Justin, and the dog he’d had for a couple of years. It made him edgy. She already knew how to get under his skin. He didn’t want to invite her any closer.
When she faced him, her arms were wrapped around her waist. He could smell her lavender scent. Her hair was wild, and her cheeks were pink.
Her eyes were wary, though.
He knew how she felt. A breeze outside shook the tree next to the front window and a chill went down the back of his neck. The hurt side of him wanted to curl up and protect itself. She, of all people, could sting him to the quick, and he was still smarting from their last big blowup.
She slipped her hands into the pockets of her jacket. “I tried to catch you when you left.”
Wow. She cut right to the heart of things, didn’t she?
He held his tongue. He’d spent the night at Charlie’s and had been at the airport first thing in the morning. He hadn’t broken stride once, because he hadn’t wanted her to catch him.
If she had, he didn’t know if he would’ve been able to leave.
She stared at the tips of her boots. “I didn’t want you to go.”
He frowned. They were words he wanted to hear, but they also tugged at the weakness inside him… the one he knew he’d have to overcome.
She nibbled on her lower lip when he didn’t respond. “I had some things to say.”
Billy’s back teeth set. “I can’t take this anymore, Roxie, the back and forth. I think we’ve both said enough.”
“You were right.”
“Wha—” He let out a surprised expulsion of air. “That’s a first.”
Her lips curled in a small smile, but her eyes flashed, showing fire. “About some things.”
This time she was the one who took a deep breath. Billy knew he shouldn’t, but his gaze slid over her body. She looked good. Tired and stressed maybe, but she still packed a punch.
He raked a hand through his hair. “Fine, let’s hear it.”
She met his gaze, daring him to push her any further.
He nodded in apology, ceding the floor.
“We were too young,” she finally admitted. “We were having trouble assimilating once we got out of the system. I hadn’t thought about that for a long time.”
Her hands balled into fists inside her pockets. She glanced at the window when a branch scratched up against it. Fall was hitting the East Coast and the threat of rain was in the air. “And as for the baby…”
She pulled her hands out of her pockets and ran them through her hair. “I don’t know if it was so much that I wanted a baby,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Hell, if I’m honest about it, I don’t even know if I like kids. I haven’t been around any for a long time. What I wanted, deep down, was a family. You know, the kind so many people think you should have.”
Her gaze flicked to his and locked.
He knew exactly what she meant. A married couple, two-point-five kids, with a house and a picket fence.
“I just wanted to belong, Billy.”
She had belonged. She’d belonged with him.
She still did.
His fingers bit into his hips. It was good that they were doing this, clearing the air, but he couldn’t let himself think it could lead to more.
She stared at him, waiting for a response, but he didn’t know what to say to her. “You belong now. You have your sisters.”
“I want you.”
He steeled his spine. Wanting was one thing. Trusting, caring, and depending on each other were entirely different.
Clouds dimmed the natural light coming through the window. The color in her cheeks had faded, but he saw a muscle in her jaw clench. She looked away, wrapping her arms around herself. “I don’t agree it was ‘for the best’ that we split up.”
Okay, that stung. “Our problems went deeper than just that one fight, Roxie.”
“I know. We just didn’t understand how to work through things. Growing up, our first inclination was always to defend ourselves.”
Billy rolled his shoulders. The weight in the air was becoming unbearable. “I know I was wild and you didn’t like the racing.”
She took a tiny step forward. Inches, really. “I was afraid for you. I was scared you’d get hurt, but look where it led with your big, fancy job.”
He glanced around the plain living room. Oh yeah, he was living the good life.
“You’re the best of the best, Billy.” She swallowed hard, and the bravado she was so good at portraying cracked. “I’m sorry I pushed you away. You were closer to me than anyone, and it really hit hard when we started having problems.”
“I know. It hit me, too.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I hurt us.”
He ran a hand over his stomach, trying not to come too close to his heart. “We were both at fault. I hadn’t realized before how much I do rationalize away things that are bad. I’ve just had to fight for so much, Rox. I could have fought harder for us.”
“I don’t want to be on guard against everything and everyone. Against you.” Her right foot cocked back on its heel. “I want to let you in, Billy, I really do. I love you.”
He went still. Time nearly stopped. “What?”
“I love you, but you’re right. I’m scared.” She shrugged and looked towards the door. She looked like she could bolt at any minute. “So… there’s that…”
He took too long to answer, and she made her move. He caught her by hooking an arm around her waist.
“That’s a lot,” he said gruffly, pulling her to him.
His heart was pounding. She loved him? He knew she wanted him, but it had been so long since he’d heard those words.
They were everything.
He tucked her hair behind her ear and cupped her face. “I don’t want you to be scared of me, Roxie. I can’t say I won’t hurt you again, but I won’t turn on you.”
“Will you leave?”
He sucked in a hard breath. “Why do you think I kept coming back?”
Her lips twisted, and she shook her head. She was trying not to cry. “To see Charlie?”
“To see you.” He blinked a little too fast, too. He was having a hard time letting himself believe it was true. All those lofty thoughts about faith and trust weren’t so easy for him, either. “I wanted to talk to you… maybe steal a kiss…”
“Then why did you always go?”
Because he had been an idiot? “Because I convinced myself you were bad for me.”
He could see the doubt moving back in. Her eyes were cloudy like the heavy sky outside.
“Maybe I am,” she whispered. “People always said that I’m trouble.”
He wanted those people’s names and addresses. Now. “You’re hell on wheels,” he said gruffly, “but that’s part of your charm.”
She closed her eyes when he brushed a kiss across her temple. They were both shaking, both still uncertain.
“I’m sorry, babe.” he whispered. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to what you needed. I’m sorry I was such a hothead.”
“I’m the one who pushed you away all this time.”
“It never took, though, did it?”
And there was one important reason for that, one she needed to know.
He cupped her face with both hands. Their breaths were ragged, and electricity was cracking. He looked into those brown eyes he’d known for so long. “I love you, Roxie Cannon. I always have, and I always will.”
It was terrifying, stepping off the ledge, but a sob left her lips. It cut right through Billy. He gave a tug, and she lurched at him. He wrapped her up close, barely giving them room to breathe.
Fisting his hand in her hair, he made sure he had her attention. “Family is all I’ve ever wanted, too, but the only place I ever felt like I belonged was with you.”
So he was addicted to her, big fucking deal. Some drugs tore people apart, but others were needed to sustain life. She wasn’t bad for him; he just needed her.
Everybody needed something.
She took a shuddering breath. “I’ll move out here,” she said. “I want to try again. For real.”
God, he wanted that, but she’d be giving up too much. “I can’t tear you away from your sisters.”
Her tears bubbled up again. “We can’t be apart anymore, Billy. We just can’t.”
“I’ll move back to Cobalt City. It’s my home, too.” He rubbed his hand up and down her spine. “Do you think there’s room in that family of yours for one more? I like your sisters, and I could make an effort with their boyfriends.”
“Are you kidding me? They love you. They told me not to come back if you weren’t with me… But your job, Billy.” Roxie shook her head. “You’ve made it here.”
He’d made nothing. He was still a low-level man on a very tall totem pole. He’d give it all up. For her.
“All I need are engines to stick my head into, babe. That, and you.” He curved his hand around her butt, but then hesitated.
“But… about the kids thing.”
She shook her head, but he stopped her.
“You called me on it, and my actions haven’t exactly fit my words.” He shook his head. “Never is a long time. I don’t know… Maybe we could do it. Eventually.”
Her eyes went wide.
Billy swallowed hard. “My biggest worry has always been the ‘what ifs’. What if something happened to you or me? I couldn’t let a kid of mine become a ward of the state, but now that I’ve met your sisters… I don’t think they’d let something like that happen.”
“They wouldn’t. Never in a million years.”
“That could be the game changer,” he said gruffly. “Because I gotta admit, making babies with you now sounds sexy as hell.”
She inhaled sharply, but it was all he’d been able to think about ever since their fight. He hadn’t only been giving her up, he’d been leaving behind their memories and their dreams.
He grunted when she laid a hand deliberately over the zipper of his jeans. “Think we can go practice for that?”
Holy shit. Talk about having him by the balls.
“I don’t have any condoms left.”
The tears left her eyes to be replaced with a different kind of glimmer. “Good.”
With one word, he was hard. Picking her up, he carried her to the bedroom. Before they got there, she’d wrapped herself around him like a vine. Her arms were around his neck and her legs were around his waist. Her mound was pressed firmly against the bulge behind his zipper and she gave a desperate wiggle.
Billy nipped her earlobe, making her gasp. “Minx.”
She tugged him down with her when he laid her on the bed. With a quick move, she wrestled him until she was on top.
“I like that description,” she said as she slid her hand under his T-shirt. She grinned devilishly. “It has an ‘x’.”
He pulled her down for a hard kiss. With the way she was straddling him, he wasn’t going to last long. He caught the zipper of her jacket. He wanted skin. He wanted nothing between them. No lies, secrets, or heartache.
The zipper let loose, and he pushed the leather jacket off.
“Whoa,” he said on an exhale.
He stopped, his hands freezing on her shoulders. Red satin gleamed up at him. Red satin and daring lace.
He groaned. “Is that what I think it is?”
“I wasn’t coming here unarmed.” She petted his chest, dropping forward so he could see every inch of her curves. The bustier was a marvel of lingerie technology. How it managed to support and shape while barely covering her was a mystery.
One that made Billy’s breaths go short and tingles grip the base of his spine.
“It was my backup plan,” she said in all seriousness.
“Good one.” He cupped her right breast, plumping it so her nipple peeked through the lace. He tweaked the delicate flesh with his thumb, but swore when she squirmed. “But unnecessary.”
Grabbing control, he flipped her onto her back. His fingers went to the zipper of her jeans as she fought with his clothes.
“One more fantasy?” he asked.
She let one eyebrow lift.
He grinned down at her. “Leave the boots on, too.”