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 find 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 face 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.