Blindsided - A Stepbrother Romance Novel (15 page)

Luke put down the screwdriver he was holding and took a drink of his water. “Does that upset you that you’re working on the floor and he’s supervising?”

“Of course not.” It didn’t upset her exactly…it was just weird.

“You know he started out on the floor too. I only promoted him when he finished up his business degree.”

“Okay, I really don’t care. You brought him up.” She knew she was protesting too much and it was obvious from the look on Luke’s face that he knew it too. He picked the screwdriver back up and stood next to her as she hovered over the engine’s partially disassembled V -8. He looked like he had more to say, but after opening and then closing his mouth he went back to assembling the jets and metering plates. Sam was doing her best to tuck the images of Conrad in that tailored suit back down where she’d had them before Luke brought him up. God, he looked good all dressed up like that. He looked good in a pair of jeans. He looked good naked…
Shit!

She turned the torque wrench too hard and it slipped and her hand hit up against the engine block. “Damn it!” she shook her hand while Luke looked on.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said, more annoyed than hurt. She had to get her mind off of Conrad. If she hadn’t already got the hint when he didn’t call her in five days today had sealed the fact that he didn’t want her. She’d never wanted a guy that didn’t want her. Of course other than for sex, she’d never wanted a man period. Good sex gave her the same kind of adrenaline rush she got from racing. It was usually not as good, but when she couldn’t be behind the wheel, it was a close substitute. Conrad was different from the start and she should have known better. She liked him way too much to sleep with him. She usually stuck to strangers or guys that she didn’t particularly like. It was easier to leave when it was over and forget it almost as quickly as it had happened. She was kicking herself for now realizing that if any man would leave her both satisfied and wanting more, it would be him. She was too comfortable with him and too attracted to him…
Shit.

“You can learn a lot from him you know,” Luke said. He obviously wasn’t ready to let it go.

She turned back toward him and smugly said, “Maybe he can learn a lot from me.”

Luke smiled. “I’m sure you could teach each other a lot. He’s a good kid and like you he’s been through a lot of shit no kids your age should have to go through.”

Luke’s eyes were sad and she asked, “You’re talking about his mom?” Before she realized Conrad’s mother had been the wife Luke lost to suicide, she’d pictured him as having a comfortable, indulged life.

“She is a big one, but Conrad’s heartache really started about five years ago. You’ll need to let him tell you the rest when he’s ready. It’s not my story to tell. I’m just glad the two of you are friends. He has a lot of friends and I’m sure you will too once you get adjusted to life here. But I think you and Conrad can help each other…”

“Don’t say it. Don’t say we can help each other when you die. If you go around thinking that you’re going to die then you will. You haven’t even started your treatments. A lot of people beat cancer, Luke. You can do it too.” Samantha wasn’t sure she believed that herself, but she was trying.

Luke smiled. “I was just going to say you could help each other with your cars if I’m not able to while I’m having chemo and radiation.”

Sam felt her face go hot. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m doing my best to go into this with a positive attitude, Sam. But, I also have a lot of other feelings about it and they’re not so positive.”

Samantha looked at her father. When she was a little girl she used to wonder what he would think of the tomboy she’d become. She wondered if he’d like the fact that she loved cars so much, or if he’d long for a little girl who loved frilly dresses and Barbie dolls. She finally had her answer. Luke simply accepted her for who she was. He had no contempt for the fact that she loved to race. It didn’t seem to embarrass him that she had permanent grease stains underneath her fingernails or that her t-shirts were all stained with oil. He was not only willing to accept her but seemed willing to do whatever he could to help her achieve her dreams. He was the father that she’d always dreamed of and she wasn’t anywhere near ready to consider losing him again.

She dug through the toolbox looking for a 5/8 wrench, and trying not to make eye contact with him. She didn’t want to admit to him that she’d been having some thoughts that were not too positive as well. As a matter of fact she’d had several dreams this week where she stood next to her brother at another funeral and she’d woken up shaking and sweaty and sick to her stomach. She had a bad feeling deep inside that she was going to lose him, and she couldn’t shake it.

When Samantha finally turned back toward her father she was composed enough for a smile. “You’re going to kick cancer’s ass and I’m going to help you,” she said. Luke winked at her.

“Thank you, Sam.”

She didn’t say anything else as he tucked his head back underneath the hood of the car. She did the same and she couldn’t help think that working silently side by side with him was cheaper and more effective than any therapy she could have sought when what counted as her life had finally fallen apart.

**

Sam was about to leave the driveway when she saw a silhouette approaching her out of the dark from up toward the house. As he got closer she could see that it was Aaron. He was in a black t-shirt and jeans and almost camouflaged by darkness.

“What are you doing? I could have run you over.”

“Maybe you should turn on your headlights.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t be running around in the dark. What are you doing?”

“I want to go with you.”

She sighed. “Aaron, you know I don’t like you at these races. If we get busted…”

“You’re not going to get busted. You can outrun them and you know it. Come on Sammy, I’m losing my mind sitting in this house every night.”

“What if Luke needs something?”

“He’s not an invalid…yet,” Aaron said. “You’re making excuses. Would you rather I go out and find my own fun for the evening?”

“Don’t threaten me you little shit.”

“I’m not threatening, Sam. I’m just saying I cannot sit in that house one more night.”

She sighed again. He was right. It’s not fair to expect him to sit there every night. He’s sixteen years old. Until he gets his driver’s license and starts school, Sam should at the very least try to help entertain him. “Fine, but stay way out of the way. I don’t want to have to scrape you off the pavement.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m not five.”

When they got to the address Shawn had given her, most of the team was already there. Beau was sitting on the hood of his car tapping away furiously at the keys of his laptop. Shawn and Drew had their heads underneath the hood of her car and Casey and Stew sat on the curb eating tacos from the taco truck and discussing the most recent episode of The Walking Dead. Samantha thought it was safe to assume that neither one of them were racing tonight.

Aaron followed Sam as she walked over toward Drew’s car. She saw him glance at Casey and not for the first time lately she realized that what he kept telling her was true…he wasn’t five any longer. She still couldn’t resist the urge to protect him.

“She’s too old for you and she has a boyfriend.” Aaron rolled his eyes again but seconds later she caught him smiling at the pretty blonde. Casey smiled back at him. Sam made a mental note to let her new friends know her brother was just a kid and way off limits. “Hey Shawn.”

He pulled his head out of the hood of the car and smiled at Sam and Aaron. “Hi Sam, it looks like you got the Mustang running.”

“She’s purring like a kitten. Shawn, this is my brother Aaron.”

Shawn wiped his hand on his jeans and put it out. Aaron took it and Shawn said, “It’s good to meet you, Aaron. Do you race too?”

Aaron smiled. “Not yet.”

“Not at all,” Sam muttered under her breath. Drew pulled her head out from underneath the hood.

“Hi Sam, hi Sam’s brother. I’m Drew.”

Aaron’s face flushed. “Hi Drew.”

Sam fought the urge to roll her eyes. Drew is a pretty little red-head with dark green eyes and boobs that would make a porn star jealous. Aaron was currently staring at them. Sam tapped him on the back of the knee with her foot. “Hi Drew,” she said, ignoring Aaron’s glare. “So do you know who I’m racing tonight?”

“Conrad said to have you run first so you’ll be against a guy named Bennie Mendez. He’s been racing for five years. He drives a Mustang too, but his is a Cobra Jet.” The simple mention of Conrad’s name and the idea of seeing him tonight caused a flutter of heat in her belly. She had almost missed the “Cobra Jet.”

“A Jet? Are you freaking kidding me?” Shawn shook his head and she said, “Does he know how to drive it? Does he win?”

“Almost every time,” Shawn said. “Conrad has beaten him and so has Stew, once. He killed me our last race but that was also because I was having engine problems.”

“I’ve never raced against him,” Drew said. “Casey did once, it wasn’t pretty.” Sam could see her brother grinning at Drew like an idiot out of the corner of her eye. She wasn’t sure whether to be embarrassed that he was looking at her boobs again or sad that he was no longer that little boy she used to stick up for.

“I’m glad he won’t be easy,” she said, honestly. She was competitive enough that she didn’t want easy, she wanted a fight. It made the win that much sweeter. Trying to sound as casual as possible she asked, “Where’s Conrad tonight?”

Shawn looked at his watch. “He’s supposed to be here.”

“Is he racing tonight?”

“Yep,” Drew said. “He’s racing against Kyla tonight.”

“Kyla?”

“Yeah, this is Kyla’s crew. They’re pretty much the best there is in Southern California too. They’ve actually been racing up north for the past few months so we haven’t seen them for a while, but word has it she’ll be here. She requested Conrad.”

Samantha wondered why as she said, “So she’s good? What does she drive?”

“She’s better than good,” Drew said with a curled lip. “She’s been driving since she was ten. She grew up in Central Cali on a farm or something. Her dad used to be part of a pit crew for James Nash.”

James Nash was a retired NASCAR driver. Sam was only six years old when he retired, but he was a legend so she’d seen plenty of clips of his old races. He raced modified GTO’s before being picked up for NASCAR when he was almost thirty years old. He won every cup there was to win at least twice each over the next five years and then he retired. In interviews Sam saw later he’d said he wanted to spend time with his wife and five year old daughter while he was still young and healthy enough to enjoy it. Hearing he’d been on a farm somewhere in the valley explained why he’d just up and disappeared off of the racing scene when she was a little girl. Samantha didn’t have many positive memories of Darren, but she did have to give him credit for a lot of her NASCAR education.

“That’s her,” Drew said. A white GTO with pink racing stripes drove up to the curb. A big Mexican guy with biceps bigger than Sam’s thighs and lots of black ink tattoos got out of the passenger side. The driver’s side door was opened and a five foot nothing woman with soft curves and long honey blonde hair stepped out. If her brother’s tongue wasn’t out before over Drew and Casey, it really was now. Even Sam had to admit that the girl was drop-dead gorgeous. She may know how to drive, but Sam doubted she ever picked up a wrench. She glanced at the girl’s hands. The fingernails looked short from where Sam stood, but they were bright pink. Suppressing an eye roll she asked, “How old is she?”

“Twenty-two or three,” Drew said. “She looks like a little pixie, huh?”

“She definitely doesn’t look like a hard-core street racer.” She was wearing a tight Harley Davidson t-shirt that was the same color as her racing stripes and fingernails. It hugged the curve of her ample breasts before ending a few inches above where her designer label jeans started and showing off a flat, tan belly.

“I think it gives her an advantage actually,” Drew went on, “She mesmerizes her opponents before the race even starts.”

Sam swallowed bile at the thought of her mesmerizing Conrad. “So how long has she had her own crew?”

“Five years or so,” Shawn said. “She wanted Conrad to come in with her but once he found out who the rest of her crew was, he decided against it and started his own with us rag-tags.”

“Who is her crew?”

“Her uncle is President of the Southern California chapter of the Comancheros.” Sam’s face must have given away that information meant nothing to her because Shawn went on to say, “They’re an outlaw biker club. Her crew is all members of the club. They have a custom bike shop in Glendale and they also modify engines for custom cars. The rumor is that they’re involved in a lot heavier stuff than that but either way, they’ve got a lot of money invested in Kyla’s crew.”

“Nice, so Conrad is racing the MC club princess,” Sam said.

“And his ex-girlfriend,” Drew added. Samantha suspected that, but she didn’t like the sinking feeling that knowing it gave her in the pit of her stomach. She was trying to shake it off when she saw Conrad drive up in his Charger. He parked the car near her Mustang and stepped out. He was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt now and her hormones went just as crazy as they had when he’d been decked out in the suit earlier. His eyes landed on her face and he kept them there as he walked over toward her. The rest of his face was neutral, but his eyes were so expressive. He looked happy to see her and she had to resist the urge to lick her dry lips as she watched his lean muscle ripple under the tee as he moved. It should be illegal to be that damned sexy.