Slow Ride (34 page)

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Authors: Erin McCarthy

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Contemporary, #General

BOOK: Slow Ride
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“What?” She pulled her head off his chest. “Why the hell would I think you were less of a man?”
“Because I can’t do this anymore.” He gestured behind him to the track. “Because I’m not an advocate for better safety measures. Because I sit in my house with no awards, no evidence of my career. Because I walk with a limp.”
Tears flooded Tuesday’s eyes. “God, I never thought any of those things. I had to write that into the article, it was a reporter’s speculation. But I don’t care if you drive or not. I just care that you’re happy. I should have listened to you better when you did talk.”
She stared into those pale blue eyes and what she saw there had flicker of hope sparking into a bonfire.
“I want to be with you.” He kissed her, the softest, gentlest kiss he’d ever given, one that spoke of love and promise and a life together. “I love you, and I want to work on whatever we need to. I was really damn happy with you, Tuesday. The happiest I’ve ever been.”
“Me, too, me, too.” She kissed him back, not caring who was watching, not caring where she was, just wanting him to feel what was inside of her. “I love you, Daniel.”
Thank God. Diesel hugged Tuesday tightly in relief, knowing they were going to be okay. They were going to be fine. They were going to be better than anything either of them could have anticipated and they were going to be happy.
They already were.
Suddenly he found himself impulsively going down on one knee, his bad knee, too, of all stupid-ass things. But here before all these other people on the track, before a photographer and Jesper and Roger Hanover, he was going to toss his idea of living together and go for the real deal.
“Tuesday.”
Her hands had flown up to her mouth and her eyes were huge. Tears glistened in her brown eyes.
“Will you marry me?”
She nodded without hesitation, up and down rapidly, multiple times.
Euphoria exploded inside him and he grinned. “Did I finally make you speechless?”
With one final nod, she burst out, “Yes! Holy shit, yes!”
He laughed. “I have always loved your enthusiasm.”
She jumped up and down a couple of times. “Oh, my God, we’re getting married!” She turned and waved violently to Roger, the billionaire, who was standing by the car he’d bought, looking bemused. “Married. Really? Are you sure, Diesel?”
As a matter of fact, he had never been more sure. “Yes. Totally sure.” But then he winced when he tried to stand up. “Now help me up.”
“My pleasure.” Without hesitation she held her hand out to him, her smile as wide as any he’d ever seen her sport, and he didn’t feel like less of a man when she gave him support.
He felt complete.
And together, they were going to both go from just fine to absolutely amazing.
“So let’s go get you a ring. And a cookie.”
She laughed. “Sounds like a plan, Dan.”
WEDDING BELLS
 
One by one the eligible bachelors of racing have fallen to the lure of matrimony and it’s happened yet again, people. Former driver, Daniel “Diesel” Lange, the sexiest damn driver to ever grace the circuit was smart enough to propose to ME. I said yes, of course, because Daddy didn’t raise no fool, and when you find love you need to hold on to it with both hands. Like a steering wheel. See, I can fit racing in if need be . . .
You’re all invited to the wedding. Not.
I’ll write from Bora Bora unless I’m otherwise occupied.
 
 
Kisses,
Tuesday Talladega
 
Turn the page for a special preview of
Erin McCarthy’s next Fast Track Novel
Coming summer 2012 from Berkley Sensation!
 
 
NOLAN
Ford wasn’t listening to Eve Monroe as she chewed him out. It wasn’t that he was trying to be disrespectful, but Lord, the woman could start an argument in an empty house.
Besides, the top button on her blouse was straining, and each time she lifted her arm and waved it around, he held his breath, waiting for it to pop. He’d had something of a crush on Eve for years, always aware when she was around the track or the garage, stomping around in her heels and severe office clothes. She thought no one noticed that she was a woman, and seemed to work damn hard to make sure it stayed that way, but Nolan had always noticed.
Eve was hot. Full-on, smokin’, jalapeño pepper hot. From that lustrous deep brown hair with a hint of red, to her gold-flecked eyes, down past an amazing chest, to slim legs and a perky behind, she was all that and a bag of chips, in his opinion.
“I mean, seriously, I don’t care what kind of underwear you wear, just wear some!” she said, making a sound of frustration. “I mean, really, let’s show a little decorum.”
Nolan fought the urge to grin. She looked so serious when talking about his underwear. Or lack thereof. But he knew if he so much as curved the corner of his mouth up, her head would blow off her shoulders. Eve was not happy about the little incident during the race the other day. “Well, ma’am, it’s hot in those crew suits. Some particular parts need air circulation.”
She drew in a deep breath, obviously struggling for control, but it only made her blouse pull tighter. Nolan stared in fascination as the button slipped halfway through the hole. If that thing gave, he was going to see her bra. He wasn’t sure he was capable of not getting a hard-on if that happened.
And since he wasn’t wearing any underwear today either, she would probably notice.
“Stick a bag of frozen peas in your drawers. Just wear them.” Her hands went up to rake her hair back off her head. “Don’t pretend you don’t understand that this is a big deal. You have been in the business for years. Sponsors want a friendly, wholesome image for the sport their name is attached to. As do the team owners, and the powers that be in stock car racing. When a jackman goes over the wall and rips his suit, the whole world doesn’t need to see his back end.”
Nolan had to agree with that. He certainly hadn’t intended to tear the seat of his pants going over the wall into pit road when Evan’s car had stopped for a tire change. Or for his ass to end up on YouTube. But it had. So what were you going to do about it? That was his philosophy in life—don’t sweat the small stuff. Or bare butts.
“I do understand, Eve. I’m proud to be a member of Evan’s crew and I take my job seriously. It was an accident. I believe they even have a term for that—wardrobe malfunction.”
She started talking. He stopped listening again. As her arms waved, the button gave up the good fight and parted ways with the hole it had been in. Her blouse sprung apart. He was assaulted with the sight of lots of pale, creamy flesh bursting out of a hot pink bra, the cleavage high and perky. It was a gorgeous surprise, all that breast she’d been hiding under her crisp tailored shirts.
But then that was what he thought of Eve in general—that she was hiding a whole lot of woman under the attitude. It was a thought that had intrigued him more than once as he’d seen her typing furiously on her smart phone, clipboard in hand. What would it be like to see every inch of her naked body, to get her to totally come undone . . .
“That’s just an excuse,” she was saying. “Wardrobe malfunction. Give me a break. Are you even listening to me?”
Nolan nodded. “They do happen, you know,” he drawled, really savoring the moment of triumph. Forcing his eyes off her chest, he let his grin win out. “You seem to have one happening right now.”
He pointed to her blouse, wide open and catching the breeze.
She glanced down and turned as pink as the lace bra she was wearing.
“I think they call that tit for tat,” he told her.”
FROM USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
ERIN McCARTHY
THE CHASE
 
A Fast Track Novel
 
When racing for the checkered flag . . .
 
Kendall Holbrook is determined to make it to the top, even with the challenge of being a woman in the maledominated racing circuit. She doesn’t have time for romance—especially not with racing rival Evan Monroe, the man who nearly crushed her dream years ago. Forced into meeting up with him, Kendall is experiencing all those old feelings again—and she can’t deny that they still have more than enough chemistry to set fire to the track.
 
... expect a few speed bumps.
 
After getting dropped by his biggest sponsor, Evan is watching his racing season go up in flames. The only replacement available is completely humiliating: a cosponsorship for his-and-her deodorant with Kendall Holbrook—the girl who once broke his heart. Acting like Kendall doesn’t still get him all hot and bothered is bad enough, but the biggest challenge awaits him on the track—where Evan has to decide if a second chance at love is more important than making it to the finish line . . .
 
 
THE FAST TRACK NOVELS
 
SLOW RIDE
THE CHASE
HOT FINISH
HARD AND FAST
FLAT-OUT SEXY
 
PRAISE FOR THE FAST TRACK NOVELS
 
“Witty, charming, and incredibly sexy.”
—The Romance Readers Connection
“Steamy...Fast paced and red-hot.”
—Publishers Weekly
 
 
 
 
Titles by Erin McCarthy
 
A DATE WITH THE OTHER SIDE
HEIRESS FOR HIRE
 
The Fast Track Series
FLAT-OUT SEXY
HARD AND FAST
HOT FINISH
THE CHASE
SLOW RIDE
 
The Vegas Vampires Series
HIGH STAKES
BIT THE JACKPOT
BLED DRY
SUCKER BET
 
The Deadly Sins Series
MY IMMORTAL
FALLEN
THE TAKING
 
Anthologies
 
THE NAKED TRUTH
(with Donna Kauffman, Beverly Brandt, and Alesia Holliday)
 
AN ENCHANTED SEASON
(with Maggie Shayne, Nalini Singh, and Jean Johnson)
 
THE POWER OF LOVE
(with Lori Foster, Toni Blake, Dianne Castell, Karen Kelley,
Rosemary Laurey, Janice Maynard, LuAnn McLane, Lucy Monroe,
Patricia Sargeant, Kay Stockham, and J. C. Wilder)
 
FIRST BLOOD
(with Susan Sizemore, Chris Marie Green, and Meljean Brook)

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