The Chase (27 page)
“I love you, too.”
No words had ever sounded sweeter to him. Evan moved his hand farther up her leg, caressing the inside of her thigh. “So no regrets? I could propose to you now if you want, just so we’re even.” He did worry about that. Didn’t every woman want some crazy-ass romantic marriage proposal?
She laughed, reaching out and undoing the top button on his shirt. “Nah, I’m good. But maybe someday you can serenade me.”
“Serenade you?” Evan brushed his thumb over the fabric of her panties, finally having made his way all the way up her leg. With her own fingers teasing over his second button, he had to admit, he was losing the thread of their conversation. “What does that mean?”
Kendall kissed the inside of his neck. “You know, like sing to me. In public. Where other people can hear you.”
Shifting under the satin of her panties, Evan teased through her soft curls into the moisture waiting for him. He loved the sound of her breath hitching. “So you want me to make an ass out of myself for you?”
“No. It’s romantic. A public display of affection.” Kendall undid his second shirt button and moved on to the third.
“A kiss is a display of affection. Off-key singing is not.”
“You asked what I wanted.”
She had him there. “Okay. Duly noted. But what do you want right now?”
“What do I want right now? Hmm. I think you can figure it out.” Kendall’s eyes were drifting closed, her fingers slowing on his shirt button.
Evan kissed her soft, pert mouth. His wife. She was his wife, and it made every touch, every kiss that much more exciting. “This? Is this what you want?”
She sighed. “Yes. That. Among other things.”
“Like this?” Evan moved down her chin to her neck and kissed the soft skin there.
“Hmm.”
“No?” God, he really was in love. Every inch of her body, every sound she made, gave him intense, deep satisfaction. She smelled like the crisp spring air and the light floral perfume she always wore. She smelled like his.
“That’s nice. Not quite what I had in mind though.” Kendall guided his head down to her chest.
Evan grinned at her take charge approach. Yet another thing he loved about her. “What am I supposed to do here?” he teased her.
“Shut up and suck me. Please.”
“Since you asked so nicely.” Evan reached behind her and undid the zipper on her dress. When he slid the fabric off her shoulders and down over her bare breasts, it was a happy discovery to find she wasn’t wearing a bra.
They were amazing breasts, as Trevor the makeup guy had agreed. Evan leaned over and drew one tight pink nipple into his mouth, laving his tongue across her flesh.
Kendall buried her fingers in her husband’s hair and let her head fall back as he sucked on first one nipple and then the other. Her husband. It had such an amazing sound to it.
As he teased one finger between her thighs and flicked his tongue over her breasts, Kendall felt her heart rate jump at both his touch and the emotional overload of knowing she and Evan were married.
Suddenly, she wanted to have sex with her husband. She wanted him inside her, no teasing, no lengthy foreplay, just him in her body, joined with her. Lying back, she pulled him down on top of her and reached for the zipper on his pants.
When he started to go down between her legs, his intention to lick her clear, Kendall grabbed his head and pulled him up. “I want you inside me,” she said, staring up at him, losing herself in his eyes as they went dark with desire and tenderness.
She expected him to argue or comment or tease her, but Evan just shucked his pants with lightning speed, his eyes never leaving hers. Her throat tightened, her body arched towards him, and goose bumps rose all over her flesh.
Evan shoved the bottom of her dress out of the way, and then he was inside her, his face a mixture of awe, ecstasy, determination. Kendall dug her fingers into his back and held on, her body singing with pleasure, her heart open and vulnerable. This connection, this trust, amazed her. She hadn’t experienced love and pleasure all swirled together like this since she’d been eighteen and she had discovered her sexuality with Evan.
Now he was her husband and now she was going to have an orgasm.
Forcing herself to keep her eyes open so she could continue to see him, so he could see her, Kendall flexed her inner muscles on him. When she was certain he was going to come, a moan escaping his mouth, Kendall let herself fall over the edge.
They came together, eyes locked, and bodies entwined.
As husband and wife.
No orgasm had ever felt quite so satisfying.
“SO,”
Kendall said to Evan as he sat up sleepily in bed, after giving her a good morning kiss. “I guess I need to call my folks.”
Kendall said to Evan as he sat up sleepily in bed, after giving her a good morning kiss. “I guess I need to call my folks.”
He ran his hand over his head. “That would be a good idea, Jay. It wouldn’t be cool if they found out from someone else.”
“I don’t want to.” She knew her parents were going to be hurt. But they had hurt her, and she wasn’t particularly good at discussing those kinds of feelings with anyone, especially not with her parents. It seemed the more she cared, the less she was able to express her emotions.
“Babe.” Evan reached over and drew his finger across her lip. “They love you. They want you happy. You can’t just shut out the people you love when something bad gets tossed your way.”
She made a face. “You’re right, you’re totally right.”
“You know, we both have ‘patterns.’ ” Evan gave air quotes and rolled his eyes to indicate what he thought of the term. “I tend to just react to life and the people around me. I don’t initiate anything. So maybe this is a good time for both of us to set those patterns behind us and move forward in life, you know?”
Kendall thought her husband was both cute and smart. “I think you make a lot of sense, Monroe. Okay, I’ll call my parents.”
He leaned over and kissed her again. “You do that. I’ll jump in the shower.”
“Can I watch?”
“After your phone call.” Evan ambled into the bathroom, his bare butt dragging a sigh from Kendall.
She was satiated and sore, but damned if she didn’t want another piece of that. Forcing her mind out of the gutter, she called her mother, lying on her back in bed still.
“Kendall? Why on earth are you calling so early? Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s great. I eloped last night. Evan Monroe and I are married.”
There was a pause that stretched out so long, Kendall counted five blinks of the red light on the ceiling smoke detector. “Mom?”
“I’m sorry, I think I went into shock. You’re married? To Evan? Where? How?”
“Last night at the courthouse at midnight. Just me and him.” She crossed her fingers behind her back. That was almost the truth. “I’m really happy, Mom. I hope you’ll be happy for me.”
“Well, of course I’m happy. Marriage is a good thing for you, it will help settle you down.”
She would not let her mother spoil her mood at all. “I’ll call you later, Mom, but I wanted to let you know before the news picks up on it. I love you and Dad. Talk to you soon.”
After she hung up, she wondered if giving her mom the bum’s rush qualified as shutting her out. Kendall didn’t think so.
She dialed a second, more desirable number.
“What the effing time is it?” Tuesday asked, her voice cranky and gravelly.
“I have an exclusive for you,” Kendall told Tuesday. “And it’s a good one. You’ll be glad I woke you up at seven A.M.”
“Oh, yeah? Is someone changing teams?” Tuesday’s sleepy voice perked up. “Coffee. I need coffee.”
“No, no one switched teams. But rookie driver Kendall Holbrook and teammate Evan Monroe got married last night right here in Mooresville.” Kendall lounged on the bed in her sleep shirt, the sound of Evan’s shower soothing to her ears.
There was stunned silence, then Tuesday said, “I don’t need the coffee anymore. Are you kidding me?”
She grinned in the empty room. “Not kidding. I’m married, can you believe it?”
“No, I can’t . . . my God. Wow. Congratulations! How did this happen?”
“I asked him. He said yes. We did it.”
“Just like that? Girl, I didn’t think you had it in you.” Tuesday’s voice was admiring. “And you asked him? Wow.”
“You said that already.” Kendall held up her left hand and admired her ring in the morning light. “I give you permission to post this information as soon as you’d like. I would do it before someone tattles. Only the courthouse clerk, the minister, and the photographer know about it, but someone always tells a friend, who tells a friend.”
“I’m on it. I’ll have it out there within the hour. Your phone will be ringing off the hook.”
“We talked about it. We’re planning to do a press conference and photo shoot tomorrow. Today is just for relaxing.”
“Yeah, I bet that’s what you’re doing.”
She laughed. Tuesday definitely had the right of it. Kendall was planning on making the most of their limited remaining time. “This is my honeymoon, after all.”
“Where are you?”
“The Hilton.”
“That’s your honeymoon? Make that man take you to Bora Bora.”
“Sure, in about six months. Until then, we have to work.”
“This is when I’m glad I’m me, and you’re you. I can’t be that disciplined. I’m too impulsive.”
“I’m more impulsive than I thought.”
“Apparently.” Tuesday’s voice softened. “You know I’m really happy for you. I know you must really love him.”
“I do.” Kendall sighed, feeling very content.
“So give me details. Who was there, anyone?”
“Just Elec and Tamara Monroe. The ceremony took place at midnight. And if you’re really nice to me, I’ll send you one of the pictures.”
“I’m not going to say no to that. But you know you could sell those shots.”
“Who wants to pay for our wedding pictures?”
“Ask your PR person. Plenty of media outlets. You could donate the money to charity.”
That held a certain appeal. But it also was another responsibility she didn’t want to think about at the moment. The shower cut off. “Alright, I’ll talk to my people. But go ahead with your story.”
“Awesome, thanks, babe. Maybe we can grab a cocktail in a day or two and you can gush about your new husband to me for an hour.”
She laughed. “Sounds fabulous.”
They said their good-byes and Kendall hung up right as Evan strolled back into the room, hair wet and chest still damp from his shower, the towel around his middle nice and low on his hips. “Who were you talking to? Didn’t sound like your parents.”
“Tuesday.”
“Yeah? What did she have to say?”
“I don’t care.” Kendall sat up in bed and reached for his towel. “At the moment all I care about is you.”
He dropped his towel. “Do you care if I’m naked?”
“Even better.”
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
SEVENTEEN
BREAKING NEWS
from Tuesday Talladega
Exclusive sources inform me that Kendall Holbrook, the female rookie driver burning up the cup series this season has just up and MARRIED Evan Monroe. You heard me, people. Married. A secret ceremony at midnight last night right here in Mooresville. Hell has frozen over and pigs have flown because the driver who swore he would never “put a ring on it” has done just that, achieving a first in stock car racing. Two cup competitors are married to each other. Eat your heart out, ladies, because for the number 42 car hottie his personal chase is over . . .
Let’s hope a little home lovin’ fixes whatever has been ailing him on the track. Screw the honeymoon. Give the fans a win at Phoenix on Sunday and we’ll forgive the both of you for having the nerve to fall in love behind our backs . . .
KENDALL
still felt sleepy and rumpled and the most sexually satisfied she’d ever been in her life, and the last thing in the world she felt like doing was greeting the first day of her marriage by having a meeting with Carl, but it was necessary.
still felt sleepy and rumpled and the most sexually satisfied she’d ever been in her life, and the last thing in the world she felt like doing was greeting the first day of her marriage by having a meeting with Carl, but it was necessary.
Smoothing her hair down again, she cleared her throat and steeled her back. Knocking on his door, she didn’t wait for a response before walking in.
“Kendall, good morning. What can I do for you? I was surprised to hear from you so early today.”
Ignoring the feeling in the pit of her stomach, Kendall said, “I just wanted to let you know, before you found out from someone else, that Evan and I got married last night.”
The team owner’s eyebrows shot straight up to his hairline and his smile disappeared. “Excuse me?”
“I realize this is a bit unexpected, but we’re very happy and would appreciate your support.”
Her heart was thumping hard, but she stood her ground.
Carl stared at her, the pause growing uncomfortable, but Kendall refused to pander.
“I told Evan this could have disastrous consequences for his career,” he said finally. “I’m not concerned about you, but him? That’s another story. He’s risking a lot.”
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