Текст книги "Hard to Break"

Автор книги: Bella Jewel

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“Maybe,” I whisper.

“You want me to come undone for you?”

“Yes,” I rasp.

He unclasps my coveralls, letting them drop. Then he reaches around me and cups my sex. “You’re so fucking wet, baby. Tell me what made you so turned on?”

I swallow.

“It was you … racing.”

“My girl likes me behind the wheel?”

I nod as his finger rubs over the silk of my panties.

“So slick,” he rasps. “It makes me hard to know how turned on you are.”

The flash of a car light hits us, and Tazen quickly opens the car door and shoves me inside. He climbs in after me just as the line of cars starts retreating from the racing grounds. Tazen doesn’t seem worried about them, because he doesn’t stop. He slides my seat back and then pulls me onto his lap.

“How do you want me to fuck you?”

“Just like this,” I pant.

He grins and reaches down between us, unbuckling his belt. He pulls his cock out. He hands me a condom and I lean back to roll it over his impressive length. While I’m doing this, he captures the back of my head in his hand and pulls me down, kissing me fiercely. I kiss him back and the frenzy takes over. I rise up when I have the condom rolled down. I pull my panties aside enough to let him in and then I sink down.

We both moan in delight.

My sex stretches around him as I begin rotating my hips in little figure eight patterns. I reach up, tangling my fingers into his hair and giving him a good, hard tug. He hisses and his fingers curl into my hips. “Fuck me good and hard, Quinn.”

“I plan to,” I pant.

I rise up and then sink back down onto him. I start slow, using deep, long strokes. Then I’m fucking him harder and shorter, desperate and hungry. My nails scrape along his scalp as my head falls back. He is making animalistic noises and driving his hips up to meet my thrusts. He leans forward, capturing my neck in his mouth and sucking long and hard. I hiss at the pain.

“Tazen,” I groan as pleasure begins deep in my core and starts venturing out.

“Yes,” he grunts against my skin. “Fuck yes.”

I ride him hard and deep, pressing my breasts into his chest, loving the feeling of his fingers against my flesh. His lips are moving over the skin around my neck and shoulders. I whimper and arch towards him as pleasure reaches its breaking point. Then I let go, coming so hard around him that my nails drive into the flesh of his head. He moans, a mix of pain and pleasure, and then he’s coming right along with me.

The car doors are steamed up and we’re both crying out, no holding back. I like the way we sound together. I like the passion that is ripped out of us when we’re together. There’s an intensity that so many people don’t have. Tazen and I, we have it. It’s there and it’s deep. I wonder if he feels it as deeply as I do? I press my forehead against his as I come down from an amazing high. I ease up on his head and run my hands down until they’re resting on his shoulders.

“Fuck,” he murmurs. “I think it’s hot, then it gets fucking hotter.”

I smile against his flesh. “Of course it does, you’re with me.”

He chuckles and then leans back, looking at me. His face is serious, but not angry. “I’m sorry, angel. I was a fucking dick and it wasn’t the right thing to do. I should have known better than to think I was protecting you. I wasn’t. Sheyenne is fucked up, but you’re right, we have to stop playing the game—I just need time to figure out how the hell to do that.”

It doesn’t take away the hurt, but him saying sorry means something to me, so I’m not going to be a bitch about it.

“It’s forgiven and I trust you, Tazen. I just don’t want to see her destroy anything else you’ve made.”

He’s silent for a minute. His fingers go up and run through my hair, slowly untangling it and trailing it down my back.

“You really want to keep the car?” he asks.

I nod, loving how my skin feels as his fingers lightly glide over my hair and back.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. “Something that beautiful should be cherished.”

“Means a lot to me, that you feel that way about my cars.”

“So you raced?” I whisper.

He nods and I meet his gaze.

“For how long?”

He shrugs. “About two years. I loved it. I was building the cars, Sheyenne and I were together and she introduced me to it. Not only was I getting to build the car, I was driving it. I loved racing, but I love my cars more. I had to pick and when things went south with Sheyenne, I knew I had to give the racing up. I also knew it was risky for my business.”

“And you were selling them illegally … that’s dangerous, Tazen.”

He’s quiet for a minute. “Yeah, I know that. I made a mistake doing that, but sadly I’ve sold a fuck load to illegal races and sketchy people.”

I sigh. “That’s such a risk, Tazen.”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m trying to pull away from it. It won’t be easy but I am doing my best.”

I press my cheek to his cheek. “I understand why you love it. I felt it out there, the adrenaline. It was amazing.”

“It is,” he says fondly. “But it’s also distracting and dangerous.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “I think I see that.”

More silence.

“Did Sheyenne really try and run you over?”

He bursts out laughing, his body shaking against mine. “Yeah, baby, she did.”

I frown. “That’s not okay.”

He laughs harder. “No, I think you’re right about that.”

“Do you … think something is wrong with her?”

He stops laughing and his arm tightens around me. “I…” He hesitates. “Yeah, I do. I don’t know what, but there’s more than just mood swings going on. She refuses to get help, she thinks we’re all crazy.”

“Why didn’t you just cut ties when you broke it off with her? Do you…”

He squeezes me tighter. “No, I don’t love her. I never loved her. I was infatuated with her, she intrigued me, but I was never at that point.”

“Have you ever been at that point?”

He’s silent for a while. “Yeah.”

My heart twists and I swallow down my jealousy. I hate knowing there was a woman out there that had Tazen’s heart. It’s a beautiful heart to have, and I’m curious about what kind of girl managed to capture it.

“Oh, when was that?”

His silence stretches long, I wonder if it’s a story he doesn’t want to share. I’m not one to push, but I do hope he tells me. When he opens his mouth and answers, my entire world, which was in so many pieces, starts fusing back together. All with one, single word.

“Now.”

Now.

Now.

He has gone past that point … now.

With me.

Oh God.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Tazen and I part ways at the track, both of us slightly shaken by his words. He basically admitted he’s falling in love with me, and I said nothing. I just sat there, tucked up in his lap, completely speechless. I think he took it wrong, because he told me quickly that he had to go, kissed me and left. I curse myself that I didn’t say something, but I honestly didn’t know what to say.

I feel the same, there’s no doubt about that, but … my life is so complicated. His is exactly where he wants it to be. I’m not sure us being so serious is going to work. He doesn’t know about my life. He hasn’t met my father. Jesus, we haven’t even spent a full night together. Sure, we’ve been together every day now for months, working and taunting, but that’s all there has been. I … want more.

I want to know who Tazen Watts is.

Where is his family?

Is he close to them?

Where did he grow up?

There are so many unanswered questions that need to come before the confession of love. I need to explain that to him, but instead I sat there speechless, making him feel like I didn’t want it. I decide I can’t let him go to sleep tonight, thinking he’s made a mistake with me. I pull out my phone and text him, just as I arrive at home.

Q—What’s your address? It’s important.

I get out of my car and check on Dad before making my next move. He’s watching something on television, his eyes drooping, his bottle of alcohol tipping all over the sofa. Grinding my teeth, I walk in and pick it up. I take it to the kitchen and toss it in the bin, then I clean up the soggy mess on the couch. Dad is out of it now, so I just push him down and cover him with a blanket.

This is getting tiring.

My phone buzzes just as I get out of the shower. I get dressed in a pair of soft leggings and a tank. Then I throw a hoodie on and lift my phone.

T—Something wrong?

Q—No. I need to see you, Taz. Tell me your address.

T—Okay baby.

He sends his address a minute later and I’m relieved he doesn’t sound angry. I check on Dad again before heading out to my car and driving over to Tazen’s place. When I arrive, I stop in the driveway and look to my left and then to my right. He … lives here? My jaw goes slack when I see his car in the drive. Yes, he lives here. In this … mansion.

I stare up at the three-story cream-colored house. It seems to go on forever. It has a triple garage, a double front door and a porch that is amazing. It wraps right around the base, and it’s at least ten feet wide. I suddenly wonder if I should be here. I live in a cheap two-bedroom shack, and he lives in a mansion. I never felt we were opposites until this very moment.

My heart sinks.

But I get out of the car. I walk up the stone path to the front door. I knock softly on the door, trying to swallow down the pain rising in my chest as I take it all in. A moment later, the front door opens and Tazen is standing there, wearing nothing but a pair of sweats. They sit low on his hips, showing his gorgeous body off. I meet his eyes and they’re soft, but weary. He wants to know why I’m here, I can tell.

“Ah, hey,” I say gently.

“Hey, angel.”

I look past him, then say, “You live here?”

He nods, studying the weariness on my face. “Yeah, you don’t like it?”

Like it? I’ve never seen something so incredible in all my life, but I also know it’s not something I’ll ever have, so it makes me feel uncomfortable. He steps back and pushes the door open. I step in and glance around at the first story of the massive home. The floors are a grey tile, shiny and polished. The furniture ranges from leather creams to blacks. All of it immaculate.

The house is utter perfection. And I’ve never felt so out of my league.

“Quinn?”

I jerk and turn to Tazen. “Ah, I…”

He steps forward, kicking the door closed behind him. He reaches out, cupping my cheek in his hand. He studies my face for a long time, then murmurs quietly. “What’s going on in that head, baby?”

I close my eyes, turning my head towards his palm. I nuzzle him and breathe him in, then I look up and meet his eyes. “I’ve never been somewhere so beautiful, Tazen. I’ve never had…” I let my eyes travel around the room then go back to him. “Anything like this in my life.”

“It makes you uneasy.”

It’s not a question. It’s a fact.

I nod.

“Come on, I know how to make this more … comfortable.”

He drops my cheek and takes my hand, leading me towards a dark grey door near the massive kitchen. He opens it and steps in, then he flicks the light on. A massive, and I mean massive, garage comes into view. It has polished floors, top of the line equipment and the lights are so bright it lights up like a showroom floor. I gasp and let go of his hand, stepping in further.

“Tazen,” I breathe, looking around.

He has three cars in there, one of them is the beautiful car Sheyenne destroyed on the track tonight. He brought it back for me. The other two are red and white racing cars, but they aren’t a classic style. They look like Formula One cars. I wonder if they’re private projects, because I haven’t seen them before. “Those two cars, who are they for?”

He leads me over to them and up close they’re even more impressive.

“They got shipped over yesterday from my other garage. We had them built for the F1 racers.”

I thought so. Impressive.

“They’re … so…”

“Fucking incredible.”

I nod, squatting down and getting up close to the powerful machines.

“These were the first I’ve built in their class. It was a good challenge.”

“Do you build at home?” I ask, moving to the impressive engines.

“Yeah, on the side I’ve done a few jobs.”

“Have you ever built one you just want to keep?”

He shrugs and squats down beside me. “Plenty, but I’ve always parted with it in the end. One day I’ll build one I’ll keep.”

I stand and walk over to the car Sheyenne was driving. I stare down at the beauty and hate that she destroyed such a beautiful creation.

“Don’t give her another car, Tazen.”

He’s quiet for a second, and I hope I haven’t offended him. I turn and look at him, to him studying me with a passion in his eyes I have seen in my own before.

“I’ve wanted to meet someone my entire life that looks at my cars the way I do.” He steps closer. “The way you gave it to Sheyenne tonight, the way you stood up for my work … I realized that someone is you, Quinn.”

Oh God.

I open my mouth to speak but he keeps going.

“You have a fire that matches my own and a passion that runs deep. You made me understand that I don’t have to do anything for anyone else, if it isn’t what I want. That’s why after you left tonight, I rung Murray and told them I’d no longer be supplying Sheyenne with cars.”

He did?

“You did?” I whisper.

He nods. “I put my heart and soul into those cars, and I am tired of seeing them go to waste.”

“But … she could destroy you with what she knows?”

He sighs, and there’s definite fear in his eyes. “I know that, it’s why I told Murray I would pay him and her to shut her up.”

“You did?” I gasp.

He nods.

“And will he?”

He shrugs. “He said it seemed like a fair deal, but I get a strong feeling he is at his wit’s end with her, and is considering taking the money and cutting all ties. I don’t know if he will do that, but if he does I still have Sheyenne on my back, and I don’t know how to flick her off. The only thing I can hope is that if Murray has had enough, that he might consider helping me.”

“Tazen…” I say, twisting my hands together nervously. “This is risky.”

He nods. “Oh fuck yeah. It’s far from over, too. Sheyenne won’t be happy, but I have a feeling Murray might try to keep her from spilling. After all, I know a shit load about him and he knows it. Still, Sheyenne is uncontrollable, she could bring this down for everyone.”

“And I don’t imagine Sheyenne is the type to let up easily.”

“No,” he says distractedly. “Listen, Quinn, can you just tell me what you came here to say?”

I blink at him and then nod weakly.

Then I take a deep breath.

“You said something to me tonight that threw me. It threw me not because I don’t feel it back, because Tazen,” I meet his eyes, “I do. It was just that we’ve had such a hectic time from start to now and I honestly don’t feel like we know each other. Then tonight … I came here and I realize how different our lives are.”

“That doesn’t matter, angel,” he says, stepping closer. “These things are just money, they’re not me.”

“But you haven’t seen what I live like, Tazen. We’re from different sides of the tracks.”

He studies me. “We might not be as different as you think.”

I narrow my eyes and study him. “You have money, and you live in a place like this. I couldn’t even keep my garage open and I can tell you right now my entire house is as big as this garage.”

“Quinn,” he says, reaching out and hooking me around the waist. “I have all of this, but I haven’t had it my entire life.”

“Maybe, but I worry we’re just too different.”

“And yet,” he says running his finger down my cheek. “We’re so very similar.”

He’s right about that too, I can’t deny it.

“Tazen,” I whisper.

“Baby, give me a chance. Do you think it honestly matters to me if you have nothing?”

No, I don’t honestly think that.

“No.”

“Does it matter to you that I do?”

“I’m not … sure.”

“Then it’s something we’ll explore, but right now I just want you to give me a chance. I’ve had a crazy life, I’ve had a lot of girls, I’ve had a successful career but fuck, angel, I’ve never had you.”

Dammit.

I bite my bottom lip and look up at him.

“You want to know something about me, then all you have to do is ask.”

“Really?” I whisper.

“Fuck yeah.”

I give him a small smile. “Then can I ask?”

He grins. “Yeah. Come on, we’ll get a drink and then we’re getting in the tub. You can ask as many questions as you want.”

My body roars to life and I shudder. In the tub with Tazen … yes please. I let him lead me inside again, where he grabs a couple of beers. Then he leads me up the stairs. The second story has a mass of bedrooms, at least I think that’s what is behind the closed doors. We go right to the end of the polished hall, and through a big wooden door.

I stop dead when I see the size of Tazen’s bedroom.

Oh. Jesus.

It’s bigger than my house and probably the neighbor’s house. Sitting in the middle of the room is a massive bed, that couldn’t even be classed as a king size, because it’s way bigger. To the left is a plush lounge suite and to the right are big floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s a massive open bathroom that steps down from the main floor. It has a shower, a double vanity and a huge spa bath.

“This is … your room?” I breathe.

“Yeah.”

He takes me down the two steps to the open bathroom. He lets me go to start the bath. He pours something that smells amazing into it and then turns to me. He steps forward, his eyes suddenly lusty, and he takes hold of my hoodie. He raises it up and I let my arms up so he can slip it over my head. Then he takes my tank and does the same. I’m standing in a bra and leggings now, and he steps back and his eyes slowly travel over my body.

“Fuck you’re beautiful.”

Those words go right to my heart and it swells.

“So are you,” I whisper.

His eyes flash to mine, and their chocolate brown depths seem darker tonight. I think lust does that to them. He reaches around me, pressing his lips to mine as he unclips my bra. I whimper when he steps back and my breasts fall free. He takes one in his hand, tossing my bra with the other. He cups it and then leans down, capturing my nipple in his mouth. I gasp and clutch his biceps. He sucks each of them, then he removes his mouth and kneels down before me.

He takes my leggings and slides them down my hips, making sure my panties go with them. When I’m naked before him, he cups my sex. Then he slides his hand between my legs and rasps, “Spread.”

I do as he asks, spreading my legs a little. He curls his hand around my calf and then he lifts my foot and places it on his shoulder. My cheeks burn at the position he’s put me in, and I’m about to protest when he leans forward and puts his mouth between my legs. All my thoughts fly out the door as sensation quickly takes over once more. I gasp and reach backwards to hold onto the vanity as he devours my pussy.

“Tazen,” I gasp. “Yes.”

He sucks and licks, doing nothing but those two things, until I’m wound up so tight I’m ready to explode. My knee is shaking and struggling to hold my body weight with the other foot off the floor. My fingers are curling into the counter and my head is tilted back. Tazen puts his teeth over my clit and rolls it, and I explode. A scream is ripped from my throat as the most amazing orgasm takes over my body.

Before I’ve even come down from my high, Tazen has my foot back on the ground and is standing, jerking his pants down. “Pill, Quinn?” he grinds out. “You on it?”

“Y-y-y-yes,” I gasp as he spins me around and presses my body over the vanity.

“You clean?”

“Y-y-y-y-yes. Are you?”

“Yeah, got tested. You want to see?”

I believe him.

“No.”

“Thank fuck, ’coz baby, I’m going in bare.”

He puts his hand to the middle of my back and pushes me gently forward. I can see us both in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed and my dark hair is falling around my face. My breasts are full and my nipples are hard pebbles. Tazen’s eyes are nearly black with lust. We look … beautiful together. Tazen reaches between us and takes his cock, then he pushes inside me.

I gasp, he grunts and then he starts fucking me.

The cold porcelain is pressed against my belly, but I hardly notice as sensations begin sparking to life inside me again. My clit is swollen from Tazen’s last encounter with it, so everything is super sensitive.

“Look at us in the mirror,” Tazen orders.

I lift my head and look into the mirror. I like what I see. Tazen’s jaw is hard and his body is wound up tight. His eyes are flashing with pleasure. My eyes look exactly the same, only my cheeks are now a perfect pink and my lips are parted in pleasure. Tazen reaches forward and takes a handful of my hair, tilting my head back slightly. Seeing him do that in the mirror has my pussy clenching around him.

“Fuck you feel good bare,” he grinds out. “So sweet, so warm, so fucking tight.”

“Yes,” I pant.

“Tell me how hard you want it, angel? Tell me how hard you want me to fuck you.”

“Hard, honey,” I cry out. “Hard.”

He picks up the pace, fucking me hard and deep. I close my eyes and let my head fall back, loving the tingle in my scalp as he pulls my hair a little harder. I come before him, because I’m so wound up already. I yell his name as my orgasm explodes through me. Tazen hisses my name and then I watch in the mirror as he throws his head back and pleasure overtakes him, too. His thrusts slow down and I watch as he meets my eyes in the mirror again.

“Fuck,” he breathes.

“Yeah,” I agree.

He pulls out of me gently, and then helps me stand straight. “You okay?”

I nod.

He turns us both towards the spa bath that is now full. He turns the water off and then holds my hand as I step in. It’s the perfect temperature. Not too hot, but not too cool either. I sink in with a moan, loving how it feels to have the warm water surrounding me. My muscles thank me for it as I instantly relax. Tazen climbs in beside me and then scoots over so he’s sitting across from me.

“Good?” he asks.

“The fucking or the bath?”

He chuckles. “Both.”

I grin. “Then yes, good.”

He leans back, his chest muscles bunching as the water slides over them. He holds his breath and then ducks under the water. When he comes back up, his hair is hanging over his face and he looks so damned good. I do the same and when I come up, he’s giving me the same expression. Maybe we are more alike than I think. Time to find out.

“So, do I get to ask you anything I want?”

He shrugs. “Nothing to hide, angel.”

“Okay. Where did you grow up?”

“L.A.”

I snort. “Well, don’t get into great depth, will you.”

He grins. “Is there much more depth to get into? Did you want the color of my house, street name and dog’s name?”

I roll my eyes at him. “Smart ass.”

“You took us there, baby.”

I laugh. “Fine. What about your family? Do you have siblings?”

“My mom is awesome, she’s still kicking and is married to an awesome dude that isn’t my dad. They live in L.A. My dad is a piece of shit, and that’s all you want to know about him. I have a sister, Retro and a brother, Kellian.”

I blink.

“Your sister’s name is Retro?”

He snorts. “Retina, but we call her Retro. It suits her.”

“And your brother is Kellian?”

He nods. “Yep.”

“And you’re Tazen.”

He laughs. “Yeah, baby.”

I shake my head. “Your mom wanted to be different then?”

He nods, with a half grin. “Yeah, you could say that.”

“So how old are Retro and Kellian?”

“Retro is thirty-one, and Kell is twenty-five.”

“So you’re the middle child.”

He scrunches his face up. “Yep.”

“Poor baby,” I tease.

“What about you? What’s your family like?”

No.

We’re still discussing him.

“No you don’t, we’re not done talking about you.”

“All right,” he says, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Did you study?”

“Nope. Cars was it for me.”

I nod. “Fair enough. What about girlfriends, aside from Sheyenne? Have you had any long term?”

He nods. “Two. One when I was sixteen. I was with her for three years. Then I was with another for a year, when I was around twenty-one. Then there was Sheyenne.”

“So how come none of them worked out?”

He doesn’t seem offended by my questions, and is answering them quite openly, which I like.

“The first was because I was far too young. The second, she wanted to go to another state for school and I had just started my building, so it wasn’t going to work. Sheyenne, you know how that ended.”

“And all the other girls?”

He reaches up and runs a hand through his hair, darting his eyes to the left. He is uncomfortable with this question.

“Well?” I prompt.

“After I got successful, and started going to races and building cars for racing drivers, I got attention. When the TV show was being aired, I got even more. Finding women wasn’t hard, and for a while, it was nice just having the fun and no commitment.”

I swallow but nod. “And there were heaps then?”

“I didn’t count.”

“Right.”

We both fall silent, but it’s me that breaks it. I can’t be angry at him for his women, it’s not like I didn’t know Tazen was a womanizer before he met me.

“Do you ever want to get married?”

He nods. “Yep.”

Wow, that surprises me. He certainly doesn’t seem like the type to want those things.

“You do?” I say with wide eyes.

“I’m not a coldhearted bastard, angel. I have had women, but after a while, I realized just how fucking boring it was only having sex with them. I am all for marrying the right one and building something real.”

Am I the right one?

God, I’d love to be.

“And kids?”

He grins. “Fuck yeah.”

My heart falls a little more in love with him.

“Well, Tazen Watts, you’re proving to be a very interesting topic to discuss.”

His grin gets bigger.

“Okay, let’s go for the hard stuff. What’s your favorite food?”

He laughs and leans forward, grabbing me and sliding me across the tub so I’m between his legs. He turns me around and presses my back to his chest, then he wraps his arms around me. “Definitely pizza.”

“Ugh.”

He pokes my belly button. “You don’t like pizza?”

“Nope. I don’t understand it.”

“You don’t … understand it?”

“Yep,” I say. “It’s a whole heap of ingredients, which separately would be amazing, but together just seems … dumb.”

“It tastes good like that,” he points out.

“No, it doesn’t.”

“Strange woman,” he mumbles.

I laugh. “I never denied it.”

He pinches my breast and I wiggle.

“Do I get questions now?”

“Yep.”

I prepare myself for his questions, because I don’t want to react badly to any of them. Especially when it comes to my dad or the garage.

“Tell me about your family.”

I knew that one would be first. I decide to keep it as simple as possible. I’m not ready for him to know the world I live in just yet. I’m just not prepared to show him what’s deep inside my soul. Because when I do that, it’ll be when I know he’s the one I’ll keep forever. “My dad and mom were childhood sweethearts. They got married, bought the garage and had me. It was awesome until Mom got cancer.”

“Oh baby, I’m sorry.”

I swallow and keep going. “She died and it was just Dad and I after that. It was hard on the both of us, but it was so much worse for him. She was the only thing he breathed for. But we, ah, got through it.”

“It sucks you had to lose someone so special to you.”

“Yeah,” I say softly. “And she was special.”

“You want to tell me about her?”

“She was the best kind of mom. The one who bakes, and sings and acts crazy. She literally was sunshine. So happy and fun. I don’t remember a lot, but I remember that. She was the reason the garage was named Pixie Wheels. She used to call me Pixie when I was a kid, because I was so little.”

Tazen is quiet for a second. “God, I’m sorry we took that down.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I assure him. “I have it now, so that’s all that matters.”

“What about your dad? He obviously kept the garage.”

“Yeah, he did, but he lost interest in it. I spent most of my teenage years working there. I loved it though, so I didn’t mind.”

“Still,” Tazen says carefully. “That must have been hard.”

“It was.”

“So no siblings?”

I shake my head and he wraps an arm around my belly, squeezing me softly. “That sucks.”

“Yeah, I always wanted siblings.”

“Understandable.”

“Aside from that, there really isn’t much to know. I’ve been here my whole life. I had only one boyfriend in my teen years, and the only friends I have are the guys that worked with me. Cars are all I’ve lived and breathed, and I want it to stay that way.”

“One boyfriend?”

I grin, knowing he’d pick that out of what I said. “Just one.”

“Lucky guy.”

I laugh. “Coming from the one sitting behind me.”

“I never said I wasn’t lucky.”

I smile and lean back, putting my head on his shoulder.

“Are we really giving this a shot?” I ask.

“Fuck yeah, we are.”

*   *   *

I stay at Tazen’s that night, and we make love twice more before falling asleep. We also talk for hours. His bed is like heaven, and it’s the nicest thing I’ve ever laid down on. I fall into the soft mattress and plush pillows and drop off in minutes. I don’t move all night. I’m woken the next day with Tazen’s body over mine. He makes love to me for a long, glorious hour and then we shower.

Now I’m sitting in his kitchen, coffee in hand, watching him cook breakfast. While I wait, I glance down at my phone. I have a few missed calls from Lenny, so I quickly give him a call back. “Morning, sweetheart,” he answers.

“Hey, Lenny.”

Tazen turns and then smiles when he sees I’m on the phone.

“Listen, I just went past your place. You’re not there.”

“No, I’m out. Dad should be there, though?”

“He didn’t answer. I knocked a few times.”

I glance over to the clock on the wall. It’s well past 10 a.m. Dad never sleeps that long even after a big night. Maybe he was in the shower? I hope so, but worry is clenching inside my belly. “I’ll give him a call, see if I can find out.”

“Okay, love. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Later.”

I hang up from Lenny and then find Dad’s number. I dial it. No answer. I try the home line. No answer. Panic swells in my chest and something just doesn’t feel right. I turn to Tazen. “Hey, I can’t get hold of my dad. Do you mind if I just run home and check on him?”

He turns and studies me. He can obviously see the panic in my face, because he stops what he’s doing, turns the heat off and then says, “I’ll throw on a shirt and come with you.”

Shit.

Tazen is possibly about to see my dad at his worst. I wonder if I should warn him, but forget about that when Tazen walks out and waves his keys. “Let’s go.”

We rush out and get into his car. It takes us a couple of minutes to get to my place, and we both jump out. Tazen knows where I live, but he’s never experienced the ugliness of the inside. I don’t have time to worry about trying to find a way to stall him, because my dad could be in trouble. I fling the front door open and the stench of vomit hits me hard.