Текст книги "Surge "

Автор книги: Sloan Storm

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Surge

Fastlane Series

(Book #1)

By Sloan Storm

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

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The Next Release in the Series

October 28, 2015 – Thrust (Fastlane Series: Book #2)

AVA

It wasn’t the first time I’d seen a man’s bare ass first thing in the morning.

But one that… perfect?

No.

Never.

With my fingers still wrapped around the door handle, I froze in place, my eyes inappropriately fixed on the man’s partially exposed, lean and muscular backside. Morning sunlight shined on him through the exam room window, casting the shadow of his hard body beneath the thin fabric of the exam gown.

I stood there for a moment too long, temporarily forgetting I was there to do my job. Just then, the man, who had been looking out the window, turned in my direction.

We locked eyes. He arched an eyebrow.

Shit.

As quickly and as subtly as I could, I averted my gaze and instead snapped my eyes to his chart which I held in my free hand. Around the same time, a strong odor of over-applied perfume entered my awareness. What’s worse, it smelled like a mix of cotton candy and sweat—cheap and tacky.

Continuing into the room, the source of the aroma appeared in my peripheral vision. To my left sat two women. One a blonde, the other, a redhead. They looked to be in their early to mid-twenties, around my age, and by the way they dressed, not from around here—Austin that is.

“Hello,” I said, flashing a polite smile at them.

Their eyes met mine with an icy glare. They didn’t respond.

I looked away from them and back towards the man.

“Mr.… Vix?”

He took an extra second to reply. His eyes wandered along my body.

Wow? Really?

At last, he nodded and looked at me. “Dyson,” he said.

The door to the exam room closed behind me with a hiss of the hydraulic swing arm.

“All right,” I began, shaking my head a bit. “Dyson… Dr. Wilcox will be in in just a moment. In the meantime, I need to check your vital signs.”

Dyson walked towards me and stopped about a foot or so away.

“Should I disrobe?”

I blinked. Clearing my throat, I stammered a response, “Um, n-no. That won’t be necessary.”

He winked at me. “Another time then.”

This had to be a joke.

I straightened my spine and nodded in the direction of the exam table. “Have a seat, Mr. Vix.”

But instead of walking towards the table, the man looked at me again.

“It’s Dyson.”

“Right, my apologies. Have a seat, Dyson.”

The thin tissue paper covering the length of the table crinkled and crackled as he sat down on it. Dyson swung his legs casually over the side and hooked his hands along the padded edge. Composing myself, I spent the next few minutes getting his vital signs without any further interruptions.

Once finished, I looked at him.

“Dyson, I need to draw some blood for the tests we’re required to take. Do needles bother you?”

My eyes locked on his. They were a shade of blue that I’d never seen before. Blueish gray, like steel. He reached up and slid his fingers through his dirty-blonde hair.

“Nope,” he replied with an easy shrug. “Don’t bother me at all.”

From behind, I sensed the two women watching our exchange. Their silence was the only clue I needed that they were more than just friends with him.

A couple of minutes later, I’d finished drawing his blood.

Only one thing remained before Dr. Wilcox would come in and conduct the full exam. I walked to the other side of the exam room, picked up a urine sample cup and made my way back towards him, extending it in his direction.

One corner of his mouth turned upward in a deviant curl. Wordless, he eased off the exam table, took it from me, and passed by on the way to the restroom, next to the entrance of the exam room.

My head moved on a swivel while he walked. Dyson made no effort to cinch up the back of his exam gown. He stopped, catching me looking yet again. However, instead of saying anything, he gestured over his shoulder towards the two women.

“Is it okay if I have some company?”

My mouth drifted open. “I…”

The expression on his face was indecipherable. Was he being serious? The truth was, no one ever asked me a question like that during an exam before. On the other hand, nothing about this exam was normal so far.

Dyson chuckled at my lack of a reply. “Joke.”

I responded with an uneasy laugh.

Why was this guy making me feel like a thirteen year old?

Was I blushing?

I reached up and touched my cheek with a subtle swipe.

It felt like it.

Just then, Dyson began to toss the cup in the air with casual flicks of his hand. He gestured towards the women, pointing to the one on the left.

“That’s Svetlana,” he began before he nodded in the direction of the other one. “And that’s Anastasia.”

Yep. Not from Austin.

Once he finished, he looked back at me and raised his eyebrows. I looked at him for a moment, not sure of the meaning. A second later, it dawned on me.

“Oh, I, um,” I said. “My name is Ava. Ava Walters.”

“Girls, keep Ava company while I’m gone.”

Seconds later, Dyson disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. I turned my attention back to the women, who seemed less thrilled with me now than ever.

“Anastasia and Svetlana?” I began, summoning all the politeness and professionalism I could. “Is that… are you Russian?”

They glanced at each other for a moment before cackling with laughter. Without answering me, they spoke to one another in a language I didn’t understand. Once they’d finished, they looked away from me and returned their attention to their phones.

I shook my head and tried to ignore their rudeness. Instead, I used the time to make notes in Dyson’s chart. Around that time, the door to the exam room opened. Dr. Wilcox walked inside, nodding in the direction of the women.

“Good morning,” he said.

Their attention never wavered from their phones. Dr. Wilcox approached me with a suspicious frown on his face.

“Mr. Vix? Where…?”

I nodded towards the bathroom.

“Ah, I see. Very good.” He extended his hand towards me, unfolding his fingers as he did. “May I?”

I passed Dyson’s paperwork to him. Dr. Wilcox perused my notes for several moments.

“Do you need me for anything else, Dr. Wilcox?” I asked.

Dr. Wilcox raised his hand to his chin as he studied Dyson’s chart.

“No,” he muttered. “Not right now, thank you, Ava.”

With that, I turned and started to walk away, when Dr. Wilcox spoke once again.

“On second thought, Ava, there is something I need to discuss with you.”

I looked at him. “Yes?”

However, before he told me, the bathroom door opened, and Dyson appeared. He walked towards me with the nearly full sample cup in his hand. He shook it back and forth with a few quick snaps, causing the liquid inside to bubble.

“Be careful with that,” he said, passing it to me.

I took it from him. “Thank you. I will,” I deadpanned.

When I finished speaking, Dr. Wilcox introduced himself.

“Mr. Vix? I’m Dr. Wilcox.”

Dyson nodded. “Good to meet ya, Doc.”

Dr. Wilcox closed Dyson’s folder and patted it with his hand.

“Now that we’re done with your vital signs, blood work and the like, we just need to conduct a brief physical exam, and we’ll get you on your way. I know you’ve got to get back to the track.”

“All right,” Dyson replied.

“Would you like to do the exam one-on-one?” Dr. Wilcox said. “You know, have some privacy?”

Dyson shrugged.

“Doesn’t matter to me. Everyone can stay. I don’t care.”

Dr. Wilcox was the consummate professional, always putting the needs and comfort of his patients above everything else. Satisfied Dyson was ready to proceed, he nodded, “Okay then, we’ll have you disrobe first and then come back over to the exam table.”

Without wasting a second, Dyson dropped the gown to his feet.

Still holding the urine sample in my hand, I stared in slack-jawed awe. There was no getting around it. I leered at the man. While he hadn’t yet noticed me, the women did.

“Hey! Girl!” one of them growled at me in a thick European accent.

Dyson and Dr. Wilcox turned towards me.

“Is everything all right, Ava?” Dr. Wilcox asked.

Ignoring the girl, I nodded, refocused on the task at hand, and walked in the direction of Dr. Wilcox to assist with the examination. Picking up Dyson’s folder from the exam table, I opened it and readied myself to take notes for Dr. Wilcox, refusing to look at Dyson.

After all, one look was all I needed to know he was physical perfection. Lean, muscular, not to mention the most well-endowed man I’d ever seen.

This exam couldn’t get over fast enough.

DYSON

I leaned back, straightening my arms and bracing myself with my palms on the exam table. Dr. Wilcox started the physical, explaining what I should expect. After that, we chatted casually.

“Are you satisfied with how the season is going so far?” he asked, as he poked and prodded me with some damn cold fingers.

“Yeah, I guess it’s going okay. Things could always be better. But we’ve got a good car. I’m betting that being back in the States for a while is going to be just what we need.”

“Mmm hmm,” The doctor muttered. “I take it you’re talking about Gunter?”

I nodded. “Yep.”

“Yes,” Dr. Wilcox replied. “He’s got a sizeable lead in the points race at the moment, doesn’t he? Great driver.”

“Uh huh,” I muttered.

Personally, I thought Gunter was the biggest asshole I ever raced against. I didn’t like the sonofabitch one bit, and if it was the last thing I did, I was going to take him down a peg or two. But before I could say anything, Dr. Wilcox spoke up again.

“When was the last time Formula One came to the U.S.?”

“Hmmm,” I began, not sure of the answer myself. “Been a few years, at least.”

“Uh huh,” Dr. Wilcox mumbled. “Raise both arms for me.”

I did as he said.

He continued, “You know, when Dr. Luca and I were in medical school together, he was obsessed with racing. It was all he ever talked about.”

“I believe that. We’re lucky to have him. Great doctor.”

Just then, Dr. Wilcox leaned away, turning towards Ava and gesturing for her to pass my chart. She still hadn’t looked at me since I took the gown off. I studied her for a minute as they talked.

Anastasia and Svetlana seemed predictably pissed. They could be major pains in the ass, like most Grid Girls. But I didn’t mind their company.

Great lays.

Anyway, I was just having a little fun with Ava. My version of it anyway. She was a pretty woman, no question about it. A natural beauty. She had her hair pulled back. It looked to be deep red in color. Green eyes, great rack.

I could get used to being a patient here.

“Dyson,” Dr. Wilcox began. “We’re all done here. You’re free to get dressed. We’ll have the results of your labs later today.”

“Okay. Sounds good.”

With that, I slid to the edge of the exam table and pushed myself off it. I caught Ava sneaking a peek again. I smiled, thinking I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the day.

Just when I started to get dressed, Dr. Wilcox spoke.

“Dyson, I’m happy to help out the team while it’s here in Austin, but as far as the rest of the races here in the U.S., my hands are tied. I just can’t leave my practice and go on the road for an extended period of time.”

I yanked my jeans up and started to button them.

Shrugging, I replied, “They just pay me to drive the car, Doc. The rest of that stuff isn’t my problem.”

He nodded. “Of course. Any idea what the status of Dr. Luca’s passport is?”

I shook my head. “Nope.”

“Okay, well, hopefully it gets resolved soon. All right, enough of that. Ava and I will leave you for now.”

I smiled and nodded at him. “Appreciate it. So, we’ll see you at the track later?”

Dr. Wilcox shook his head. “Actually, no. I’m not going to be able to make it today.”

He turned and looked at Ava. “Which reminds me… That’s what I wanted to talk to you about when I came in a few minutes ago.”

She looked at him in confusion. “Sir?”

“The results for Mr. Vix and his teammate, Mr. Rhys. I’ll need you to take those to the track for me later today.”

“Oh. Yes, sir,” she replied, nodding. “Not a problem.”

With that, Dr. Wilcox slid his pen inside of his coat and extended his hand towards me. “Pleasure to meet you, Dyson. Good luck in Austin this week.”

I shook his hand in return. “Thanks Doc, appreciate it.”

An awkward smile came to Ava’s lips as she looked at me.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Vix.”

Like Dr. Wilcox moments before, Ava straightened her hand, expecting me to shake it.

“What? No hug?”

That one got her. A genuine smile at last came to her full, pink lips.

“Maybe another time,” she said.

I took her hand in mine and wrapped my fingers around it, holding her for an extra second or two. Her skin was soft, delicate.

“I’ll hold you to that,” I said.

Ava’s smile vanished from her face. I let go of her hand. Without another word, she walked towards the door where Dr. Wilcox stood, holding it open for her. Not one second after they exited, Svetlana and Anastasia shot to their feet and stormed in my direction.

“You like that girl?” Anastasia snarled.

Svetlana remained silent, crossing her arms and nodding in agreement with Anastasia. I chuckled and shook my head, turning away from them and reaching for my shirt.

“You know the rules,” I said, pulling it over my head. “If you guys don’t like it, there’s the door.”

Now that I called their bluff, the girls glanced at each other for a second. In the next, Svetlana walked right up to me, placing her palm against my stomach. She leaned in and began to kiss my neck. Anastasia followed. Within seconds, she pressed her lips against mine and snaked her fingers inside of my jeans, beneath my underwear and finished by wrapping them around my dick.

I indulged them for a bit, relaxing and savoring the moment. After all, I had a lot of work to do this week. There was nothing wrong with blowing off a little steam. As a matter of fact, the more they began to grind on me, the surer I was now was as good a time as any to take the edge off.

I returned Anastasia’s kiss with aggression. Within seconds, Svetlana unfastened my jeans and I felt the cool air of the exam room against my cock once again.

AVA

Was he for real?

What. A. Jerk.

I cursed myself for running late that morning and not being the one who checked him in at the front desk. If I had, I never would have gone in there. Walking towards the nurse’s station, I chewed my lip while following behind Dr. Wilcox.

“Ava,” Dr. Wilcox said, stopping for a moment before he went back to his office. “I’ll get the track credentials for you. You’ll need them to get in later today.”

I nodded and placed Dyson’s chart down on top of the station.

“Okay.”

Actually, it sounded so not okay.

The last thing I wanted to do was see Dyson Vix again. He was probably the rudest, crudest, most inappropriate man I’d ever met. An obvious playboy, desperate for women to notice him. I shook my head at his ridiculous behavior and scanned the area for my coworkers, when one of them, Amy, appeared from one of the large rows of standup files behind the station.

“Hey,” I said, pointing my finger at her. “Thanks a lot.”

Amy frowned. “What’s wrong with you? What did I do?”

I swung my arm in the direction of Dyson’s exam room, still pointing.

“The race car driver. The Russian girls?”

“Ohhhh…” She nodded, smiling at the same time. “Wasn’t he yummy?”

Before I could reply, Ginger appeared from behind her, carrying an armful of files.

“Who’s yummy?”

Amy turned her head in Ginger’s direction.

“Ava is talking about the guy in exam room three.”

“Oh yeah, oh he’s hot all right,” she said. “Did you see the other one?”

“Other one what?” I asked.

“His teammate… Marco.” But then, almost as soon as she said it, Ginger touched her index finger to her chin, remembering something. “Oh that’s right, you came in late. You missed him.”

I scoffed, shaking my head for emphasis.

“Well, if he’s anything like Dyson Vix, that’s fine by me.”

“What are you talking about?” Amy said. “He is H.O.T. Hot!”

I couldn’t deny she told the truth about him, in a physical sense.

However, looks were the only thing he had going for him. In fact, I was more than a little disappointed in the shallowness of my coworkers. I had no idea they were so superficial.

Okay, well, maybe some, but not this much.

“Did you get a look at him?” Ginger asked.

Being a nurse, I didn’t have to wonder what she meant by ‘get a look’. I shook my head in disbelief.

“I’m not going to answer that question, Ginger.”

The two of them looked at each other and giggled like ridiculous high school freshman. Over the next minute or so, they asked me a number of probing questions about my interaction with him. I held them off with a series of one-word answers until Dr. Wilcox mercifully reappeared.

He walked towards me, holding an oversized badge in his hand.

“Here you are, Ava,” he began, extending the credentials towards me. “There are directions to the track in here. The pass will get you VIP parking and admission to the pit area. Once you’re there, you’ll need to deliver the lab results to the team manager, Darren Blocke. He’s a huge man. You can’t miss him.”

I took them from him, nodding. “What time will the results be ready?”

Dr. Wilcox glanced at his wristwatch. “Hmm I’d say any time after two o’clock in all likelihood.”

“All right, then,” I said, dreading my fate. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Excellent. Thank you, Ava.”

“Dr. Wilcox,” Ginger interrupted, passing a file folder towards him. “Your next patient is waiting in exam two.”

He took the stack of paper from her and tucked it under his arm.

“Thank you, Ginger.”

Before he walked away, he looked at me again. “You’re a lifesaver, Ava.”

“Not a problem, sir. I’m happy to help.”

And where Dr. Wilcox was concerned, that was true. He was a terrific doctor and an even better person. How it was that someone of his character could be even remotely associated with a ‘man’ like Dyson Vix was still a mystery.

After he walked away, with Amy following behind him, I made my way around the other side of the nurse’s station to catch up on some of my paperwork. I had no idea how much time had gone by when I sensed a presence hovering above me on the other side of the desk. I glanced up to see Ginger standing there with a look of concern on her face.

“Yes?” I said.

Ginger gestured with her head, back down the hallway, towards the exam rooms. “I need to get Dr. Wilcox’s next patient into number three.”

“Um, oookay,” I shrugged. “Why are you telling me? Go ahead.”

She hesitated.

“What?” I asked.

“Well, that’s just it—I can’t.”

I placed my pen down on top of my desk and looked up at her once again.

“I’m really busy right now, Ginger. I’ve got to catch up on all of these records and then turn around and get down to the race track for Dr. Wilcox later today.”

“I’m sorry,” she began. “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t bother you, but…”

“But?”

Ginger exhaled a long breath. “They never came out.”

“Who? Who never came out?”

“Um, Mr. Vix and those two women. They’re still in exam three.”

I pinched my eyes shut and shook my head. I opened them once again and looked at the clock on the wall. Disgusted, I turned my gaze back towards Ginger.

“You mean to tell me they’ve been in there for twenty minutes?”

Ginger chewed her lip. “Yep.”

Without thinking, I slammed my palms flat on the surface of the desk and shoved myself into a standing position. Marching around the corner of the nurse’s station, I headed straight for the exam room, readying myself for any spectacle I might encounter.

The nerve of this man.

I licked my lips and moistened my mouth, preparing to unleash a tirade on them. But, just as I was about to reach the exam room, the door opened. I stopped dead in my tracks as Svetlana and Anastasia emerged with some of the wildest just been fucked hair I’d ever seen.

Soon after, Dyson sauntered out, smiling and pausing in front of me.

“So, sounds like I’ll see you at the track later, Ava?”

I crossed my arms and glared at him until he turned and started to walk away, arms interlocked with the two girls. I glanced in Ginger’s direction and shook my head.

Unbelievable.

AVA

A little after three o’clock that afternoon, I arrived at the racetrack and parked in the VIP section. Honestly, I was a bit overwhelmed by the size of the place.

As soon as I got out of my car, a high-pitched, thundering wail caught my attention and startled me. After the initial shock, I realized it was the sound of a car’s engine, but not like any I’d ever heard. I continued inside, following signs and asking the occasional passerby for directions while I walked. Eventually, I made my way to the pit area, where teams worked on the cars when they weren’t out on the racetrack.

Not long after I arrived, I found the team Dyson drove for and walked up to the largest man of them all. Easily more than six foot five inches, I guessed he was my guy and so approached him and cleared my throat.

“Excuse me? Are you… Darren?”

The towering figure turned and looked down towards me.

“I am. What can I do for you?”

Reaching inside my purse, I pulled out the final test results for Dyson and his teammate. I extended the folder in his direction.

“My name is Ava Walters, and I’m here on behalf of Dr. Wilcox to deliver the results for your drivers.”

Without saying a word, or hardly changing his expression, the man took the folder from me. Just then, another car screamed down the track. Still not accustomed to the sound, I covered my ears until it passed by.

Darren never flinched.

Afterward, I removed my hands from my ears and continued, “You’ll be pleased to know that there are no health problems, and both men tested negative for both recreational and performance enhancing drugs.”

He tucked the folder underneath his arm.

“Thanks. That’s one less thing that I have to think about.”

I nodded.

“Also, Dr. Wilcox wanted me to send his apologies for not being able to make it down to the track himself. However, he wanted me to reassure you he will be here on race day.”

Although the man continued to listen and seemingly pay attention, it was obvious I’d interrupted him. It didn’t matter, because now that I’d done what I was supposed to, I couldn’t wait to get out of there.

The last thing I wanted was to see him.

“Well,” I began, smiling and sliding my purse over my shoulder. “I guess I’ll be going.”

He nodded and replied, “You know the way back?”

“Yes, I do.”

Just then, he pulled the folder out from beneath his arm and tossed it on top of a nearby tool cabinet.

“You’ll excuse me for not showing you out then?”

I smiled and nodded. “Yes, absolutely. I understand. I’ll be going.”

With that, he turned his back to me and resumed whatever it was he was working on when I’d showed up minutes earlier.

I started to walk away, retracing my steps from earlier. However, in the time since I’d entered the pit area, a large semi tractor-trailer had pulled in and blocked my original path. Scanning my surroundings for an alternate way out, I spotted a familiar face.

Less than thirty feet away, Dyson hovered over the top of a car, discussing something with another man. He stood there with his racing suit tugged down around his waist. For the second time in one day I got an eyeful of his muscular upper body.

Unlike before in the clinical setting of the exam room, this time with a day’s worth of effort smeared across his broad shoulders and thick pecs. My mouth drifted open a bit as I stared at him. A skin tight t-shirt clung against his chest, covered in a mix of grease and sweat. Without thinking, I slid my tongue across my lips and then, to my horror, he looked straight at me.

Shit.

Immediately, I swallowed hard and looked away, now frantic to find another way out. I began to walk as fast as I could, weaving in and out among every imaginable car part and mechanic in my path.

“Hey! Ava!” I heard him call out, as I continued to walk. “Wait up!”

Jesus, was all this crap scattered everywhere like this when I walked in?

At last, I saw a way I recognized and turned towards it as fast as I could. And I’d nearly, almost, gotten out of there, when all of a sudden I felt a strong set of fingers slide around my upper arm.

I spun in place and turned to see Dyson standing in front of me.

“Why did you grab me?” I said, tugging my arm away from him.

Dyson wrinkled his brow.

“You wouldn’t stop. What choice did I have?”

I snapped my arms across my chest, closing myself off from him. “Well, did you ever stop to think that I might not want to talk to you?”

He smiled as I stood there, waiting for him to answer me.

“Why are you smiling? Do you think this is funny?”

“A little, yeah. I do.”

“Well, I don’t.”

With that, I showed him my back and started to walk away again. Unfazed by my show of disgust, he kept pace, walking alongside and annoying me further.

“Go away,” I groaned, glancing in his direction while I continued.

While I hurried along, nearly tripping twice in the process, Dyson walked at an almost leisurely pace. I got a passing whiff of him. He smelled of grease and fuel and sweat. Ordinarily, that is a mix that would send me running the other direction.

Somehow, it only made him more appealing.

Crap.

“What’s the rush? Hey, why don’t you let me give you a tour?”

“No,” I said, quickening my step. “I’ve got to go home.”

“No problem. Why don’t you give me a tour of Austin later on? We can go out, grab some grub…”

I shook my head and stopped. Turning towards him, I squeezed the strap of my purse in the palm of my hand.

“You’ve got to be kidding right now. Why would I want to go anywhere with you?”

Dyson chuckled a bit but didn’t reply.

I exhaled and continued, “Look, I don’t mean to be rude, but you’re really not my type.”

“What do you mean? Drivers?”

He really wasn’t getting this.

However, I suppose when you look like he does and do the kind of thing he does for a living, it’s not often women turn him down.

Well, if nothing else, this was about to be a lesson for him.

“No, I don’t mean drivers,” I began, crossing my arms and glaring at him. “I mean womanizers.”

“Ah, I see,” he replied, leaning his upper body against a nearby wall. “It takes two, you know. I don’t force anyone to do anything they don’t want to.”

Dyson hooked his thumbs inside the front of his fire suit as he lingered there, looking at me for a moment. The way his eyes traced my figure, he’d only proved my point. I’d never been around anyone so… cocky.

“I’m sure that you don’t force anyone. But, the fact remains that I’m just not interested. Now, if you’ll please excuse me, I’ve got to get going.”

He nodded his head. “Okay, Ava. No problem.”

“Thank you,” I began. Feeling suddenly like maybe I’d been a bit rude, I added, “Good luck with your race.”

“Appreciate it.”

I smiled at him for a moment and then began to walk away, thankful I’d managed to get myself out of the situation.

“Hey,” he called out before I’d gotten not more six feet away. “How would you like to come out tomorrow? Before qualifying starts. You can get a ‘behind the scenes’ tour. I’ll be your guide. No charge.”

I paused and looked at him. “Dyson, really I’m not…”

He raised his hand, gesturing for me to stop speaking. “You can bring anyone you want. No pressure. I think you’ll have a good time, that’s it.”

It was a shame that such a lousy personality was wrapped in such a pretty package. Chewing the inside of my mouth for a moment, I considered his proposition. I thought of my nephew, Simon. It wasn’t very often we got to do many fun things for free. I figured even if we came back, I could keep my distance from Dyson, while giving Simon a chance to do something special.

“Okay,” I replied, hoping I hadn’t made a big mistake. “When is qualifying?”

“Saturday,” he said, “Come out in the morning. You’ll love it. Trust me.”

AVA

After leaving the race track and battling the grind of afternoon traffic, I arrived back at the apartment I shared with my nephew and my best friend, Jillian.

She worked from home as a freelance web designer and graphic artist, which was a good thing, because it meant I never had to worry about Simon after school. Even though he was a good kid and rarely misbehaved, having Jillian there in the years since Simon came to live with me was a blessing in more ways than one.

“I’m home!” I called out, walking inside and closing the door behind me.

Afterward, I made my way towards Simon’s bedroom. Arriving there a few seconds later, I saw him sitting on his bed, eyes glued to his tablet.

“Hi, Simon.”

Clearly preoccupied, he didn’t respond.

“Hi,” I said again, raising my voice. “Simon!”

His big brown eyes darted up at me for a second. He smiled. “Hey.”

“Have you finished your homework?”

He’d already returned to the excitement of his game. He grunted and nodded at the same time. “Mmm hmm.”

“All right. Where’s Aunt Jillian? I need to talk to her.”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Okay, dinner will be ready in a couple of hours.”

Before I turned to walk away, he nodded, but like before, didn’t bother to look up. I spun in place and made my way down the hall towards Jillian’s bedroom. Knocking on the door, I poked my head inside.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Jillian emerged from her bathroom with her robe on and a towel wrapped around her head. “Just got out of the shower. You’re home early. What’s up?”

I spent the next fifteen minutes or so telling her everything that happened. Everything about him was larger-than-life. Drop dead gorgeous looks, over-the-top come-ons and let’s not forget having sex in the exam room with two Russian girls who looked like supermodels! And then, after all that, my roommate and best friend for the last thirteen years of my life only had one question.

“Is he single?”

“What?” I replied, frowning at her. “You’re missing the point. Why on earth would I want to be attracted to someone like him? I think so long as he can find somewhere warm and wet to put his dick, that’s all he cares about. You know me better than that!”