Falling Free ( Falling Fast #3) Read online

  “I’ll let you two talk,” Raleigh said, making a vague gesture toward the office as he headed that way. “Be right inside.”

  Grace watched him leave with a slightly bereft expression, her lower lip pulled between her teeth.

  “I’m serious about buying the car,” Tanner said. “How about twenty thou?” He wasn’t sure why she was so eager to sell it, but he had a feeling she’d regret it before long. Then he’d sell it back to her.

  She glanced at the car, then back to him. “But you don’t know anything about it.”

  “Sure, I do. It’s a 460 V8.” He rattled off a list of stats. “I know from Raleigh that you’ve kept her in tip-top shape, and she’s beautiful.” He wasn’t looking at the car, and in that moment he didn’t mean the car. “I know she meant something to you, and you took loving care of her. But something’s changed your mind in a big way. And I bet it has everything to do with your state of mind the day we met.”

  “If you think some impulsive offer is going to get me to spill my guts—”

  “The offer is real.” He held out his hand. “Do we have a deal?”

  She eyed it as though he might wrap his fingers over hers and yank her forward. Slowly, she extended her hand, giving him a firm shake. “Okay. But I haven’t had a chance to research the value. If it’s worth less we’ll adjust the price.”

  After a quick handshake, she pulled back, her gaze still locked onto him.

  She shook her head as though to shake off the trance. “Sorry, but you’re totally throwing me by being here. It’s like a dream. Not that I’ve been dreaming about you,” she added quickly. “I just didn’t think I’d see you again.”

  “Thought you’d ditched me, eh?” At the flush on her cheeks, he added, “Did I do or say something that freaked you out? We had that amazing kiss, but you had already kissed me, so the precedent had been set. Your mouth opened to mine—”

  “I know, I know. I was there.” She flicked her glance away, taking a quick breath. “It wasn’t the kiss.”

  He waited for what it was and, when that didn’t seem forthcoming, said, “I’ve been racking my brain, replaying those last few minutes, and I can’t think of anything. But maybe something came out wrong or you misinterpreted—”

  “It wasn’t you,” she cut in. “You said and did everything…perfect.”

  “Too perfect,” he confirmed. “Like it was calculated. You think I’m a player, right?”

  “No.” She smiled, tucking her wayward hair behind her ear. “Well, at first I did. But as we talked, and laughed, and talked, I could tell you were more than that. As much as I wanted to explore that, and you, I realized that I’m not in the right place for a one-night stand. I’m sorry I led you on; that wasn’t my intention. I’m even sorrier for ditching you. I’ve felt really shitty about both actions. Running away, so not me. I’ve never run from a fight, or a kiss…not since I was five years old. I’m just in a tender spot right now.”

  He settled back against the side of her—his—car. “Ah, so it’s one of those ‘It’s not you, it’s me’ things?”

  “Exactly.” She gave him a relieved smile.

  “Because you’re lost since finding out your whole life has been wrapped around a lie.”

  Her relief visibly fled, and she glanced around to make sure no one was within hearing distance. “Can you forget about that? In fact, forget the whole evening.”

  He gave her a regretful shake of his head. “No can do, Grace.” He tapped his temple. “You’ve been firmly lodged in here ever since you split on me. And seeing as how fate brought us back together again, I can’t think it doesn’t mean something.”

  Which was not what he’d intended to say. He was supposed to find out if he’d offended her and get back to the task at hand. Or go practice.

  She chewed her bottom lip as she contemplated him. “Then I’d better do one of those mind-suck things on you.” She stepped forward, close enough for him to smell the faint, spicy scent of her perfume, and placed her hands on his shoulders. Then she leaned in closer and pressed her forehead to his. “What was that sound you made?” She attempted to make it, which made him hold back a laugh. She was frickin’ adorable.

  Her eyes were squeezed shut, lashes dark and long against her skin. “Back to the Beach Shack,” she said. “You sitting there poured into your chair, glancing over at the sulky woman at the bar—”

  “Compelling. Remember, you were compelling.”

  “Compellingly sulky. But not compelling, because you just sit there, maybe flirt with the server, and you never come over to me.” She opened her eyes. “There.”

  “Do you remember how this worked the last time?” He kissed her. There was no way he could not kiss her. At first it was just a light meeting of lips, and when she didn’t slap him or back away he kissed her longer, deeper, the way they’d kissed at the beach. That kiss, the one that had haunted him—and sent her running. She made that soft sound again, as though she hadn’t been properly kissed in a long time, but then she shook her head and stepped back.

  “What…why…?” she sputtered, never finishing a question that was obvious, of course.

  “It was a test. I thought I had to be imagining how fantastic that kiss was, so I needed to verify it.”

  She pressed her finger to her lips. “And was it?”

  “You tell me.”

  She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest in a lawyerly way. “That was entirely inappropriate, Mr. Artemis Tanner.”

  “It was entirely unavoidable, Ms. Grace Parnell. And no, your friends didn’t divulge your last name.” He gave her a wink. “I looked at your registration.”

  “I’m not sure whether you’re clever or invasive.”

  “How about a little bit of both. You fascinate me, and it’s been a long time since someone fascinated me. Or compelled me.”

  She bit her lower lip again. “Me, too. It’s just—”

  “Not a good time. I get that.” And it pained him, it did. She was an intriguing combination of sweet and sassy, soft and hard, but he needed to keep that soft part in mind. She was in a vulnerable place, and he was a man who only played for fun. “Your compellingness aside, I’m serious about buying the car.” He pulled out his smart phone and showed her the last classic cars for sale site that he’d looked up. “I have done some research, and twenty thousand is a fair offer. Why don’t you think about it, and if you still want to sell her tomorrow we’ll make a deal.”

  “I do. Want to sell, I mean. I won’t change my mind.”

  Damn, he wanted to know what had happened. Who broke your heart, Gracie? He didn’t think it was a lover; she wasn’t bitter, or vengeful enough. Been there, done that, met women full of piss and vinegar. “I’ll write you a check, and when it clears you can sign the title over to me. We can do it now if you want.”

  “Sure. If you’re sure?”

  “I am. Follow me to my humble abode.”

  “You’re staying here at the track?”

  “Yep, right over there.” He pointed. “I call it Harvey.”

  “Harvey?” she repeated with a laugh.

  “Some ditzy chick thought that’s what I was saying when I said ‘RV.’ It became a joke and then it stuck. Come on, I’ll show you my portable home. No pickup lines.” He gave her a wink and was gratified to see her cheeks redden.

  “Guess I was a bit hard on you.”

  “A bit? I’ve never had to work so hard at being friendly.”

  “And without a payoff.”

  “My payoff was your smile.”

  “Hmm.”

  She was still skeptical. Well, he supposed he couldn’t blame her. A guy comes over to a woman like her, yeah, he’s looking for a hookup, not just a smile. And while he’d been open to possibilities, too, he honestly hadn’t been scouting her out for sex.

  His black truck was parked off to the side, and the third wheel had been stabilized for camping. The large awning covered a small table and, most of
the time, his drift car.

  “What are the decals all over your abode for?” she asked. “I’ve never even heard of these companies.”

  “Engines, tires, manufacturers of things specific to drifting. These are my sponsors, apart from KAR, which is an organization I’m rather fond of.”

  “So you do this drifting for a living? You’re a drifter and a drifter?”

  “Yep and yep. Granted, it’s not much of a living. Most of my prize winnings go back into the car. But I love what I do.”

  He opened the door and gestured for her to go in first. She did, taking in his digs. He was glad that he’d straightened up a bit. Living in a small space forced him to stay pretty neat.

  “Harvey, sweet Harvey,” he said, coming up behind her as she stepped into the kitchen area. “Kitchen and bathroom, living area, and, beyond those glass doors, the garage.” He purposely didn’t point out the steps leading up to the bedroom.

  She took everything in. “I didn’t realize RVs were this nice. Wood floors, leather couch, full refrigerators…but where do you sleep?”

  “Up the steps, where it goes above the bed of the truck. Go ahead, check it out. I’ll stay right here.”

  She gave him a perplexed look. “I’m not afraid of being attacked, you know.”

  He raised his arms. “I don’t know. I kissed you, and you split like Cinderella. Maybe it is you, but I was part of it.”

  She regarded him for a moment. “If I tell you that you kissed too well, and felt too good, can we leave it at that? I don’t want you to think you did something wrong. You totally didn’t.”

  He wanted to push for the whole answer, because that one only begged more questions. More kissing. But he simply nodded. “I suppose that’ll have to do.”

  “Yes, it will.” She peered into his bedroom. “Wow, even a king-size bed.” She quickly stepped back, bumping into him.

  His hands went to her shoulders reflexively, then released her. “All the comforts of home.”

  “So when I thought we were going back to your hotel we were coming here?”

  “You assumed it was a hotel room, and I didn’t want to specify that it was an RV and have you thinking I lived in a tin can.”

  “I probably would have.” She glanced around. “But I bet this place cost more than a house.” She ran her finger across the granite counter, around the gourmet gas stovetop. “I’m sure it cost more than my apartment did.”

  “It was a splurge” was all he’d say. He wasn’t comfortable talking about money, and she wasn’t asking for specifics anyway. “Would you like something to drink? Tea? Soda?” He grinned. “Jose Cuervo?”

  “God, no. I mean, no, thanks.” She leaned back against the counter. “I start doing crazy things when I have too many of those.”

  “Like walking down dark beaches with strange men?”

  She ducked her chin. “No, I was in control of my faculties. Though it did make me a little, er, looser. Still, I wouldn’t have done that with just anyone. You seemed trustworthy.” She gave him a soft smile. “But, considering I only wanted to blend into the background and people-watch, I did a lot more than I intended.”

  He leaned against the opposite counter, feeling something weirdly close to giddiness swirling through him at her being in his abode. “Grace, no way could you blend in. You are way too beautiful.”

  She pinned him with a hard look. “You said no pickup lines.”

  “I’m not trying to pick you up, just stating a fact. So I was trustworthy, eh?”

  “You seemed…safe. At least in one sense.”

  “Only one?”

  “I knew you wouldn’t attack me or rob me or anything.”

  He was pushing, but he’d gotten where he was because he took chances, pushed beyond the boundaries, careened close to the wall. “And how was I not safe?”

  “Weren’t you going to write me a check?”

  “Ah, diversion. That’s what I get for trying to pry information from a lawyer. Have a seat, darlin’, and I’ll get right on it.”

  He gestured toward the couch, then sat down at the table and pulled out a box. He didn’t write many physical checks anymore, but he kept a checkbook with him just in case.

  “Is that you?” She leaned close, her hair brushing his shoulder as she looked at the laminated pictures on an old cigar box.

  “Yeah.” He tilted the lid so she could see better. “That’s me on my first BMX bike, doing a course with a small group of kids who put together a club. It kept us out of trouble, apart from scrapes, bruises, and an occasional broken bone. All worth it. A personalized box was the prize for second place. Though Kenny got into serious trouble for taking one of his dad’s collectible cigar boxes and ‘ruining the shit out of it.’ ”

  She grinned as she took in his fourteen-year-old self. “You were a heartbreaker, I bet.”

  “I was too busy either earning money to buy this bike or racing it to break hearts. That bike was the first thing I ever owned. My pride and joy, my life. I mowed a lot of yards, scraped snow off many driveways, and did anything that needed doing.” He’d badly needed to possess something that didn’t have to be shared or left behind when he was transferred to another foster home. Unfortunately, it hadn’t quite worked out in his favor.

  “I did that, too,” she said, stepping back. “Knocked on the neighbors’ doors and offered to wash their cars or walk their dogs. It was just me and my mom, and I wanted to contribute.”

  “Your father passed away?” He knew that her dad had left the car to her, according to Raleigh. Still, he wanted to dig more.

  She lifted her shoulder in a noncommittal way. “I suppose you know how to spell my name already, then.”

  In other words, get on with it. “Yes, ma’am. I even had it tattooed on my arm.” He started to push up his sleeve, enjoying the shocked expression on her face when he revealed the bottom edge of the writing on his biceps. “Kidding, darlin’.” He pulled up the rest of the sleeve to reveal UP IN SMOKE, surrounded by clouds of smoke.

  She slugged him in the arm, just a playful tap. “You enjoy toying with me, Mr. Tanner.”

  “Entirely too much, Ms. Parnell.” He wished he’d taken a Sharpie and written her name on his other arm, just to freak her out more thoroughly. “Grace Parnell,” he intoned as he wrote. He liked writing her name, saying her name. He wanted to do much more than that, though. He tore the check from the book and stood. “Here you go. Normally it takes about five days for a check of this amount to clear, but I’ll call my bank and ask them to push it through faster. When it clears, bring the car back. I’ll give you a ride home.”

  She stared at the check. “You really want the car?”

  “You think I’m buying it just to flirt with you?”

  She laughed. “No, I guess that would be pretty crazy. And yet, somehow, I can see you doing that.”

  “You know me so well.” He had never considered buying a car to get acquainted with a woman, but he knew her well enough to know that if he told her that she’d back right away.

  She met his gaze, and he felt that same tightening in his chest as when he’d first kissed her on the beach. “I should go,” she said, obviously feeling the same pull.

  “Yeah, you should, or I might kiss you again. And it’s not a good time for that.” He left it as a sort of question, though.

  She shook her head a little too vigorously, if you asked him.

  They walked across the track toward the garage, but she veered off toward his drift car, parked in the shadow of the building.

  “What is drifting, anyway? Is it that skidding-around thing?”

  He gave her a long-suffering shake of his head. “Skidding. Skidding.”

  “Did I offend you?”

  “Terribly. So now you’ll have to endure education about the world of drifting.” He leaned against the side of the car, tapping it as an invitation for her to join him. Once she’d settled in beside him, he said, “We like to think of it as controlled chaos.
Granted, it might look like an out-of-control skid to the untrained eye, but when it’s done right it’s like ice-skating in a car. For me, it’s all about feeling free while still maintaining control. It’s about grazing the wall, getting all your zones and clipping points. And, of course, it’s about winning, too.”

  “So it’s who can slide around the track the fastest?”

  “It’s not a timed race. You’re judged on line, angle, and overall style. The course is designed so that cars cover it wall to wall, and the closer you get to that wall the better you score. Without hitting it, of course.” He patted the roof of his car. “I can talk about it all day, but, like anything in life, it’s much better to experience it. Want to go for a ride?”

  “Um, no thanks, Mr. Tanner.”

  “Call me Tanner, please. You make me sound like—”

  “Your father?”

  “I was going to say like a client. I didn’t know my father. And that wasn’t his last name, in any case.”

  She winced. “Sorry.”

  “No need. I’m sure I’m better off for it. Unless you want to give me a pity kiss? While my kiss that night on the beach was not such a kiss, I’m not opposed to one. I’d take any kind of kiss from you, Miss Grace.” He gave her a smile to let her know that he was kidding…well, mostly.

  “You’re impossible. So why did you introduce yourself as Artemis?”

  “That sounded a lot more like royalty than Tanner, don’t you think? We have to set a wedding date, by the way.” Normally, even kidding around with marriage talk and words of love gave him an internal rash, but their exchange had only amused him.

  She tapped the edge of the check on the car. “Let’s see if this clears first.”

  He watched her walk to the T-bird, her nice ass swaying just so. Not in a way to impress, which never impressed him.

  She wasn’t someone to persuade or pursue. But he damn sure couldn’t walk away from her now.

  Chapter 3

  Grace did not think about Artemis Tanner as she drove to the bank the next morning. Did not glance at his check repeatedly on the seat, his neat handwriting spelling out her name. The echo in his honey voice as he said it while writing it out reverberated through her. She wanted to get the purchase process started first thing, and not because she was in a hurry to see him again.