Page 48 of Always a Bridesmaid

She clasped her hands in delight. “I love a good surprise. But can I have at least one hint?”

He had to laugh. “That’s not how surprises work.”

She wrapped her thumbs in his belt loops and gave him a coy look. “A kiss for a hint.”

How could he say no to that? Say no to her?

“Let’s just say I want to share a piece of me with you.”

“How fast are we talking?”Elle asked, looking down at the high-performance Kart car. It was exactly like the ones Henry used to race in when he’d been a kid.

“One hundred eighty kilometers per hour, but we’re going to take it slow,” he promised her even though it was more of a reminder to himself. It was hard to take things slow when the entire ride over he’d had his hand on her knee, her leg, her thigh. He’d been surrounded by her unique scent, her essence. Then there had been the conversation that had covered everything from family to favorite foreplay. Unlike other women, she didn’t try to hide her interest, instead taking bold looks and moving his hand higher when she pleased.

“If you say so.”

He snapped her helmet’s chin strap in place and held her hand as she climbed in. “You remember what I told you about how to drive this thing?”

“Did you really just ask me that?”

“Sorry, I just want to make sure to keep you safe.”

She rested a hand on his arm. “I know it’s hard being Superman and all, but I can take care of myself. Have been since I was a kid.”

“I never said you couldn’t. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to.”

And there it was. That rare moment of shyness that drove him crazy. But this time it also rubbed him a little wrong. What kind of pricks had she been spending time with that something as simple as wanting to keep her safe was a foreign concept?

“I would say let’s place a bet, but I don’t think I want to take on the reigning world champion, so let’s just have fun.”

He chortled. “It’s driving you crazy that you can’t make this a competition, isn’t it?”

“A gentleman would never point that out.”

“I never claimed to be a gentleman.” He gave her ass a cute little spank and she squeaked. “Now, let’s race.”

Henry tried to belt her in the Kart, but she shoved him away in a statement of independence. That didn’t stop him from double-checking her safety harness and controls before they went out on the track.

It took her less than a single lap before she was nudging him to go faster, and by the third lap she was zipping by and laughing her head off. And this was exactly why he’d brought her here. Not just to show her a part of his world, but also to let her blow off some steam. She’d been there for his family all week, working hard and selflessly, and she deserved to have a little fun.

They went until they ran out of gas and then Henry took her to a patch of grass where his buddy, the owner of the track, had set up a picnic before disappearing. They polished off lunch and now were lying back on the blanket, on their sides staring at each other.

He could do this for hours, he decided. Just stare into her eyes.

“How old were you when you started racing?” she asked, a gentle breeze blowing through her hair and dislodging a few strands that fluttered around her face.

He pushed them back with his finger. “Six.”

She gasped with disbelief. “Your parents let you drive one of these when you were six?”

He chuckled. “Not this kind of Kart exactly, it was a little smaller and went a little slower, but yeah. Why, love, are you worried?”

“I just can’t imagine letting my kid get behind the wheel of any car before they’re old enough to drive.”

“Well, it turned out I was old enough at six. I took third my first race.” She gave his shoulder a playful shove. “Do you want kids?” he asked, and the playfulness faded into something deeper, more intimate.

“I don’t know. I think so. Maybe?”

“I’m glad you cleared that up.”

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