Page 17 of Falling for Red
“That’s a lot of trust for a girl you just met.”
“I get a good feeling you won’t crash or burn my clutch.”
She squints at me, then sticks out her hand. “I’m really out of practice.”
“Get back in the game, then.” I hand over the keys. A small part of me is excited to see how she handles it. There’s something incredibly sexy about her confidence.
“I’m guessing this seat doesn’t move forward,” she says, slipping into the driver’s seat.
“It’s welded into place.” Claire scootches close to the edge of the seat to reach the pedals. She starts the car, the low rumble ofthe engine filling the air. “Go down a back road. Let’s joyride for a bit.”
I don’t want this night to end. Watching her drive, my eyes drift to the cutouts in her dress and the exposed skin.Just a kiss goodnight, I remind myself. The rest will have to wait.
“This car sounds so sexy,” Claire says, looking my way.
That smile, those eyes—she’s letting go, and it’s the most carefree I’ve seen her tonight. Carefree is a really good look for her.
Driving out of town, heading toward a back country road, she accelerates hard, and we both burst into laughter after our heads are tossed back. Enjoying the thrill together, there’s a freedom in this moment. It’s just the two of us enjoying the quiet roads.
“I like this car.”
“Drive faster.” I don’t want her to hold back. I want her to keep leaning into the excitement.
She raises an eyebrow at me before she presses down on the gas, shifting smoothly as the cornfields blur by.This is summer,the endless evening light, the road stretching ahead of us. I can’t stop admiring her—Claire has skills.
“Should I turn on some music?” I ask, because I love blasting music in this car.
“As long as it’s not country, we’re good.”
“What do you have against country music?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.
Claire looks over, raising a sassy brow, then looks back at the road. I guess that’s her answer and I smirk, turning on The Black Keys. It seems like the right vibe for this moment.
At a stop sign, she glances at me, mischief written all over her face. “Shall I drag start?”
I laugh, impressed with her boldness. “A new clutch is worth it if this goes bad. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
She revs the engine, the car growling beneath us, and then accelerates, shifting fast as we take off.Impressive.“Were you a bank robber at some point?” I tease, wondering how she is so good at this.
Claire laughs softly, slowing down as we head back toward Lake Geneva. “That was fun. I haven’t driven like that in a long time.”
“You’re very sexy driving this car.” It’s not just the driving that’s hooking me—it’s everything about her. The way she handles herself, the way she laughs, the way she challenges me.And how fucking sexy she is.
She smiles, but she doesn’t look at me. I reach out, resting my hand on her thigh, giving it a small squeeze.I’m falling for her, I know that much. “I’m really looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you for being interesting,” she says, looking over at me, and there’s a softness in her voice. She’s lowering her guard.
We drive in comfortable silence for a minute. Maybe we’re both thinking about how well this is going?
When she parks on the curb, we’re staring at each other. The air feels thick with tension, the kind that’s been building all night.I want to kiss her, but I don’t want to assume. I should ask, but I’m hesitating. My eyes dart between her lips and her eyes, trying to decide my next move.
“Kiss me already,” she whispers.
I lean in, cupping her face gently in my hand. The moment our lips meet, I know my life’s changed. The energy. The electricity. My body is on fire just from the touch of her lips. As I slide my tongue into her mouth, Claire straddles me, her arms wrapping around my neck. I haven’t had a car make-out like this in years, and it feels like we’re both teenagers again, lost in the heat of the moment. My hands explore the bare skin on her ribs through the cutouts before trailing down the backof her dress. Our kisses become more feverish, more desperate. Claire’s hands run down my chest. Her fingers are teasing, barely dipping below my jeans, pressing into my hip bones.
“Are you testing me?” I lean back, chuckling softly, trying to regain some control.
“What?”
