Slide (Boosted Hearts Book 3) Read online

  Adam hadn’t said more than a few words since they’d been picked up. Silverwood didn’t have a car rental service, but Howard assured them they’d find one in Dane.

  The truck made for a bumpy ride and every bounce made her very aware of the ache between her legs. Since all three of them were crammed into the front of a pickup all she could really focus on was the way Adam’s muscular thigh was pressed against hers. He’d draped his arm along the back of the seat so they could all fit somewhat comfortably, and she was tucked under his arm. She could feel every breath he took, the beat of his heart, the intense heat of his skin—God, his scent.

  It was making her all kinds of crazy.

  She turned to him and stared at his profile. It was hard, had been that way since his cousin’s car had been stolen.

  “Adam?”

  He shook his head, obviously still too pissed off to talk. Her belly dipped. He was beating himself up for a simple mistake. Okay, not many ex-professional car thieves would leave the keys in their cars, but she guessed he’d been a little distracted when he got back from buying their breakfast. He’d been overthinking what they’d done.

  Something brushed her opposite shoulder lightly then she felt him lift a piece of her hair and play with it between his fingers. His facial expression didn’t change at all. She didn’t even know if he was aware he was doing it, or if this was his way of reassuring her.

  Either way, she loved it.

  “…she’s a real goer, loves a bit of the old slap and tickle,” Howard said.

  Ah, what now? Lucy twisted to look at the sweet old man beside her, who was looking at her expectantly. What the hell had she just missed?

  “Your, ah…your girlfriend?” she forced herself to ask, since he seemed to require a response. And it was the only one she could think of because he’d already told her he wasn’t married.

  “One of ’em.” Howard smiled from ear to ear, white teeth—the odd one missing—showing through his bushy gray beard.

  “That’s, ah…that’s nice.”

  She turned back to Adam, giving him wide oh-my-God eyes. He no longer looked carved from stone. His lips were twitching, fighting a grin, then his body started shaking against hers. She couldn’t take her eyes off him when his finally slid to her. They were dancing with humor. It was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen.

  “That’s what she said,” Howard added into the silence and winked.

  They all lost it, even Howard, thankfully. Adam’s chuckles vibrated right through her, deep and rough. Even the man’s laugh was sex on a stick.

  A short time later they drove into Dane, another small town, but bigger than Silverwood. Howard dropped them off outside the car rental office and went to meet his number two girlfriend before setting up his stall for the market.

  “I’m almost tempted to go find this market just to check his girlfriend out,” Adam said as he watched the truck pull out.

  She poked him in the ribs. “Hey, isn’t one enough for you?” Then she realized what she’d said. Oh shit. “I didn’t mean that how it sounded. I meant woman…not girlfriend. I know I’m not your girlfriend…”

  His expression had changed, humor no longer dancing in his eyes. “Lucy—”

  “I mean, jeez. I wouldn’t even want to be your girlfriend.” She screwed up her face in an attempt to convince him, while her cheeks burned like hell. “God, no. That would be…ack.”

  Ack?

  What the hell is wrong with you, Lucy?

  He jerked back. “Ack?”

  “What I was trying to say was…it’s just…um…”

  He put his hand over her mouth, cutting her off. “Stop talking.”

  “Right. Good idea,” she mumbled.

  He removed his hand, only to brush the backs of his fingers across her cheek. “You blush so damn easily. Always have. Are you like that with everyone, or am I special?”

  “I’m sorry to tell you this, Mr. Egomaniac, but it’s everyone.” She was totally lying. Only Adam made her face burn like a furnace. He made other areas pretty damn hot, too.

  “Liar.”

  “I can literally see your head getting bigger.”

  “But you’re looking at my face.”

  “Well…yes…”

  He smirked.

  She slapped his arm, faking outrage. “God, you’re a pervert.”

  “I’m starting to think that’s what you like best about me.” He was still grinning, flashing those perfect white teeth, but there was something missing from his eyes. A hollowness that made her chest ache and her fingers itch to reach out and pull him into a tight hug.

  Instead, she ignored the urge and snorted. “You’ve caught me out. I’m secretly a sexual deviant.” She dropped her gaze to the tattoo at his throat, unable to look into his eyes any longer. “You’ll get the car back.”

  “I hope so, otherwise John’s business will feel it. Shit, it could end it. He can’t afford another hit.”

  She touched his arm. “I’m sorry.”

  His eyes dropped to her fingers and the muscles under her hands jumped before he looked back at her, eyes softer but more intense than she’d ever seen them.

  Too intense.

  There was a gas station across the street. “I need a snack for the road and a pee stop before we head off.” And a minute to catch my breath. Adam had a tendency to suck out all the oxygen in his general vicinity. “I won’t be long. You want anything?”

  “Surprise me.”

  “Okeydokey.” She darted across the street, and God, she could feel his eyes on her the whole way, not leaving her until she was through the doors.

  After carefully selecting treats for her and Adam, she took her supplies to the counter. “Can I leave this stuff here? I just need to use the restroom.”

  “Yeah, knock yourself out.”

  The bathroom was outside, and when she walked out, the sun seemed to have gotten hotter. She lifted her hand to shield her eyes, and it took her a few seconds to realize what she was looking at.

  The Superbird was parked at one of the pumps, some guy with a paunch and a handlebar mustache that may or may not have been fake leaning against it while he filled it with gas and talked on his phone.

  She could see Adam’s sleeping bag in the backseat.

  Son of a bitch!

  She looked across the street, desperately searching for Adam. He must have already been inside the rental place. Shit. What was she going to do? If she ran over to get him, the car might be gone by the time they got back. And Adam’s cousin, someone Adam cared a great deal about, could lose his business. She couldn’t let that happen. She had to do something.

  “I’ll meet you at the bar in an hour,” Mustache man said to whoever he was talking to. “Yeah, I’ll just hang out, have a beer and wait, I’m only like five minutes away.”

  The creep lifted his head at that moment and caught her watching him. She froze. Did he recognize her? Had he been watching them before he took the car, or did he just stumble across it and think, hey, there’s a nice car, I think I’ll take it?

  But there was no recognition on the asshole’s face.

  He ended his call, and she forced herself to grin back, and the guy leered.

  Okay, shit. Time was of the essence. Options were limited. Getting this car back to Adam’s cousin was important. She was no car expert, but she knew this one was special.

  In that moment, she made an executive decision. It was bonkers, she was well aware of that. But what choice did she have?

  She had to steal it back.

  She was a Colton after all. It was in her blood somewhere, right? Her brothers used to be two of the best thieves in LA. The reckless streak they were always berating her for totally ran in the family.

  Still no sign of Adam.

  Shit. Right. She was doing this. Fighting down her fear, she put some swing in her hips, and walked over to Handlebar Mustache, who had now ended his call. “Nice car.”

  He gave her a slow once-o
ver. “You like it, huh?”

  “Sure do.”

  “You need a ride someplace, sweet thing?”

  Well, that was easier than she thought. “Maybe, where are you headed?”

  He grinned. “There’s a bar a few miles back. You in the mood to party?”

  A public place—surprising since he’d just stolen a freaking car. But also not that surprising since the guy obviously wasn’t too smart. She could handle a bar. Plus, she’d heard him talking to someone on his phone mere seconds ago, someone he was going to meet at this bar, so she knew he wasn’t lying. “Sure, why not,” she said, heart racing like crazy.

  The fact this guy seemed completely fine with picking up some random woman and taking her for a spin in the car he’d just boosted, not only confirmed that he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, it also showed how delusional he was about his own appeal.

  The guy licked his lips. “Well, all right, hop in.”

  Chapter Ten

  Holy shit. She was actually getting into the car with this dude.

  He shut the door behind her and mouthed through the window. “I’ll just go pay.”

  As soon as he was in the shop, she slid over and checked the ignition. Crap. No key. She didn’t even have her phone to text Adam and tell him what was going on, because she’d left it in her other bag. Second and third thoughts were yelling like crazy in her head when the driver’s door opened and Mr. Mustache climbed in beside her.

  “Let’s go.”

  She forced another smile. Don’t freak out.

  Still no Adam.

  She was fine. This was good. As soon as they got to the bar, she’d find a way of getting the keys off him and then she’d simply drive away. Easy. He fired up the engine at the same time she glanced back across the street again to where she’d last seen Adam.

  He walked out…

  Lucy watched as his eyes drifted across the street, and saw the minute they landed on the Superbird.

  His expression went from surprised determination to mass murder when he spotted her sitting in the passenger seat.

  He started sprinting toward them.

  Mr. Mustache was oblivious to it all as they pulled out onto the street and drove away.

  Well, fuck. Shit just got really, really real.

  At least Adam knew where she was. He could call the cops again, tell them he’d seen the car, and which way it was headed.

  The creep beside her turned her way, gaze sliding up her legs, hovering at her chest before he looked back at the road. “Today must be my lucky day.”

  Oh God!

  It was hard, but she forced herself not to recoil. “Mine too.”

  All she had to do was somehow get the keys off this guy before things took a turn for the worse. And by worse, she meant Mr. Mo getting too damn close. Going by the grip he had on the back of her neck as they walked into the bar a short time later, she wasn’t hopeful.

  She’d had two beers before she got her first chance. She’d managed to mouth ‘light’ to the barman when Chuck, aka Mr. Mustache, had ordered, so her head was clear.

  His friend hadn’t arrived yet, but time was running out. And unbelievably, the guy still seemed completely at ease. He didn’t seem paranoid that the cops would suddenly show up and arrest his ass. Which kind of pointed to the fact that Chuck was a loose cannon and someone she needed to get the hell away from as soon as possible.

  Chuck was leaning over the pool table, key dangling from his back pocket. Lucy glanced around the bar. No one was watching. You can do this.

  “Nice shot,” she said close to his ear, resting her hand on his back. Gross. The fabric of his shirt was damp with sweat. Now, if she just slid her hand lower, like she was about to touch his…

  Before she knew what was happening, he turned and tugged her closer. “Your shot, sweet thing.”

  He put the pool cue in her hand and got in close behind her. She giggled and almost gagged instead. “I’ll need a little room if I’m shooting.”

  She needed to get the hell out of there. Adam would be losing his mind by now. She didn’t know his number off the top of her head to even call from the pay phone.

  “Thought I’d give you a few pointers,” Chuck said, wrapping his sweaty body around hers from behind, paunch poking her in the back.

  “Oh I’m…” The door swung open and a wild-eyed Adam stumbled in, chest heaving, veins bulging. Relief made her limbs weak. He’d found her. He leveled a hard look her way. Crap. Why did she suddenly want to run screaming from the bar?

  She subtly shook her head when Adam looked like he was about to stride right on over and murder Chuck…or her—possibly both. Thankfully, for whatever reason, he decided to follow her lead and instead took a seat at the bar, ordering a drink. She could feel his eyes burning into the side of her head as she took her shot, with Chuck plastered to her like super glue. Chuck took his turn then came back around to “instruct” her.

  She could see Adam over Chuck’s shoulder, and he looked ready to explode off his seat. Time to end this thing. Spinning in Chuck’s arms, she wrapped hers around him, which wasn’t easy with his belly in the way.

  “Your mustache is exceptional,” she said, because it was, just not in a good way.

  “I’ve been told it feels good on…certain places of a woman’s body.” His arms were around her waist, holding her immobile.

  Gag! “Oh, I bet.” She slid her hand lower, slipped her finger through the metal ring on the key chain sticking out of his pocket, and carefully slipped it free. “I bet you know how to do all sorts of naughty things.”

  “You know it,” he murmured, voice kind of high and excited.

  She squirmed, forcing a little laugh. “You hold that thought. I need a quick trip to the little girls’ room.”

  He slapped her on the butt. “Hurry back.”

  Lucy glanced at Adam, catching his eye long enough to tilt her head to the back of the bar, and started toward the restroom, then veered off to the back exit. Her hand was on the door handle when Adam came up behind her, wrapped his arm around her waist, lifted her off her feet, and carried her outside.

  “What are you—”

  “Do not say a fucking word,” he growled against her ear. “Not one.” He strode to the Superbird, dragging her behind him in plain sight of the bar’s big picture window. Adam didn’t seem to care. He unlocked the car. “Get in.”

  There was a shout from inside and a crash as she climbed into the passenger seat. Then Chuck was out the door, running…or rather rolling toward them. Lucy spun in her seat to look back at the guy’s flushed face, cackling like a lunatic as they sped off.

  She turned back to Adam, but he wasn’t laughing. He was still clearly pissed off.

  “Look, Adam—”

  “I said, not a fucking word.”

  Shit.

  They drove in silence for a long time. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. “How did you find me? Did you leave the rental at the bar?”

  “No.”

  “Oh. How did you…”

  “I ran.”

  “What?” she sputtered. That’s when she noticed how damp his T-shirt was, how it stuck to his chest and abs. How flushed he still was. “You ran?”

  He ignored her. “We need to go back and cancel the rental and get our bags. I left them there when you got in the car…with a guy you don’t know. A fucking criminal. And decided you’d…” He turned to her. “What the fuck did you think you were doing?”

  “You ran after me?”

  His fingers flexed around the steering wheel. “What did you think I’d do?”

  “Um…steal a car? It’s not like you haven’t before…or I don’t know…use the rental.”

  His jaw did that hard-as-stone thing he had down to a fine art. “I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly. You’ll have to forgive my stupidity. But when I saw my woman in a fucking car with the asshole who’d stolen it a couple hours earlier, who could work for any-damn-one, I didn’t stop to
weigh up my options. I assumed you were in there because he’d recognized you. I thought he’d taken you against your will. That he was going to hurt you. Jesus fucking Christ, Lucy! If he hadn’t stopped at the bar…”

  The only words Lucy heard were his woman, and she didn’t even think he was aware that he’d said them out loud. Her skin flushed hot. It didn’t mean anything. Just a slip of the tongue. He only meant the woman he was screwing around with for the next two days, that’s all. But then she looked at him. He was almost vibrating, God, shaking…with rage, fear, she didn’t know. What she did know was she’d scared the hell out of him. She felt ill. She also felt…

  A shiver moved through her.

  “I’m sorry.” And she meant it, but she wasn’t sure she sounded very sincere. There was this underlying current of excitement still pumping through her veins, and she couldn’t shake it. Having Adam call her his woman, hearing that he’d dropped everything and just run after her, she was having a hard time pulling it all back together. Darcey had told her one night over tequila shots what a turn-on boosting cars was for her. Then she’d started getting into details, details Lucy had definitely not wanted in on since they involved her brother.

  “Bullshit,” he growled.

  She squirmed in her seat, her skin suddenly too hot, her clothes too damn tight. “I-I meant it. It’s just I feel…after all that…I’m…well, I’m…”

  Adam looked at her and his nostrils flared. “You’re what?”

  Screw it. “I’m horny as hell,” she blurted. “Stealing a car with you, it’s…God, the biggest turn-on ever.”

  He cursed.

  “Adam…”

  “Don’t.” His fingers flexed around the steering wheel again. “Fucking hell, Lucy—”

  She actually moaned out loud, cutting him off. “I’ve never felt anything like this.” She squirmed in her seat again. “My panties are actually soaked. And after Chuck had his sweaty paws on me I thought I’d never get turned on ever again.” Adam was gritting his teeth, and there was a very obvious bulge behind the zipper of his jeans. “Don’t you feel it? I mean, I know we were just stealing it back, and you’ve done this plenty of times before, but still…”