More than Distance

13

No, I didn’t think that was it. I remembered a picture from last Thanksgiving I’d seen on f*******:, when she’d gone to feed the homeless at a nearby shelter. In the photo, she’d been smiling at the person she was serving and her eyes had lit up with that inner glow that made her so incomparable. She was still the same person…with everyone except me.

She rubbed her arms again, then made an annoyed huff. “Fine. I’ll take your stupid jacket.”

Finally. I stepped close and helped the jacket onto her arms. My fingers brushed against her skin with an electric jolt. Her breath caught and she turned her head toward me, the anger fading from her eyes. It was the first time I’d touched her since our kiss.

I didn’t move. My hands lingered on her arms over my jacket. I had the strongest urge to pull her closer and relive that moment on this beach six years ago. Despite my harsh words, I burned with the need to show her how much it killed me to stay away from her all this time. Her lips parted like she wanted the same thing, and I imagined how soft they would be against mine. My head lowered toward hers.

She stepped back abruptly, breaking the connection between us. My brain woke up again. s**t, that had been close. Another second and I would have kissed her. What the f**k was I doing?

She gripped the edge of the jacket, pulling it tighter around her so it hugged her body. “Let’s go.”

I exhaled sharply. “Right.”

We headed back across the sand to the parking lot. We were the only people on the beach and it was pitch dark except for the tiny sliver of a moon overhead. Once again I felt a rush of protective anger at the fact that Carla had come out here alone tonight—and at myself too, because I suspected I was part of the reason why. Did she visit this beach a lot? Or was my presence at dinner the spark that caused her to flee here?

She stopped beside my motorcycle, giving it a long once-over. “You came to pick me up on that?”

I looked down at my gleaming black Ducati. She made a good point. I’d rushed to the beach as fast as I could, not even considering that she might not be comfortable riding my bike. She would be safe with me though. Daniel would kill me if something happened to her, but more than that, I would never forgive myself.

“I brought a second helmet, but if you’re too scared, I can call us a car.” I made my tone flippant on purpose. I’d come too close to kissing her once tonight already. Time to rebuild those walls between us and fast.

She put her hands on her hips, the annoyance back in her eyes. “I’m not nervous. I’ve been on Daniel’s bikes many times before.”

“You sure? I wouldn’t want you to mess up your hair.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “I need to get my things.”

She unlocked the Mustang and grabbed a bag from the passenger side. I examined the car, admiring how much it had changed since I’d last seen it. I’d spent hours working on that car with her in her father’s shop, back when it barely ran.

“What’s wrong with your car?” I asked.

“I think it’s the timing chain. It’s too dark to tell for sure, but the engine’s been making a weird rattling noise for a couple weeks.”

“A couple weeks? Seems unlike you to let it go so long.”

“I’ve had a lot going on. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Hmm. Can I look?”

She glared at me, but popped the hood. I leaned over the car, admiring the engine. Like she’d said, it was hard to see much in the dark.

“I think you’re right about the chain. Should be an easy fix, at least.” I slammed the hood shut, then ran my hand over the paint job.

She’d gotten the car for her sixteenth birthday. Her parents had wanted to get her something new, but no, she’d fallen in love with a beat-up ‘67 Mustang with a rusted paint job, broken headlights, and a million things wrong with it. She’d spent all her free time repairing it, spending every dime she earned on parts. I think she enjoyed the restoration process even more than actually driving it.

And now? It was a thing of pure beauty, inside and out. Just like her.

I handed her the extra helmet and she squished it on over her dark curls, then I put on my own helmet and climbed onto the bike. She got on behind me, her movements smooth, like she had done it a hundred times before. Her body tensed against mine as I started the engine. Her arms reluctantly slid around my waist, making her breasts press against my back and her thighs tighten around me. We were closer than we’d ever been before. Body to body. So damn right and so damn wrong at the same time.

Taking the bike was a huge f*****g mistake. Now I’d have to drive her home while rocking some major wood, and then try to forget the feel of her body against mine. I had to forget it. Carla was my best friend’s little sister and she was completely off-limits. And no matter how much I wanted her, I wouldn’t risk losing what little I had left of a family.

Six

Carla

My Mustang was already waiting for me in Dad’s shop by the time I arrived the next afternoon. None of the mechanics had dared to touch it after it was towed in. They knew better than that. It was my baby and no one worked on it except me.

But first, I needed to have a serious talk with my brother. I found him in the back office doing paperwork. He’d started working for Dad while going to business school and he knew how to run the place at this point. Dad relied on him a lot now that the business had expanded recently, especially with the new location opening soon. Daniel loved both cars and business, so working here was the perfect fit for him. One day he planned to take over so Dad could retire, but we all knew that wouldn’t be anytime soon.