Page 16 of Daring Her Love

“Because. Yes, I’ve been more careful about the guys I’ve dated, and I’ve upended my life to follow my dream, but…” She pressed her lips together, steeling her resolve to be honest with her friend, and with herself. “Don’t you think there’s a reason I had sex with him at the airport?”

“Of course. You’re making all these changes and needed to relieve some stress, and he’s hot and sexy. I mean, other than Hugh, he’s the best definition of heartthrob I’ve ever seen. And if you tell Hugh I said that, I’ll totally deny it.”

They both laughed, but in her mind, she wasn’t laughing at her own confession, which was vying for release. Kat clutched the door handle.

“Bree, I’ve been lonely. Bored, even.”

“But you have all this exciting stuff going on. How can you possibly be bored?”

Kat leveled a serious stare on her best friend, waiting for her meaning to come through. Bree hadn’t enjoyed her sexuality after Layla was born until she’d met Hugh. She hadn’t had the same freedoms, explored the darker sides of her passions like Kat had. Finally, Bree’s eyes widened with understanding.

“Oh, you mean…” Her cheeks pinked up, which made Kat laugh because, even though she knew Bree had an amazing sex life with Hugh, her friend was still the sweet, shy girl she’d always known.

“Yup.” She sighed.

“But, Kat, what does that mean? That you can never have a monogamous relationship because you like doing it with strangers?” The concern in Bree’s eyes and her worried tone made Kat cringe.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don’t think I like sex with strangers, per se. I just…” She tried to figure out how to explain what she’d felt at the airport—and every time she’d seen Eric since they’d met. “When I first saw Eric in the bar, I could tell he was a player. You know I can spot them a mile away, and I was ready to turn him away. But the minute he spoke, my insides turned to mush. I swear that man sprinkles gasoline with every word, and his smile is all the fire he needs to ignite the flames. Bree, I know I shouldn’t admit this, but I wanted him more than I’ve ever wanted a man in my life.”

“But just him? I mean, does that happen with other guys? You said you haven’t been hooking up with guys for a long time. You’ve been dating, but I don’t think that’s what you’re talking about with Eric.”

They got out of the car, and Kat spotted Eric and Hugh coming out of the clubhouse wearing their racing suits and carrying their helmets. They were looking at each other, smiling as they talked. Kat’s pulse ratcheted up about fifty notches, and when Eric turned those amber eyes on her, her breath hitched in her throat. She reached for Bree’s arm, steadying herself as desire weakened her knees again.

“It’s just him,” she managed. “Definitely just him.” Whatever else Bree said didn’t register as three women, wearing skimpy skirts and barely there tops, ran from the other side of the parking lot, flipping their hair and touching Hugh and Eric in a way that made Kat’s blood boil. Kat wasn’t usually a jealous person, but there was no denying the claws of jealousy piercing her skin or the fierce determination in every step as she closed the distance between them, determined to rip the girls to shreds.

“Kat!” Bree grabbed her arm, holding her back. “They’re groupies. It’s all part of it.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?” Kat snapped. She was breathing hard, tugging her arm from Bree’s grip.

“It used to, but Hugh knows how to handle it.”

Kat broke free as Eric’s eyes locked on her again. She stopped cold a few feet away from him as he signed autographs, watching her the whole time. What was she doing? He wasn’t her boyfriend. Jesus, he wasn’t even her date! She had no business being jealous, but that didn’t stop anger from curling inside her like a snake preparing to strike. She spun around and stomped back to the car with Bree on her heels. Kat pressed her palms to the hood of the car and let her chin drop to her chest.

“Holy crap. What is wrong with me?”

Bree leaned her butt on the car beside her, smiling like she had just unearthed all Kat’s secrets. “I think you just might be monogamy material after all.”

“That’s great, Bree. Just what I need. One-sided monogamy.”

“I hear it’s all the rage these days,” Bree teased as the men approached.

Kat sensed Eric’s presence before she turned and saw the intense look in his eyes. Hugh and Bree retrieved the equipment from the backseat while Kat tried to remember how to function like a normal person instead of a jealous groupie.

“That look you gave me back there was definitely a turn-on,” he said quietly enough that only she could hear him.

“It was the look of insanity.” Like the torrent going on inside me right now.

His eyes narrowed as he rubbed the back of his neck and stepped in closer. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was jealousy.”

Kat circled the car to help carry the equipment. “Don’t flatter yourself.” She hoisted a bag toward her shoulder, and Eric intercepted it, pinning her in place with a dark stare.

“I thought you wanted to get to know me better. Shouldn’t I be flattered by your look of insanity?”

She closed the car door, and they headed across the parking lot toward the track. The girls who had fawned over Eric and Hugh had joined a group of people by the clubhouse. Kat tried to ignore the insanity prickling her nerves.

“Don’t you get enough of an ego boost from being fawned over by strangers?” She knew it was a bitchy thing to say, but she was powerless to stop the attitude from flying in his face like a big red flag. He stopped walking and gripped her arm—hard. The wicked look in his eyes told her that he didn’t see it as a red flag at all.

“I said I was interested in enjoying you, Kat. That means you, not some girls who want an autograph.” The hint of anger in his voice had her stepping back, and him stepping forward. “I’m a public figure. I get hit on all the time.”