Redeemed (Dirty Air 4)

A soft knock against the door pulls me away from my thoughts.

“Just a minute.”

The doorknob rattles.

“I said to give me a minute.”

“It’s me.” Chloe’s voice is muffled by the door.

I unlock the door without thinking. If there is anyone who has seen me at my worst, it’s her. What’s the point of bringing her here if I don’t let her help me when I need it most?

I turn my back toward her as she steps into the small space. She offers me a meek smile through the mirror.

“Wow. That’s how you look when you’re all dolled up.” She bites her lip.

The way she says it has me throwing my head back and laughing.

“It’s unfair, you know?” She walks up behind me, gesturing for me to turn around.

I do what she asks and lean my ass against the counter. “What’s unfair?”

“How you can look that good in something so horrendous.”

I tilt my head at her, fighting the smile begging to make an appearance. “Some women love the suit.”

“That? How can they? It leaves nothing to the imagination!” She mockingly gasps. “Is that an outline of your...package?” she cups her mouth, leans in, and whispers.

“I don’t know. Care to find out?” I wink.

“Oh, sure.” She steps into my space.

I lean back against the counter and tug her into my body. The limited square footage of the bathroom doesn’t give us much room. She tilts her head back, her eyes remaining locked on mine as her hand trails down the front of my race suit. My skin heats from her touch.

Her hand stops right above the area throbbing for her attention. “I’ll wait until after you race to find out.” She giggles and steps out of my grasp.

“What?” I sputter, trying to haul her back into my chest.

She shakes her head, evading my grasp. “No touching until after you test the car. Consider it collateral.”

I grin at her reference. “Do I at least get a kiss for good luck?”

She looks up at the ceiling as if she needs to contemplate it.

I grab onto her hips and pull her flush against my body. My hand grips onto the back of her neck while my lips crush hers. Our kiss is a frenzy. Quick, energetic, and everything I needed to calm me down before getting out there.

It’s as if this girl knows exactly what to do without ever having to ask me. I’m definitely falling for her, and instead of fearing it, I accept it wholeheartedly.

I only hope she feels the same way. If how she kisses me is any indication, I might be safe.

She pulls away from my hold. “That’s it. No more kissing until after.”

“I’m holding you to that.”

Chloe smiles over her shoulder as she opens the door. The buzz from the garage echoes through the small space.

Damn. Chloe didn’t just steal a piece of my heart. She carved her initials into it, branding me for life.

Entering the car, while awkward without my prosthetic, is easy. While I hate needing help, my safety is more important. My doctor recommended against driving with my prosthetic just in case another accident happens. It would become more of a liability than a help in that kind of circumstance, and more risk than it’s worth.