Driven (2 page)

Lynn skidded several feet toward the railing before a warm, muscled arm wrapped around her waist and a grumpy mumble washed over her earlobe. “Asshole.”

She flinched, attempting to shy away. “What is wrong with people? I tripped.”

One touch from an unknown man and she just about swallowed her tongue despite his rude treatment.
Lame!

A carefree laugh replaced the foul temper she’d attempted to deflect. “Sorry, gorgeous. Not you. I meant that asshole who shoved you. He’s lucky I don’t kick his inconsiderate ass.”

Her imagination ran wild at his tone—confident, worldly, bold, gallant but not too stuffy. The midnight voice colored by subtle hints of a Mediterranean accent inspired a million dirty thoughts that had her squirming. The broad hand on her ribs flexed so close to her breast she sucked in a gasp, willing her nipples to stop hardening beneath her thin, silk blouse.

“Damn, are you hurt?” He spun her into the shelter of his arms, his palms bracing her shoulders.

So young!
Heat blossomed in her cheeks. Here she was, lusting after a man at least a decade younger than her who probably thought himself a good Samaritan for helping his elder. As quick as she chastised herself, a naughty whisper invaded her embarrassment.
The Cougar ladies had scored men like this. Those lucky bitches!

Hell, some of them had even managed to bag
two
virile studs.

“Let me help you inside.”

Did he think her deaf and dumb on top of clumsy after that giant space out?

“I’m fine. Really.” She shrugged from his hold, instantly regretting the loss of his touch. Her skin tingled where his fingers had rested. “Thank you.”

“Any time.”

She picked up the pace to avoid an awkward silence as he shuffled along next to her through the crowd, but he somehow managed to dodge a harried mom pushing a double stroller, a gentleman wrestling with a cello and a couple holding hands to keep even with her.

In her peripheral vision, she admired the agile maneuvers of his lean but built body. His black duffle, peppered with logos, rode against a trim hip covered in the dark navy denim favored by recent trends. The lighter creases around his upper thighs led her straight to dangerous territory. She jerked her gaze upward but had to cant her head pretty far to glimpse his unruly brown waves beneath a red baseball cap with something embroidered on the front.

His scruffy jaw couldn’t obscure his sculpted cheekbones. The shadowed skin highlighted the contrast of his bright blue eyes. The impact of his stunning looks almost had her tripping again. It’d been fifteen years since she’d gotten her hands on prime beef like that.

Lynn Marie, how crass!
Maybe the Cougars really were rubbing off on her.

“So, where were you headed?” No hint of exertion roughened his tone. Funny, her heart beat as hard as if she’d run a marathon.

“JFK.”

“Me too.” A grimace tugged his stunning mouth into a scowl.

They emerged from the Jetway into a tiny holding area crammed beyond capacity. Instead of wasting time at the airline’s inundated desk, she headed for the departure board. Mr. Young-’n’-Sexy followed two steps behind. She adjusted her bag to cover her ass then tugged the hem of her skirt lower on her thighs when she sensed his stare on them. No use in advertising her sag.

Damn it, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d fallen victim to an attraction so sudden and fierce. Of course, she had to waste it on someone out of her league whom she’d never see again after these five minutes fate had thrust them together passed.

The red status lights painting the departure and arrival board into a facsimile of something out of Amsterdam’s infamous district had her heart plummeting. Every flight originating east of the Mississippi had been cancelled.

For three seconds, she forgot all about the hunk.

“Looks like we’re going nowhere fast.” The guy shoved his hat from his head, scrubbing his fingers through the thick mass of his luscious hair.

“I have five hours until my connection, maybe it’ll clear up by then.”

He scrunched his nose and gave his head a tiny shake but stopped short of contradicting her. Probably because he saw her fingernails gouging her palm around the strap of her bag.

“Maybe.”

Lynn peered at the churning mass of people—all talking at once, calling loved ones or scrambling to make alternate arrangements—while she searched for a place to sit. Maybe if she could get online she would find some updated info. When two men in business suits abandoned a bench nearby, she plopped onto it. Electric sparks shot along her leg when the hottie perched beside her, their knees touching.

“I’m Sebastian, by the way.” He tossed her a dazzling grin as he dug in his pocket for his neon green smartphone. When he leaned to the side for better access, he invaded her personal space in ways that had a riot of butterflies taking flight in her stomach. His chest, covered in snug gray t-shirt with faded charcoal designs, pressed close.

If she turned a teensy bit she could imagine herself in his arms. If she lifted her face an inch or two he would have easy access to claim her lips. Not that he’d want to. A man like him must have women falling all over him. Younger, more beautiful women. Women who’d have some clue of what to do with a sex god. Women who weren’t afraid to go after what they wanted.

She cleared her throat then fished out her netbook. “I’m Lynn.”

“Pretty. It fits.”

Did she imagine the flare of desire in his amazing eyes? She could have stared into them all day if his phone hadn’t chosen then to buzz as whoever he’d whipped off a text message to must have responded. Probably his girlfriend
du jour
or a booty call he’d stand up in New York.

The website for her airline had crashed by the time she remembered what she’d been doing. No doubt due to the thousands of people in situations as urgent as hers within a six-state radius. She clicked refresh then sighed as the browser’s progress icon spun and spun. No hope for it.

While she waited, she tried to ignore the growling of her stomach drowning out the click of Sebastian typing fast and furious with his thumbs. In anticipation of her rich dinner at the swank Manhattan restaurant, she’d skipped breakfast.

“Will you hold my spot for a minute?” He patted the bench as he rose, leaving his bag behind.

Lynn couldn’t resist teasing him. “Well, you don’t look like a terrorist but I’m not sure I can vouch for the contents of your unattended bag.”

“Gorgeous, you’re welcome to peek at my underwear if you like but I won’t stay away from the most beautiful woman in Harrisburg more than two minutes. Tops. You can time me.” She had no doubt he intended the racy implications of his smoky tone when he paired it with a wink that melted her insides.

Her tongue almost dragged the floor as she watched his tight ass flex in time to his strut until he faded into the crowd.

Screw the airline’s site, she needed reinforcements. Fast.

LynnLuvsTravel: OMG! Still stuck in the airport, no hope for making dinner. Hottest guy ever rescued me from splattering on the runway. Now sitting next to me since he’s heading to JFK too. You all are a bad influence! I can’t stop thinking about what he’d be like in bed. Blue, blue eyes. Body to die for. Sexy accent. Killer smile. God, he even smells good. I think I might have had a mini orgasm just looking at him. Too bad he’s probably not even thirty yet.

She’d barely hit the send button when a flashing box with Rachel’s name appeared on her screen like magic.

Rachel: Make lemonade!

LynnLuvsTrvl: Yeah, I’m thinking of heading to Hertz to rent a car. Pulled up driving directions. I think I can make it if I go right now. Checking the budget first but…that’s what credit cards are for, right?

Rachel: LYNN!!!! I meant your stud! This is exactly what you need. Someone to help you shake things up. Match your love life to your new career.

LynnLuvsTrvl: What? Are you kidding? I have so much riding on this trip. I can’t risk it on a guy who’s not going to give me the time of day.

Rachel: You know I respect the hard decisions you’ve made lately, sweetie. But really, you’re not going to be happy until you go for broke. It’s not only your job that stifled you. It was those boring men you dated. You have to stop settling for safe.

LynnLuvsTrvl: Maybe, but not now.

Rachel: Then when? I haven’t heard you talk about a man like that in…well…ever!

LynnLuvsTrvl: It’s crazy. From the first moment he touched me, my system went haywire.

Rachel: I know exactly what you mean. It’s like that for me with Ethan. Please don’t throw that away. Please. Go rent your car. But…ask him if he wants a ride! I bet you a triple chocolate sundae he says yes so fast your head will spin.

LynnLuvsTrvl: Drive four hours with a complete stranger? Have you lost your mind?

Rachel: It’s possible. Trust your instincts. You always have been a good judge of character.

LynnLuvsTrvl: You’re corrupting me. I can’t believe I actually considered that for two seconds. No way, Rach. Sorry, I have to go. Have to get this mess straightened out before all my plans are ruined.

Rachel: Okay, sweetie. I hope it works out! And if you miss your flight, then I hope he has a twin brother and you let both guys sweep you off your feet to live out your wildest and craziest ménage fantasies. Come to the dark side. Go Team Cougar!

LynnLuvsTrvl: LOL Love you, crazycakes.

Rachel: Love you too. Let me know how it goes.

“Either you found out our flights are on track again or your boyfriend sent you one hell of an email.” Sebastian cursed the unfamiliar jealousy streaking through him over the naughty grin decorating the sinful lips of the woman he’d just met. “Since I didn’t hear any cheering from the rest of these folks, I’m betting on the boyfriend.”

Damn though, she’d drawn him to her like the strongest magnet on earth. Something about her sang to him, irresistible and potent. Sure, she was smoking hot. Fine. Her ash blonde hair framed her elegant face in soft curtains and her mile-high heels accentuated her long legs, but that alone couldn’t account for the hard-on straining against his designer jeans. Freaking sponsorships. He hated wearing the uncomfortable style but it paid his most extravagant bills.

Granted, he seemed tame compared to some of the celebrity bad-boy drivers, but he knew how to have a good time when the mood struck. He’d had flashier girls than Lynn throw themselves in his direction, but something special had happened when he spotted her. Older than him, sophisticated, classy and so different from the women he fucked around with—he couldn’t stop imagining what she’d look like laid out on his king-sized mattress, wearing only that smirk.

Best of all, she didn’t seem to recognize him. The chemistry between them had nothing to do with his money, his racing or the ridiculous hype his marketing department cooked up. Unbelievable. He wasn’t about to let her get away unless she’d already been spoken for. He didn’t cheat and he’d never sleep with someone else’s woman, no matter how bad he wanted to.

Well, without the guy’s permission anyway. There had been a few times… His mind conjured a vivid image of Lynn sandwiched between him and his navigator Mark as they ravished her bold curves.

He had to shake his head to clear the ringing in his ears when he realized she’d answered him but he’d missed her response. A woman like her would never be into the nasty games he’d played with the groupies who’d made for an easy feast in his younger years.

“I mean, I’ve been in relationships of course.” He grinned when a blush stained her cheeks. She grimaced then sputtered, “Just not at the moment.”

“Nice. Then I don’t have to worry about someone hunting me down for buying you dinner.” He adjusted his cock as discreetly as he could when he sat, but the confining jeans wouldn’t hide his obvious arousal if she so much as glanced at his crotch again.

She groaned. “Don’t tease. There’s nothing open in this hellhole, is there?”

“Nope. The lone McDonald’s is on the other side of the security checkpoint. They’re not letting anyone through. But your stomach’s growling loud enough I thought I was on a safari. So, I brought you a three-course vending machine banquet.” Sebastian hoped she wasn’t too prissy to pig out on junk food with him. He hadn’t needed to worry.

“Please tell me you scored some of those tiny powdered donuts.”

“You’ll have to wait and see. First up, the amuse-bouche.” He handed her a bottle of water before he presented a bite-sized caramel with a flourish.

“I think I love you,” she sighed.

When she reached to take the morsel from his hand, he withdrew. “Uh-uh. This is a fixed menu for two.”

He unwrapped the candy then held it between his fingertips a few inches in front of her mouth. Lynn rolled her eyes then accepted his silent dare instead of telling him to fuck off. She leaned forward until her exposed cleavage had his mouth watering then wrapped her lips around the treat and bit it in half. A thin line of caramel stretched. It broke, leaving a sweet trail at the corner of her mouth.