Ridin' Dirty (Beautifully Dirty #2) (8 page)

“What the fuck are you smiling for this morning?”

“Is there someone in the kitchen?”

“I haven’t made it there quite yet, but no, I don’t think so, why?”

“Hmm, maybe your guest isn’t up yet.”

“My guest? What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Yes, you have a special guest that came to see you, well . . . I guess she didn’t come just to see you but she’s here.”

“Ryan, man, stop talking in circles before I kick your ass.”

He walks by me laughing a bit and walks into the kitchen, so I follow. I have no idea what he is talking about but I know that I want to find out. I was completely wasted last night, so and I barely remember going into the room with the two I brought back there.

I think I’m losing my mind for minute; I immediately stop dead in my tracks.

“Hey, Coop.”

“Wait, it was you last night.”

“You saw me?”

“Well, kinda . . . I only saw you from the back and thought I recognized the way you were standing and then I thought I heard you laugh.” I’m shocked and my voice is a bit shaky as I speak to her.

“Why didn’t you come over then?” She sounds irritated.

“Honestly, I was completely drunk, eyes unable to focus drunk. I couldn’t figure out if I was hoping you were here or if you really were here, but then I turned back around and the girl standing there was gone. So, I figured there was no way possible.”

She looks down, then back up at me. “I’m here, Coop, like really here.” She smiles a smile but it doesn’t reach out wide, it’s a kinda shy smile . . . beautiful as ever.

I sit down next to her at the table as she starts to tell me about why she’s in California and what she’s been doing. It’s hard to believe she is a Hyped girl. I don’t notice that Ryan left the room, and we are now alone. I want to hug her . . . kiss her. My mind goes blank as she continues to talk. I can only stare at her mouth. I’m shocked by my reaction to her, I knew I was attracted to her but honestly never knew til right now, just how much.

TIME IS PASSING BY
here like a bolt of lightning and a roll of thunder. One day merges into the next. The night I left Ryan’s changed me. I haven’t even had sex with anyone in weeks. What the fuck is wrong with me? I can’t get Ansley out of my mind. We really haven’t discussed the kiss. We’ve touched upon it a few times, but we both seem to change the subject when the other one brings it up.

It’s been six weeks since then, and while she’s been busy with promotional appearances and traveling for Hyped; I’ve been going hard-core with my training. We’ve texted more and have even spoken on the phone a few times about what’s been going on. It’s been less and less awkward for us, but certainly not back to normal.

Thanksgiving is a blur. She went to be with her mother, Ryan stayed here in California with his team, as I did. We have the day to ourselves, to do what we want, but our Black Friday would be spent on a track. We decide at my house, to just stay in and try cooking a Thanksgiving meal. It isn’t too bad . . . well, it’s edible. We all sit around watching football and enjoying the downtime for five minutes. I need to get some frustration out, so I make a point to make my way to the gym that is at the house. I’ve kicked the shit out of my body today. I can’t help it, all I can think about is Ansley . . . I feel like a fucking teenage boy and I don’t understand it.

My teammates and I are all heading home for the Christmas break; we get from December twenty-second through the twenty-eighth off. We have to be back and ready to go on the twenty-ninth. The first race will be January tenth, which means no screwing off.

On my way to the airport, I can’t help but to wish that Ansley was coming home as well. She said that her Mom is coming there this year. She hasn’t seen her place yet so Ansley is flying her out. Ryan is headed home too; I can’t wait to hang with him and his parents for a night or two.

I sit down in first class and put my headphones in. The little cutie that will be sitting right next to me excuses herself, so she can squeeze in to get to the window seat. I, being the gentleman that I am, stand and enjoy the view when she bends forward to put her bag under her seat. I sit back just as she goes to stand back up. She jumps a bit when she hears my seatbelt click back in the clip.

“Sorry.”

“Oh, you’re fine,” she says, as she sits back and buckles in.

“Heading home for the holidays?”

“I am. And you?”

“Yep. Where’s home?”

She looks at me like I could be a stalker. Her eyebrows rise slightly. “Umm, Tennessee.”

“Tennessee is a great place,” I say, chuckling.

“It is, so where’s home for you?”

“Florida.”

“So, I guess we are stuck with each other for the next four hours,” she says, as she giggles at me.

“Whatever will we do?” I ask, wiggling my eyebrows at her.

“Well, of course, join the Mile High Club.”

I just about spit the drink out of my mouth; that isn’t what I was expecting to come out of her mouth. “Well, if you’re game . . . meet me in the bathroom in ten. I mean, unless you want to do it right here in first class?”

“Shit, let’s give them a show.”

“I like the way you think.”

We both start laughing. We never do exchange names, which was fine by me. I didn’t even try any pickup lines on her or anything. She seems like a great gal but not for me.

Right after takeoff, she is out like a light. I follow right behind her a short time later. We both wake up with only about an hour to go before we land. We start chatting again, this time about family and what we usually do for the holidays. As we land, I stand and stretch. My shirt rises just enough, showing my abs off. She sits right in front of me with a clear line of viewing them, too. I look down at her, giving her a million dollar smile. I know I’m fit and my six-pack is tight.

“Do you have a bag above?” I ask her, as I reach up for mine. Again, I watch her as my shirt lifts one more time.

“Yeah, I have one in there somewhere and you, mister, are one fit man.”

“That I am.”

She smiles at me before taking her bag and walking off the plane. I follow behind her, admiring her ass all the way down the tunnel, after all, I’m still human and a guy. After entering the airport, I need to head to my connecting flight. She turns, waves goodbye and off she goes in the opposite direction. I head over to my next gate just as they call first class to check in.

After landing and renting a truck for the week, I head out in the direction of my parents.’ Pulling into their driveway, I wonder to myself why they keep such an oversized house, for just the two of them. But I’m sure my dad feels he has worked hard for it, and for my mom, well, it’s for show. She holds many of her charity meetings here now. Clearly their marriage is one of convenience. Sure they love each other, but there is no spark between them, at least not from what I see. I will never settle for anything like that. I want what Mr. and Mrs. Evans have and has always had. You can tell by the way they look at each other that there is love, trust, commitment, and devotion.

I know Ryan will be home sometime tomorrow, so I will spend tonight in. After giving my mom a hug and kiss on the cheek, my dad a firm hand shake, I headed toward my old room to drop my bags there. After about a couple hours of talking with my mom and checking emails, I decide to walk down the street to see Mr. Evans anyway. He’s outside in the garage. His back is facing me, and he is tilting back a beer. Walking up, I want to say hello. I miss having him around for advice. He was a huge part of my life growing up.

“Hey there. You got one of those for me?”

“Cooper . . . how the hell are you?” He turns, gives me a hug and hands me a beer.

“Good, busy, crazy,” I say, smiling at him.

“Ryan said how hard you’ve been working. I’m proud of you, kid.”

“Well, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for you taking us to the races. And I mean it.” He really was there for me, day in and day out, for races, as well as at home sometimes. My dad was just so busy building his company that he forgot how to be a dad, though he seems a bit more eager to find out what is going on with me than ever before, not sure what has brought on the change.

“I might have driven the truck and signed the paper, but you did the hard part. You trained yourself for this day, so I know you’ll be great at it!”

“It’s a lot of hard work, but there is nothing I’d rather be doing. So, if it takes me busting my ass morning, noon, and night, then I’ll do it.”

I finish the beer while we shoot the shit for about an hour, before I hug him one more time then walk back home. It’s dark already, being that the East Coast is three hours ahead of us in California. With traveling all day, I’m somewhat exhausted, so I decide to hit the hay a bit earlier than I normally would have.

Christmas is a little less than a week away, and I still need to pick up a few presents. I head out after breakfast to the mall. It’s packed of course, but I have a plan to get what I need and get the hell out of there.

After I return home, I spend time working out in the gym that my dad put in. It’s nice getting in a long workout by myself. I crank Sam Hunt’s song,
Raised On It
over the surround sound and get in the zone for some training. Now is not the time to slack, when I have just over two weeks to go before I’ll be on the starting line for the first Supercross. I need to make sure I am ready for fifteen of the fastest laps I’ve ever done on a track, which means my core needs to be solid, as well as my legs and upper body. I start today’s training on the stationary bike. I ride it for ten miles at a high intensity then I’m on to upper body weightlifting. Right after I finish that, it’s time for the treadmill and sit-ups. I end the two and half hour workout with some leg training. I have a lot to prove to the team that took a chance on me.

I walk out of the gym with just my shorts on, covered in sweat. As I reach in the refrigerator for a bottle of water, I realize that my mom has company and they are sitting at the table.

“Cooper, you remember Mrs. Webb and her daughter, Sara?”

I don’t really, but I’ll play along for my mom’s sake. “Yes, of course. How are you both?”

“We are doing well I hear congratulations are in order.” Mrs. Webb is looking directly at me when she speaks, while I notice her daughter look down when I glance over at them.

“Sara, how are you?” I ask, as if I remember her.

“Good, thank you.”

“Well, I’m headed up to take a shower, please excuse me. It was nice seeing you both again.”

“Cooper, wait; if you aren’t busy later, Sara is in town for the holidays, too. So, maybe the two of you could catch up sometime this week.” My mom seems to be fixing me up. What the hell is up with that? Jesus, I can find my own dates, thank you.

“Sure,” I say, as I turn to walk away. I don’t want to be rude, but I have no clue who she is.

I step out of the shower, tucking a towel around my waist as I walk to my room. I reach for my phone; this would be one of those times that I need to text or call Ryan about who the hell Sara Webb is. As I hit send on my phone, I pull out my yearbook and start looking through the pages.

As soon as I see her picture, I know immediately who she is. Ryan and I had taken her and her friend to the movies one night then we all went out to Ames Road. It’s a great place to park and overlooks pretty much the whole city.

My phone dings, signaling me of a new text, I glance over and all I see is the fucking emoji of the smile face laughing and tears coming out of his eyes and Ryan’s name at the top of the screen. “Asshole” is all I text back, soon the same fucking yellow face comes back.

Then, I start to picture the whole night in my head, as if it was yesterday. Ryan and Sara’s friend went for a walk that night. She put out in the cornfield without Ryan even really trying. She was more than willing. I, on the other hand, had the biggest set of blue balls around. Sara definitely knew how to get me worked up: she teased me, rubbed against me, and even talked a bit dirty to me. But in the end, no meant no. So she went home and I went and took care of my problem in the shower. Ryan ragged me for a week about it. I still haven’t paid him back for that bullshit.

Now, Mrs. Webb and my mom are working together on the hospital charity ball this year. Damn, and I’m supposed to take her out, per my mom’s request. Lord, this should to be fun.

I wake up the next morning to a text from Sara.

Sara
—Hey Cooper. It’s Sara. I’m sorry if your mom put you on the spot yesterday. Please don’t feel like you need to take me out just because you told your mom yes. BTW, you looked good yesterday and it was nice seeing you again.

Fuck, how’d she get my number? I am going to have a little talk with my mother. She is not to give my number out to anyone. Now what was I supposed to say? Damn it!

Cooper
—No it’s fine. What are you doing tonight?

I can’t be rude and if I get this over with, maybe my mom will stay off my back while I’m home.

Sara
—umm nothing.

Cooper
—Do you want to grab a bite to eat and a couple drinks?