Page 43 of Not So Fast
Think of a time you were surprised by a positive twist of fate. Can you see that life holds good surprises?
I definitely see that now, although I’m still deeply suspicious when good things happen. I can’t help it. For now, I’ve had a lot of positive twists of late. My life has become almost unrecognizable. I’m waiting for Xander in the secret rich-and-famous garage at Heathrow Airport. Who even knew there was such a thing?
Mia stood at the curb, wondering if perhaps she’d been lured here so someone could murder her. Seemed plausible—she’d followed a toothsome stranger all the way from baggage claim, simply because they’d approached her and said, “Mia Neal, please allow me to take you to Mr. Bishop.” Her mom would be losing it if she knew how Mia’d ended up in this dimly lit and cavernous parking garage. Which was precisely the reason she did not tell her mother she was going to England. Sheprobably would’ve gotten a speech about the hidden dangers of pubs and room temperature beer.
Just as she was mulling over her best self-defense techniques, a silver sports car appeared at the far end of the garage, screeching as it came up the ramp. The driver was going entirely too fast, and she could tell from the silhouette they were tall. It had to be Xander. Mia’s pulse fluttered in her throat. The car zipped up to the curb and came to a stop right in front of her. Mia nearly fainted. He was picking her up in a gleaming Aston Martin.
He hopped out and that was when she almost fainted a second time—there he was, legs impossibly long in dark jeans, wearing a T-shirt that showed off his incredible shoulders.
“I’m so sorry I’m late. Have you been waiting long?” He was breathless as he stepped closer and peered down at her.
Mia was suddenly aware that he and his penis were now in close proximity to her and her lady parts, and it might not take very long until they were naked. As much as she hoped it would be a short drive to the Cotswolds, her ever-present fretful state was there. The phone was one thing—she didn’t have to worry about him seeing her from unflattering angles. She didn’t have to think about things like being naked around him at times when they weren’t having sex. She didn’t need to see him without his clothes to know he was perfect. And there she was, normal as could be—a flawed human specimen. Also, leaving the phone behind and entering the realm of in-person contact meant there were other things to think about—trust, motives and conflicts of interest. If people thought she’d gone soft on Xander because of a plane ticket, what would happen if anyone found out they’d moved things into the bedroom?
Despite all of that, she couldn’t think of anywhere else she’d rather be than here, with him.
“I’m fine. I just got here.” She swallowed hard, then found the courage to boldly hold her arms wide for a hug.
But Xander bent down and cupped her face with one generous hand, his fingertips curling into the back of her head. “It’s so good to see you.”
He closed his eyes and delivered the softest, most tender kiss, finished with the slightest brush of his tongue along her lower lip.
Mia’s spine went soft and she nearly crumpled to the ground. A rush of warmth through her body made her head spin. Her previous urge to push him away was gone. Fuck any and all of her insecurities. She wanted to wrap her legs around Xander and ride him around like a pony.
“Is it a long drive to your house?”
He grinned, lips only a few inches from hers. With a beep, the trunk popped open. “I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but I am quite good at driving fast.”
“I’ve heard a few people say the opposite.”
“Bollocks. Rumors and lies. Complete fabrications.”
She giggled and climbed into the passenger seat. The interior was just as sexy as the outside, sleek black leather, even though none of that stood up to Xander.
He climbed inside and adjusted his mirrors. “Allow me to demonstrate my true talents.”
With a jerk, he launched them across the garage and down the ramp, taking nimble turns like a bat out of hell. She gripped the armrest, drifting into the center console while smiling so hard her cheeks ached. This wasawesome.
He hopped on the highway and under a cloudy sky, theywhizzed through towns with unfamiliar names like Iver, High Wycombe and Boarstall, then eventually into the living fairy tale of the English countryside. The scenery was new and exciting, but it was hard to keep her eyes off Xander. She loved watching him behind the wheel, up close. His eyes darted everywhere, scanning the terrain. He was somehow on alert and completely at ease, all at once. The grip of his hand on the steering wheel, working the paddle shifters, was another dizzying sight. His hands were fucking magnificent and Mia imagined what it might be like to have them all over her body.
She had every reason to believe it would happen today, but she would take nothing for granted since she’d also had her fair share of disastrous luck when it came to sex. She’d once broken her ankle at an old boyfriend’s apartment when they were going upstairs for a romantic rendezvous—she slipped on the landing and tumbled down the stairs. There’d been no trip to his bed that night, just the emergency room.
“Here we are,” Xander said, finally pulling onto a long gravel driveway, leading to a beautiful home that was larger than a cottage, but definitely not the sprawling manor she’d imagined.
“It’s so pretty.”
The house was like a postcard, built of flinty stone with front-facing gabled windows framed by ivy and climbing roses. It was hugged by gardens, complete with long-stemmed blooms that waved in the breeze, all set against the background of lush rolling-green countryside.
Xander pulled into the third bay of a six-bay garage, the only overtly ostentatious thing she’d seen thus far. She climbed out, noting the number of vehicles parked inside. “And of course you have a zillion cars.”
“Four is not a zillion. And Iama race-car driver.”
“Still. Pretty impressive,” she said as he pulled her suitcases from the trunk.
He shrugged it off. “I got them all for free.”
Mia shook her head. His world and hers? Not the same. She’d gotten a free air freshener at the car wash once. That was the true extent of her VIP lifestyle.
She followed Xander inside to a mudroom, where he tossed aside his baseball hat, then ran his hands through his hair. That sight alone left her body tingling. “You can see the rest of the house later. I thought I’d bring your bags upstairs so you can get settled.”
