Sand Angel

chapter Nine


It had to be seven o’clock, end of curfew, because engines began to start one after another. Eyes closed, Zoë listened to the high-pitched intensity of a Suzuki winding up and the four-beat roar of a Kawasaki. Scents of gas and oil drifted through the open window at the back of the trailer.

Crap. That’s why her and Drew’s little party had been shared with everyone outside. The walls were thin enough as it was. An open window brought every sound and smell inside out and outside in. She couldn’t help the smile that crept across her face. It was the second time last night that they had been caught with their pants down, literally.

A gentle breeze stirred the curtains and the light of day peeked through.

Yawning, Zoë stretched her arms, reaching high above her head and lengthening her body.

Ouch!

Muscles she hadn’t used in a while made themselves known. She was delightfully sore. Thoughts of their decadent night, the way Drew held her, touched her, came back to widen her smile. Every minute spent with Drew was worth the sweet discomfort she now felt. With a casual turn she rolled over to wish him good morning, only to discover that she was alone in bed.

A moment of panic overtook her, disappearing when she remembered Drew was an early riser. The sheet slipped off her naked body as she rose. The linoleum floor was cold beneath her feet. Every time she moved she found a new place that was tender. As she drew closer to the open window, she could smell bacon cooking. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since early yesterday.

Pulling back the curtain, she could see both Josh and Drew standing around the cook stove that Josh preferred using instead of the one in his trailer. Josh was dressed to ride in a red Fox outfit, while Drew wore jeans and a polo shirt. Kind of odd attire for the desert.

Grease popped as she heard Drew say, “I plan on going with Zoë for counseling.”

Zoë’s jaw dropped. How does he know about— Dave. I’ll kill the bastard when I get my hands on him. Damn boss was worse than a nosy family member. She’d only agreed to go to counseling after he threatened to contact Josh. Sonofabitch did it anyway.

With a spatula, Josh began to remove bacon from the pan. “Keep her in bed and she won’t get an opportunity to hurt herself.”

Ohmygod. They know everything. Humiliation fanned across her cheeks, fast and furious.

Drew slapped Josh on the back. “That’s my plan, bro.”

“Yeah. I know. We heard you. Sounded like you two had a good time.” Josh dodged Drew’s playful swing.

The curtain slipped out of Zoë’s hands. She blinked back disbelief. Plan? Her stomach suddenly spasmed. She bent at the waist, clutching her arms around herself. She was going to be sick. What was last night? A pity f*ck?

How could she be so stupid? Drew didn’t care about her—not on an intimate level. It was some elaborate plan for…what—to stop her from killing herself?

She drew herself to her full height.

If Dave told Josh about the counseling, then he also told her brother about why she was going and his theory on her death wish. As if the thought even entered her mind. She was a daredevil, not stupid.

And Josh had told Drew.

Tears welled in Zoë’s eyes, but she fought them with anger. Blinking hard, she pushed them right back where they came from. “You righteous sons of bitches.” The trailer shook beneath her heavy footsteps as she made it to the bathroom. With a twist of her hand she turned the shower on. She had to get Drew’s scent off her now.

He’d given her a little taste of happiness. Even if it was bittersweet this morning, she had learned something. Happiness couldn’t be found through another individual. You had to want it—work for it—just as she had done throughout the years.

She stepped beneath the flowing water. It was warmer than she preferred. Was it the water temperature or the heat coming off her body? As she began to soap her arms, she realized something.

She was in charge of her happiness.

She had wasted three years pining for Drew. And look what she had done to her life. Such a fool. She shook her head and rinsed off. This was where the foolishness ended. She shut off the water.

After grabbing a towel, she rubbed it briskly over her body. She knew it wasn’t going to be easy. She stepped from the shower and walked toward her small closet. There was no way to just turn off how she felt about Drew, nor the rush of adrenaline she loved when it came to performing. Her gaze scanned the outfits hanging. It was hard to explain the pleasure she got with each death-defying act she performed. It had become her life—what she lived for.

A vibrant pink riding ensemble caught her attention. With a jerk she opened a drawer and retrieved underwear.

Surprisingly, Drew hadn’t been the only driving force behind her desire for speed. Yes—speed just made it easier to forget him. With speed came accidents and there was no denying that pain numbed his memory, but he wasn’t the reason she rode. She was good—damn good.

As she slipped her bra and panties on, she realized just how much she had allowed Drew to mess with her mind. She pulled the jersey over her head and sucked in a breath of regret. Drew was all she had ever wanted. With angry movements she pushed her legs through the riding pants. He had deceived her once again.

But she was stronger now. He would leave and this time she wouldn’t fall apart. Maybe she’d go back home, mend the tear in her family’s relationship.

Filled with a brand new sense of purpose, she put her socks on, slipped her foot into one boot and then the other, snapping them tight. For the next two days she would enjoy what Glamis had to offer. Sunday she would head to Phoenix and say hi to her mom and dad.

Now all she had to do was stay away from Drew.



Plate in hand, Drew headed toward the toy hauler, taking a step backward as the door swung open and Zoë stepped down. Crap. She was already dressed to ride. Both he and Josh thought that by keeping her busy, they’d be keeping her out of trouble.

He’d just have to seduce her into seeing things his way. He liked the sound of that plan.

She didn’t say a word to him as she passed by and began to release the ramp at the back of the trailer.

“I brought you breakfast,” he said, leaning in for a kiss that caught her cheek as she turned away. Hmmm…something wasn’t right.

Glancing over a shoulder, she looked down at the eggs and bacon he held, then at him. “Ahhh…that’s sweet. I hope you didn’t go to any trouble. But if I remember correctly there’s a little restaurant and bar down by the Glamis Beach Store. I have a craving for a hamburger.” She moved up the ramp, her footsteps tapping on the floor as she disappeared into the toy hauler.

He shot a desperate glance in Josh’s direction. His friend urged him on with the brush of his fingers.

Zoë appeared again, but this time she was rolling her Honda 250 CR down the ramp. The bike meant trouble. Big trouble.

He moved in, stopping her with his free hand on the bike’s handlebars. “Ah…I thought we’d disconnect the toy hauler from your truck and take a ride to Brawley. Check out the sites.”

She tugged the bike out of his grasp. “Good idea. While you and Josh are there pick me up some tampons.” She threw over a shoulder, “Oh, and a big box of pads.”

Well that put a dampener on the seduction angle. Talk about bad timing. He could still hold and kiss her. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth when he remembered how aroused she got with just the sound of his voice.

“Not Josh and me.” He set the plate down on a chair and hurried to her side. “You and me—alone.” He poured all his sexuality into his voice. “Come on, baby.” He lowered his tone and brushed his hand up her arm. “Let’s take a ride.”

She bent down, pointing to certain parts of her bike as if she mentally checked off all necessary items that should be verified before she rode. Then she stepped around him, grabbing a gas can to top off the bike’s tank.

“Nothing’s in Brawley. Came through it on my way here.” She popped up so quickly it caused him to stumble backward to avoid clashing with her. “But knock yourself out. See for yourself.”

Shit. This was harder than he thought. He brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “How about you and me go back to bed?”

Her brows rose mockingly before she placed her hot pink helmet over her head. The matching goggles followed.

Damn. He’d forgotten about the tampons. And how many helmets did this woman own? Even her boots and gloves matched.

When she threw her leg over the bike, he shot a desperate glance toward Josh. There didn’t appear to be anything that was stopping her and Drew wasn’t ready to go riding. He had counted on taking her back to bed or going to Brawley.

“Wait. I’ll go get dressed and we’ll ride together.” He hastily started toward Josh’s trailer as Josh moved to his quad.

“Can’t. Stomach’s growling. Gotta go.” She raised her foot and kick-started the bike. The engine roared to life. With a twist of the wrist, she throttled it. Her front tire rose from the ground as she rode her back one.

“Shit.” Drew made a beeline for the trailer.

Josh was already hot on her trail.