The Chase (Fast Track #4)(23)
Author: Erin McCarthy

“Of course you can.” Tuesday nodded with a big, overly cheerful smile.

Great. Tuesday didn’t think she could do it. Kendall had avoided Evan ten years ago. She could do it now.

But why was that actually the last thing she wanted to do?

Kendall ignored the sensation in the pit in her stomach that was not hunger and went to talk to Jim. About her career. The only thing that mattered.

A week later Evan was thinking it wasn’t all good, and he was wishing like hell he hadn’t let Kendall leave his bedroom so easily. He had figured he would bump into her all over the place. He certainly had when he’d been trying to avoid her. But now that he wanted to see her, she was proving to be as slippery as a greased pig.

Even in Dover at the race, he hadn’t had a chance to see her. She had disappeared promptly after drivers’ introductions, and likewise after the race, after finishing a respectable twentieth. He had actually had a decent race himself, finishing tenth, which these days was a victory all on its own.

But now he was antsy, and he had woken up every morning with a raging hard-on from night after night of erotic dreams involving Kendall and her br**sts. Kendall and her tongue. Kendall and her sweet, wet, inner thighs . . .

Evan walked into a watercooler and almost knocked it off the stand. Whoops. He caught it and prevented a disastrous explosion outside his team owner’s office.

“Klutz” was Eve’s opinion.

He was a lot of things. Klutz wasn’t the worst of them. “So why does Carl want to have this meeting? You promised me I wouldn’t be fired.”

“I didn’t promise you anything. I told you it was highly unlikely you would be relieved of your car, but that securing another sponsor needed to happen quickly. Carl and I have been talking and we’ve come to an agreement.”

Evan stopped walking. “Wait a minute? You know what he wants to discuss and you haven’t told me?”

His sister stared at him impassively, her hands in the pockets of her suit jacket. “I wasn’t at liberty to discuss the details with you. It wasn’t a sure thing, and it’s not my place to make you the offer, it’s Carl’s.”

There were times when he hated the business aspect of racing, and this was one of them. “You work for me, Eve, not Carl. What the hell is going on?”

“Yes, I do. And as your employee, it’s my responsibility to seize opportunities for you as they arise. But if said opportunity is not allowed to be discussed, I can’t discuss it.”

Working with family was hell, because at the moment he wanted to fire Eve’s ass, but knew he couldn’t. There was nothing he hated more than being kept in the dark. It was like people either assumed he couldn’t handle the truth, or didn’t think he was entitled to it.

“I think after this meeting we need to redefine our working relationship.”

Carl’s office door opened and Kendall stepped out.

“What is she doing here?” Evan asked Eve, shocked and, admittedly, instantly aroused.

Kendall was wearing a dress. Damn. When had he ever seen her in a dress? It was a stretchy red thing, worn with black tights and heels that made her calves look amazing.

Without waiting for his sister’s answer, he said, “Kendall.”

She looked up and ground to a halt, her hand coming up to her throat. “Evan! Oh, hi. Wow. Hi. How are you?”

Unnerved by how much she was unnerved, Evan shrugged. “I’m fine. You had a meeting with Carl?”

She nodded, darting a glance back at the door, chewing her bottom lip. “Great seeing you, talk to you later.”

Then she tried to rush past him.

Evan reached out and grabbed her arm. “Wait.”

The look on her face as she stared in horror at his fingers wrapped around her arm deflated any arousal and confidence he had. “What?”

Leaning in a little so Eve wouldn’t hear, he said, “Wait for me. I’d like to talk to you. I won’t be that long.”

“Oh, I can’t. I have . . . stuff to do.”

“We need to talk.”

She blinked up at him, her eyes wide. “About what?”

“The other night.”

“I don’t think that needs to be talked about.” She shook her head rapidly. “Neither does what Carl is about to tell you.”

Alarm bells went off in his brain. “What the hell does that mean?”

“Nothing.” Kendall yanked her arm out of his hold. “See you later.”

The door to the inner office opened and Carl popped his head out. “Evan, Eve, great to see you. Come on in.” Then he called over top of them, “See you this afternoon, Kendall. Thanks.”

Kendall gave a stiff smile and waved, then beat a fast retreat. Evan was suspicious and suddenly feeling really uneasy. But he put on a smile and stuck out his hand to Carl. “Hey, Carl, it’s good to see you. How are things going?”

“Good, good. Come on in. We have some exciting news.”

Shooting a glance at Eve, who looked impassive as she greeted Carl, Evan followed them into the plush office and took a seat in a big overstuffed chair in front of the desk.

“Let’s get right to the point.” Carl glanced at his watch. “I have a meeting in ten minutes. But I wanted to make sure you understand that Hinder Motors supports you and your team. We believe that despite some minor setbacks, you’re a stellar driver, Evan.”

He felt a flicker of relief. Carl wouldn’t fire his ass after a comment like that, would he? “Thank you. I appreciate everything you and the whole operation has done for me. We’re working some kinks out, but I feel confident we’ll be on an upswing.”

“Good. Your new sponsor will be thrilled to hear it.”

“I have a new sponsor?” Now he really was relieved. “That’s fantastic.”

“Your sister and I hatched a plan and the SL Smith Corporation went for it.”

Eve was smiling as Evan tried to recall what products that company sold.

“You know that Kendall Holbrook has Untamed for Women deodorant sponsoring her. You are now the male counterpart to that—Untamed for Men. SL Smith is sponsoring both of you and wants to do a whole commercial and media campaign featuring both of you together. Isn’t that fantastic?”

Evan grinned at Carl. “That is fantastic.”

Not only did he get a cool black car with some electric blue accents like the deodorant label, he was going to get to spend lots and lots of time with Kendall. That made him feel a little untamed himself.