Strong hands took ahold of me, causing me to gasp at the zip of energy that rushed through my body as I stared into the bluest eyes I’d ever seen.
“I’m . . . I’m so . . . ahh . . . sorry,” I said shaking my head to clear my thoughts as I stared at his features. He had a strong jaw line, perfect nose, eyelashes I’d kill for, and the most breathtaking smile I’d ever seen.
Down, Paislie. Settle down.
The man standing before me had to be the most handsome guy I’d ever laid eyes on. He was dressed in jeans and a white T-shirt that showed off his massive chest. He had tattoos all the way down his left arm that filled me with the urge to trace them with my fingers. No, with my tongue.
What in the hell is wrong with you, Paislie?
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Mother of all things good in this world. His voice sounded like God had opened the gates of heaven and sent an angel down. It vibrated through my entire body, and in a good way. A very good way. Was that a southern accent I heard?
Please let him be from the south.
“No,” I mumbled.
His eyes filled with concern as they traveled over my body and I visibly trembled.
What in hell is happening to me?
He looked deeper into my eyes. “Did I hurt you?”
My mouth parted open and I tried like hell to talk.
“Paislie? Are you hurt?”
The second he said my name, I fantasized about him calling it out as he moved over my body with his lips and—
Closing my eyes, I pushed all those thoughts out and got control of myself. “I’m sorry. I think I was stunned for a moment.” Pinching my brows together, I asked, “How do you know my name?”
His right hand dropped and my body instantly missed the contact. He lifted the VIP pass and smiled a crooked smile that honestly made my knees shake. “Oh,” I said with a chuckle. “Duh.”
Good lord. What are we, in middle school? Duh? That was the best I could come up with?
I couldn’t help but notice his left hand was still holding onto my arm. I glanced down at it and he must have noticed too because he dropped it. “So . . . are you okay?”
With a wave of my hand, I let out a nervous laugh. “Totally. I’m sorry. I needed to get away from Trey . . .” I closed my eyes and cursed under my breath. “No, I mean I needed fresh air and I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
When I looked back up into his blue eyes, I couldn’t help but notice the dimples on both sides of his cheeks. Jesus in heaven . . . please give me the willpower to not jump this man right here and now.
“You have a beautiful smile,” I blurted out.
His eyes lit up with something I’d never before. “So do you, Paislie.”
My cheeks flushed and I had to place my hands on them to cool my face. “Um . . . thank you. Again, I’m really sorry about bumping into you and acting like a crazy fool.”
“We’ll just call it a warm up, I’m sure I’ll be doing lots of bumping out on the track.”
All of a sudden I found myself very interested in racing. “You’re a driver?”
With a cocky smile, he replied, “Yep.”
I sunk my teeth down into my lip; clearly NASCAR drivers now turned me on as desire pooled in my lower stomach. “What number are you?”
It was then I heard a dog bark. Glancing down, a boxer was patiently standing at his hot owner’s side. I instantly dropped to the ground as I cried out, “A boxer! I love boxers!”
The dog promptly licked and tried to climb up on me as his owner corrected him. “Sorry about that. He tends to lose focus when a pretty girl is around.”
I peeked up through my eyelashes and tried hard to hold the eye roll back.
“Too cheesy?” he asked.
Standing, I held my thumb and index finger up. “Just a little.”
“Told you it wouldn’t work, Deuce.”
“Deuce? Cute name.”
Mr. Hotter-than-hot frowned. “Cute was not what I was going for with his name but . . . I’ll take it.”
Smiling like a schoolgirl, I tried to understand what it was about this guy that made me feel so . . . different. Giddy almost.
For Christ’s sake. Get a grip, Paislie.
“Well, I should let you go. Good luck today and again, I’m sorry for bumping into you.”
With a nod of his head, blue eyes and crazy sexy dimples leaned in closer and softly said, “I’m not.”
My heart practically pounded out of my chest as I watched him walk off. “Wait!” I called out. “What’s your number or your name or something for me to scream out when you drive by?”
With a wide grin, he said, “Malcolm Wallace.”
Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t stop the stupid look of happiness from spreading across my face. “Good luck, Malcolm Wallace.”
His wink did me in and a moan slipped from my lips as he said, “Thanks, Paislie.”
And just like that he walked around the corner and was gone.
I dropped back against the building and fought to get my breathing under control. My stomach dipped and my chest felt funny.
“What in the hell was that?” I mumbled.
“There you are.”