Evan's Addiction (36 page)

     Nic almost snorted out his milk. After a couple seconds he was
able to answer with a coughing laugh. “That’s what your hands for, dude…to get
you through.”

     I shook my head in disgust. “Believe me, I’ve been using it, but
it doesn’t seem to be helping. Shit, I had a real dry spell this summer working
all those hours for Dan and I got well acquainted with my hand, but my dick is
ready to fucking revolt.”

      Nic coughed out another laugh. “I don’t know what to tell you,
man. Maybe you need to switch lotions?”

     I gave him an evil glare that only had him laughing harder. “Thanks
for your counsel Master-bator Kenobi.” I got an eye-roll for that. Shaw would
have liked it. “Hey, I’ve noticed the two of you haven’t been anywhere near the
apartment this whole week. I appreciate it.”

     “That was Carrie’s idea.”

     I frowned. “I’d think she’d be hovering to make sure I was
treating Shaw with silk gloves.”

     “I thought she would too, but she had a talk with Shaw and
whatever was said between the two of them had her jumping back on the Evan
train. She’s trying to give you two all the space you need to work things out.”

     I had noticed that Carrie’s manner toward me at Wednesday’s lunch
had sweetened considerably. I wondered what Shaw had said to her.

     Nic must have been reading my mind. “I doubt Shaw had to say much.
You know how forgiving Carrie is, and she was hoping you two were getting
together before. She sees this as a second chance.”

     A door open down the hall and we turned simultaneously to see Shaw
and Carrie step out of Shaw’s bedroom with small overnight bags. Both were
wearing shorts and tank tops with their hair up; Shaw’s in her usual top bun.

     I was looking forward to seeing it wet and trailing down her back
later.

     “You girls ready for the beach?” I exclaimed cheerfully moving
toward Shaw.

     “I can’t wait to get in the water.” Carrie smiled in excitement
gravitating toward Nic.

     I knew Carrie would live there if given the chance, and I wouldn’t
be surprised if Nic moved her there or bought her a beach house so she could be
there as much as she wanted. The girl was going into Marine Biology so her love
of water fit into her career move.

     I took Shaw’s bag from her. “Are you looking forward to getting in
the ocean again?”

     “Yeah.” She smiled hesitantly but I could see the anticipation in
her eyes.

     Grabbing her nape I pulled her forward for a deep kiss. Shaw’s
hand came up to push me away, probably because Nic and Carrie were watching,
but it turned half-hearted as my tongue and lips devoured her. Desire hit me
hard and swift but I held onto my control. When I pulled back her face was
flushed with arousal and embarrassment.

     “Evan…” she growled.

     I interrupted her with a grin. “Your body is seventy-five percent
water and I was really thirsty.”

     Nic and Carrie laughed, and Shaw’s lips pursed holding back a
smile. “Your body is one-hundred percent bullshit and you stink.”

     “I thought I smelled something ripe when you walked in.” Nic
jumped in.

     Carrie coughed. “Oh my, god. It is rather overpowering.”

     The three of them were unrelenting in their ragging as we poured
out of the apartment into our separate vehicles. As I assisted her into my
Camaro I observed her frown of confusion at the switch in vehicles.

     “Thank god that’s over with.” I blew out an exaggerated breath of
relief as I started the car, revving the engine.

     Shaw rolled down the window. “Do you smell that; something stinks
in here?”

     I shook my head with a grin. “You should really rethink your
major, because bathroom comedy is really calling your name.”

      She snorted and it was cute as hell. From the apartment to the
car she’d relaxed noticeably and I was pleased as shit to see it. This was how
I wanted her to remain for the whole weekend; hell, for forever.

     “Why are you driving this car? Is something wrong with yours?”

     “This is my car.” I followed Nic out of the parking area. 

     Surprise crossed her face. “Why do you have two cars? Why do you
need
two cars?”

     “I’ve had this car since my sophomore year of high school. She’s
my first car, my second love after my mother.” I patted the dash. “She’s a 1968
Camaro Rally Sport. I’ve put a lot of work into her.”

     Because of my father I’d always been interested in many things having
to do with racing. Soon after getting my license I’d found the car for a
bargain. I’d asked mom for the four thousand dollars to purchase her, and then
asked her for another two to fix her up enough to win my first few races. After
that I’d worked on the car with the winnings I’d made from the races I won.

     “Why would you buy another car if you have this one?” She frowned.

     “I needed a car that didn’t scream wild and reckless race car
driver.” My Camaro is electric blue with vinyls all over it, one of them my
dad’s racing number, and I wasn’t about to paint over it. “The people I work
with need to see me as mature.”    

     “If only they knew.” She smirked. “So, you used to race this car?”

     “Yeah.” Not too long ago either.

     “And you won a lot of races?” She tilted my way appearing to check
out the dash.

     “More than I lost.” In fact, I was pretty well known in my circles
for winning and guys had been biting at the bit to prove they were better
drivers than me.

     “What makes this car better than others, or is it the driver?”

     I could hear real curiosity in her tone, not polite or forced
interest. The previous females in that seat had shown interest as well but it
had been obligatory, or asked with an overload of sexual nuance. I knew Shaw
enough to discern she wouldn’t fake anything, and knowing she was truly
interested was a major fucking turn on.

     “Both are important in winning races.” I answered, and then I went
into a few details on what made one engine better than another. Shaw listened
and asked questions and that only verified how intelligent and genuine she
was.   

     Shit, I was getting a hard-on driving down the road talking about
cars.  

     I stopped at a drive-through for breakfast; ordering a couple
breakfast sandwiches for myself and one for Shaw, as well as drinks.

     “So, who’s going to be there this weekend?” Shaw asked as I inched
through the drive-through line.  

     “All I know for certain is all the guys and their perspective
girlfriends, but Maya and Landon could have invited more. They
are
just
back from their honeymoon so Dan and Maya’s mom and stepdad might show up.
Their daughter for sure. Nadia will most likely bring her sister and brother,
and Nic is picking up Samantha. After that I’m not sure.”

     Landon had thought the party a great idea since they’d been gone
for so long; a way for them to reconnect and see everyone, so I wouldn’t be
surprised if quite a few other people were invited. Maybe even the Cruz
brothers. And wasn’t that an uplifting thought.

     I’d called in that favor for Juan and he’d returned the call a
week later expressing his gratitude all over again. Marx Racing had been
impressed by his ability behind the wheel and were giving him the opportunity
to climb the ranks like every other driver. He was going to be provided a car,
a small crew, and funds for backing, wages, and parts. Juan had been over the
moon with shocked exhilaration.

     If they showed he’d better prove his gratitude by keeping himself
and his brothers far away from Shaw.

     “I’ve been wondering how the case against Carol has been going?”
Shaw asked as we got back on the road.

     Swallowing my bite of English muffin, egg and sausage, I answered.
“It’s still up in the air because the guys in the wind.”

     Shaw scowled. “They still haven’t caught him? What the hell? I do
all that work and they can’t stake out a guy and catch him. Do they at least
have a picture of him and posting it at all airports and other locations where
he could slip out of the country? They need to put him on America’s most wanted. Leaving Carol to take the wrap….what a douche-shit-bag. When they catch him I
hope they stick him with a bunch of ass lovers who will teach him a lesson
about fucking with people.”

     Her ferocity and law-and-order lingo had me grinning in amusement.
She didn’t know Carol at all, but she was pissed that the woman had gotten
played. My grin faded though as it processed that her life had probably made
her more sensitive to the idea of people getting screwed over. It was amazing
that she could empathize and wasn’t utterly desensitized by it. She hadn’t let
life break her.

     “You know, with the way you stick up for Carrie, and for Carol who
you don’t even know, I would think you would have more girlfriends. I can
understand your aversion to guy friends, but why don’t you have any other
girlfriends, Shaw?”

     I hadn’t wanted to put a downer on this weekend, and I hope I
wasn’t, but I had to know why she felt the need to cut off the entire human
race. 

     She didn’t look mad at my question or stiffen-up, thankfully, but
she did sigh sadly.

     Shit, I definitely didn’t want her sad.

     Reaching over I gripped her leg and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Forget I asked. You’re such an amazing friend to Carrie and David I think you
should spread that around to others, and give them the chance to have your
back. I know you hang with Samantha sometimes and have given her slot in your
life. I thought you were getting closer to Nadia, Maya, and Amanda, maybe even
Gabby, and I hope you can give them all a chance this weekend. I don’t know
Gabby all that well, but I know the other girls are great and would have your back
like Carrie does.”

     Shaw’s gaze had been out the window for the first half of my
speech, but it turned to settle on me for the second half, and one side of her
mouth was indented. “Have you become my friendship manager all of a sudden?”

    “I will vet every single one if you want me to? Although, with your
computer skills you could probably do that better than me.” It still scared me
how she found all that information on me.

     Her gaze went out the window again and she gave another deep
exhale. “It’s hard to let people in my life. When you’ve had one disappointment
after another it’s just not worth it after awhile. I went through seven foster
homes before my last one with the Tagert’s. I tried being the perfect kid at
each one in hopes that would be the last one, but it never stuck for whatever
reason, and that’s the thing…I never knew the reason. I was just shipped off.
Whatever friends I made were left behind. It only made me try harder at the
next house; do more chores, stay quiet, don’t complain…don’t cry. That was the
only criticism I do know about; people don’t like it when you cry. But it’s
hard to change yourself when you don’t know what people find wrong with you. ”

     Her melancholy tone twisted my gut; in sadness and anger. I
remembered that she said she’d been a colicky baby and cried a lot. That’s why
she thought she hadn’t been adopted. I couldn’t believe there wasn’t a set of
parent’s out there who couldn’t put up with a few months of crying to get to
the good stuff. Babies fucking cried, but they usually got past that shit.  

     Shaw continued. “After a few months with the Tagert’s I realized
they couldn’t care less what I did or what I was like. They were all about the
money, but as more time passed and I wasn’t moved out I appreciated that it was
something stable at least, even if it was a crappy trailer that stunk like
cigarettes and mold. God, I hate those smells.” Her face twisted in disgust.
“After a while I didn’t even smell it anymore, but other people could smell it
on me and would rag on me for it. I started keeping my clothes outside in an
old dresser to keep that smell off them. In the winter it was rough putting on
cold clothes, but it was better then stinky clothes.”

     Damn, to have to live like that.

     “Anyway, I’m getting off topic.” She blew out a breath. “Let me
tell you a little story about friends. I used to make them and did have a few
friends at the trailer park; guys and girls. My closest friend was a girl named
Lexi. We used to sneak out together all the time and go do shit. In my case I
didn’t have to sneak out. In high school it was to hit parties. When the rumors
started going around about me she stuck by me at first, believed me when I told
her they weren’t true. Then one day after school in the parking lot I came up
to find her surrounded by Ford and all his buddies laughing with them about the
rumors, and then she added one of her own. She told them she’d gone to Planned
Parenthood with me because I’d had to get an abortion.” She gave a laugh devoid
of amusement. “The thing is I was the one that went with her. It had happened a
month before and I’ve always wondered if she turned on me because she was
feeling like shit because of what she had to do, or because Ford and his cronies
were suddenly showing her attention. I know she was depressed for weeks after
having the abortion. Whatever the reason it just reinforced that neither guys
nor girls could be trusted. They will all stab you in the back.”    

     It was astounding the bad luck Shaw had with the people in her
life, and a no wonder she thought she was a shit magnet. And I didn’t miss that
even though this Lexi bitch had stabbed Shaw in the back she’d still dug up an
excuse for the girl. After everything and everyone she still had this softness
inside her that hadn’t been destroyed.

     Pulling off to the shoulder of the highway…something I shouldn’t
be doing but had to…I put the car in park.

     “Why are we stopping?” Shaw frowned.