Early that Thursday evening Neela pulled up outside of Han's garage. The cool sea breeze lifted her hair from the back of her neck and she was grateful for it as she climbed out of her Mazda. The soaring temperatures weren't dropping any as the day gave way to dusk.
Inside the garage Sean was working on the Evo, he was still determined to have it up and running by the weekend. It was proving to be some task especially when Earl and Reiko still couldn't agree on the graphics. Twinkie was sitting cross-legged on one of the workbenches, his cell phone attached to his ear, no doubt calling in all the bets for the race that they were heading out to later.
Bobbie got out of Neela's car, slamming the passenger door behind her. The raised voices coming from within the garage could be heard a mile away. "Do those two ever give it a rest?" She sent a look in Reiko and Earl's direction. "Seriously, why don't they just get it on and be done with it."
"You think everything's about sex," smiled Neela.
"It's the most fundamental of human urges. And it's also common knowledge that the more you hate on someone the more you want them."
"Voice of experience?"
"Maybe."
Neela tilted her head to one side, frowning ever so slightly as she surveyed her friend from across the car roof. "Everything okay?"
The question was unexpected so Bobbie gave her a frown back. "Sure," she said and verified it with a nod. "Why ask?"
"You were quiet over dinner, which is weird because usually nothing and no one can shut you up. Then you locked yourself in the bathroom for a good hour."
"Another reason why I should have stayed at the motel. You know what I'm like when I get in there. Has Sean been nagging?"
"Sean never complains about anything." Neela paused. "You've been quiet most of the day. Guess I'm not used to it."
"Just thinking about stuff," Bobbie said. Her eyes shifted to the Evo that Sean was busy with.
"Stuff you want to talk about?"
"Not right now."
"Okay." Neela nodded and took it on the chin. She always knew when to back down graciously. Pressure wasn't the way to go with Bobbie. "Let's go inside."
Bobbie hadn't mentioned about going up on the roof with Han, nor had she mentioned the kiss. Neela would be on her case about 'staying away and not getting involved'. Not telling her friend was the easy part; the hard part was trying to forget the kiss had happened. She kept forcing herself to shut it down and not deal with its effect on her. It wasn't right how much she had replayed it in her head, and how she remembered every little thing about a kiss that, in reality, lasted only a mere few seconds. It was just a kiss and it was best forgotten. All round. She really didn't want to be thinking about any of it right now. She had more important stuff going on.
"Hey, beautiful," Sean greeted Neela as she came inside the too warm garage.
"Hey, handsome," she smiled at her boyfriend. "How's it coming?"
"Pretty good. I just hope those two can quit arguin' long enough to decide on the paintwork," he replied, gesturing at Reiko and Earl.
"Don't count on it."
At the next lift over, Han was under the hood of his Nissan Silvia S15. When Sean first arrived in Tokyo he had loaned him his treasured 'Mona Lisa' so he could race against Takashi. Knowing absolutely nothing about drifting, it came as no surprise when Sean totalled the car. Han had spent the days after lovingly rebuilding her but she hadn't ran or felt the same since. There were a few car parts pulled out, laying on a tarp behind the bumper and when Han heard the voices he glanced over his shoulder and watched Bobbie stride in, heels clicking on the concrete, hands tucked into the back pockets of her jeans. He'd never seen a girl walk the way she did. Like she was saying 'come and get me' and 'you can't have me'. She was like a walking fantasy.
His.
Her hazel gaze was set on him. But not for long. She scoped the Nissan and he could almost see her pupils dilating. This girl was hot for cars and it turned him on like crazy.
"Shit," Bobbie breathed out. She bit down on her bottom lip as a slow grin worked its way over her face.
The car was blue and orange; a peculiar combination on anything but it looked good on the Silvia. It was dropped low and had a C-West DRFT aero kit, a C-West GT wing and rear package tray and a set of Ganador mirrors. The wheels alone were enough to set her pulse racing, 19-inch Volk GT-7 rims wrapped in Toyo Proxes TR1 tires. Han stepped aside so she could take a look at the RB26DETT engine.
"What a babe. How much money have you sunk into her?" she asked as she ducked under the hood, eyes raking hungrily over the engine, and in that one moment Han decided if there were such a thing as his perfect woman - she would be it.
"A little bit," he shrugged.
"A little bit and then some," Twinkie added with a snort. "No thanks to my boy Sean and his first venture in drifting. We're talkin' forged pistons, bigger turbo, new rise and crankshaft. Han's labour ain't cheap, you feel me?"
Bobbie turned to Han in disbelief. "You let a greenhorn race in this?"
"I had my reasons," he said. "Maybe I'll tell you the story one day. If you're lucky."
"Never mind," she replied. "I don't need to hear how cracked you clearly are."
He made a dismissive sound. "Yeah, you do. You wanna know everything about me." He levelled her with a mock arrogant look and she rolled her eyes.
"Whatever. So what's up with her?"
He shrugged and sighed heavily. "Having problems with the turbo back, she keeps spitting. Hasn't really worked right since her turn as a crumpled beer can."
She nodded. "So you need a break?" she surmised.
"Yeah, it's kind of pissing me off," he confirmed with a smirk.
If this was as pissed off as he got then the guy was even more laidback than she first thought. "Aw, someone feeling frustrated?" she teased.
He smirked, choosing to remain Joe Stoic. He was frustrated all right, but not about the car. Having her in his garage, standing so close to him the way she was and recalling the touch of her mouth...yeah, he was frustrated all right. Her tanned skin was glistening with a sheen of moisture, and she smelled just like she had the other night, an intoxicating combination of cherry blossoms and jasmine. Leaning back against the bumper he inclined his head to one side and looked at her.
Bobbie frowned. "What?" she asked with a shrug of her shoulders as he wiped his oily hands on the rag he was holding.
"You made your mind up yet about working for me?"
"Answer's still no."
"I'll pay you."
"I know all about your idea of a payment plan," she said lowering her voice.
So she'd been thinking about the kiss, too. That pleased Han no end. He hadn't been able to think of anything else. Actually no, that was a lie. He'd been struck many times since by images of kissing her again only for them to quickly turn into her straddling his lap, preferably wearing those damn boots, as she writhed and pushed up on him.
And he was doing it again.
Damn.
Bobbie could have sworn that the corners of his mouth twitched. A second look at his stoic expression confirmed her suspicion. The sonofabitch was thinking about a whole lot more than just that kiss. She made a clucking sound signalling her displeasure. "You're disgusting y'know that?"
"What?" Han laughed out. "I'm just standing here making conversation."
"Bite me," she said, then focusing on him she lost the attitude. "Okay, we cut a deal."
"Name it," he said with a casual shrug.
"I work on the Nissan and you let me race her," she challenged. "That's how you pay me."
At Bobbie's request Sean turned away from the Evo's gearbox, Twinkie's head jerked up forgetting about his phone; Reiko and Earl's bickering came to a rapid halt and even Neela swung around to look at Han and Bobbie facing off over the Nissans' engine.
They stared at one another for a long moment. Bobbie bobbed her eyebrows at him, waiting. Han just smiled. She looked cute, all determined with her chin jutting out in defiance. She wasn't backing down on this one. It was kind of sexy.
Twinkie let loose with a chortle. "Shawty drives a hard bargain. Guy respects that, but after Sean's number on her? No way is Han ever gonna let anyone drive the Mona - "
"Done," Han smiled slowly at Bobbie.
"Say, what?" Twinkie's jaw almost hit the floor. "I know I didn't just hear that."
Sean chuckled. "Never underestimate the power of a woman, Twink," he said winking at his friend.
"Nuhuh, no way. Hot girl or not, this is all wrong," Twinkie vehemently protested. "It's not a good idea, y'hear me, Han? We only just fixed her up again. C'mon, man!"
"Take it easy, Twink," Han told him, eyes still on Bobbie. "She ain't gonna total my car."
"It'll be in good hands," Neela confirmed. Bobbie was one of the best racers she had ever met.
"I'm not saying Bobbie can't drift, we all saw her coming, that ain't even what I'm worried about. You said yourself Mona's never been the same since Sean banged her up, it happens one more time? It's the junkyard in the sky and there ain't no coming back from that."
Bobbie looked at Twinkie. "Not gonna happen. Besides," she added with a sly smile, "I thought you'd be motivated by the thought of all the money you'll be making when I blow over the finish line."
Twinkie snapped his mouth closed. He thought about it for a moment, one eyebrow cocked expectantly. "You a sure thing?"
Bobbie turned back to Han. "Oh, yeah," she smiled, "I'm a sure thing."
"We still talking about racing?" he smirked. She rolled her eyes but she was smiling.
"Well a'ight then!" Twinkie slapped his hands together and rubbed them gleefully. "Let's get this show on the road. Ladies n' Gents, bets are now open."
"You are so easy," Neela smiled, shaking her head at him.
"Making money is my business, and I'm always serious about business," he grinned. He sauntered over to Bobbie and slung one arm around her shoulder. "Bobbie, girl," he said squeezing her, "from now on, you and me are joined at the hip, you feel me?"
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COPYRIGHT. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Debra Jay. 2010