Hard to Break

“Chief?” I breathe.

“Yeah, angel, Chief.”

“Oh my god.” I launch upwards and fist pump the air. Then I begin doing my happy dance around the garage.

Rick sighs.

Tazen laughs.

“I’ll take her,” Tazen says at Rick’s expression. “You oversee the remainder of the cars and make sure the guys don’t slack off.”

“On it,” Rick says, disappearing and looking relieved to be doing so.

“Right, let’s go and watch magic happen.”

*   *   *

Tazen takes me out for a coffee, before we go and check out Chief. We go to a local coffee shop and order. We sit at a table overlooking a gorgeous green park, with thick trees and people everywhere. “I love this place,” I say, staring out at it.

“Yeah,” Tazen agrees. “I’m thinking I like this town more and more.”

“Do you miss home?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Nah, I like new things.”

I grin. “Am I shiny and new?”

He smirks. “Baby, you’re more than shiny and new.”

I laugh. The waiter puts down our drinks and I take mine, wrapping my hands around it.

“Tell me a random Tazen fact.”

He stares up at me from his coffee, his brown eyes sparkling. “A random Tazen fact?”

I grin. “Yep. Something fu

His eyes flash and then he gives a wolfish grin. “There was that time in second grade that a girl asked me to marry her.”

I burst out laughing. “Sounds like a bold one—not waiting around for you to pop the question.”

“Guess I always appreciated a girl with moxie. We got married behind the bike racks.”

My smile is big.

“Okay, I can see how that totally created who you are. You discovered early on that you have a way with women.”

“Yeah,” he says. “I even made her a ring made of grass pieces tied together.”

I press a hand to my heart. “You romantic you!”

“All right,” he says through laughter. “Serious now. There was one thing that really made me grow up.”

I stop smiling and stare at him.

“I was fifteen and was walking home from school one day when I saw this boy on the side of the road. He was on the ground and he was this strange shade of blue.”

My heart starts pounding.

“I could tell by the way he was gasping for breath that he was probably having an asthma attack. I had no idea what to do, and he couldn’t speak. I knew he needed the little thing that makes them breathe, but I didn’t even know what it looked like. So, I started giving him mouth-to-mouth on the sidewalk. He was waving his arms at me, trying to push me off, but I was determined to save his life. A man stopped and went through the boy’s bag, pulling out what he needed. He gave it to him and when the boy could breathe, you know what he said to me?”

I shake my head, my eyes wide.

“He said, ‘Dude, what the hell were you trying to kiss me for?’”

I smile, and my heart warms.

“He remained my best friend all through high school and college.”

“Wow, where is he now?”

“He’s working overseas. He does a lot of goodwill work.”

“That’s amazing.”

He smiles. “Yeah, he still teases me about trying to make out with him.”

I laugh. “He sounds awesome.”

“Now it’s your turn,” he says, studying me. “Tell me an awesome thing that changed your life.”

I think back, and one thing pops into my mind and I smile. “I was just shy of ten, and there was this boy next door. He was in a wheelchair, but he was one of my close friends. I used to play with him all the time. One day I was walking home from school, because we lived really close to it. I saw a group of boys around him, teasing him and picking on him. One of them pushed him out of his chair and he landed on the ground so hard he busted his knees and elbows.”

“Shit,” Tazen says, his eyes hard. “That’s fucked up.”

I nod. “Anyway, I ran over, like the powerful ten-year-old I was. When I reached the boy that pushed him out, I raised my knee and hit him right in the balls. He went down hard, too, and he screamed so loudly people stopped and stared. Then I gave him a mouthful, telling him off so badly he ended up picking up my friend and putting him back in his chair. He disappeared with his tail between his legs.”

Tazen grins. “That’s my girl!”

I blush. “Well, I was a tomboy.”

He smirks. “Baby, you still are.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

His eyes flash with something more than lust. “No, it’s a fucking amazing thing.”

Gosh.

“Now,” he says, standing. “You ready to see this car?”

I leap to my feet. “Absolutely.”

*   *   *

“I thought Chief looked hot before,” I say with wide eyes. “But now … holy shit, she looks amazing. Red is totally her.”

Tazen snort laughs and I turn and stare at him as the painter sprays a gorgeous candy apple red over Chief’s newly prepped body.

“Ever think it’s fu

I shake my head. “No, it suits her. It’s tough but beautiful, because Indian chiefs are truly beautiful. I couldn’t think of a better name.”

“You’re right about that, she’s probably the best car I’ve built in a long time.”

“Tazen Watts.”

We turn to see NASCAR champion, Jimmy Fordola coming in. I want to fan girl, but that would be uncool, so I simply smile like a loser and watch as Tazen steps forward and stretches out his hand. “Jimmy, how’s it going, brother?”

Jimmy nods. “Fucking great, dude. Chief is getting a makeover and I’m firing through the championship lines. It doesn’t get better.”

“How’s she handling?”

“Fucking beautiful,” Jimmy says, staring at his car. “Wouldn’t have changed the color if it wasn’t for my opponent having the same color. You could say that doesn’t sit well with me.”

Tazen laughs. “Yeah, I get you. Jimmy, this is my girl, Qui

Jimmy looks over to me, but my heart is doing beautiful happy dances because Tazen just called me his girl again. Fan girling be damned, that takes the cake.

“Qui

I blink and turn to see two pairs of amused eyes on me. I smile sheepishly and extend my hand. “It’s awesome to see you again, Jimmy.”

He takes my hand and shakes it. “You too, love. What do you think of Chief’s makeover?”

“Orgasm worthy.”

Both their brows shoot up and I laugh. “Come on, boys, you can’t say my words aren’t the perfect fit?”

Tazen nods, and Jimmy throws his head back and laughs loudly. “Tazen, dude, I think I like your new girl.”

I beam.

“Yeah, she’s all right. Did I tell you she’s a mechanic?”

Jimmy turns to me. “No shit, that’s impressive.”

“Thanks.”

“Well,” he says, turning towards Chief. “I was just checking in to make sure I didn’t end up with a pink car. I’ll catch you guys at my next race?”

Tazen looks to me and my eyes go wide with excitement.

“Think that’s a yeah.” He grins, taking Jimmy’s hand again. “Good to see you.”

“You too, catch you.”

“Later.”

When we’re done looking over the paint, we head on out. Both of us happy. Both of us wanting to rip each other’s clothes off.

This might prove to be an interesting afternoon.

*   *   *

“Later, boss.”

I pretend to be dallying around with my clothes as the last of the guys leave the garage that night. I wait until the door closes before turning and laying my eyes on Tazen, who is walking out of the office with serious determination in his eyes. He’s wearing on old pair of jeans and no shirt, because he was midway through “pretending” to get changed.

When he reaches me, his arm hooks around my waist and he spins me around towards the Mustang that’s behind me. He reaches down, lifting a sheet off the floor and places it over the hood, gri

I laugh but that’s cut short when he spins me around and takes my arms, pulling them behind my back. “Now we play it my way,” he murmurs into my ear as he places a hand in the middle of my back and pushes me down onto the hood. My cheek hits the sheet and my excitement levels rise.