“Wow!” Dirty Dan unbuckles our seat belts. “They have some serious bugs in their system. Good thing you decided to go for a spin.”

I swallow hard and nod. My heart is pounding. My body is trembling. What a ride!

“You okay?”

I flash him a smile. “I’m good to go again. Maybe this time we should take a car without the new system.”

His eyes widen and he grins. “Damn girl, if things don’t work out with Max—”

Uh-oh. Max.

The door flies open and Max reaches inside and drags me out into the big, bright, sunny world. He rips off my helmet and runs his hands up and down my body.

“I’m fine, Max. There was a problem with the system but we got it under control. I want to go back out but in a normal car.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I loved it. It was so exciting.”

“I said NO.” His voice carries across the racetrack and draws the attention of everyone in the vicinity.

He spins around and slams Dirty Dan against the vehicle. “You were supposed to keep her speed down. What happened?”

“She’s a great driver,” Dirty Dan protests. “She handled that car like an expert. I didn’t think it would be a problem, especially with the new system in place.”

“Max.” I place my hand on his arm. “I wanted to go fast. Just…chill.”

“Chill?” His icy tone freezes my blood. He grasps my elbow and leads me away from the group. “I brought you here. You are my responsibility. You could have been seriously injured. Something happens to my judgment around you. I knew better than to let you drive.”

His jaw is tight. His eyes are hard. He bristles with protective anger. Adrenaline still pounds through my veins, and the entire experience has left me inexplicably and incontrovertibly aroused. I curl into his body and press myself against his heat. “I wasn’t afraid. Not for one second. There’s nothing to hit out here, and Dirty Dan knew what to do.”

His body stirs against mine, and he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “It will never happen again,” he says.

We hold each other for the longest time. Max’s heart slows to a steady rhythm and his muscles relax. He rests his cheek on my head. “There was nothing I could do.”

“I know, Max. I know that was particularly hard for you. But life is like that. You can’t control everything.”

He tightens his arms around me. “I can control you.”

“I’m afraid I’m uncontrollable.” I laugh lightly. “I like dangerous and exciting. That’s why I like you.”

Max chuckles. “Am I dangerous and exciting?”

“Very dangerous.” I slide my arms around his neck. “And very exciting when you go all-protective alpha-male crazy. It makes me”—I search for the right words—“want you. So much. Now.”

My words have the desired effect. Max grabs my hand and half walks, half drags me to the car warehouse. Once inside the cool, dark space, he locks the door. Light filters through cracks in the joints and shines through the small windows dotted around the massive space. Beautiful, exotic cars in a rainbow of colors gleam in two neat rows.

We stare at each other for a long moment. With a groan, Max pulls me into his chest and covers my lips with a hard kiss. I thread my fingers through his hair and pull him down for more.

“Fuck.” His first word in five minutes isn’t exactly what I wanted to hear, but I’ll take what I can get.

“Yes,” I breathe against his lips. “Now.” My heart pounds. My pulse races, and with Max in my arms, my arousal soars.

“You push me right to the edge.” His husky murmur inflames my desire, and I rub myself against the evidence of his need as it strains against his fly.

“I thought you liked it right on the edge.”

He makes a choking sound, and in ten seconds flat he has me stripped and pressed up against the door.

“Which car should we ride, biker chick?”

My words catch in my throat. “Lamborghini?”

“Too low for what I have in mind.”

He takes my hand and leads me to a brilliant red Audi. “Over you go, baby.” He leans me over the hood of the vehicle, and my ni**les tighten at the erotic sensation of hard metal against my soft flesh. I twist to look over my shoulder and Max presses me back down. “Stay still. Hands on the hood in front of you.”

My pulse races and need licks through my veins. I position my hands on the Audi’s smooth surface.

“What is your safe word?”

I tense. Why do I need to remember my safe word now? “Agusta.”

Max strips off my yoga pants and biker chick undies. Then he caresses my bottom cheeks. I tremble. I want him so much, I am ready to beg.

“You disobeyed me,” he murmurs. “You put yourself in danger. You need to be punished so you learn not to do it again.”

“What?” A thrill of fear ratchets through me.

“You didn’t trust my judgment,” he continues. “I set the speed limit to keep you safe.”

“Please,” I whimper. “No games. I need you.”

“I have needs too. I need to know you won’t do anything like that again. Ten smacks for disobeying me.” He brings his hand down across my behind, smacking me hard. Pain explodes across my cheek and I shriek.

“Max, no. You’re angry.”

“Do you need to use your safe word?”