Free This Time, Forever by Pamela Britton

said.
    â€œYou going to watch the race from pit road or our suite?” Gil asked her.
    Marley instantly shook her head. “I’m going to head back to the hotel.”
    She caught Linc staring at her.
    â€œRight now,” she added.
    â€œNow?” Gil asked, surprised.
    â€œI’m tired, Gil,” she said. “And there’s really no need for me to stay.” But she was talking to Linc, and he knew it. “Brenda has things under control with the Shelter Home Improvement people, and I need to catch up on some sleep. If I leave early, I might actually get home in time to get some rest.”
    Her brother nodded, concern clouding his eyes. “No problem,” he said. “But you’re going to miss Linc’s big debut.”
    â€œI know,” she said. “But he’ll do fine.”
    When she dared to meet Linc’s gaze, it was clear he wasn’t happy. Gil stared between the two of them, his frown causing lines to form above his brows. “Call me when you get home.”
    Did he sense something between them? Her brother was no fool, and he’d known her for her entire life. Just the other day he’d reminded her of the raging crush she’d had on Linc all those years ago. That car she’d set on fire had not been one of her better teenage moments.
    â€œâ€™Bye, Linc,” Marley said, trying to throw her brother off the scent. “Be safe this afternoon.”
    â€œMarley,” he said.
    But she walked away before he gave the game away.
    I’m going to call you later this week.
    Would he? And what would she do if he did?

CHAPTER EIGHT
    S HE WATCHED the race from the airport while waiting standby for the next flight home. Part of that race, anyway. She missed the last half and so it wasn’t until she landed that she learned Linc had finished fourteenth.
    Not bad.
    She was happy for him. And even happier for her brother. She just hoped Linc didn’t do as he threatened and call her that week.
    He did something worse.
    He dropped by her office. “We need to talk,” he said, slamming her door closed.
    â€œCongratulations on a great finish,” she said.
    â€œFourteenth is not a great finish,” he said, advancing toward her.
    She sat behind her desk, but she felt like a lion tamer in the middle of a circus ring, and this feral animal had her firmly in his sights.
    â€œLinc—”
    â€œQuiet,” he said.
    â€œI beg your par—”
    He jerked her to him. She gasped, used her body as a counterweight. He managed to get her out of her chair just the same, the plastic seat spinning out from under her.
    â€œDon’t,” she told him.
    â€œSorry. I can’t seem to help myself,” he said, just before he lowered his head.
    Her whole body had come alive. Her lips tingled in anticipation. Her breath caught.
    It was just as she remembered.
    She’d wondered if their night together had been an illusion, if the fact that she’d had a couple glasses of champagne had clouded her perception. It hadn’t. If anything, it’d dulled it because kissing Linc in her office was better that morning than it’d been in the hotel room.
    Because she knew what he could do to her.
    She remembered every exquisite way he’d elicited pleasure. Felt her whole body curve into him in anticipation. She wanted those feelings again, wanted to know the touch of his hands, the feel of his lips against the sensitive skin near her belly.
    â€œNo,” she moaned, pulling back. Dear God, what if her brother walked in? “Linc, no,” she said when it appeared as if he was coming back for more.
    â€œWe’re not going to fight this, Marley.”
    â€œYes, we are,” she said. “Damn it, Linc. This is madness.”
    â€œYou want to know what’s crazy?” he asked. “What’s crazy is that yesterday was my first day back in a race car in years, and I did well. But the joy I felt