Driven

Charlotte grinned approvingly and nodded.

The man smiled. "It's very pleasing to see someone such as yourself show an appreciation for these automobiles. Maybe we should hire you to just stand near them. I'm sure our sales would triple."

Charlotte rolled her eyes as she continued to stroke her fingers gently against the cars and sighed. "I told you there was no point in throwing me a sales pitch," she chided, "Beggars can't eat caviar."

Javier stopped and fixed a steady gaze on her. "You...have definitely more to offer in return than a beggar," he said.

Charlotte froze staring at her flushed reflection in a car's window. She rolled her lips into her mouth unable to respond.

The man opened up the driver's side door of a large, black sedan. "I personally would very much like to see you seated behind the wheel," he noted.

Charlotte met his confident gaze with a wary, flitting glance. "I shouldn't."

Javier's eyes narrowed. "Then why did you come back here tonight?" he asked, not with a scolding tone. It was more like the voice she had been listening to in her head the moment she had stepped into the dealership.

"I...just wanted to have a look at the cars," Charlotte replied.

Shaking his head slowly, thoughtfully, he said, "And that's precisely all you're doing right now, are you not?" He patted the seat of the car and then held out his hand for her. "Since you've come, you might as well have the most complete and intimate experience you can."

Her eyes shifted from his steady gaze to his hand and then back to his handsome face.

"Look, it's after hours," he insisted, "I'm not in selling mode. You wanted to just look. I'm here to offer to you whatever you want. If I may be so bold, I think I know you want this, Charlotte."

His savvy words, silky with a persuasive rhythm, and relentlessly watchful blue eyes pulled at her more so than his beckoning hand. She accepted it and he gently guided her down into the interior of the car. She swept her black skirt close to her legs as she shifted into the driver's chair. Slowly her body silently settled into the cool, soft leather. It cradled her perfectly, as she knew it would. Immediately, she wrapped her fingers around the wheel and stared out through the windshield. She couldn't hide the look of satisfaction in her dark, slender eyes and curling lips.

Javier slowly shut the door. Sealed inside the luxurious interior, Charlotte reveled in her exquisite solitude.

Javier walked around to the front of the car and paused for a moment. Charlotte looked at him through the glass. His eyes were piercing as he lowered his brow over them. She wasn't sure if he realized he was pulling at her attention more so than the car, but something at the back of her mind told her that he could sense the tingle of uneasy excitement his hard gaze instilled in her.

He spoke something through an angled smile on his lips. Charlotte frowned, tilting her head, unable to hear what he had just said.

Moving over to the other side of the car, Javier opened the door and slid into the passenger seat beside him. He pulled the door closed and the two sat there for a moment in silence. Charlotte maintained her forward gaze, her nerves immediately beginning to race, but she was all too aware of his presence. His cologne blended well with the new car scent creating a heady aroma and she could feel him continue to focus his eyes on her.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked.

She nodded her chin too quickly.

"Even without the engine on you can feel the power, can't you?" Javier went on.

Her heart was fluttering. She could hear it beating and wondered if he could too in the silent interior of the car.

She didn't flinch as he reached out and took her hand from the wheel. He guided it downward and wrapped her fingers around the smooth, wooden knob of the gear stick. She squeezed it firmly, very aware that his large, warm hand was still covering hers.

"It suits you well." He spoke with a rich, smooth voice, "You look so very good right now, Charlotte. So very appealing and impressive."

This wasn't about cars.

Charlotte's eyes narrowed, her lips tightened. An angry fire was lit within her. Her chest rose and fell with stuttering breaths. She looked down towards his tanned hand as it blanketed paler skin. She saw the ring on his finger almost taunting her, stoking the unpleasant thoughts in her head. She tried to harness that anger to shake her to her senses enough so that she could brush off his hand, get out of the car, and leave him and the dealership behind once and for all.

"What would you like to try next, Charlotte?" Javier spoke, interrupting her thoughts.

She darted a harsh glare at the man expecting to fire vehemence towards him. To her surprise, and possibly eventual regret, she paused even as her mouth slipped open. During that brief moment, his enticing eyes and smile did their damage. She felt his fingers softly caressing the back of her hand sending an electric wave coursing through her. In that half second, she received his unspoken invitation loud and clear.

The voice in her head whispered sternly: "Leave. Now."

"I..." she said, pausing for a couple of heartbeats, "I'd like to see what you drive."

* * * * * * * * *

Javier led Charlotte through the offices and into the dealership's garage. As she stepped ahead of him, he held out his car keys and pressed the remote. There was a dull click, a double chirp, and then the light systems of a gun-metal grey sports convertible flashed on and off.

Charlotte stood still in the presence of the aggressively stylish and sleek road shark.

"An M3," she spoke, her voice dreamy, "Right?"

Javier walked by her. He removed his blazer and tossed it onto the rear seats of the car. It was quickly joined by his tie. He turned and, leaning against the front end of the automobile, unbuttoned his collar and the cuffs of his blue dress shirt and rolled the sleeves up. Now with a more relaxed, casual attire, he smiled at the woman as she continued to gaze at his car approvingly.

"You must really do well for yourself," Charlotte said, impressed.

"Well, I do alright." Javier shrugged. "Mostly just smart investing. Selling these is my hobby, my challenge. Like you, I have a particular appreciation for them. I also enjoy interacting with the customers. I have a certain...skill for it."

Charlotte wasn't about to doubt the man's skill.

He stood up and slowly walked towards her. Her attention once more shifted solely on the man over the machine. She could see the gold crucifix hanging around his neck between the part in his collar.

"But," he added as he approached her, wagging a finger in the air, "There's still that one customer I've always been waiting for, to make my boldest, perfect pitch."

Her fine, black brows pinching slightly, Charlotte said, "Like I said, I'm not here to buy a car."

Now standing well within her comfort zone, Javier replied, "And as I said, I'm only here to offer you what you want -- nothing more."

Outside of the showroom, even standing in the enclosed garage, Charlotte was aware of the rising temperature around her...and within. She slid her foot back, repositioning her balance on her heels, feeling her body sway from the intentional inspection of the man in front of her. Her pulsating heartbeats weren't helping either. Yet she sensed that his steady, confident gaze alone would be enough to catch her if she stumbled.

"Do you want to go for a ride?" Javier asked.

Charlotte paused. She found it nearly impossible to think straight.

He thumbed his remote and pressed a button. The car's engine instantly roared to life behind him.

The woman blinked and jerked slightly at the sound as it surged through her. It was like a growling wake up call.

Javier turned and walked to the car. Charlotte watched him slide into the driver's seat. She stood motionless squinting at the glare of the headlights, but she was able to focus on the man settled comfortably behind the wheel. Always with that tempting smile of his, she listened to him rev the engine, each time rattling the butterflies in her stomach and invigorating her pulse.

Still she didn't move. Over the buzz of the engine, she somehow managed to hear the jingle of her cell-phone. Pulling it out of her bag, she flipped it open and looked quizzically at the incoming message: "Where the hell r u? ~E"

Within a few seconds she had slid into the passenger's seat beside him. As she strapped in the seat-belt, the car moved forward. They barely cleared the garage door as it rose up from the floor.

Out in the open streets, Javier quickly threw the car into gear and they peeled off into the night. With the area they were in empty around that time of night, they raced around the blocks unimpeded. The car took the curves and corners like a sleek, agile cat.

With the top down, the air rushed past them. Charlotte's silky, long, black strands swept around behind her. Always in motion, streaking along the roads, the heat of the night was going to have to catch them.

Javier opened it up a bit more on a straight away. The car was humming, but it felt like it was speeding along on a cloud, barely a bump or rattle could be felt from underneath. All Charlotte could feel as her fingertips slowly curled into the leather arm rest and seat was the soothing vibration of the engine coursing through her. It was an enticing feeling.

They drove deep into the night, away from the buildings and offices towards the more darker, industrialized area of the city's waterfront, amongst warehouses and docks. After a minute, Javier pulled up to a fenced driveway, put the car into Park, and climbed out.

He looked down at Charlotte and said, "Your turn."

Charlotte looked up and blinked. After a moment, she grinned and said, "What?"

"Come on," he beckoned, nodding his chin, "You're not just a passenger. This is supposed to be your test drive."

Realizing any sort of protest would come off as disingenuous at best, Charlotte stepped out of the shotgun seat.

As she passed in front of the car, Javier walked to the fence and did something with the lock. Then he pushed it open.

Charlotte watched him curiously as she sat down in the driver's seat, the chair almost automatically adjusting to her body height and temperature. Within a moment, Javier was seated beside her.

He turned towards her. "Well?"

Her hands on the wheel, Charlotte peered warily towards the dark road through the open fence ahead of her. "We can go here?" she asked.

Javier smiled and nodded. "A very good salesman has his own secret driving playground. I can assure you it's fine."

Charlotte didn't feel entirely convinced. They remained in Park.

"You can drive stick, can't you?" the man said with a teasing smirk.

Her slender eyes narrowed as she looked at him. His comment was an open-handed play, but it was enough. Without saying else, she put the car into gear and stepped firmly on the gas. They zoomed past the fence and into the dim lanes of the warehouses.

She was amazed with how unbelievably smooth a ride it was. The response of the wheel was perfect, the shifting of gears like a knife through butter, every pump on the gas pedal a controlled jolt of speed. She took the corners and rounded crates and bins like a ferret in a maze. Charlotte knew she was grinning, her eyes wide, as she indulged in the freedom behind the wheel. All the while, she knew the man beside her was watching her intently.

She didn't care.

She liked it...very much.

They sped through the lane ways, only the car's halogen lights and a few, scattered building lamps illuminating the secluded area. After a few seconds, they shot out from between two buildings and emerged in a wide-open expanse of pavement, the docking area by the waterfront. They spun around sharply and now Charlotte had a long stretch of runway laid out before her.

"Okay, now really let her go!" Javier said to her.

Charlotte sank her foot onto the gas pedal. The car obliged by speeding forward, the pitch of the engine singing higher. It felt like it was actually hugging closer to the ground. They pulled down the long straight away, the waterfront on one side, warehouses zipping past them on the other.

"Come on! Don't hold back, Charlotte!" he called to her.

In the distance, Charlotte could see the dark line of the horizon where the docks ended by the water's edge coming up fast. She hesitated on the stick.

"No! No! Go for it! Open her up!" Javier urged. He covered her hand on the gear stick. "Do it!"

"But..but..." Charlotte stammered as she stared out ahead of her. She felt him pushing her hand. Her foot hit the clutch as he guided her into throwing it into top gear. The car revved and surged forward like a missile.

The adrenaline spiked in her body. Pulling her hand free of his, she gripped the steering wheel. She sat up in her chair, pushing her back against the leather seat. She felt her toes curl and the sweat in in her palms, and her ears were filled with a loud thrum as the air blew past her head. Her mouth, like her dark eyes, was agape, stretched into a wild smile of glee, excitement, and terror. It was wonderful.

All the while, she felt the man's approving eyes on her, enhancing the thrill. That was when she felt his fingers touch her bare knee and then slide indulgently along her inner thigh, hiking up and slipping underneath her skirt. Charlotte gasped. She couldn't take her widened eyes off the road though. The sudden shocking sensation of his warm hand and fingers caressing and stroking her tender flesh actually sent a jolt through her legs and she pushed against the accelerator even harder. The car throttled headlong towards the edge of oblivion.

Javier's fingers slipped up against her crotch.

"Oh God!" Charlotte's mouth rounded open wide and she tossed her head back against the headrest, staring along over the tip of her nose as the car ate up the remaining bit of road. A high pitched gasp trilled from her throat as she lifted her foot and slammed it hard against the brake pedal. The car's ABS rumbled and the tires squealed against the pavement. Charlotte braced herself against the wheel as her body strained, lurching forward against her seat-belt. Javier placed one hand against the dashboard to steady himself but the other still had a firm grasp on her inner thigh.

Sliding along the road, the rear of the car angling to the side, the end of the docks seemed to be just meters away -- ten, seven, five, four-- then no closer.

Charlotte sat rigid in the car -- her arms outstretched, her knuckles almost white as she squeezed the wheel, and her back pressing upright against her seat. Her hair had fallen across and around her flushed face, covering one of her eyes. Quick breaths snapped past her trembling lips. It felt like the car was still moving beneath her as the engine eased down like a horse after a hard gallop.

Unable to peel her eyes away from the end of the road which they almost launched themselves from, Charlotte could only watch peripherally as Javier leaned over and switched the ignition off. The engine sighed to a stop and then it was suddenly, impossibly silent save for the sound of her heartbeat pounding within her chest. The headlights remained on, illuminating the otherwise dark, secluded surroundings.

She felt the heat in the still air envelope her body and a sheen of perspiration quickly settled on her skin. Her body still a quiver, and his fingers still touching her explicitly underneath her skirt, Charlotte finally turned to look at the man in the passenger seat through the strands of black hair hanging over her eyes. There was an unnervingly determined look on his face which just added to her difficulty as she tried to recapture her breath.

Charlotte felt his fingers slide up the crotch of her panties. Swallowing hard, she continued to gasp heavy breaths past her glossy lips. As his fingers stroked her purposefully, she wondered if he was aware of how damp she already was. A closer look at his pleased face gave her the answer.

Dropping her hands from the wheel, one to her side, the other on her lower belly, her trembling thighs tightened together slightly around his hand and she moaned softly, "Javier...ahh..."

"Shh," he breathed as he continued to fondle her. His free hand brushed the hair away from the woman's flushed face. "You handled the car just beautifully."

Charlotte was experiencing the man's talents at handling something as well. She squeezed her eyes shut and tilted her head, his warm hand cradling her cheek and chin as she sighed deeply, continuously. She felt his fingertips circle and swirl on the outside of her panties, gently applying more and more pressure as the seconds ticked by. Her legs slowly eased apart.

Her fine brows angled sharply over her closed eyes, she chewed on her upper lip. Breathing in and out the warm air through her nose, she tried desperately to stifle the burgeoning groan coursing up from her chest.

"Charlotte," she heard him call to her. Dreamily her eyes opened in time to see his dark face move towards hers. Her lips parted slightly as he pressed his onto them.

Their mouths open and closed on one another with a passionate rhythm. His strong hand held her face steady, his thumb caressing her cheek as he took his pleasure sampling her soft lips. Charlotte's whole body was trembling as her nerves surged. Her thoughts careened in all directions. The relentlessness of the man's explicit touches didn't allow her time to think straight as she succumbed to the illicit pleasure flowing through every part of her body.

Like a rotor his fingers did their damage on the young woman's inhibitions. She groaned into his open mouth. Her hand reached out and held onto his forearm as he rubbed his fingers vigorously against her crotch.

"Ah! Ah!" Charlotte broke away from the kiss, pressed her chin against her shoulder, and loosed a long, quivering gasp, "Ahh-ahn!"

Her thighs clamped against Javier's hand as she came in a rush, soaking her panties enough that she was sure the fine material would be sheer if she saw them. Still his fingers massaged along her slit and the woman's belly hitched with each splash of her wetness.

All the while, her mouth hung open. She tried her best to moisten her red lips but her breathing repeatedly dried them. She felt the dampness on her inner thighs and crotch. Her flushed face was glowing and tingling as she finally opened her eyes and looked earnestly towards the man who drove her over the brink.

The unmistakable look of satisfaction from pleasing her was prevalent on his hard-edged, handsome face. Yet it was far surpassed by a confidently determined demeanour, one that announced to Charlotte implicitly Javier's expectations at this point. The sight snapped her back to the moment and to the realization of what had just happened...and what was still to come on this sweltering night. She felt an uneasy ache deep inside.

When he leaned in close to her again to steal another kiss, Charlotte finally, reluctantly, retreated. Turning away, she pushed the car door open and stepped out quickly. Standing with her back to him, she adjusted her skirt and mindlessly brushed down her long hair with her fingers. She needed to take a moment to regain her legs and was a little unsteady as she stepped away from the car. She wandered forward aimlessly, unsure of what to do and where to go. Brushing aside her hair, holding her hand on her forehead, and looking around at nothing in the secluded, dark docks, she couldn't shake the anxiety that swelled within her.

She had to leave. She didn't know how, though. Walk for an hour in the heat and the dark? Get back in the car? Was she really convinced that she wanted to leave?