Irresistible Driver ~ A BWWM Sexy Romance Read online

  When her words drifted off, Grandy placed her wrinkly, dry hands over hers.

  “People are in a bad mood for reasons that have nothing to do with you, Lola. Don’t feel bad about a man who doesn’t know how to be gentle with a woman. Continue to do your job with joy and God will smile on you some day.”

  “I know, Grandy.”

  “Say, Amen, my child.”

  “Amen. But he made me very angry. I won’t lie, I was very rude to him, Grandy. He provoked me.”

  Her grandaunt nodded in understanding.

  “You’re only human. There’s only so much one can take. Apologize to him if you see him again.”

  “I did twice that day, but at the end, he remained mean. The truth is I never want to see him again. He told me the same thing. I think I hate him.”

  “Yet, you can’t get him out of your head,” Grandy noted, her mood pensive. “That’s not hatred.”

  “Only because I’ve never met anyone so rude for no reason. He must hate his life so much.”

  “Be careful with your mouth, my child. You can’t afford to lose your job because you can’t control your tongue. Two children depend on you.”

  “I know, Grandy. Anyway, I’ll never see him again.” The man was nasty with his mouth. Not that it was any of her concern. But at the back of her mind, Lola had a niggling fear, Maxwell might get into trouble.

  “Don’t be certain of that.”

  Grandy’s cautious words crashed her worry. Rushing to her feet, she unhooked her hands from her grandaunt’s.

  “Never! I’ll never drive that man again.”

  Lola headed toward the stove and lifted the pot lid to check the food. Steam rose to her face, so she bent her head to avoid the rising heat before stirring the sauce. She tasted a bit from the cooking spoon after that. Then laughter suddenly barged out of her lips.

  “I drove into two potholes that day and he may have injured his neck. As bad as it sounds, I got a kick out of it, Grandy. I’m a bad person.”

  “Lola? I didn’t raise you to be vindictive. What if he reports you to your company?” Grandy placed her hands on her hips, her round face marred with a frown.

  “Grandy, I’ve got two driving jobs. If they sack me, with my experience, I’ll find another job in no time.” She could not imagine enduring another trip with Maxwell. An uneasy sensation swelled in her spine.

  “But the car hire company pay you twice what the taxi company pay you,” her grandaunt argued.

  “I know. There’s a new car hire company starting soon. The tourist market in Badagry Town is growing. I’ll get another job. Don’t worry.”

  “Anyway, if they’ve not called you into the office to question you, or sacked you by now, then, he did not report you. Maybe he was having a bad day.”

  Mentally shuddering at the memory of her encounter with Maxwell, Lola muttered.

  “Horrible man.”

  Though it might also be that his sexy features taunted her at night. Taller than her, his big muscles, baby-blue eyes and long nose that turned up every time he lashed out haunted her dreams. She needed to get rid of his square face and clean-shaven jaw.

  “Are you dreaming, Lola?”

  Startled, Lola jumped back. “No ooo!”

  Grandy chuckled. “Okay ooo!”

  Once the food was cooked and served, Lola sat to eat breakfast with her grandaunt because the older woman insisted, she needed to add flesh to her bones.

  “A woman needs wider hips, Lola. Eat more food.”

  “Grandy, I’ve eaten enough. My hips are wide. I already gave birth to twins.”

  “Not wide enough to have more children.”

  “Haba! More children? Let me take care of these two first, Grandy.”

  “It’s the Lord who takes care of the children.”

  After she gave the grey-haired woman her blood pressure tablets, Lola washed and rinsed the dishes.

  “Work starts in twenty minutes. I’ll see you later.”

  “Go well, Lola. Keep your anger in control. Ask Jesus Christ to help you.”

  “I’ll try. Jesus Christ help me to be more patient.”

  “You should ask for patience first before asking for more. God bless you, my child.”

  Laughing, Lola shook her head.

  “Sleep and drink plenty of water, Grandy. Don’t go talking with the neighbours when the sun gets hot.”

  “I’ll sit under the tree, outside.”

  “No, Grandy. Stay inside the house.”

  “To do what? There’s no air anywhere. Amaka and Nonso are away till Sunday on the church trip.”

  Her twin kids usually kept her grandaunt active with their lively chats and games.

  “They’re gone for only two days. Sunday is around the corner.”

  “Before they return home, I’ll walk around the neighbourhood and talk with all my friends.”

  “Be careful, Grandy.”

  Lola’s phone dinged. She clawed it out of her bag, stared at it before answering.

  “Hello, David?”

  “Yes. Lola, you’ve got an urgent call from an important client. I’ll connect you now,” Atlantic Luxury Cars receptionist told her.

  Her sixth sense told her this was a troublesome call. “David, I’m busy. I–”

  “Hey, Lola! This is Maxwell Legend. I don’t know if you remember me.”

  The dumb receptionist went ahead to make the connection before she could decline the call.

  At the sound of Maxwell’s deep voice, a strange feeling filled her stomach. It stretched and twisted. She licked one corner of her lip before she spoke.

  “I do. What can I do for you?” Her tone was calm but stern.

  “Someone broke into my hotel room yesterday and stole some of my belongings. I need to stay with you for a couple of days until I figure out–”

  “I’m so sorry about the break in, Mr. Maxwell,” she interrupted. “But I’ve got a lot going on right now. Besides, I’ve got no room in my house for you, or anyone else for that matter. It’s nothing personal.”

  Grandy smacked her arm. “We need company.”

  “Ouch!” Lola squealed, scowling at her grandaunt. “We don’t,” she mouthed, adding, “He’s trouble.”

  “Are you there?” Maxwell was saying. “I just need to get away from this unpleasant situation for a day, or two. Can you do this for me?”

  “You said you never wanted to see me again,” she reminded him. “You said I talked too much and you hated riding in the same car with me. How are we going to live under the same roof? I’ve got to go–”

  “Don’t cut me off. I need you, Lola.”

  Her heart started racing in every direction.

  Fear rushed to her chest.

  Excitement flooded her body.

  Stress pulled across her spine.

  She could not breathe.

  “Let me think about it,” she hedged.

  Opening her poorly-furnished home to a total stranger filled her with dread. The parlour walls were streaked with coloured pencil drawings. The faded flowered curtains on the windows boasted small holes. One tired couch and two chairs in the parlour were as old as her kids.

  “How long do you need to think?” he pushed, refusing to take no for an answer.

  “Forever, or longer,” she snapped, rolling her eyes when she met her grandaunt’s bulging gaze.

  “Are you going to abandon me to thieves in your own country?”

  His accusatory words punched her in the gut. Then her conscience pricked her at last.

  “But I’ve no extra room, Mr. Maxwell. I’ll drive you to another hotel free of–”

  “I need a home, not a hotel,” he cut her off in his usual impolite manner.

  “The company can arrange for–”

  “No. You’re not listening to me. I need you, Lola.”

  “I doubt that, Mr. Maxwell.”

  Another pinch from Grandaunt Aduni was what it took to get Lola to soften her stance.

&nbs
p; “I hate to beg, Lola,” Maxwell persisted.

  “I’ll get back to you.”

  Was she crazy to even consider helping him? She would probably kill him in his sleep.

  “Great. I’ll wait to hear back from you.”

  “OK.”

  She ended the call and kissed her teeth. “That man has never heard the word, please!”

  Grandy cleared her throat. “Was that the man you just told me about?”

  Lola nodded, her mind sprinting at the thought of having the self-acclaimed party animal stay with them in her small two-bedroom flat. Arrogant to his bone with a snobby nose to match, Maxwell would not survive a day in her home.

  “What does he want?” Grandy queried, her bushy greyed eyebrows drawn together.

  “He said someone broke into his hotel room, so he has cold feet about checking into another hotel. In the meantime, he needs to stay with me for a few days. My answer is no. Why me, ehn? Money isn’t his problem. He turned up his nose at me.”

  “Oh. I’ve heard you. If you change your mind, we can make room for him. He can sleep on my bed. Remember the story about the good Samaritan in the bible? Love your neighbour as yourself. Show hospitality, in that way, some people have entertained angels.”

  She hugged her grandaunt.

  “Trust me, Maxwell’s the opposite of an angel. I’ll be on my way now, Grandy. I love you, but there’s no room here.” There was no way she would accommodate the mouthy American.

  Leaning closer, she kissed the older woman’s cheeks before she rushed outside to hug the late morning sunray.

  “Think about it,” she heard Grandy yell. “Bring him home, Lola.”

  A few hours later, Lola drove to the restaurant where Maxwell told her he had booked a table while he waited for her.

  Grandy’s reference to the parable of the ‘good Samaritan’ earlier, melted her heart. This was because Lola had repeated the same bible story to her kids on many occasions.

  “Hello,” Lola said to Maxwell when she arrived at his side.

  He had his dual luggage resting beside his seat.

  “Hey. I’m relieved you changed your mind.”

  She had forgotten how smooth and cream-coloured his skin was. It reminded her of powdered milk–sweet and smooth on the tongue. Of course, she had no idea whether, or not Maxwell’s skin tasted sweet. Oh, she had also forgotten he was a burly man with shoulders like a solid shelf. Shoulders she could lean on.

  Clean your thoughts, her head scolded.

  “Lola?” she heard Maxwell call. “Are you okay?”

  Cut off from her silly feelings, she nodded.

  “There’s no running water, or hot water, or constant electricity where I stay. Frankly, I don’t think you’ll cope at all.” It was better she painted the exact picture that existed in her world.

  Grinning, he shrugged. “I enjoy camping. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

  “There’s no spare bedroom,” she added with the intention of swaying his senseless decision. “No comfortable bed. Can you sleep on a couch?” She stared at his bulging upper arm muscles, rounded like a big-sized pounded yam ball. Because of the blazing sun, she did not blame him for wearing a sleeveless top. But the white t-shirt fitted his body so tight she could see and count every rigid line of his toned muscles along his chest and six-pack. Blinking, she rubbed her palms along her arms in slow motion.

  “I can make myself comfortable on the floor if you’ve got a sleeping bag.”

  Nothing she said discouraged him.

  “I’ve got no sleeping bag.”

  The dark ink tattoos that flowed from his shoulders to his wrists altered the creamy colour along his arms severely. Why did Maxwell ruin his perfect skin, eh? But the tattoos gave him a rascally appearance that matched his tough interior.

  “That’s okay. Take me somewhere we can get some groceries first. Is there a mall around?”

  Despite the practical words passing through his pinkish lips, warmth poured from his tattooed arms. The crazy heat seeped into her skin. She could not stop the flow as it seared her boobs and nipples to the extent, she nearly bit her tongue.

  She let out a long breath. “Yes, there’s a mall.”

  Without saying anything further, he loaded his baggage inside the boot and she drove him to the busy Beach Town Mall along Joseph Dosu Way. All through the journey Lola wondered if she had made the right decision. Apart from the fact she thought Maxwell was lethally handsome, his mixture of woody and spicy scent teased her nose.

  At the mall, he spent over seventy thousand naira on groceries, buying everything from cereal to milk, eggs, butter, bacon, bake beans and burger bread. He threw in packet shrimps, salmon, haddock, cartons of packet juice, bottled water and more items.

  Later on, she stood by while he loaded the bags inside the boot. Throughout the ride to her house, she nodded when he spoke, but said very little.

  When they got to her home, Grandy was not there. So, she led him inside. It was slightly dark indoors because there was no electricity and they lived on the ground floor. But she drew the curtains back and took him on a quick tour of her flat.

  “Here’s the parlour. Over there is the kitchen. This is the bathroom. We’ve got two bedrooms. My grandaunt stays in the bedroom here.” She pointed at the room with the door closed. “And here’s my bedroom.”

  Maxwell followed her around and nodded. “Are you married?”

  “No.”

  “I won’t get under your skin. The sofa would do as my sleeping spot. As a kid, during one camping trip, I once slept on a log of wood.”

  “Sit down for a drink.” Was the example supposed to make her feel better about the plain state of her home? “Are the police investigating the break in to the hotel?” She poured him pineapple juice from one of the packets he bought.

  “Yeah. But I’m not comfortable staying there.”

  “Why my home? Someone you can’t stand.” She had to know why he thought this plan was a good one.

  He stared into her eyes for some time.

  “I don’t know,” he said after a long pause.

  Slow heat started inside her belly. She dismissed it as nothing. She did not even like the man one bit.

  “If you want to bath, I’ll get you water in a bucket. There’s no shower, but we’ve got a bath tub.”

  He nodded. “I’m good.”

  Just then, her grandaunt walked inside.

  “Maxwell, meet my Grandaunt Aduni. But we call her Grandy.”

  “Ah!” Grandy Aduni smiled. “Our visitor. Welcome to our humble home.”

  Maxwell stood to his full height of above six feet. He dwarfed every thing in sight. His dark brown hair–the colour of rich soil–cut close to the skin at the sides almost scraped the flaky white paint from the ceiling. When he moved forward, she assumed his straight medium-length hair will scratch the light bulb and ceiling fan.

  “Hello, ma’am. I’m glad to be here. How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine. Lola told me you got robbed. Very sorry.”

  Only a gold watch circled his left wrist, Lola noted. She was surprised the thieves did not make away with the wristwatch. Maybe he slept with it.

  “I was a little shaken. I hope you don’t mind me imposing. I didn’t really give, Lola a choice,” he explained with a grin.

  “My grandniece tells me you are trouble.”

  Lola gasped. “Grandy?”

  Maxwell nodded. “Lola and I, rub each other the wrong way I guess.”

  “No, she said you were rude and impossible. Like you thought you were better than her.” Grandy stared into his eyes.

  Looking aghast, Lola whined. “Oh, my Lord!” She did not need her grandaunt to fight her battle.

  Grandy wagged her fingers. “Both of you behave yourselves, or I’ll get out my cane.”

  A wider grin popped up on his face. “I’ll be on my best behaviour. I need Lola to do the same.”

  When he smiled, he actually appeared human, more lik
e a very good-looking, sexy human. Sky-blue eyes, angular facial features, muscular frame with toned legs and beefy arms always on show in shorts and tight-fitting tops.

  “Lola, he’s our guest. You’ll be polite, right?”

  “Yes, Grandy. Tell him to stay out of my way.”

  “Who went shopping?” Her grandaunt pointed at the bags on the dining table.

  “We did–” Lola and Maxwell started to speak at the same time.

  Laughing, Grandy shook her head. “It’s only been a few minutes and you’re already thinking alike. That’s a good beginning.”

  Lola growled while Maxwell grimaced.

  “Time to unpack and cook something for our new friend,” Grandy suggested.

  All three of them unloaded all the bags on to the dining table. Fifteen bags in total.

  “Lola, show Maxwell where to put the items in the cupboards. Thank you for shopping, both of you.”

  “Don’t thank me, Grandy. I went along for the drive. He paid for everything.”

  “It was team work,” their guest contradicted with a foxy grin.

  Lola wondered, whether Maxwell was pretending to be nice so her grandaunt would think well of him.

  “Are you working this evening, Lola?” Grandy wanted to know.

  “Yes. I’ve got a client to pick up at eight from the airport. He’s going to Magodo Phase 2. So, I don’t know what time I’d be back.”

  Maxwell swung his head in Lola’s direction. “Cancel it. Tell them you’ve got a guest.”

  “Why would I do that? First of all, you don’t need me here. Besides, Grandy’s in the house, so you won’t be alone. Lastly, we can’t stand each other.”

  “Why do you have to be so grumpy all the time?” Maxwell derided, scowling.

  “Hold your peace, you two,” Grandy interrupted.

  “See what I mean, Grandy? He gets on my nerves with every word that comes out of his thin lips, or not-so-thin lips.”

  “You’re not exactly a sweet-tempered host,” he responded cheekily.

  Lola’s jaw dropped while Grandy looked from one irritable person to the other.