mention all the other pricks that had wronged him earlier in life. The thought of them all watching while he crossed the line to victory on the big screen was one of the things that truly drove him on, that made him get out of bed on cold winter mornings to hit the racetrack while it was still empty and practice, practice, practice. He’d show them all. The thought of him failing on that big screen was the thing that meant he could never back down, never give way. The further he progressed, the bigger the stakes were.
There was no way he could let Callie beat him. Was she faster than him? It was hard to say. But he knew for sure which one of them was more ruthless. That had been one of the prime factors in him getting this far. Lots of folk could drive quickly, but how far were they prepared to go? He’d take it further than anybody, and it paid dividends.
And yet whenever he looked at Callie, he felt a longing. Something stirred inside him. He recognized the feeling — it was the one he’d felt for his ex all those years back. Maybe this was a woman he could love. He could drive a car at breakneck speeds in treacherous conditions, but that feeling of falling for someone was what left him in cold sweats. And the thing he had to avoid at all costs.
CHAPTER SIX
Callie sat, adjusting her gloves, squirming about in the bucket seat, trying to get comfortable but itching to get out there onto the smooth, flowing curves. She could drive on anything, but this would play into Drake’s hands. Still, there was one thing in her favor.
Out, through the slit in her visor, the sky was dark — black almost — and everyone in the pit lane was under an umbrella. It was her favorite weather. Not just for driving, either — she loved going out in the rain and just getting soaked to the skin. People looked at her, but so what? Life’s too short to take cover all the time. Elements are there to be felt, to be enjoyed.
She thought back to Drake on the podium. “Don’t kiss me,” ha! That was hilarious. She’d have let Drake kiss her. In another universe. One where they weren’t battling for the title. And one where he wasn’t such an asshole.
There had been a couple of races since then, though, and things were getting tight in the championship. In the first, on an oval, Drake had broken his front suspension when he brushed the wall, leaving her with an easy win, and in the second he made a badly timed pit-stop and finished way down, while she had taken second. Daniels had placed well in both races, too, leaving him looming ominously behind them in the race to be champion. It was all heating up.
As the rain drummed on the umbrellas, her fingers tapped on the wheel.
Drake sat in his own car, next to hers in the garage, looking like a picture of concentration. What a jerk. Those points she’d gotten on him in the last few races could prove invaluable come the end of the season. He was a formidable opponent. An outrageous cheat, too, of course. Damn it. Why couldn’t she fancy someone half-decent like Sam fricking Daniels?
Ozzie came over to the cockpit and leaned in.
“Race is delayed for an hour. They’re hoping it will ease up.”
She pushed herself up out of the cocoon and took her helmet off. There was nothing to do but pace about. Drake was sitting on a stool, tapping at a tablet displaying his performance data. He looked up and they accidentally caught eyes before she quickly looked away again. Asshole. There was always something more for him to do. He was like the class nerd. Maybe he was deciding where it would be best to shove her off the circuit. Double asshole. She couldn’t quite believe she’d allowed him inside her. What had she been thinking?
Outside, in the rain, officials walked around, talking, discussing, looking up at the sky, looking at their watches, hiding under their umbrellas. Sure, they had special tires for the wet weather, with big grooves cut into
There was no way he could let Callie beat him. Was she faster than him? It was hard to say. But he knew for sure which one of them was more ruthless. That had been one of the prime factors in him getting this far. Lots of folk could drive quickly, but how far were they prepared to go? He’d take it further than anybody, and it paid dividends.
And yet whenever he looked at Callie, he felt a longing. Something stirred inside him. He recognized the feeling — it was the one he’d felt for his ex all those years back. Maybe this was a woman he could love. He could drive a car at breakneck speeds in treacherous conditions, but that feeling of falling for someone was what left him in cold sweats. And the thing he had to avoid at all costs.
CHAPTER SIX
Callie sat, adjusting her gloves, squirming about in the bucket seat, trying to get comfortable but itching to get out there onto the smooth, flowing curves. She could drive on anything, but this would play into Drake’s hands. Still, there was one thing in her favor.
Out, through the slit in her visor, the sky was dark — black almost — and everyone in the pit lane was under an umbrella. It was her favorite weather. Not just for driving, either — she loved going out in the rain and just getting soaked to the skin. People looked at her, but so what? Life’s too short to take cover all the time. Elements are there to be felt, to be enjoyed.
She thought back to Drake on the podium. “Don’t kiss me,” ha! That was hilarious. She’d have let Drake kiss her. In another universe. One where they weren’t battling for the title. And one where he wasn’t such an asshole.
There had been a couple of races since then, though, and things were getting tight in the championship. In the first, on an oval, Drake had broken his front suspension when he brushed the wall, leaving her with an easy win, and in the second he made a badly timed pit-stop and finished way down, while she had taken second. Daniels had placed well in both races, too, leaving him looming ominously behind them in the race to be champion. It was all heating up.
As the rain drummed on the umbrellas, her fingers tapped on the wheel.
Drake sat in his own car, next to hers in the garage, looking like a picture of concentration. What a jerk. Those points she’d gotten on him in the last few races could prove invaluable come the end of the season. He was a formidable opponent. An outrageous cheat, too, of course. Damn it. Why couldn’t she fancy someone half-decent like Sam fricking Daniels?
Ozzie came over to the cockpit and leaned in.
“Race is delayed for an hour. They’re hoping it will ease up.”
She pushed herself up out of the cocoon and took her helmet off. There was nothing to do but pace about. Drake was sitting on a stool, tapping at a tablet displaying his performance data. He looked up and they accidentally caught eyes before she quickly looked away again. Asshole. There was always something more for him to do. He was like the class nerd. Maybe he was deciding where it would be best to shove her off the circuit. Double asshole. She couldn’t quite believe she’d allowed him inside her. What had she been thinking?
Outside, in the rain, officials walked around, talking, discussing, looking up at the sky, looking at their watches, hiding under their umbrellas. Sure, they had special tires for the wet weather, with big grooves cut into
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