followed the general flow across a sea of tents and out to some makeshift stands to the side of a vast track loop.
It didn’t take long to find Rev. He was holding court under a large merchandising tent, his back turned to the milling throngs of people. His silhouette stood out. Tall, lean, and muscular, with a broad back and well-defined shoulders. As I approached, I couldn’t help but notice how his fitted t-shirt put the perfection of his sculpted chest on display.
He didn’t notice me at first. I mean, how could he? What, with all those girls fawning over him, trying to catch his attention as he spoke at length about something, all the while smiling in his charming way.
Finally he noticed me, and our eyes locked. For a moment, just one fleeting moment, I felt like we were the only two people in the world. He laughed and patted the guy nearest him on the shoulder before walking over to me.
“Winter! Thanks for coming.”
I nodded. “Thought I’d check it out.”
He shrugged. “Well, I’m glad to see you again.” He paused as if considering whether to say something more. “What do you think?”
I followed his gaze over the twisting track cutting through the sandy desert, heaps of tires stacked at the edge of every curve. “It’s interesting…”
Rev dug his fingers into the loops of his jeans as my eyes ran over the muscular striations of his forearms. “Well, it’s not quite the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but it’s like a second home to me. I get a rush just being here, never mind the hairpins…”
“Not to mention the fan club,” I noted, gesturing over to the group of girls waiting for Rev to finish his side-chat with me. They were eyeing my outfit with amused looks and probably wondering out loud what the hell he was doing talking to me.
Rev nodded sarcastically. “Well, perks of the profession, you know.”
I rolled my eyes. “More like hazards of the profession. STD hazards.”
Rev huffed out a quick laugh. “I’m clean as a whistle, just so you know. Safety first.”
“Oh yeah, give me a break. What were you talking to everyone about anyway?”
“Always the curious one.”
He smiled and I noticed again how his angular, masculine face could take on this charming vulnerability in an instant. His eyes were bluer than ever against the backdrop of the desert and the harsh sun starkly outlined his impressive form. As he brushed a stray lock of dark hair off his brow, I remarked at how he seemed both approachable and intimidating. He emanated recklessness and danger, but that enticing kind that was drawing me in.
“I was just talking about why I haven’t moved over to an automatic transmission.”
“And why’s that a big deal?”
Rev furrowed his brow, taken aback. “It’s only the biggest deal. These expensive new 8 speed automatics are looking pretty good and in a straight run they’d be hitting the power bands quicker and more accurately than any human driver—I mean, they spend a fortune tuning them to do just that.”
“Sounds like a real advantage.”
Rev turned to the track, where cars were already pulling up to the line for the start of the first heat. “Yeah, but what do you see?”
“A lot of turns I guess.”
A glimmer ran across Rev’s eyes as he grew noticeably excited. “Exactly. See, it’s tough to handle over 700 horses of power with my six-speed manual. But I get that much more control through the entry and exit. I double-clutch, rev-match, and use every tool I have to gain an advantage through the corners.”
“So you can handle the power?” I asked sarcastically.
“Oh yeah, I can handle it.”
He laughed, deeply and without restraint. His passion and sense of humor were really getting to me. A shiver ran down my spine as he stepped in close.
“So, I have a question,” he said in a gruff tone. He was leaning in so close I felt his breath against me, and the spicy scent of his skin washed over me. “Everything over with that jerk fiancé
It didn’t take long to find Rev. He was holding court under a large merchandising tent, his back turned to the milling throngs of people. His silhouette stood out. Tall, lean, and muscular, with a broad back and well-defined shoulders. As I approached, I couldn’t help but notice how his fitted t-shirt put the perfection of his sculpted chest on display.
He didn’t notice me at first. I mean, how could he? What, with all those girls fawning over him, trying to catch his attention as he spoke at length about something, all the while smiling in his charming way.
Finally he noticed me, and our eyes locked. For a moment, just one fleeting moment, I felt like we were the only two people in the world. He laughed and patted the guy nearest him on the shoulder before walking over to me.
“Winter! Thanks for coming.”
I nodded. “Thought I’d check it out.”
He shrugged. “Well, I’m glad to see you again.” He paused as if considering whether to say something more. “What do you think?”
I followed his gaze over the twisting track cutting through the sandy desert, heaps of tires stacked at the edge of every curve. “It’s interesting…”
Rev dug his fingers into the loops of his jeans as my eyes ran over the muscular striations of his forearms. “Well, it’s not quite the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but it’s like a second home to me. I get a rush just being here, never mind the hairpins…”
“Not to mention the fan club,” I noted, gesturing over to the group of girls waiting for Rev to finish his side-chat with me. They were eyeing my outfit with amused looks and probably wondering out loud what the hell he was doing talking to me.
Rev nodded sarcastically. “Well, perks of the profession, you know.”
I rolled my eyes. “More like hazards of the profession. STD hazards.”
Rev huffed out a quick laugh. “I’m clean as a whistle, just so you know. Safety first.”
“Oh yeah, give me a break. What were you talking to everyone about anyway?”
“Always the curious one.”
He smiled and I noticed again how his angular, masculine face could take on this charming vulnerability in an instant. His eyes were bluer than ever against the backdrop of the desert and the harsh sun starkly outlined his impressive form. As he brushed a stray lock of dark hair off his brow, I remarked at how he seemed both approachable and intimidating. He emanated recklessness and danger, but that enticing kind that was drawing me in.
“I was just talking about why I haven’t moved over to an automatic transmission.”
“And why’s that a big deal?”
Rev furrowed his brow, taken aback. “It’s only the biggest deal. These expensive new 8 speed automatics are looking pretty good and in a straight run they’d be hitting the power bands quicker and more accurately than any human driver—I mean, they spend a fortune tuning them to do just that.”
“Sounds like a real advantage.”
Rev turned to the track, where cars were already pulling up to the line for the start of the first heat. “Yeah, but what do you see?”
“A lot of turns I guess.”
A glimmer ran across Rev’s eyes as he grew noticeably excited. “Exactly. See, it’s tough to handle over 700 horses of power with my six-speed manual. But I get that much more control through the entry and exit. I double-clutch, rev-match, and use every tool I have to gain an advantage through the corners.”
“So you can handle the power?” I asked sarcastically.
“Oh yeah, I can handle it.”
He laughed, deeply and without restraint. His passion and sense of humor were really getting to me. A shiver ran down my spine as he stepped in close.
“So, I have a question,” he said in a gruff tone. He was leaning in so close I felt his breath against me, and the spicy scent of his skin washed over me. “Everything over with that jerk fiancé
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