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“Holy crap! This is so fast!” She couldn’t stop from yelling. There was too much fear, too much elation, rushing through her. Everything outside her window was a blur. She’d never been more frightened in her life, but Eric was the picture of calm, confident, and badass race car driver. His eyes were focused on the track, his chin was set tight, and his hands gripped the steering wheel with the strength of a hurricane and the grace of a new father.

“This is nothing. I’m just getting warmed up.” He winked without taking his eyes off the road ahead. “I’d hold your hand, but safety first at this speed.”

“How fast isthis speed?”

“Not very. One forty.”

Ohmygod!

“Relax, darlin’. I have a little experience with driving fast.” He kicked up the speed, and Kat felt her whole body push back into the seat.

“Close your eyes,” he said. “Feel the rush.”

She closed her eyes, focusing on her heart slamming against her ribs. She wasn’t sure if it was the speed or purely Eric.

“Inhale deeply and blow it out slowly.”

She did, and then she did it again.

“That’s it, darlin’.”

“I can’t even feel any bumps in the road!” With her eyes still closed, it was the most incredible experience in the world, turning her trust over to him and really letting go of all control. “It’s like we’re aboveground, floating. But more intense, like a roller coaster without all the peaks and valleys.” She unfurled her fingers from around the edge of the seat and laid them in her lap. Her limbs prickled with adrenaline, but the fear began to slip away.

“One day I’ll take you out in one of my convertibles, and then you’ll really feel the rush. There’s nothing like the gust of wind blowing by. It’s rejuvenating.”

She felt his energy, his confidence, and when she opened her eyes, she saw that he had a big smile on his face, which calmed more of her anxiety. He was usually darkly intense, and now all that intensity was layered in light. “Wow, youreallylove this.”

“There are few things I love more than driving fast. Look straight ahead, not at what’s passing by. Feel the energy of the track, feel the control, the power beneath you.”

She tried to focus on everything he said, but her eyes kept darting back to him. Energy, power, and control radiated off of him, not the car, and it drew her further in to him.

He slowed as they drove the long stretch of track leading to where they’d first begun, and when he came to a stop, Kat’s heart was still racing. She was breathing hard, but it wasn’t fear that had her pulse skyrocketing; it was seeing the elation on Eric’s face, sensing the thrill he took from the ride. When he reached for her hand, she realized she was gripping her thighs. He took both of her hands in his and placed them between his own.

“Are you ready to take a spin?”

“I’m scared shitless, but I want to do it. I mean, I’m used to driving fast, but this is a whole new level of fast.” She trapped her lower lip between her teeth with the confession and placed his hand over her heart. “Feel that?”

“The thrill of the ride.” He leaned across the console and placed a kiss where his hand had been, sending shivers of lust rippling through her.

When he came around to her side of the car and helped her out, her legs were shaking.

“You’re trembling.” He pulled her flush against him and rubbed his hand down her back. “That’s totally normal. Don’t let it worry you.”

“I won’t go that fast, but you’ll be with me, right?” She felt his heart beating harder than he let on.

“Of course. I’ll be right there with you every step of the way.”

“Your heartbeat is going so fast, but you seem so calm.”

He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. He was as strong as he was gentle, and she loved getting to know all of his complexities.

“My whole life has been about moving fast.” His eyes turned serious, and a look of something darker, deeper, washed over his face and quickly disappeared, as if he was used to doing that, too, locking away parts of himself. “Let’s get you started.”

He helped her into the driver’s seat and buckled her in, tugging the belt to test it out before letting go.

“Uh-oh.” She covered her mouth with the realization that she couldn’t drive the car. “This is a manual transmission. I can’t drive it.”

He laughed. “You’ve never driven a stick?”