Page 28

Monterey

When I spot Danger standing by the hostess stand, I suck in a deep breath. It’s almost insane how gorgeous he is. Like no one should be allowed to look that hot. Black suit that looks tailor-made over his delicious body. Hair tamed to perfection. A smile that would make any woman’s panties melt.

He spots me from across the restaurant and his eyes light up. A smile splits his face in half and he heads in our direction.

Earlier when he came into the hotel room after practice, he appeared frustrated. Like something wasn’t quite right. However, staring into his eyes now, the way they captivate me, everything seems fine.

He kisses me on the cheek before shaking my father’s hand and taking a seat. “Hello, sir.”

My father laughs, and I kind of do, too. Danger hasn’t called my father sir, well, ever.

“Are you feeling ok?” I ask him, leaning in close to his ear so only he can hear me.

He smiles, like possibly thinking how I could wonder such a thing. “I’m perfect.” He slings an arm over the back of my chair, it feels so right. He’s perfect indeed, as this moment between us is.

My father kicks off about how happy he is that we’re all here, and before the server can even get our drink order Warren steps up.

“Ah, I must have missed this invite.” He motions to the server to bring another chair.

“Warren, yes, please join us,” my father says, ever the gracious host.

Warren stares right at Danger and me, and I suddenly feel like I need to put on a performance. Like he doesn’t believe Danger and I are a real couple. Hell, sometimes I do believe we are.

“Ignore him,” Danger whispers into my ear. “You look so damn good right now. He’s just jealous.”

Tingles erupt along my spine at Danger’s words. “Thank you.”

My father goes back into his lengthy speech about how promising our chances are in the upcoming race. He speaks mainly to the pit crew, devising ways to get their timing down, and I tune it all out.

Instead my focus is solely on Danger. How he eats carefully, listening to my father, while smiling and being present at the same time. I watch as he tries to keep his hand off my thigh. It’s killing me that he won’t keep it there.

Because I want his touch. I miss his touch.

“Stop staring at me like that,” Danger whispers into my ear.

“Like what.”

“Like you want to devour me.”

It’s because I do. I want this man more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. And I don’t know what to do about that. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he licks the shell of my ear, “because I want to do the same fucking thing.”

My whole body heats up and I smile and try to focus back on the conversation going on around the table.

“Don’t you two look cozy,” Warren says when there’s a lull in the convo.

“We are,” Danger says, placing his hand on my thigh.

I know he’s trying to appease me. To try not to upset me so I don’t go off on Warren, but it’s too late.

“I’m sorry Warren, I don’t see where my relationship with Danger is any of your concern.”

“Dear, I don’t think Warren means anything by it,” my father says, trying desperately to keep peace at the table.

“I just want to remind Warren just how and why he’s on this team. I want to remind Warren that it was me who found him from his local SCCA chapter and brought him to this level of racing. I also want to remind Warren that I can easily cut him from his contract and bring up Filippe to replace him.”

“Filippe? You can’t be serious,” Warren scoffs.

“Oh, I am.” I spear my steak with precision and accuracy, all while staring at Warren. I’m so serious that I want to do it. I want to call Filippe who can barely pass a driving test, and tell him he’s on the team.

“Let’s just enjoy dinner. Did anyone see the dessert tray?” My father smiles. And his word is final.

I don’t stop staring at Warren until he finally looks away.

“God, you’re so damn sexy,” Danger says, leaning into me.

I want this whole night to be over with. I want to get Danger back to our room and finally have sex with him. Can we skip to that part of the night?

Because that’s the only thing playing on repeat in my mind.

After dinner, Danger and I decide to walk around the hotel’s lush landscaped garden.

“Look up and make a wish.” Danger points up to the sea of stars above us. “Make a wish on that one, right there at the tip of your nose and it’ll come true.”

I laugh a little. “Really?”

“My mother used to tell me that all the time.”

I close my eyes and make a wish. A wish I can’t even think about for too long for fear it might not possibly come true. A wish that I would give up anything for.

But yet, I wish for it still.

I wish my feelings for Danger wouldn’t progress into love.

However, I fear I may already be falling in that direction.