Page 45

Danger

* * *

Watching Monterey get behind the wheel of an Indy car turns me on in the worst kind of ways.

Everything she does usually turns me on, but there’s something about seeing her here today, knowing soon she’ll really be mine.

I mean it when I plan on playing fair with this race.

I know she can’t beat me if I’m driving an Indy car, and I wouldn’t want her to. There’s no way I’ll let my woman put her life in danger. That used to be my job.

“Ready?”

Crank asks me, slapping a hand on my shoulder.

“More importantly, are you ready?”

Crank smiles. “Everything’s all set up.”

“Perfect.”

I open the rusted door of the Buick I plan on losing this race in. Yes, you heard me right. I plan on losing this race big time.

Because the bet I have with Monterey is all set up. And I want what I want.

The start of the race begins and Monterey takes off. I keep up with her so as not to let her think I’m letting her win.

She was right, she can handle the car well. If this were a real race, I’d smoke her out here on the track. But this is so much more important.

There’s real stakes at play here.

We round the first corner, and the lights of the cameras flash in my rearview. Ever since we started this little scheme of us pretending to be engaged, my likability in the press shot up. Everyone thinks we’re the ‘it’ couple, and they can’t wait to see us get married.

We never told anyone it was all a facade.

We never really talked about it either. She still wears the ring, but us getting married isn’t even on the table right now.

Until today.

We head around the last corner, and the checkered flag waves off in the distance. Monterey is in the lead, and I let my foot off the accelerator more so she pulls away even further into the lead.

She wins the race and I pull my car to a complete stop.

She hops out of her car, removing her helmet.

“You let me win, Danger,”

she says. She only ever calls me Danger when the press can hear her.

When we’re alone, I’m Dylan. And I do love hearing that name fall from her lips.

“You won fair and square. You know what that means.”

“You get what you want?”

The cameras go wild when I wrap an arm around Monterey. “Exactly.”

“What is it you want?”

she whispers against my lips.

“I want you as my wife.”

I turn to the crowd, letting the words I just spoke to sink in for Monterey.

“I never got to do this live, and I feel my soon-to-be bride deserves another go around of this.”

I drop to a knee.

“Monterey Grander, I never thought in a million years I’d ever fall in love. I never thought there’d be someone out there for me who completed me in such a way that I couldn’t live without them. I was wrong. Monterey, I love you. More than anything in this world. I love the way you whisper in your sleep. I love the way you kiss my nose when no one’s around. I love the way you’ve always got a book you’re reading. I love the way you take care of your father. I love the way you love me most of all.”

Tears flood her eyes, threatening to fall. “I never thought you could ever be a romantic.”

I stand, wrapping both arms around her. “Only for you.”

I kiss her lips, claiming her mouth as the crowd goes wild in the background.