Page 16 of Racing Dirty Trilogy Box Set

Izzy

It’s been ten days since I told Xavier he has two weeks to prove I’m the only one he wants. He has been at my house almost every day. He’s been sneaking into my bedroom window at night, staying with me, and sneaking out the next morning.

It has to be driving him nuts not having sex, but he hasn’t complained. Every night we would mess around and have come close a few times, but I’m just not ready yet.

My dad and Austin’s parents are going away this weekend to look at a new race car, so maybe then. My belly flutters with the thoughts of no parental guidance around this weekend watching our every move.

Xavier pulls into my driveway while I’m in the garage with my dad. The sun is glistening off his jet-black hair, making it shine when he gets out of his pickup.

He has on faded light blue jeans, a black T-shirt, and his racing boots. His new tattoo going down his right shoulder is peeking out from under his t-shirt. He removes his aviator sunglasses and when his sultry gaze meets mine, there’s a flutter in the pit of my stomach.

The way Xavier watches me makes me feel special like I’m the only girl he sees.

I wipe my hands on the rag and stand at the garage doors as he walks over to me.

He has a distinctive swag in his step and a smile on his face, his dimple on the right side of his cheek makes an appearance.

As he approaches me, I forget how to breathe. My brain has escaped me again.

“Are you ready?" Xavier’s husky voice asks me. I just stand at the doorway and don’t answer him right away. I just watch the way his muscles move as he gets closer. “Izzy, are you ready?" Xavier asks me again, cocking an eyebrow at my catatonic state.

He puts his arm around my shoulders and his distinct smell of racing fuel and leather invades my nose. He kisses the top of my head and I finally snap out of it. I clear my throat, gazing into his eyes.

“Give me five minutes to change,” I finally answer him.

He kisses the top of my head again and smirks.

He pushes me out of the garage doors. My feet finally work as I walk into my house.

I change quickly into a dark blue tank top, faded blue jeans, and my racing boots.

I put my long blonde hair up in a quick ponytail, leaving pieces around my face.

I tuck my cell phone and some money into my pockets, put my aviator sunglasses on, and make my way back to the garage.

Xavier is talking to my dad about last weekend's race when I enter the garage.

“Ok, I’m ready,” I say, interrupting their conversation. Xavier swallows hard when he sees me, and it makes my heart flutter.

My dad approaches us before we leave. His brown hair is messy, and he has grease on the side of his stubbled face. He kisses my cheek.

“You behave yourself. No more phone calls from the neighbors telling me you’re tearing up their fields again." I scoff at his comment.

“Dad, it was one time,” I laugh. His matching green eyes peer into mine, a serious look on his face.

“One time, each week. Just stay out of trouble, please. I swear you’re going to give me more gray hair.” Austin says shaking his head.

I pull his head down looking at his brown hair.

“Oh! I found a new one!" I exclaim. It’s our little joke we’ve had since I turned a teenager.

He tells me I keep giving him gray hair from all the stress I cause, but I haven’t seen any yet.

“Do you want me to pull it out?" I ask him innocently.

He pulls his head away, a horrified look on his face.

“Are you crazy child?" Austin laughs. “The last time I let you pull one out, four more took its place."

Xavier laughs behind us at our banter. Austin turns to Xavier with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“Watch it, Xavier, at the way you two are spending all this time together, you will be next for gray hair, and with all that black, it will shine like no tomorrow.” Austin teases him.

Xavier stops laughing and runs his hands through his hair, a mock horrified expression crosses his face. I laugh at him.

Xavier glares at me, “Izzy if you give me gray hair, I will kick your ass." I laugh even harder.

“Oh, but you’d look so cute with streaks of gray running through it," I tell him as I wipe my eyes from laughing so hard. Xavier lets out a huff and walks to his truck. I follow behind him, still giggling.

“Have fun kids,” Austin yells at us from the garage doors.

“Thanks, Dad," I yell back before I get into Xavier’s pickup.

Once we’re in Xavier’s truck and driving down the road, I turn in my seat, so my body is facing Xavier.

“Where are we going?” I ask him.

There’s a smirk on his face and he doesn’t answer me. I turn the radio off and glare at him. “X, where are we going?"

Xavier takes his eyes off the road for a second and looks at me. He wiggles his eyebrows, which annoys me. “It’s a surprise. So, sit back and enjoy the ride.”

I huff out a breath of annoyance and turn the radio back up. The local rock station is playing Five Finger Death Punch’s remake of Bad Company. I love this song so I turn it up to a deafening level and sing along.

We pull into a driveway of a small white building and I look around.

I’ve never been here before. The building is old and needs a new paint job.

There is no sign out front telling me where we are or what we’re doing.

There are a couple of other cars in the driveway and Xavier pulls up in front of the building, shutting his truck off.

We get out and he grabs a big box from the back of his pickup.

I cock an eyebrow. “What’s in there?"

“You’ll see. Now quit asking questions and get your sexy ass inside." Xavier says, swatting me on my ass.

“Yes, captain.” I mock salute him. Xavier shakes his head and we walk inside.

The bell jingles above us as we enter the dark interior of the building. I take off my sunglasses as a blast of cold from the air conditioner prickles my skin.

I look around, but the first thing I smell is paint, the second is the light scent of pot. Someone is having a little fun while they work. That stuff isn’t for me, but hey, who am I to judge if someone has their way of blowing off steam. I’ll stick to running.

A skinny guy with shaggy brown hair, hazel eyes, and paint all over his clothes comes out of a backroom.

“Can I help you?" He asks.

“Hey, I called you earlier about doing airbrush details. I’m Xavier and this is Izzy,” Xavier answers him, pointing at me.

“Mark. Yeah, I remember, do you have the stuff?" Mark asks.

Xavier opens the box he carried in and pulls out our new helmets. He then pulls out a piece of paper.

I peer over his shoulder at the paper and my jaw drops.

It’s my drawing I made a few days ago for us.

It’s a big black flame that can be whatever color you decided, covering the whole racing helmet with our last names on each side.

This symbolizes to the whole racing world, we were in it together.

Even though we have different last names, we fight for each other on and off the track.

If someone messed with one, they messed with the other.

“X, what are you doing?” I ask him, breathlessly.

He turns to look at me, a smile gracing his lips. “Happy birthday, Izzy. Mark here is going to airbrush your artwork onto our helmets.”

I’m speechless, utterly speechless. This is one of the best birthday presents ever and it’s not even my birthday yet. I still have three more days until I turn eighteen. Xavier’s eyes look worried when I don’t say anything.

“Shit. I should have asked you first. I know how you feel about just anyone copying your drawing, but I just thought…” Xavier trails off.

I pull his face to mine and kiss him, cutting him off. I break the kiss before it gets too heavy for witnesses. “No, I love it.” I honestly tell him.

“You had me worried for a minute,” Xavier responds.

“I was surprised. This is the best present ever. Thank you."

Mark behind the counter interrupts us. “What colors and how quickly do you need them?"

I answer first. “I want my flames blue with a black outline and Jones Racing written in gold in the middle. Just like the drawing.”

Xavier answers next. “I want mine green with a black outline and Sweeney Racing in gold just like the drawing. How long will it take you?"

“I have a few things I need to wrap up and nothing else pressing after that, so I can have them done by Friday, but the paint will still be fresh. I wouldn’t wear them this weekend or dirt will stick to it and ruin the paint." Mark answers.

“That works, I’ll be back Friday to get them. Thanks, man.” Xavier shakes his hand and we leave.