Page 147 of Forbidden Game

I would regret letting this fear fester.

I want to take that control back.

My hands curl around the steering wheel, and I let myself just feel the smooth leather for a moment. My chest constricts, but I take several deep breaths, letting myself even out.

I move my foot to the gas pedal and pause.

Wait.

Which side was it on again?

“Right.” Parker slides his hand behind my neck and begins massaging it.

Heat flushes my cheeks, but some of the tension starts to ease away at his contact.

“You have to use your thumb to push down on the center of the gear shift, and then you can move it into drive.”

I nod, repeating the instructions silently in my mind as my hand rests on the knob.

Looking ahead, the road seems a lot longer than six miles.

I just focus on the feeling of Parker’s hands.

Mechanically, I shift the car into drive. My foot presses down on the pedal, and the car purrs to life. The sound of the engine startles me, and I immediately slam my foot on the brake. The car jerks forward slightly. My body catches on the seatbelt.

I want the ground to swallow me up right now.

“Good start,” Parker encourages.

I look at him doubtfully, but his smile doesn’t wane.

“Try again.”

A small puff of air passes my lips, and I slowly let the tension out of my foot, easing it off the brake. The car rolls forward.

My heart pounds in my ears.

“That’s it. Now, the gas pedal.”

I rest my foot over the pedal and apply the least amount of pressure possible. This time, I’m ready for the feel of the engine around me. The car gently continues its progression forward.

“Nice, just a little more.”

I bite my lip.

“Come on, Syd.” Parker keeps up his ministration, kneading my tight neck muscles. “You’ve got this.”

“Okay.”

The speedometer crawls higher as I press my foot down. I get used to the feeling of the car humming around my body and the way the driver’s seat hugs me.

Soon, we’re moving at a casual fifteen miles per hour up the derelict highway. It’s not as awful looking as I’d first perceived it to be. The higher we get, the clearer the view becomes, and my curiosity heightens at what awaits me at the top.

“Perfect, at this speed we’ll reach the top in twenty minutes,” he softly teases.

I purse my lips. “I thought I could take my time.”

“You can, or you can go a little faster; we’re not in a school zone.”

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