Page 19 of Driving Force

Standing beside Ryan’s car, holding his hand as the national anthem plays, I can’t help but notice those watching him and then looking at me yet again. I wonder what they think of us, how the women look at me, wondering how this curvy woman ended up with this gorgeous man. Yes, I’ve had these thoughts since we started seeing each other, but keeping them at bay when you’re at the track is hard.

“Tinley, baby, did you hear me?” Ryan’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.

“What? I’m so sorry. I got caught up in the hugeness of this moment.” I blush slightly.

“Well, I said, give me a kiss so I can get to work.” With a wink, he pulls me close, and all the surrounding noise disappears as he kisses me. Granted, he keeps it PG, but I can tell we both want so much more.

“Have a great race, my driver, and I have one more thing for you. I’ve been watching a lot of old races over the last two weeks, and I wanted you to have good luck from me while you race.” I hand him a penny I had found on heads on my first day of college. “It always brings me luck, and it was in my pocket the day I met you. I’ll see you after the race. Stay safe for me.” And with one more small kiss, I walk toward pit row to watch the man I’m falling so hard for go to work.

Turning around one more time, I see Ryan strap into his car and focus on the race.

* * *

Okay, whoever said racing was a fun sport has never had someone they were falling for as the driver going over 200 mph. My nerves are shot, and I have zero polish on my nails as we reach the race’s final stage. That’s one of the many things I have learned today from Ryan’s crew chief. I think I bothered him more than I should have, but when John said that I could ask him anything, I don’t think he thought that through as much as he could have because I have bugged the holy hell out of him. Granted, I got all my minor questions answered last week at Martinsville. I tried to get more in depth with car setup and how they can tell when they need to change car details and handling.

So far, my man has fared well with running in the top fifteen all day.

With headphones on, I’ve been able to listen to Ryan and his crew chief all afternoon, and it’s been amazing to see and hear how in sync they are. And with just the little information he gives, they adjust the car. He gets better and better at each pit stop. With less than thirty laps to go, I hear his voice change. It sends a little zap of excitement into my body with how gravelly it becomes. He’s come through the pack of cars with ease this last stage, sitting in third. John tells him how much fuel he’s got until empty, which to me seems like a lot, but with the speed they are traveling, it could be a small amount. Let’s be honest; on a good day, my car has the gas light on because I think I have more than I do.

A stern voice over the headphones says, “It’s go-time. Stop playing around and win this damn thing.”

As I look up from the monitor I’ve been watching, I see Ryan come out of turn four and dart to the outside of the car in front of him. Rising in my chair, I hold my breath as I watch him pass the second-place car with ease. He’s a man on a mission to catch the first-place car. Fifteen laps to go. I’m testing my deodorant’s strength at this level of stress watching laps tick down. I notice the crew members’ pace and excitement take over. My man might win this race, and I’m here for it with him.

Just as they cross the start-finish line with three laps to go, I see Ryan go to the inside of the first-place car. I can tell that this driver will not be as easy to pass and may have to work for it. “Ryan, you’re going to have a be more aggressive with Kevin. He’s not just going to roll over. Even if we have the better car. He wants the win and the points,” his crew chief John says over the headset.

“I’m on it. I just need to get him right where I want him,” Ryan says.

As they pass the flag stand, they get the two-to-go signal, and Ryan tries again, this time on the outside. That line has been the best for him today, and passing that way has been easier. It takes every breath out of me watching him; he does it with such ease and courage to go at this speed each week. Coming out of turn four, I see Ryan’s car in first and jump to my feet. White flag, that’s it. One more lap, and I can kiss my man and tell him how proud I am of him. He eases into turn one, then two taking the backstretch two more turns. Holding my breath, I watch as he crosses the checkered flag.

I jump up, getting a little misty-eyed at how amazing he is. “Come on, Tinley, let’s go see Ryan. When he gets out of the car, I know he will want you to be the first thing he sees,” John says to me.

We make our way to victory lane in a cyclone of excitement. Watching from the sidelines, it’s a dance of some sort—from the trophy placement to the crew knowing where to stand for pictures. I hear Ryan’s car before I see it standing over to the side so they can have their moment with the crew when Ryan rolls into the winner’s circle. Watching him get out of his car covered in sweat and smiling from ear to ear may be one of the sexiest things ever.

Jumping into his crew’s awaiting arms to celebrate, they place him back on the ground, then I see him search for me. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the moment that I fall in love. Yep, love, not lust anymore, but love. Like that great question on One Tree Hill, “Who do you want standing beside you when all your dreams come true?”

It’s him!

WOW! We won and I’m exhausted. The last fifteen laps were a bitch to get under me. And knowing that Kevin was going to race me rough made it hard to keep my cool. We both needed this win to get the points to keep us in the championship battle. But when I saw him bobble going into turn three, I saw my chance and gunned it, leaving him behind me.

Rolling into victory lane, there was only one person I wanted, her, the curvy brunette that stole my heart and never looked back. Was it fast? Hell, I’m sure it was. Did I care that it scared the shit out of me? Nope, not even a little. Tinley Cash was my future, and I was making sure of that today.

Searching victory lane, I see her standing over by the side, tears in her eyes. I know she can’t see me, so I sit in the car for a second and take in her appearance as she watches everything happening. What does she think of all this, and is she ready for this crazy ride with me? Taking off my helmet and hanns device, I exit the car as the confetti starts and jump into my crew’s arms, our go-to celebration since I started with this group. We have become close since the beginning, and they are my second family. When they place me on the ground, I seek that dark-haired beauty I can’t wait to kiss.

She’s still standing in the same spot I saw her in when I pulled the car into victory lane. Walking over, I notice she’s not paying attention to me but looking at the confetti raining down. Reaching into the pocket of my fire suit, I fish out the penny she gave me before the race. “I think I have something that belongs to you, kitten,” I say, getting her attention. Tears in her beautiful blue eyes take my breath away, and I don’t say another word. I kiss her. I don’t care that people are calling my name, taking my picture, or what the media may say tomorrow. My heart stops as I kiss her. This is the moment that I have waited for and did not even know it.

“Ryan,” she says, breaking our kiss. When I look back, she’s smiling so wide that I can’t help but beam back at her with an even bigger one. “You won!”

“Yep, seems I did, kitten. Now come on and have your picture with me so I can say this is my favorite trophy I’ve won because this is the day that I fell for the most amazing girl, even more than I thought I could.”

Grabbing her hand, we make our way to the crew, and they all circle around her like she has been a part of the team all along. “Tinley, are you ready for the hat dance?” John asks.

“The hat what?” She laughs as the first sponsor’s hat lands on her head.

An hour later, we head back to the hauler. I would love to say I’m exhausted, but that isn’t the case. I have so much adrenaline that I’d take Tinley right here at the side of my hauler if I knew we wouldn’t get caught. Pulling her to me, I push her against the side of the hauler. I can’t keep my lips off her any longer. I need her. “God Tin, do you know how turned on I have been since I saw you in victory lane?” I ask.

Giggling, she says, “I have a pretty good idea because I have been so wet for you since I saw your hot ass get out of that car.”

I growl, “Get your hot self in that hauler right now and wait for me. I’ll be there in just a second. I just need to check on Matt, that wreck he was in didn’t look good, so I want to make sure he’s okay and not drinking himself into a coma.”

---