Page 34 of Driving Force

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“Tinley, what are you doing here?” I ask, not wanting to sound like a dick.

Tinley looks up from the floor, finally meeting my gaze. “When Matt came to our house the other day and spoke with Grace, I didn’t want to hear what he had to say. I was too in my head, not wanting to hear him out. I finally let Grace tell me what Matt had to say, and I couldn’t stand not talking with you face to face. So here I am. Guess I just picked the right moment to come in. Sorry if I interrupted something, but I couldn't hold back when I saw her here.”

“Kitten, I’ve missed you.” I reach for her hand, turning her to see her face. Those beautiful blue eyes hold every doubt, fear, and worry I’ve had about talking with her for the last five days in them. She’s broken, and I did that. I made her second-guess me and my love for her.

“Tinley, I am so sorry. I promise I did not know she would go to such great lengths to get me back, and that she would make a scene at the race saying we were having a baby.” I want to be completely honest with her while she’s willing to hear me out. I’m ready to lay my heart on the line for this beautiful woman.

I walk us toward the couch, motioning for her to have a seat. Blowing out a small breath, I start from the beginning. “She called me last week. Serena wanted to see me while we were at the race since it was within driving distance of New York. But I swear to you, I didn’t know she had this elaborate plan to make it look like she was having my child and that we were seeing one another again.”

“Ryan, why didn’t you tell me you had talked to her? I don’t care that she called. The part that hurts is that you felt you didn’t need to tell me that an old girlfriend was coming to see you.”

“I know, pretty girl, and I will regret not telling you until my last breath. When we were together, everyone always told me she was just using me to help her modeling career, but I was so in the middle of it that I didn’t see what was going on. I should have known she might pull a stunt like this. She never wanted to be a part of my world. She only wanted the fame and notoriety that came with it.” I cup her face in my hands, wanting to make sure she hears the next part and doesn’t doubt me.

“Tinley Cash, I LOVE YOU; I love you more than NASCAR, more than my next breath. You are my entire world. I don’t want to lose what we have because it has been the best time in my life, and you make me want to give you the entire world. And I will if you will let me.”

Tears stream down my face as I listen to Ryan pour his heart out to me. I wanted to hear those words and for him to make me feel safe again. With Serena standing in the living room, I knew I could not hold my tongue, so I unleashed on her. She had no right to think Ryan would ever want to be with someone like her.

I move to straddle Ryan’s lap. I want to be closer to him, to feel his body against mine. This man owns me, and I’m going to make damn sure he knows just how I feel. All I want in this moment is to kiss him. But I know we needed to get every sentence.

“Ryan, I love you too. I have waited what feels like a lifetime for you. I know that your life is in the media; I get that. But I also know that your life outside of that world is just as important. I want to be the one you come home to. The one that you tell all your darkest secrets. I want to stand beside you every time you get into that car and go to work.”

“Tinley having you with me is all I have ever wanted. You complete me and make me a better man. So, if you will still have me, you have all of me. Know that I may not always be the best, but I will always give one thousand percent to us.”

With tears streaming down my face once again, I can’t help but smile at the amazing man in front of me and wonder just how lucky I am that I get to go on this amazing journey with him. We may have started off in an unconventional manner, but this man stole my heart from the moment I literally ran into him. Looking back, I think he took my breath away when I watched him interact with the young girl and her father asking for an autograph that very first day.

“I can’t wait to see what the future may hold for us. I love you, Ryan McKenzie.”

* * *

4 Days Later……..

“Oh god, yes, yes, Ryan, yes.”

“That’s right, Tinley, tell me just how wet you are. Tell me you want my cock inside you and that mine is the only one you will ever want.”

“Yes, Ryan, fuck me now, it’s you. It’s only ever been you.” Thrusting inside her as hard as I can, I let out a moan at how tight she is. Waking up on race day, there is no better feeling than knowing she’s right beside me. We haven't been apart since we laid everything out on the line a few days ago.

“Fuck Ryan, I’m close.”

“I know, kitten.”

I pinch her clit. She goes over the edge, tightening around me, and I feel my release right behind her, thrusting into her two more times. I groan her name, and my release rocks me so hard my knees go weak.

“Damn kitten, I have missed you.” With a small laugh, she smacks my arm to get me to lie down beside her.

“You know I have to be on the track in less than an hour, kitten.”

“Ugh, stay with me.” She moans, stroking my already hard cock. Ready to go once again.

“You’re going to kill me, Tinley. If I’m worn out, I can’t win today and then see my beautiful girl in the victory circle.”

“Well, we can’t have that now, can we?” she says sweetly.

Kissing her one more time, I make myself get out of bed to shower and head toward the garage, where I bet John is already pacing the floor because I’m usually already checking over my car one last time before the race. Yet here I am, having a hard time leaving this beautiful woman in my bed. As I exit the bathroom, I find Tinley curled up in front of the TV watching Race Day Live. Just as I come into the room, I see why she’s watching it with so much interest. They are discussing the drama that is my life right now. When Serena left my house that night, I called Brad as soon as I finished talking with Tinley and filled him in on everything that Tinley had gotten out of her. He set the rest in motion. Making sure that my lawyer was aware of what she had said. She stated that she was pregnant with my child and that I had been seeing Tinley behind her back, or at least that was one story I had seen. Now the press was doing an about-face and telling my side.

“Hi, kitten,” I said, kissing the side of her head.

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