Page 13 of Driving Wild

“Don’t worry, it’s going to be easy. It’s not like you hate me that much, Red,” I say with a smirk before catching her lips one final time and opening the car door. “Stay there. I’ll come and open the door for you.”

Walking around the front of the car, I open the door for Grace, and taking her hand in mine, we walk toward my hauler. Luckily, spectators and photographers aren’t allowed back here, so we can come and go as we want. Having her hand in mine feels like the most natural thing on the planet. This weekend might just be fun.

“So, Red, this is my home away from home.” Looking up at my hauler, I’m transported back to the one night we had in here months ago. I’d had a shit race, and she was getting over heartbreak. Who would have thought months later that the media would think we were married and she would be by my side?

“Cowboy, don’t get any ideas just because I’m here this weekend.” Heading into my hauler, to put her bag away.

“I’m gonna shower quick before I head to the garage to check in with the team about the car. Make yourself at home. What’s mine is yours anyway, right?”

Taking the world’s quickest shower, I pull on my jeans and T-shirt along with my boots. I walk into the living space to find Grace asleep on the couch. The woman is so naturally beautiful it takes my breath away when I see her. Reaching down, I place a small kiss on her head, whispering that I’ll be back later, and then make my way to the garage.

Stepping out of my hauler I feel my head switch to Matt McCall racer and not Matt McCall the person, lets get this weekend underway.

“Well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” I hear as I walk toward my car in the garage bay.

“Did you think I’d show up late, Doug?” I ask, looking at my crew chief. Doug’s a good guy, and I know he’s been biding his time this week to give me shit. It’s just a matter of time before he’ll come out of the gate about it.

Laughing at me, he turns around to get back to setting up the car for the practice we have in a few hours. “Just figured the little misses would have you tied to the bed from the way you hauled her to your trailer so fast when we arrived. I came by and saw you helping her out of the car. I figured I didn’t want to interrupt the newlyweds. Congrats, by the way. I didn’t even know you were dating, let alone married. Seems like that’s something you might clue me in on. You know, since we’re together every week,” he prods with a shrug and a look that tells me he knows I’m so full of shit and that it’s not really a marriage.

“Yes, well, it happened fast, honestly,” I say, walking over to my car to get in and make sure the seat is ready for later today.

Doug walks over to my car and leans over the window so only I can hear. “Listen, bud. If it's real, that’s great. I don’t really know Grace, but I’ve heard of her family. You could have done worse. And if it’s not real, then you’re a damn good actor because I see the way you look at that woman, and you better be careful,” he says, slapping my roof and walking away, leaving me staring at the steering wheel.

Practice was a bitch and a half. After all the sim time I spent on this track this week, I still wasn’t able to get it under me, and by the time we finished our laps, I was more pissed at myself for not being able to get the car where I wanted it. Every time I thought I was getting it going in the right direction, I hit a rough spot on the track, and I was back at square one.

Pulling back into the garage when the black flag flew, I was more than ready to get out of the car and just go to relax for the night. Turning the corner to pull into our garage I’m met with the stormy eyes of my now wife. I hadn’t made it back to the hauler after I left her asleep earlier today. But I think I’m glad I didn’t from the way she’s looking at me right now. I’m not sure if she’s pissed at me or something else.

Climbing out of my car, I’m met with those eyes again. Only, when she comes over to me, the next thing I know is she’s got me pressed against the car door and her lips are on mine before I even get my bearings on what the hell is going on.

“Hello, husband,” she purrs at me, pulling away from our kiss.

“Hello, wife,” I say in return. “Miss me?”

“Well, you did leave me all alone today, so I thought you might need a little something when I finally got my hands on you,” she says with a smirk.

Leaning in close so only she can hear, I whisper, “I told you, Red, that if you want me, all you have to do is admit it, and I’ll have you under me so fast that you won’t know what hit you.” I kiss the side of her neck as I pull away. Smacking her ass, I walk away toward Doug to talk to him before leaving the garage for the day.

Dammit, why the hell does he have to make it sound so simple? Do I want his hands all over me? I’d be stupid to say no. But I also don’t know if I want to open that can of worms because the last thing I need to do is catch feelings for my husband. It's just temporary, and less than two months from now, we are going to go our separate ways, and my dad will be happy that the Miller name wasn’t made into the laughingstock of the racing world.

“If it isn’t Mrs. McCall.” I hear the one voice that I had been avoiding all day.

And this is why I stayed at the trailer longer than I should have. I just didn’t want to see Clint.

“You do realize you can’t avoid me or your cousin the whole weekend, right? I mean, come on, lady, I’m a big deal around here,” Clint says with a laugh, walking up to me and wrapping me in a hug.

“Ugh, you have got to be kidding me. You found out my grand plan,” I say with a laugh.

“How was practice?” I want to change the topic before he starts asking the million and one questions that I know are on the tip of his tongue. My cousins may not have found me yet to ask, but Clint is the nosy one, and he can spot a lie a mile away.

“Ha, don’t you even try that shit with me, Grace; you know just how practice was. You may not have been in the pit box watching your ‘husband,’”—yep, he used the quotations on me when saying husband—“but I know you saw I was leading the pack, as always,” he says, crossing his arms on his chest.

“Ugh, fine. Yes, I saw.” I may not be a part of Miller Racing, but it’s still a part of me. Mac Motorsports may be my employer, but Miller is my home, my safe space, and I will always want the best for them. Granted, the lines are blurred right now with Matt being my husband.

Bracing for the impact I know is coming, I finally look at Clint and say the one thing he was waiting to hear. “Fine, well, my husband is waiting for me to go to dinner.” I hardly get the sentence out of my mouth when Matt rounds the car and comes to stand beside me.

Placing his arm over my shoulder, he looks at Clint, and it’s like they’re having some alpha exchange with one another that only they know about. I want to roll my eyes so hard that they’d get stuck in the back of my skull. Just when I’m ready to walk away from them, they burst into a huge fit of laughter.

“How’s it going, Clint? Your car was on point out there today,” Matt says, going to shake his hand as he holds onto me like I’m going to run away at the slightest jest.

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