Page 45 of Full Throttle

“I tried. But it’s like asking me to stop breathing. I’m passionate about racing even though it has all but shunned people like me. So, I’m here when everyone else is either at home or someplace else. I can’t just be a driver or a mechanic. I have to know everything. Therefore, I practice. I study. I’m always in a continuous state of learning. If I want any shot to really participate in any capacity, I can’t just be mediocre. I have to excel. Sad, actually. But what’s a woman to do if she doesn’t want to give up on her dreams.”

“Is that why you went to MIT?”

Colby rolled her eyes. “Ah, you had me investigated.”

Liam came to recognize that when the space between Colby’s eyes crinkled, it was actually the look of annoyance on her face. He thought it was sexy as hell.

“All you had to do was ask. I would have told you almost anything you wanted to know.”

“It’s thealmostpart that is the most intriguing.” Liam repeated his question. “So, is that why you went to MIT?”

“I guess that is why you’re a gazillionaire. You seem doggedly determined.”

“Only when I see something I really want.”

The deeply intense way he was looking at her, Colby couldn’t tell if he was referring to their conversation or her. She cleared her throat. “Yes, that’s part of the reason I went to MIT. If I wanted to be the best, I needed to go to the best schools.” She wasn’t about to admit that, at the time, she also just wanted to get as far away from home as possible.

Liam was falling down a rabbit hole but couldn’t help himself. He glanced away. “What is it about cars and driving that you love so much?”

Colby was relieved he’d turned his attention to something else. The energy between them was charged. She attempted to lighten it. “You ask a lot of questions,” she said jokingly.

Liam was battling to keep himself in check too. He played it cool. “I’m a curious sort of guy.”

“Nosy is more like it.” She laughed. “Well, I grew up here, and some of my best memories happened right in this garage. My first kiss was right over there.” She pointed toward the hallway leading to the locker room. “My first breakup happened in the same spot.” Her dark eyes sparkled wistfully. “As far as my love of driving, that’s a family thing. But when I’m behind the wheel, it’s like I’m flying. Nothing can touch me there. There isn’t any pain or heartache or anything. It’s just pure bliss.”

He loved how animated Colby became when she spoke about her love of driving. Liam simply enjoyed watching her talk. “One day, you’ll have to take me on the track. I would love to experience that magic through your eyes.”

She wiggled her eyebrows up and down. “That. Is. A. Great. Idea! I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before.”

“Think of what?”

“I’m taking you out on the track. It’ll loosen you up.”

“I’m pretty loose,” Liam said.

“In an uptight kind of way, I guess.” Colby tried to withhold a smile. “I bet you’ve never driven over eighty mph.”

“You would be wrong.”

She didn’t believe him for a second. “When?”

“You’d be surprised at how fast a private plane can go.” Liam couldn’t remember a time he’d ever felt this light-hearted.

Playfully, Colby pushed his shoulder. “That is not the same. I’m taking you out there. There is an extra fire suit in the men’s locker room. Go get dressed. I’ll meet you back here in fifteen minutes.”

Chapter 15

Colby pulled the car out and drove it around to the front of the building. After a few minutes of waiting, she slid out and leaned up against the driver’s side.What in God’s name is taking him so long?Colby folded her arms across her chest as she waited impatiently.

She waited for another five minutes before Liam emerged from the building. It was like something out of a movie. Colby blinked a few times to clear her vision, but it was as if the man was walking in slow motion. The glint of the sun hit at just the right angle, surrounding him in a golden halo.

He wore an old Daughtry Racing fire suit. Colby had always been a sucker for a man in a uniform.Damn.Liam already looked like a sexy treat, but in that outfit, he was downright scrumptious. Her lips parted as he stole the breath from her body. Colby sucked in her bottom lip to keep it from dropping. Liam had no idea that her heart rate had just accelerated outside of its normal levels.

He didn’t need to know.

“This thing is a little tight.” Liam’s head was down as he walked toward her, fidgeting and pulling at the uniform.

Colby swallowed. She slowly inhaled to steady her breathing before speaking. It didn’t matter. She still sounded a little breathless. “You won’t be in it long.” She quickly amended her statement as his baby blues looked up into hers. “I mean, we’re only going to be on the track long enough for you to know what a little piece of heaven feels like.”

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