Page 100 of Trading Paint

“Who’d he wreck with?”

Bucky cleared his throat beside us. “He and Tyler were in a close battle for fifth and Ryder came around the outside just as Tyler’s left rear tire blew.”

I shook my head remembering my crash just a month earlier when I destroyed the catch fence and myself doing that same thing. All of us loved the high side but it’s dangerous up there at times. It’s fast and sometimes too fast for conditions but in Ryder’s case, it was just bad timing. It wasn’t his fault and it wasn’t Tyler’s. It was the dangers of racing.

Dad and I flew back to Mooresville that night. They had bought a house there to make things easier on traveling and being able to sleep in our own beds at times. It was a nice change from sleeping in hotels and along the highway.

“Are you okay?” Dad asked when we drove from the airport to the house. I was in the middle of sending Sway a text to let her know I was on my way back to the Mooresville and was relieved to know she was there too.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I slipped my phone inside my jacket. “I feel bad for Ryder...and Tyler.” Tyler felt horrible afterward and left without saying anything to anyone. When dad and I left the hospital, Tyler was still sitting outside the ICU waiting for Ryder to come around.

“I know,” he agreed shaking his head. “I hate to see that sort of thing but when you race as long as I have...it happens...too often. I haven’t seen a wreck like that since O’Neil’s kid.”

We didn’t say much else after that, just rode in comfortable silence.

When we got home, it was around three in the morning but I wanted to see Sway. She was in the guest room so I snuck inside there. To my surprise, she was awake, pacing the room.

“Are you all right?” I whispered watching her pace. She was only dressed in one of my t-shirts and panties.

I prayed she was wearing a bra and then I silently hoped she wasn’t. God, I was so fucked.

I almost turned around and left but she didn’t let me before she was in my arms, hugging me tightly.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” She wailed.

“Sway...shhhhoney.” I stroked her head as she cried. “You knew I didn’t wreck.”

“I know but I was...worried.” She sniffled into my neck. I could feel her ragged heartbeat against my chest, her tears wetting my neck. “Seeing that helicopter...the crash...”

I held onto her tightly, trying to comfort her in any way I could. I moved to sit down on the bed in the guest room and she straddled my lap. That position did nothing for my self-control.

My breathing hitched, as did hers and I may have even groaned. One second she was crying and the next we were moving away from each other.

“Sorry,” I muttered pushing myself off the bed.

Sway’s legs fell from my waist and she let go, sitting back on the bed and then curling her legs up.

“It’s okay. I forgot I wasn’t wearing any pants.” She glanced around the room, found her sweatpants and thankfully pulled them back on.

“Thanks,” I whispered before sitting back down on the bed beside her.

She looked at me for a long moment before chewing on her bottom lip. “Do you...um...okay I’m going to be a total girl right now.” She sighed in defeat. “Can you um...hold me?”

I had to laugh at her expression, so I did, and then she punched me in the shoulder. “Christ...if you want me to hold you...don’t physically hurt me.”

“I’m sorry, get over here.” She patted the bed.

“One condition,”

“What would that be?” she rolled her eyes.

“One, you keep those goddamn sweatpants on and two,” I paused andlaiddown next to her. My hand came up and touched her cheek softly before leaning in. “You let me kiss you.”

She never answered, just leaned in and pressed her lips softly to mine. I just wanted to remember the feeling, see if the same electric all-consuming feeling shot through me when our lips touched.

It did. The kissing only lasted a minute, maybe less before I pulled away and tucked her head gently against my chest. I don’t why I tested myself so much with her. I didn’t want to but as soon as I was around her lately, all I wanted to do was be closer, kiss her more and never be away from her. That scared the shit out of me.

Over the years, I’ve met my fair share of cocky drivers, myself included. You needed a certain amount of confidence to go out and do what we do but there was a fine line to walk there. Too much one direction and it’s never good.

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