Page 35 of Rear View
Her laugh echoed off my soul when she gave my hand a squeeze, released, then dipped down, settling into the bucket-style seat. And fuck me, if she didn’t look small and hot as hell behind that wheel.
I tapped the side skirt with my boot. “This baby’s been through a lot of changes lately.”
“And war zones?”
I choked on a laugh. “Rally doesn’t do pretty.”
Her eyes flicked over my face before that blush turned a deep-ass shade of red. I loved it. Her strange mix of bold and shy. Open and closed. I couldn’t predict her. She kept me back on my heels. And for a guy who’d seen the stuff I had, she was the right kinda problem to have.
“No rear view?” She glanced around, then over her shoulder. “How do you see behind you?”
“There’s no lookin’ back.”Only forward. Motto of my goddamn life.I crouched beside her and set my forearms on my knees, bunching my shoulders. “You ever driven a stick before?”
Rubbing the back of her neck, she shook her head.
My brows pulled together while I trailed my tongue over the inside of my bottom lip. The day of the accident, she’d been walking, and she’d caught a ride to the Civic Centre. On its face, it didn’t mean shit, but her reaction definitely did. “You everdrivenbefore?”
Her arms dropped to her lap as one of those dainty fingers traced a short line along the bottom of the steering wheel. “No,” she said, her voice small like she was embarrassed.
Nah. Don’t be scared with me, darlin’.I pointed to the clutch and brake. “See those two pedals? Press ’em down with your feet.”
Her legs were too short to reach, so she wiggled her ass forward until she could, then glanced at me, waiting. She looked real good like that, so I let the sight of it burn into my memory.
My chest pressed against her small shoulder as I leaned past her and pulled the e-brake into place, then maneuvered the shifter to neutral. “The car won’t goanywhere now.” I edged back and I tipped my head her way. “Go for it.”
“Go for what?”
“Turn it on.”
She waved her hands in front of her. “No, no, no. I can’t do that.”
“Course, ya can.”
Her gaze narrowed. “You’re just gonna trust me like that?”
Arching a brow, I met those copper eyes and held. “Promise. I’ll take care of ya.”
Her thumb hovered over the control and those eyes pinched like she was about to lob a bomb. “This one?” she asked, her voice high.
“That’s the one.”
She let loose a high-pitched squeak before she pressed it.
The loud rumble-pop of the engine filled the building. She flinched, her eyes going wide before a wicked smile consumed those full lips, and she bounced in place. I laughed.
Her little hands gripped the wheel, gliding over the leather while she took the car in. “It’s kinda like a spaceship with all the buttons and switches. How do you even know what to touch?”
I lifted a shoulder. “Practice. It’s muscle memory after a while.”
“Do you ever crash?”
“I have, yeah.” I reached in and tapped the roll bar. “But that’s what this bad boy’s for.”
She peered at me through her lashes. “Are you ever scared?”
I shook my head. “Can’t be. Driving scared’s a fast way to make mistakes.”
“So, you’re kinda crazy, then.”
