Page 58 of Rear View
I did and the Jeep lurched forward, then clunked as it stalled. I sucked in a breath, my hair and body jolting. Biting my lip, I rang that steering wheel. “Sorry.”
“You’re good. You just came off the clutch a little quick.”
I winced. “I’m gonna destroy this thing.”
He set his forearm along the ledge of his window, then gripped the oh-shit handle. “I knew what I signed up for today. And I promise”—he slapped the dash— “this baby’s seen worse.” He tipped his head toward the ignition. “Start her up and try again.”
The motor rumbled to life, and this time, when I fell back on the clutch, the Jeep accelerated, rolling us forward. I squeaked in victory.
Xavier laughed. “Increase your speed a bit.”
Gently, I hit the gas some more.
“Now, hear how the motor’s revving? That it’s workin’ harder?”
It whirred higher, louder, vibrating beneath me. “I do.”
A sharp nod. “Look at your RPM gauge. Between three and four thousand’s a good place to change gears.” He tapped the shifter. “Keep doing what you’re doing, but press the clutch and move it into second.”
Another soft clunk and we went faster. I shimmied proudly in my seat.
“There ya go.”
My arms were tight, my movements jerky when I focused on the road…and not veering off of it.
“Keep your eyes on the horizon. It makes staying in the lines easier.”
I did, and fancy that, he was right. “You’re just a fountain of knowledge over there.”
“Nah. I’m good at one thing.”
“Nah,” I said, mimicking him. “I think you’re good at everything.” My face burned with the admission, from how easily it’d slipped from my tongue, but really, it was true.
His brows arched up. “Everything, she says.” In true Xavier fashion, he smirked. “That so?”
“Don’t let it go to your head, rally boy.”
“A little late for that, darlin’.” He leaned back, relaxing into his seat like a king on his throne, and tapped a finger to his temple. “That’s living rent free up here now.”
I snickered and rolled my eyes. We climbed the mountainside, aiming up, up, up until I got to fourth gear and approached a turn.
“See how the corner banks?”
“Yeah.”
“Approach it like normal, but once you pass the first third, power out of it.”
I narrowed my eyes in question.
“Hit the gas.” His foot thumped to the base of the barely audible rock music humming from the speakers. “You’re turning into the curve. Do the right speed and G-force’ll hold the vehicle and prevent a slide.”
I downshifted when I approached, then accelerated as he’d said. The Jeep hugged the road like it’d been made for that moment.
“When you straighten out, loosen your grip on the wheel and let it glide through your hands.”
I did, the smooth leather sliding over my skin. My brows rose. “It’s almost like you do this for a living or something.”
He winked. “Almost.”
