Page 66 of Truck You

I nod. “In two weeks. It’s close to Cincinnati. My last one of the season.”

He narrows his eyes. He doesn’t look angry. It’s more like he’s just now realizing that I’m a racecar driver just like him. “Have you been practicing? You know, getting track time?”

I pick at the dead grass next to my leg, tossing the blades in front of us. “Yeah. But I can only afford two or three sessions a week. I usually go after work.”

“What about a crew?”

“I pieced a team together over the years. They’re all great guys and help me out part-time. It helps that my crew chief is a family friend. He can’t be with me all the time when I practice, but he never misses a race.”

“Then who helps you when you practice?”

“I always find locals to help. It’s not ideal, but it works.”

Mac stares at the calm river in front of us. His contemplative expression makes me chuckle. “What are you thinking about?”

He shrugs. “That I’m an ass.”

This makes me laugh even harder. “You’re just now figuring that out?”

He cuts me a glare. “I’m serious. You’ve been here for what? A little over a month now? We could have been helping you.”

“Your brothers have been helping me.” I suck my bottom lip between my teeth as I brace myself for his reaction. “In addition to working with me at the shop, Chase and Ash have come to the tracks with me a few times.”

Mac’s eyes widen. “For real?”

“Yeah.” I wrinkle my nose. “You’re not mad, are you?”

“Why would I be mad? Wait,” he holds his hand up as if to stop me from replying, “I probably would have been mad before. Now I just feel like a bigger asshole.”

I nudge his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. After a lifetime of trying to fit into a man’s sport, I’m used to it.”

His frown deepens. “But it shouldn’t be that way. I’m sorry if I—”

“Don’t.” I cut him off. “You didn’t do anything to make me feel like I shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a car. You just didn’t want me here.”

His smile returns. “True. But I’ve changed my mind about that.” He leans over and gives me a chaste kiss. “You’re growing on me.”

“Good.” I cup his cheeks and he shivers from the chill of my icy hands, but he doesn’t pull away. “You’re growing on me too.”

I press my lips to his for a soft, sensual kiss that is so unlike anything we’ve shared so far. Mac’s kisses are typically demanding and harsh. Everything about this man is typically intense and maybe even a little overbearing. But not this time.

He’s letting me see a softer side of him. A side I suspect he hides from everyone, even his family. And it’s at this moment that I realize I’m in serious risk of falling hard for this man.

One hot, fun weekend together isn’t enough. There’s something much more meaningful than a fun time in the sack happening between us. I feel it deep in my bones. But his track record suggests he’ll push me away sooner rather than later. Hell, he even warned me that he’d make that mistake again.

I didn’t move to Beaver to risk my heart. I’m here to become a better racecar driver, and to learn from one of the best teams around.

I’d do well to remember that.

* * *

While Macand his brothers help our guide pull the raft out of the river and load it on the trailer, I lean against a tree and watch. We ended the trip at the base of the New River Gorge Bridge. It’s foggy close to the water, and the sky isn’t as clear as it was two days ago when I walked to the ridge above.

Mac was relaxed for the rest of the trip down the river. He stopped acting like I couldn’t handle myself and just enjoyed the ride. I like this carefree, fun version of him. Mostly because it means he’s letting down his walls and being vulnerable with me.

A vulnerable Mac is even more dangerous for my heart, but I can’t bring myself to care about that right now.

“You guys looked good out there. Do you raft this river a lot?” a male voice asks from behind me. I turn to see one of the men from the group of thrill seekers standing just behind the tree I’m leaning on.

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