Page 56 of Danger

He steps out from the living area. “Hey, I’m just watching the wreck, and the news coverage of it. I wanted to see it for myself.” He gives me a half-smile. “Coffee?”

I try to open my eyes wider, but the morning sun pouring in from the windows doesn’t allow it. So, I squint, trying to wake up properly. “Uh, ok. Give me a minute.” I stretch my body across the bed, and Danger growls.

“Ok, I can’t concentrate with you looking all sexy as fuck like that.” He steps closer to the bed, bending over to smack me on the ass.

I smile, remembering the way he held me last night after stripping me bare. I should feel weird, awkward, but I don’t. Instead I feel like I can trust this man with anything.

Like he broke a big chunk of my walls down last night, and I don’t mind. “I’ll be right there.”

I head into the bathroom, not really sure if I’ll be able to watch the crash again. It was bad enough the first time.

I get ready for the day, knowing we have the press conference in a few hours, and then we can pack and get ready to move onto the next city. I can’t even remember where we’re going, or if we’ll leave today.

With Danger’s team member in the hospital, we’ll need to wait until we get word on Mandarin’s surgery.

I told my father I would handle it all, so I push away the fog clouding my brain, and walk into the living area. “I need to find a driver for Mandarin. And see what the doctors think.”

Danger stares at me. “The doctor cleared me for driving, right?”

I nod, knowing very well Mandarin won’t be able to drive this season. “Yes, so I just need to look through our replacement roster. I’m thinking Parks.”

Danger growls, and stares back at the TV when the crash occurs. Twisted metal and car parts fly through the air as they’re covered in a plume of smoke. I turn away, unable to watch anymore of it. I wince at the sound of metal crunching into metal.

Danger doesn’t even blink. Just watches, rewinds and watches again.

I cross the room, sitting next to him on the little sofa. My hand makes its way like a magnet to his leg.

His hand immediately reaches down to rest on mine. It makes me smile, and a warmth floods my chest.

I turn toward the TV screen, knowing full well I won’t be able to watch the crash again.

But, I do watch it. My eyes are fixed to the screen. Like a bad train wreck, or ha ha, a car wreck, I can’t get the image of twisted metal out of my vision.

And then I see it, the thing I’m sure Danger is noticing every time he watches it. The moment he loses control of his car.

It’s only a small miscalculation, but it’s so visibly obvious to the trained eye. “Do you want to talk about it?” I ask him.

He squeezes my hand. “It’s my fault. I let that asshole get inside my head.”

“The reporter?”

Danger removes his hand. “Yeah, him.”

“Anything I can do?”

“Let’s get this press conference done, and then get out of town.”

I smile. I like this with him, acting like a real couple. “Yes, I like that idea.” Or maybe it’s just I like being with him. In a car, traveling. Just the two of us.

He turns off the TV, moving into the kitchen area to make a pod of coffee for me. “Cream and sugar?” he asks.

I pin him with a stare. “You should know by now how I take my coffee, Mr. Fiance.” I park a hand on my hip.

“Lots of cream and enough sugar to give anyone diabetes.” He smiles and I laugh.

An hour later Danger’s doing a press conference with Thad and all the other drivers.

I pull my father aside. “I’m going to contact Warren Parks to sub in for Mandarin.”

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