Page 65 of Endurance

“Kallie, I—”

“Before you say no, hear me out. You don’t have anything scheduled until four this afternoon. I thought that maybe after Gabby leaves for the airport, the two of us could pop over to Wings for a quick tour. You could get a feel for the place, then decide.”

“Yeah…about this afternoon.” He paused, and I sensed his hesitation. “Something came up. I need you to cancel everything on my schedule for the next couple of weeks, maybe longer.”

My brow furrowed in confusion.

“Cancel? But why?”

He hesitated again.

“I’m going to try racing again, Kallie.”

I blinked several times, trying to figure out if I’d heard him correctly.

“But you can’t, Sloan. The doctors said—”

“I know what the doctors said, but there’s a chance I might be able to push through it. I won’t know unless I try. Tyler McDermott’s accident means his sponsors need a driver to replace him. I thought about it and told Milo yesterday that I would do it. Racing in the MILL is huge, Kallie. I can’t pass up the opportunity without trying.”

I had no idea what the hell racing in the MILL meant and didn’t waste time trying to figure it out. Instead, I zeroed in on one thing—Milo. My jaw clenched at the mention of him. I thought back to Saturday night when he’d called Sloan. I’d have bet my last dollar that this sudden opportunity was discussed on that call—and Sloan hadn’t said a word to me about it.

“It would have been nice if you’d clued me in,” I said somewhat curtly. As his agent, I was annoyed that he’d kept it from me, yet knew I had no right to be mad on a personal level. He was a grown man who could make his own decisions. Still, I couldn’t help but think about his past injuries and worry that he could somehow hurt himself. After everything he went through, a setback could be devastating.

“Kallie, don’t be upset.”

“I’m not upset,” I lied.

“Yes, you are. I can hear it in your voice.”

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. I spotted Gabby out of the corner of my eye, looking at me with concern.

“I just don’t want to see you have a setback. Against all odds, you’ve made almost a complete recovery, but you still have issues with your hip—you told me so yourself. There’s a reason the doctors didn’t clear you.”

“I told you why the doc didn’t give me clearance—it was only because my stamina pressing the gas and brake pedals was shot. It had nothing to do with the replacement joint and everything to do with the pain I experienced. I want to see if I can work through it.”

“But Sloan—”

“Look, Kallie,” he interrupted impatiently. “I’m headed to the track in a couple of hours. This week is just setup and practice. The MILL isn’t for another six weeks. Why don’t you come down to the track with Gabby? You can see for yourself how it all works. I promise to know my limits. And when you come, make sure to wear your rainbows. I need your optimistic energy.”

Before I could respond, the line went dead. I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at it in exasperated disbelief. I hated being hung up on—especially when I wasn’t through talking. Fighting off the urge to throw the phone across the room, I tossed it on the couch where decidedly much less damage would occur.

“Damn, he can be so infuriating,” I grumbled.

“What? What did he do? What happened?” Gabby hurriedly asked.

I looked at my friend’s alarmed expression and sighed in resignation.

“Want to hit the race track today? I can explain on the way there.”

* * *

When Gabbyand I arrived at the track a couple of hours later, we stood off to the side of the pit lane and watched the flurry of activity. Fans dotted the stands, excited by the possibility of seeing celebrity race car drivers, while AC/DC blasted from the speakers strategically placed around the track. Even though there wasn’t a race today, there was no denying the exhilarating energy in the air. Everywhere I looked, people buzzed about. Judging from their various tasks, I could guess who the crew members were, but the two men talking to Sloan were a mystery. They were decked out in expensive suits, making them stand out among the crew members wearing tattered jeans, stained T-shirts, and baseball caps boasting various racing emblems.

“Who are those men Sloan is talking with? That one guy in the navy suit is F-I-N-E fine,” Gabby said appreciatively, and I laughed.

Sloan must have heard me because he turned away from the two men and glanced in our direction. The confidence and ease with which he stood made his presence bigger than the entire track. When his eyes landed on me, he smiled and didn’t bother to mask the heat in his stare. I watched his gaze skirt up and down my body, causing butterflies to flip in my stomach. I loved the way he looked at me sometimes, as if he were picturing me naked beneath him, touching and exploring every inch.

His intoxicating gaze lingered on me for a moment longer before turning back to the two men and pointing to where Gabby and I stood.

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