Page 43 of Dirt Driven

Hayden and I took the kids back in the pits one last time before motor heat began and the night’s activities were underway. They wanted to get their shirts signed by all the drivers tonight.

She had Rowyn on her hip, trying to walk through the rocky uneven ground in flip-flops, and I had Hudson in my arms. We couldn’t let either down in the pits. They’d be gone in a heartbeat. “I can’t believe how much his eye swelled up.”

“I know. But remember when he got stung by that mosquito, he did the same thing. Jack used to as well.”

Both Hayden and I looked at one another at the mention of Jack. Pain hit my chest. I hated that he wasn’t here with us anymore. He would have loved all his new cousins. And I bet he’d be racing midgets by now. But no, he wasn’t doing any of that.

AFTER THE HEATShad finished, Rager found me and locked me inside the hauler with him. Alone. I spun around to face him. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready for the pill draw? I heard them call the drivers.”

“Something more important came up.” Rager cocked his head to one side and studied my face. That adrenaline-driven stare sent shivers down my spine. Only one of two things happened whenever Rager looked at me sideways like that, and both were harsh and exactly what I wanted. “Why are you wearing that?” He took a step toward me, kicking tools out of his way and Hudson’s push bike to the side with his foot.

I took a step backward and flinched when my lower back collided with the counter. “Because I wanted to support my brother.”

Lie. All lies and guess what? He knew it.

“Bullshit.” He took another step in my direction, stopping right in front of me. Reaching out, he wrapped his hand around my neck and though it wasn’t forceful, it provided enough pressure I wanted more. “Believe what you want,” I mumbled.

He shook his head, smiling, and reached for a pair of scissors beside me. “You’remywife. You will only wearmyshirts.”

Ah, yes. There was that possessive guy I knew so well. Trying to fight back a smile, I looked down at the scissors in his hand and the grip he now had on the shirt. “What are you doing?”

“Showing you what it means when you piss me off.”

Like I didn’t know that already. I slapped at his hand, pushed against his chest and laughed, but it was no use. He had a hold on me, and I wasn’t going anywhere until I was stripped bare for him. I shifted uncomfortably when he reached up and palmed my breasts.

He didn’t notice.

“You better stop laughing, or I’ll carve my name in your ass with these scissors.”

He wouldn’t, but it was just like him to threaten it. Despite me laughing, and him pissed off, I knew exactly where this was heading.

Until, as our luck would have it once again, there was a knock at the door.

“Rager! I need you out here.”

Stepping back, Rager smirked at me and set the scissors on the counter beside him. “Go change.”

I rolled my eyes when his gaze swept to my shirt. “You’re so possessive.” And I walked out of the hauler. “By the way, you lineup third for the dash.”

Rager laughed out a breath. “Honey, you ain’t seen possessive yet.”

Outside the hauler, I found Bristol and Savannah in the dirt. “Come on, pretty girls. Let’s go sell some T-shirts.”

“And change yours,” Rager yelled after me, but I couldn’t miss the playful demeanor.

With my hands in the girls’, I looked over at my husband. “You win the dash and I will.”

“Wait, Mama,” Bristol yelled and yanked her hand from mine.

“Bristol?”

“I forgot to tell Daddy good luck.” And then she ran full speed at him.

When he turned and basically caught her as she jumped at him, my heart was in my throat. Not because she’d run off or that cars were moving around us, but that he was holding our baby girl.

Pulling back, she smiled at him and kissed his cheek. “Good luck, Daddy.”

He blinked slowly, smiling. “Thanks, darlin’.”

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