Page 60 of First in Line

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Then what do you mean?”

“I thought you could focus on your courses more if you didn’t have to worry about me. And if you move into the dorms, a part-time job should be enough to pay for everything. I’ll try to help you as much as I can.”

“What about you?”

“A few of the guys are bunking together in one of the team houses. They said there’s a spot for me if I want it. And I can eat at the team’s canteen, so I’d barely have to pay for anything.”

“But we wouldn’t live together anymore?”

“No, but we can still see each other whenever we have time.”

“Jax, we’re barely seeing one another as it is. Do you really think it’ll be any better if we don’t even share a house anymore?”

“I don’t know. I’m just trying to think of a way to make this easier.”

“For who?”

“For you. All you do is work, Evie. I didn’t want this for you. I thought it would be easier, that I’d be paying for everything.”

“I don’t mind. It’s all part of my investment in you.”

I stare at the empty napkin holder in my hand. She still hasn’t given up on me. How is that even possible?

“What if I never make it?” I ask, avoiding her gaze. “What if you give me everything, and I never make it? I never get to pay you back?”

“Jax…” She reaches over to grab one of my hands, and I let her hold it. “It’s only been six months. You’ve seen my stats binder. You’re getting better. You’realmostthere.”

“But what if I’m not?”

“Let’s at least give it a full year, okay? I know you can do this, Jackson. You were born to do this.”

I lose myself in my own thoughts for a moment, reflecting on her words. Is this blind faith, or does she know something I don’t? She’s never doubted me, not for a single day. Not even now. I don’t know how she stays so optimistic, even in the darker times. She’s like a fucking light in my life, bright, intense, and unwavering.

When I haven’t said anything for a moment, she rises from her bench and comes around to sit on my lap.

She frames my face with her hands and pins her hazel eyes right on mine. “Jackson Reyes,” she starts solemnly, “you are many things, but you aren’t a quitter. And I won’t let that change, okay?”

I nod, entranced by her gorgeous face. “You have another six months to prove me right. And I know you’ll do it in a lot less. You’re on your way to becoming the best driver in the world, and you shouldn’t letanythingstand between you and your destiny.”

To mark her words, she leans in and adamantly presses her lips onto mine. Holding her, I let her take what she wants until we’re fully making out. I love this girl. I love her with every fucking bone in my body. And I miss her so fucking much. I miss hearing her laugh. I miss watching movies with her, sprawled on the couch together. I miss driving around town with her in the passenger seat…

“Let’s get in the car and go somewhere,” I impulsively decide. “I have a tank full of gas. We can go see the Great Lakes. You’ve wanted to do that since we got here. We’ll sleep at a shitty motel and see them in the morning.”

She laughs indulgently. “Slow your horses, Hot Wheels. I have a double shift tomorrow, remember?”

“Call in sick. I don’t have a race until this weekend. It could be just you and me, like old times. I miss it. I miss you.”

Her eyes on me are tender, compassionate. She grazes the side of my face, taking in every little detail of it. “I miss you too, Jax. But how about you finish with the napkins, I finish closing up, and we go home together so you can make love to me until we pass out? I don’t mind the quickies, but I miss when it used to last much,muchlonger.”

I’m not against her plans, but I still feel she should want so much more than that. Before I can voice it, though, she presses her lips to mine one more time. Then she moves her sweetmouth closer to my ear and whispers, “Plus, I’m wearing the pink panties you really like.”

That finishes getting my dick hard, and my hand by her ass lowers to squeeze it. She jolts out of my lap with a giggle, then walks back to her chores.

Like a little tease, though, she flips the skirt of her dress, barely half a second, but enough to let me see the pink lace covering her perfect butt. “Come on, Hot Wheels,” she orders, looking over her shoulder. “More refilling the dispensers, less ogling.”

This girl… I can’t fucking wait to give her everything she deserves. Not only when we get home tonight, but also in the future.