If I wasn’t thinking about that, I was thinking about her.

Just her.

When I looked back at her again, she smiled, but it quickly faded when she glanced at the dash and back to me.

“Kye, the road!”

“What about it?”

“Look at it, not me. You’re speeding.”

“The road isn’t going to disappear.”

“But we will if you launch us into the forest!”

“I can do it with my eyes closed, Daze.”

“Don’t you dare.”

I laughed, looking back at the road but not slowing down. “Fine, but I’m going to try it out next time I’m by myself.”

“That is the dumbest thing you could try to do.”

“I promise it isn’t the dumbest thing I could do. I could think of at least ten other things I could try that would be dumber.”

I turned into the lot of the races, and couldn’t help but glance over to watch as she took in the sight.

Race night was always hit or miss on the turnout, but tonight was busy. There were at least fifty other cars already pulled up next to the makeshift track, and I angled us through the crowd to find the rest of the crew.

“Wow,” she said, pulling off the harness as she looked over the crowd and cars. “This is what you do every week?”

“Close to it, yeah. We go out looking for races instead sometimes. Just depends on our mood, or how much money we need.”

“What am I supposed to do here?” she asked as I parked.

“What do you mean?”

“Am I supposed to do something? Should I just be around you all night?”

“Whatever you want. I would say stay with someone in the crew. The girls are there,” I said, pointing to Quinn, Ash, Scout, and Carly, who were leaning back on Ash’s car. “You can hang out with them or me.”

“Oh, okay.”

“What’s wrong? Do you not like them?”

“No! They are great.”

“But?”

“But what if they don’t like me hanging around? I don’t want to bother them or anything.”

“You’re overthinking this. They already like you.”

She suddenly looked on the verge of tears, and I wasn’t sure why.

“What is wrong? Are you really that upset at being here?” I didn’t know why, but her being so upset she wanted to cry at seeing part of my life hit hard.

“I’m here because we are pretending to be together, not because you actually like hanging out with me, and I know they are just being nice because of that. But then I don’t want to be bothering you all night, and following you around if you want to hang out with the guys.”

“You really need to think that through. Why would I have invited you tonight to pretend to be your boyfriend? Holt isn’t here. I’m going to take a big leap here, but I doubt Dean or your friends are.”

“I guess that’s true.”

“I invited you because I like you around, and the girls demanded you come. They were excited when you agreed. They aren’t like your friends, and I’m not like Dean. Glue yourself to my side all night for all I care.”

“Won’t that interrupt?”

“Interrupt…what, exactly?”

“I don’t know. All the things you guys talk about.”

“Unless you are going to start fighting with one of them on why one car is better than another, no, I don’t think there’s anything to interrupt. Although, please start fighting with them on that. It would be hilarious.”

“I’m being serious!”

“So am I? What do you think we are talking about that you can’t hear? We talk about cars, Daze. The girls talk about shit they want to do, and I don’t know, whatever else they want.”

“They are just a little intimidating as a group. All of you are.”

“Yet you were comfortable enough to jump me. Come on. You are already here. Just stay by me until you feel more comfortable.”

“I don’t want to⁠—”

“If the next word out of your mouth is bother, I’m going to tell you to shut up.”

“That’s rude.”

“So is assuming I invited you here because I secretly hate being around you. I get the concern based on other people you hang around, but I promise I don’t ask women to hang out with me, especially if I find them annoying.”

I got out, already heading around to her side. I was pretty sure I was going to be prying her from the car, but she really couldn’t think this place was that bad.

The door pushed open, and she glanced up at me. My legs almost gave out. The look of her with her eyes wide, looking up at me, her lips parted and hair a mess, was making me understand why blowjobs could be a good thing. 

“Touch me,” I said, throwing my arm over her shoulder to pull her closer.

“What?”

I leaned down to her ear, my lips against it. “Please put your hands on me and don’t drop them until I say so.”