little blue headphones. They’ll swim on my little man, but at least his ears will be protected.
I take the headphones, pulling apart the earpieces as she tries to hold up Oliver’s head. He’s still sawing logs, content as he can possibly be in her weird wrap. “This is different,” I tell her, trying to maneuver the ear protection down in the wrap. My hand brushes against her boobs, and like a fourteen-year-old boy, a jolt of excitement sweeps through me. “Sorry,” I stammer, trying to hide a smile.
Lena just gives me a look, like she’s not buying it for a second. “Are you done?” she asks, humor lacing the words.
I slide the protection over my son’s ears and smile a big cheesy grin. “Yep. Done.”
She raises an eyebrow and heads for the door. Outside, the sun is high as she slides a pair of sunglasses over her eyes. She stays close, walking right beside me as we head for the track. The familiar scent of gasoline and burnt rubber fills the air, the sound of a car on the track growing louder the closer we get.
Lena slips her headphones on as we move through the crowd. Competitors and opposing crew members offer a quick hello. When we reach pit road, I find my car and my team. She stops beside me, glancing around and taking in the sights and sounds. Even behind sunglasses, I can see the excitement in her wide eyes.
I move toward her, placing my hand on her upper arm. Her scent engulfs me, sweet and familiar, and my cock takes notice. That’s something new. Can’t say I’ve ever started to sport wood right before a race. She doesn’t pull back, something else I notice, as I lean in and say, “You can go over and stand with Coop. He’ll make sure you’re out of the way,” I holler, moving her ear protection just enough to help her hear me.
She nods but doesn’t move. In fact, I swear she leans in. My lips tingle, half a second away from moving to claim hers, but somehow, I refrain. Instead, I bend down and kiss Oliver’s forehead. He flinches, his lips mimicking a sucking motion as if he’s eating in his sleep. I can’t help but smile.
“See you in a bit,” I add, dropping my hand from her arm.
“Good luck,” she tells me with a grin before turning and heading over to Coop.
He gives me a thumbs-up, letting me know he’s got them, as I slip into the arms of my fire suit and zip up. Fish helps me get my earpieces in and cues up the mic, connecting me with my crew chief. “You there, man?”
“Here and ready to roll,” I confirm, heading over to my car.
He gives me a few last-minute instructions, sharing details about the previous few qualifiers, as I secure myself into my car, letting the rush of anticipation run through me. I’m strapped in, my steering wheel secured into place. Coop continues to give me directions, including the command to fire my engine. It’s loud, and I love it.
I sit there idling, my mind focused, waiting for the cue.
This is what I do.
I’m ready to get to work.
Chapter Seven
Lena
There’s a buzz at the track as they prepare for the race. It’s been so long since I truly felt this feeling. The anticipation. The excitement. The thrill of fast cars and hot drivers. It all comes back to me. Sure, I’ve felt something similar at the dirt track my dad owns, but nothing compares to an IndyCar race. To be honest, I’ve missed this.
I’ve missed Mack.
I ignore that subconscious comment and focus on what’s in front of me. The car passed inspection and is waiting on the track, the crew preparing for battle. They’re stretching together, their blue and gold fire suits gleaming under the perfect summer sun. Mack is with them, preparing for the race. I’ve been hanging back, but not too far. There’s a gaggle of reporters ready to pounce the moment I give them the opportunity.
After qualifying yesterday, Mack and Peter from PR conducted an interview. He gave an abbreviated version of what happened with Oliver, leaving out the gory details of how he came to be. The reporters went nuts, throwing out questions, even after they asked for privacy. One specifically asked about me, even though I wasn’t at the conference. I was at the hauler with the guys, and Oliver. It wasn’t like my attendance at qualifying went unnoticed. They didn’t