Traction (The Driven World)

Sighing, I set my phone on the counter and make my way to the fridge and pull it open to find a bottle of water. Twisting the cap, I take a long swig and try to calm myself.

There’s nothing I want more than to relieve some stress, but if I call Curtis or Pax, I know it will end in a late night. And that’s not something I can afford. Grabbing my phone again, I type a long email to the board, adding each member and hit send. Then, to add to that, I send through an invitation to a meeting at the office which will take place in a few days.

When I’m done, I tap out a message to Colton asking him if I can be there at midday, which will allow me time to talk to my lawyer. He’ll assist me with the legal documents. When I walk into that board meeting, I’ll ensure the men who think they own my father’s company to know exactly who they’re dealing with.

With race season coming up, I need to train, I need to focus, and I can’t have my father’s associates stirring up trouble. I then hit send on an email to my lawyer and settle on the couch, turning on the TV. While flicking through the channels, I wonder about my little speedy. She’s mine. She just doesn’t know it yet. I don’t give up easily, and that’s something she’s going to have to learn.

Leaving a mindless show on, I lean back and close my eyes, and all I see is her. Those cocoa eyes with her golden-brown curls. Pink, pouty lips that make my dick jolt in my sweats, and I know soon enough I’m going to have her under me. One way or another.5HaeleeThe morning has been filled with cars, engines, and learning more and more about how they set the cars up for races. I know the season is starting soon, so every driver on Colton’s team is onsite, either talking about their next race or the qualifiers, which are important.

The guys have been welcoming in showing me around. When I arrived this morning, I was certain I would be stared at all day, but nobody paid any attention to the fact that I’m female. It’s as if I’m part of the family already.

I move through the building until I hit the pit. I haven’t seen Kayden yet, but from what I overheard, he’ll be in late. I wonder what he’s doing. Perhaps he’s called in late because he'd been partying all night. I wouldn’t put it past him.

Guys like him break hearts and have enough girls on their arm to build a freaking team of their own. As much as I try not to think about him, I can’t deny that I want to see him.

It’s stupid. I can’t crush on an asshole like him, but my body has a mind of its own, and when he finally saunters in, my stomach flip-flops wildly at the sight of him in a pair of dark slacks and a white button-up.

He doesn’t see me at first, and for a moment, I really take him in. The smooth jawline with those full lips and his handsome, chiseled face is tanned from spending too much time in the sun. I wonder briefly if the rest of him is as tanned.

Shaking my head to clear away the errant thought, I drop my gaze from his brown hair down his torso that’s encased in the white material. He looks like a model who’s just stepped off a runway.

His slacks hug his thighs like a second skin. And his hands, with veins that are prominent, make my body shiver. Colton walks in moments later, and my perusal is squashed when he calls us both to him.

“I’ve been thinking about this, and I think it would be good to have you both working together. Kayden is training up for his races coming up soon, and I’d like to see how you handle the track with him in the car. He’ll take you on a few laps, check out your form, and then from there, we’ll work on what needs to be changed and tweaked and what we’d like you to focus on.”

“What?” both Kayden and I say at the same time, shock clear in our voices. It’s the last thing I want or need.

“No way, man,” Kayden refuses with a chuckle, as if Colton had just told the funniest joke. But there’s no humor on Colton’s face, and I have a feeling I’m stuck with Kayden Mercer.

Fuck.

This is such crap. There are so many amazing drivers on the team, but Colton puts me with him. My stomach sinks to my feet because as much as I hate Kayden, I also know he’s far too good looking, and I do have a crush on him. And that only annoys me.