One in a Million by Abby Gaines Read Free Book Online Page B

say, is that a crime?
    â€œStay on topic,” she said. “Surely yesterday’s race proved to Gil that you can focus on your driving.”
    â€œYou’d think.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Unfortunately it wasn’t enough. If I don’t make the Chase—you know what that is, right?”
    She nodded. “Quinn told me.”
    â€œDid he also tell you Rev Energy Drinks will pull its sponsor dollars and Gil’s threatened to fire me?”
    â€œI—no! That’s awful.”
    â€œI plan to make the Chase,” Eli assured her. “But it won’t be easy and it’s not all up to me.”
    â€œGil didn’t seem unreasonable,” Jen said, uncertain.
    â€œHe’s not. Mostly. But if he’s seriously ticked off, he might fire me anyway, even if another driver takes me out, no fault of mine.” Eli put his hands either side of her on the fence rail. His mouth was almost level with hers.
    She diverted her gaze over his shoulder.
    â€œGil’s less likely to sack me if he thinks I’m doing things his way,” Eli said. “If you and I keep up our act through to at least Richmond…”
    Jen snapped her eyes back to him. “That’s weeks away!”
    He nodded. His expression was neutral, but she discerned tension in his grip on the fence. One thing she’d learned yesterday was that NASCAR drivers faced intense pressure. A wave of sympathy washed over her.
    â€œSurely Gil knows,” she suggested, “those lightning-quick reactions you have on the track are the flipside of your distractibility.” She’d been amazed how Eli could seize an opportunity almost before his rivals knew it existed.
    â€œI guess.” He scratched the back of his neck, frowning.
    â€œAnd the way you kept changing strategy on the fly, all through the race. That’s part of the same quality.”
    â€œFor someone who never watched a NASCAR race before, you picked up a lot,” he said.
    â€œI guess I picked up enough to respect what you do,” she admitted.
    His eyes widened in feigned shock. “You mean, you accept that driving a stock car is a real job?”
    She waggled her hand to signify maybe, since he didn’t need any more adulation in his life. “I’m not saying it’s in the same league as plumber, or cop…”
    â€œOr chicken farmer?” he suggested.
    â€œHmm,” she said thoughtfully as she pretended to assess him. Her scrutiny swiftly deteriorated into outright ogling of the planes of his face, his broad shoulders, the muscled physique that made him the perfect poster boy for Rev Energy Drinks. Jen drew a pleasurable breath, aware that something—the morning sun?—was going dangerously to her head. “I’m not sure you’d make it as a chicken farmer.”
    That piece of nonsense somehow warmed Eli’s gaze. “Cruel,” he murmured. Then, before she could figure what he was up to, his hands went to her waist and he swung her off the fence in one smooth movement.
    â€œPut me down!” she squawked.
    He planted her in front of him, still holding her. “I like you, Jen,” he said. “You’re good company. I get that you don’t want to date a guy like me for real…”
    Darn it, she couldn’t stop staring at his lips. The onlyconsolation was he seemed to have a similar fixation with hers.
    â€œBut I’d sure appreciate it,” he said huskily, “if you’d come back to me.”
    He liked her. Eli Ward had said he liked her! What if, although they’d started off pretending at romance, he really did think that kiss was special, after all? What if, beneath the NASCAR glitz, he was just an ordinary guy—no, he could never be ordinary. But what if he was a guy with a problem, just like everyone had problems? And she could help?
    â€œWhat about my job, and Granddad?” she prevaricated, aware