[chapter eight]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of
them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please.
;-)
**
Kick balled her hands into fists and resisted the urge to punch something.
It was the first time a crew chief had gotten in her face and bitched her out.
And she didn't like it.
As she impatiently waited to return her equipment, she heard a chorus of calls behind her, making her smile slightly.
"Jun-yer! Hey, hey, Junior! Over here! Junior!"
She spun around to see Junior striding towards her, his head low, his eyes hidden by his ballcap. Though the race had ended ages ago, there were still a lot of fans clamoring for a view of their favorite driver.
"You're worse than Elvis." She said by way of greeting as Junior reached her side.
He laughed, that husky, sexy laugh that made her knees wobbly and looked up to meet her eyes. "Makes it hard to sneak up on someone." He said.
"Trying to ambush me?" She asked with a smile.
"Tryin' to find you. Been looking everywhere for…hey, what's wrong?" he asked, noting her sour expression.
She shrugged. "Nothing, just…Borland got in my face after the race." She sighed slightly. "I hate that."
"You were just doin' your job. I wouldn't worry about it." Junior said sympathetically. "Besides, I got good news."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I'm taking you to dinner."
Kick laughed. "I'd like to, but I can't. I have to catch a flight home."
"Take a later one." Junior reasoned and Kick laughed.
'Must be easy to have that much wiggle room in your life', she thought. "Junior, it's not that easy."
"I just made it that easy. C'mon…it'll take your mind off Borland. Please?" Junior begged.
Kick looked at him for a long moment. "Do people always do what you want them to?" She asked.
"Naw. But those people are just a challenge to me." Junior countered.
"Is that all I am? A challenge?" Kick asked seriously.
Junior looked at her, his eyes boring into hers. "You're already way more than that, babe." He twined his fingers in hers and tugged on her arm. "C'mon. Get your stuff put away and let's go."
Kick returned her headset and allowed herself to be led away from the throng of people by Junior, her hand still in his.
She stumbled as they nearly ran headlong into Jimmie as he came around the corner of a hauler. Her eyes immediately met his before Jimmie looked away quickly.
"Hey Johnson. Wanna come to dinner with us?" Junior drawled and Jimmie looked as though he were ready to spit nails.
"Three's a crowd." He said, his voice deep and menacing. Junior laughed and pulled on Kick's hand. She looked at Jimmie again, her face filled with confusion and distress.
She was met with a thinly veiled mask of annoyance and rage from Jimmie.
She glanced over her shoulder and
tried to read Jimmie's thoughts before Junior led her out of sight.