Page 24 of Not So Fast
“Which raises the follow-up question, since you were so quick to answer that no, the two arenotthe same, have you named your…?” She pointed at his crotch and made a circle in the air.
“You really will say anything, won’t you?”
“I don’t think that’s true. I just start talking and my mouth gets ahead of my brain. Don’t worry. I will live to regret that I asked you that question.”
“Maybe not. It doesn’t necessarily bother me.”
“Oh. It’ll botherme. Later.” She drew in a deep breath. “I don’t think you can force trying to become one with Charles. It’s like a relationship. Either it’ll happen or it won’t.”
“Except that a mountain of money and my career are on the line.”
She slowly shook her head. “It is a lot of pressure, isn’t it? I don’t think I’d last a day with that kind of pressure.”
“It’s part of the sport. I can’t do anything about it, so I try not to think about it.”
Facing him, she pulled her leg up onto the bench, leaving her knee right near his hip, sending a warm reverberation through him. How odd that he found so much comfort in her presence, but he did. “Have you seen any footage of yourself walking around this year?”
“Walking around?”
“In the paddock. Footage that the media catches, like when you arrive for a race.”
“No. Why would I? I study my onboard film and I study data.”
“You’re carrying a lot more tension in your body this year compared with the last.”
“Well, sure. Things were a lot easier last year. I had amazing results on a regular basis. Everyone loved me.”
“It’s got to be hard to take such a bad turn. No pun intended.”
“Is this your master’s in psychology speaking?”
“Good memory. And it’s merely the art of observation.” She got up from the bench and walked around to the back until she was standing right behind him. “Let me try something.”
“You aren’t going to crack an egg on top of my head, are you?”
“Good Lord, no. Why would I do that?”
He shrugged. “Because you hate me?”
“Xander. I do not hate you.” She cleared her throat. “Quite the opposite. Remember, you’re my favorite driver. So, no, I’m not going to crack an egg on your head.”
“Good to know.”
“Now, close your eyes.” She placed her hands on his shoulders. “And think about becoming one with Charles.”
“I thought you said not to force it.”
“We aren’t forcing it. When you become one with someone or something, it should be effortless. But you still have to see it in your mind as a possibility.”
“Okay…” He closed his eyes and imagined himself in the car, hands on the steering wheel and feet on the pedals, his butt perfectly cradled in that seat built for him. It wasn’t hardto conjure the feeling, but the sensation of Mia’s hands on his shoulders made it difficult to hold on to the image. Her fingers kneading into his muscles, working away the tension. He kept feeling like he was being pulled away…or maybe being pushed toward her.
“Now, don’t think about the way you were with any other car in the past. Forget the past. Just think about you and Charles and the future. Your relationship today isn’t perfect. How can you get closer to Charles? Understand him better?”
She continued to knead his upper back, right at the base of his neck, which made it incredibly hard to focus. Her fingers? Pure magic.
“You’re making me regret that I ever told you his name.”
“Shh. Just focus.”
