Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73568 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73568 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Lex doesn’t say anything for a moment, just keeps driving. Then, without warning, he pulls the car over onto a small dirt road and turns off the engine. The sudden quiet is almost deafening, but before I can ask him what’s going on, he reaches into the center console and pulls out a small box wrapped in silver paper with a white bow on top.
“I got you something,” he says, handing it to me.
I blink, confused and a little stunned as I take the box from him. “Lex… what is this?”
“Open it.”
I remove the bow and tear into the paper to find a white jeweler’s box. My breath whooshes out of me when I pull off the top, revealing a delicate diamond bracelet nestled inside. The diamonds catch the light from the low-hanging sun, sparkling against the soft velvet lining, and I can’t help but gasp. It’s beautiful. But more than that, it feels… monumental.
I look up at him, my heart racing. “What… what does this mean?”
Lex runs a hand through his hair, looking almost as unsure as I feel. “I don’t really know,” he admits, his voice soft. “I just… I really like you, Posey. And I wanted to give you something that showed you how much I like you. I know you have a life back in the States, but I was hoping we could figure out a way to keep seeing each other.”
My eyes go back to the diamonds and I know I’m holding a small fortune in my hand. “This is a big statement. I mean… this is more than I need—”
“Don’t even go there,” he growls with a censuring look. “Don’t throw my immense wealth at me if I want to spend some of it on you.”
I smile, duly chastised but look to him imploringly. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying…” He hesitates, then meets my eyes. “You’re mobile, right? Because of your work? Maybe you could come to more races. Or when I’m not racing, I could come see you. I’ll cover everything. Flights, hotels—whatever it takes.”
I stare at him, overwhelmed by everything he’s saying. The bracelet feels heavy in my hand, but it’s not just the diamonds. It’s the weight of what it represents. “Lex, I… I don’t know. Your life… it’s so grand. It’s so far outside of my comfort zone. I don’t feel like I fit into it.”
Lex’s eyes soften, and he reaches over to take my hand. “How about we just start with you fitting beside me for the time being, and work toward making you comfortable in my world? I’ll never let you feel like you don’t belong.”
The sincerity in his voice hits me hard, and for a moment, I feel like I’m standing on the edge of something huge—something terrifying and exciting all at once. I don’t know what this is, but I know it’s more than what we thought it would be.
“I don’t want to get hurt,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. But I realize, it’s not just my heart on the line. “I don’t want you to get hurt either.”
Lex squeezes my fingers, his gaze never leaving mine. “I swear, Posey. I’ll never hurt you. I trust you not to do the same to me.”
It’s such a simple promise, but coming from Lex, it feels enormous. And at that moment, I realize I want to believe him. I want to take that leap, even if I’m scared. Because maybe, just maybe, this could be something real.
“You know this is like one of my romance books come to life,” I say softly, my grip tightening around his. “I thought it was all fiction and fantasy. That no one’s life is ever like this.”
“But yours is now. I think you should let this story play out. What is it you keep telling me they always get in the end? A happily ever after?”
I nod with a small laugh. “Yeah… that’s the quintessential moment in a romance book.”
“Well then, this is the start of yours. Mine too, for that matter.”
Lex’s smile is slow, but it makes my heart skip a beat. He leans in close, his lips brushing mine. “Ready to take the next step with me?”
Our mouths engage and my brain fritzes. Yes, the answer is yes, but I’m going to sink into this kiss for a bit.
And then a terrifying thought hits. “Wait. No. We can’t.”
Lex jerks back, surprised. “Why not?”
“Because I’m a fraud, remember? I can’t just step into your world. Harley, Spencer, Maeve… hell, the entire Crown Velocity team will know I lied to get my foot in the door. They’ll hate me. I’ll be ostracized and—”
Lex kisses me again, this time his hand going to the back of my neck where he squeezes as his mouth lifts from mine. He stares at me hard. “It’s a problem, no doubt. But we’ll figure a way to break this to Harley. I’ll make sure it’s handled in a way that no blowback comes down on you.”