Caught(27)

“Don’t flatter yourself, doll. I have something else in mind.”

“Fine,” Vivian said. “Let’s just get through the day, and I’ll do whatever it is you need me to do so we stay even-steven. Man, your parents must’ve had a heck of a time with you. Each time, your sister got a lollipop, you had to get a lollipop. I bet your dad—” She stopped dead in her tracks.

Jarod was wondering how long it would take before the General came into conversation. “My dad what?” he asked.

“Dammit, I’m sorry,” Viv said. “I didn’t mean to bring him up. You’re right, sometimes I get going and I don’t think. I’ve read about your dad, and I can’t imagine how hard it was for all of you to lose him that way. I know you think I’m an insensitive and tactless Yankee, but I do have a heart.”

“Hey now,” Jarod said in a soft voice, feeling guilty for cutting into her. “I don’t think that of you. And you can talk about my dad. I’m okay hearing about him. It’s even nicer talking about him outside of racing. Truth is, he didn’t make things even between Kate and me. Dad was pretty old school and saw it as our job—the men’s job—to make sure the ladies of the house were happy. He started toughening me up by the time I was five or so. He was hardly home, so he wanted to be sure I would be around to help my mom.”

“That must have been hard,” Viv said. “You were so little.”

“It was what it was.” He shrugged. “Still, I had a great childhood. My mom is the best, and the time we did get with Dad was special. And when he wasn’t around, I had the guys. Henry always made time for me.” Jarod took her notebook and pen and set them down on the table. They needed to go out and get some fresh air.

“Enough of all the heavy shit,” he said. For a moment, he considered wrestling her phone out of her hand as well, but knew she’d never give that up. “We have a big day ahead, and we have plenty of time before the press arrives. Let me show you around the place.”

Viv’s eyes tracked the room, and he could tell how hard it was for her to let go. “Are you sure? I think I’d feel better if we went through your speech a few times.”

“I think we’d feel better with a walk. Forget about all of this for a few minutes. You really need to listen to me on that. All this stuff will eat you up if you let it. You need to learn when to let it be and walk away.”

“Okay,” Viv said.

“Okay.”

Jarod hadn’t expected to launch into a big sob story, but Viv made it easy. He even found that talking to her was actually enjoyable. Despite her down-to-business demeanor, she was kind. And he didn’t come across that very often in his line of work.

They started the tour in the stands and worked their way infield. Jarod told Viv about the history of the speedway and the drivers who raced there. He even rattled off a few of his wins at this particular track. It was a little pathetic, but he wanted to impress her.

Viv looked around the complex in wonder. She looked at him in wonder, now that he thought about it. He liked that. Very much.

“I take it you’ve never been to a track,” he said. “Or a race, for that matter.”

“Sorry,” she said. “Forgive me?”

“It’s okay.” He knew he was pushing his luck, but he was unable to prevent the next words that fell out of his mouth. “I’m happy to be the one to pop your cherry.”

Jarod was captivated watching Viv as three things happened simultaneously. She shuddered and shifted her feet, and her nipples pebbled under her shirt.

It was the exact reaction he was looking for. He wasn’t sure why, but making her squirm was so fucking enjoyable. And after their deep moments, it was time to lighten things up.

“What did we say about the bad-boy routine?” Viv asked when she found her breath.

“Hey, I never agreed to anything.” Jarod swore she shifted her feet again. “I am what I am.”

“You got that right.” Viv smacked his chest. “Now reel it in, Cage, and take me to the pit road.”

“There is so much I have to teach you.” Jarod ran a tough, calloused hand down her arm. “The first thing I’m going to teach you is the basic NASCAR lexicon. It’s not called the pit road. It’s simply pit road.”

“Now who’s the uptight one?”

“I’m just protecting you, baby. I don’t want you to say the wrong thing and look like a fool.”

“Aw, how kind of you.” Viv rolled her eyes, but he could see the tension was already lifting.