Quarter Mile Hearts(89)

“Oh, I noticed you all right. The way you smiled at me; it was hard not to notice. But you had all the girls’ attention.”

“It was only your attention that I wanted, but I didn’t think I was good enough for you.” Something in his voice makes me turn to him, and I see a sliver of self-doubt.

“You were always good enough for me. It just took me a while to notice it.” His fingers intertwine with mine, and he brings them up to his lips.

“When I used to come to the quarter mile, it was only ever the cars and the racing that I was interested in. Boys didn’t look at me in the same way as they did the other girls. And that was fine. But then you happened. That night you smiled at me did something to me. For the first time, I was interested in something other than cars and racing. I wanted you to smile at me like that all the time. But I didn’t think you were interested, so I went out of my way to irritate you. I was convinced that you were a player.”

“But I wasn’t.” His eyes widen, a protest of his innocence.

“I know that now, but you scared me more than anyone. I didn’t understand the way I felt when I was with you, but I do now. You are dangerous to my heart, Max Morgan, but only because I love you.”

His jaw drops because I have never been this candid with him. But there is no point in hiding how much I love him. He deserves to know, especially as I’ve agreed to marry him. Now that I’ve put it all out there, he is speechless.

“There’s a race tomorrow night.” I cast him a sidelong look and watch as he shakes his head.

“My racing days are over.” He smiles as my mouth pops open with shock.

“But why?”

“Seeing you race against Zach Anderson and knowing that something could happen to you. Well… it’s not the life I want. I know what it did to you and your family; hell, your dad nearly lost his business because of it. I don’t need it in my life, but I do need you.”

“But…” I can’t keep up.

“I want a life with you, Storm, a life together. Now that you’ve agreed to marry me, well… I don’t need to race.”

“You’d give it up?”

He nods, his expression deadly serious. “I love you.” He cups my face in his hands and draws me close.

As I look deep into the dark eyes of the man who stole my heart on the quarter mile, I say, “And I love you, Max Morgan.”