“Carolina, my sweet, Carolina, I love you, and not just because you build a wicked good engine. I love you, because from the beginning, you saw the real me, on and off the racetrack, and not someone you wanted me to be. You believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. You make me want to be a better man, Carolina. I promise to try every day to be the man you see inside this shell. Will you marry me?”
All seriousness gone, Dell's eyes twinkled with amusement and his wicked smile promised all sorts of things she'd come to need as much as she needed to breathe. Lord, if she said yes, this man would keep her off balance for the rest of her life. And wasn't that one of the things she loved most about him?
She forgot all about the reporters, the cameras and the crowd. Only one man mattered, and he'd chosen this moment to declare himself. Maybe, just maybe, she could keep him a little off balance too.
“I don't know, Dell. Are you sure you aren't just trying to get your hands on my engine?” she teased.
“Oh, honey, I fully intend to get my hands on every inch of you, including your engine,” he said with a wink.
“Well…since you put it that way… yes!”
Dell let out a victory whoop and pulled her in for a kiss that curled her toes. The crowd went crazy around them, and someone dumped what felt like a magnum of champagne over their heads. Eventually, Dell broke the kiss, but he didn't let her go as he grabbed the microphone from the stunned reporter who was scrambling to keep up with the unexpected marriage proposal in Victory Lane.
“So, folks. Looks like I'm going to marry my team owner. Maybe I'll change my name to Caudell Hawkins, what do you think?”
The crowd roared their approval. Dell looked around, then waved someone over. Caro smiled as Richard Warner shouldered his way through the crowd. “Did you get it?” Dell asked his brother.
“Yeah,” he said, handing something to Dell. “You've got to quit ordering people around,” he added with a smile. He clapped Dell on the back. “Congratulations, man.” Then he faded back into the crowd.
“Sorry, sweetheart. I couldn't figure out a way to carry this in the car with me and not lose it.” Caro's heart lodged in her throat when Dell opened the small velvet box to reveal the most stunning diamond she'd ever seen. “You can have this, or if you'd prefer, I'll give you the guitar trophy I just won,” he said. “But, so you know, I come with both of them. You aren't getting away from me now.”
And there she was, completely off balance, and dizzy with love for this impossible man.
“Sweet Carolina,” he waved the ring under her nose. “Which will it be?”
Caro eyed the unique trophy awarded at Richmond. She studied the ring in its blue velvet box. “As much as I love the trophy, Dell, you can keep it. I'll take the ring, and you.”
Dell slid the ring on her finger, then crushed her lips beneath his. As he kissed her senseless, she heard the reporter say, “And there you have it folks. This wraps up our coverage today from Richmond International Raceway in beautiful, Richmond, Virginia, where Dell Wayne is a double winner today – taking home the winner's trophy and a bride!”