I smile at the memories flooding my head. I start to fall asleep, thinking about the night that started with a fight over a stolen kiss and ended with us falling asleep together, squished in the driver’s seat.

It started off as a really shitty night, but in the end it turned out to be one of the best nights of my life.

Chapter 17

Two and a half years ago…

Micha

It’s about time to race and I’m nervous, even though I have Ella in the car with me, my little good luck charm. We’ve been off balance all night, partly because my growing feelings for her are making things awkward since every time I’m around her I keep hoping she’ll say she has feelings for me, knowing if I’m the one to tell her first she’ll freak out. But not tonight. She’s had a rough day and is in a bad mood and even though I want to scream out to her that I’m in love with her, I know I can’t. I’m hoping, though, that after the race, we can drive up to our spot and talk for a little while, sitting on the hood of my car, listening to music—it’s one of my favorite things to do.

But for now I have to concentrate on racing, so I focus on driving, winning, and making sure Ella has a fun time tonight, despite the fact that I can’t stop thinking about kissing her.

“So are you ready for this?” I ask, pumping the gas as she dazes off, staring out the passenger window. She’s been doing it most of the night and I wish she would just tell me what’s on her mind.

She turns and looks at me. “Ready for what?”

I pump the gas again. “To race. I know how turned on you get over it,” I pretend to tease, even though it’s true.

She rolls her eyes, for a fleeting second looking happy “Whatever.” Then her expression falls and she looks out the window again.

I hesitate. “So do you want to tell me why you’ve been so quiet all night?”

She shrugs and lets out a loud breath. It grows deafeningly quiet in the car as she breathes in and out. I swallow hard and start to return my attention to the front of me, when suddenly she says, “Micha, can I ask you something?” She sounds choked and nervous and it makes me wonder what the hell she’s going to say.

“You know you can ask me anything.” I grip the steering wheel, staring ahead at the trees, unable to look at her, praying to fucking God that she’ll finally say something, like “Micha, can you feel it, too? Micha, please fuck me now. Micha, I love you.”