Race to His Heart

by Sara Noble

  Once they were in the large garage area, Patty grasped at Maddie’s arm and pulled her close. “Stay close to me. We don’t want to get in the way of a team trying to come out for the inspection line.”

  Maddie nodded and stuck to her like glue. Since Connor’s crew, and others in the garage space adjacent to his, were busy working on the cars, Maddie wasn’t able to get up close and talk to Connor. She watched him intently as he interacted with the mechanics. He didn’t seem to notice that she was standing outside with his mother. She felt a little left out, but didn’t want to get him into trouble. She knew he had to concentrate on his work and on his team.

  After what seemed like hours of standing around and observing, the garage finally began to shut down for the evening. Toolboxes were being packed up and various mechanics and crewmembers from the other teams disappeared out of sight. Connor’s crew continued to work, with Connor working right along with them. Maddie glanced at Patty, hoping she would explain that it was time for them to go back to the hotel for dinner.

  “Connor has a radio show to do tonight,” Patty pointed out. “Did he tell you about that?”

  Maddie thought for a second. “No, I don’t think so. That sounds exciting.” She hid her disappointment from Patty, knowing that the appearance only meant less alone time they would have together later that night.

  “It’s a late show. That’s definitely something that we can’t go to with him.”

  “Probably why he didn’t mention it.” Maddie wouldn’t be surprised if he had forgotten to tell her. Things had been pretty crazy the last two days. After all, the last time they had spoken was right before dawn as she rested her head on his chest.

  A moment later, Connor approached looking worn out and frustrated.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m gonna be here for a while. Mom, can you take her back to the hotel for me?” His brown eyes met Maddie’s for a moment and she could see the regret shining through them. He reached his gloved hand up and wiped the sweat and grease from his forehead. She could tell he was exhausted, but had no choice other than to stay.

  “Yeah, sure. Don’t forget about the radio show tonight,” Patty replied.

  “Damn! I wish I could reschedule. I’m wiped out.”

  “No, you go. I’ll take care of Maddie.” Patty grabbed Maddie’s hand and started to walk out of the garage.

  “I’ll call you later!” Connor shouted as he turned to go back to work on his car.

  Maddie frowned when she realized her time with Connor was over for the night. She wanted to spend every second she could with him, even if it was sitting there watching him change the oil or check the tire pressure.

  “Come on,” Patty said as they left. “Let’s go get something to eat. I bet you’re starving.”

  I just want my bed, Maddie thought. She was too tired to try to sit through a meal and talk with Patty about her relationship with Connor. The awkward chat at the spa was about all she could handle for one day.

  “Actually, if you don’t mind Patty, I just want to turn in for the night. I’ll get some room service and go to bed. I’m totally exhausted.”

  “Oh, all right then. I think that’s a good idea.”

  As they drove back to the hotel, Maddie wondered if every night with Connor would be crazy like that. Between the garage time and the racing and then all the publicity stuff he had a packed schedule that hardly allowed him any time to himself. No wonder his fiancée can easily leave the country or go on a hundred vacations a year, she thought. How would there be any time for him and I to spend together?

  Back at the hotel, Maddie ordered herself a salad and a basket of chicken fingers. She showered as she waited for her food and then settled into her nightshirt and turned on the TV. She ate and lazily flipped through channels before finally deciding to stick with a comedy special on one of the cable networks. All of the excitement of the trip had worn off and now she just felt numb. There was no telling when Connor would get back from his radio show appearance, and then it wasn’t even guaranteed that he would want to come see her after his long day. At least he’s going to call soon, she thought as she climbed under the sheets and snuggled against the pillow. The day had depleted all of her energy and soon she was fast asleep, all alone in her hotel room.

  ***

  Maddie sat up in the dark, startled by a dream that had shaken her awake. She glanced at the clock; it was already two in the morning.

  “He didn’t call,” Maddie muttered while she felt around on the cool sheets for her cell phone. She turned on the backlight to see the screen only illuminated the time. She slumped back down into the bed and pulled the sheets up to her chin. It had felt good to get some sleep, but she missed Connor terribly. He had promised to call her when he was finished with his interview, but it was late and she figured he probably just went to bed.

  But he would at least call and say goodnight, she told herself. What if something was wrong? She lay there for a good while, conjuring up reasons why she hadn’t heard from him. After thirty minutes or so, a soft knock penetrated her thoughts.

  Maddie hopped out of bed and flung open the door. Connor stood there with fatigue in his eyes.

  “Connor!” she exclaimed, a little too loud. He half smiled as his eyes scanned her body covered only in a frail nightshirt.

  “Can I come in for a minute?” Connor asked quietly. Maddie nodded and let him walk into the room. She softly closed the door and followed him over to the love seat in the sitting area.

  “You look...” Maddie began to say.

  “Horrible, I know. I’m exhausted.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t say horrible, but you definitely look tired. Did you just finish your interview?”

  Connor shook his head no. His eyes drooped and his body swayed a bit. He slid down into the small sofa and sighed.

  Maddie frowned and then swept her hand under his chin. “You need some sleep. You should go back up to your room,” she suggested, even though she really just wanted him to crawl into bed with her for the remainder of the night.

  Connor ignored her statement and stared blankly at the floor. “I ended up having drinks with the DJ,” Connor began to explain. “I didn’t realize it was so late. I should have come back here to see you instead.”

  “Oh,” was the only thing Maddie could think to say. She did feel a little left out, but then felt guilty because she knew she couldn’t take up all of Connor’s time.

  “You aren’t mad that I didn’t come sooner, are you? I can make it up to you tomorrow.”

  Maddie sat down on the bed. It would be wrong for her to get upset, especially since he wasn’t her boyfriend and they weren’t really supposed to be together. “No, you had work to do. I understand. It’s part of the gig.”

  A soft smile spread across Connor’s jaded face. He rose from the chair and staggered towards the bed. “I might be tired,” he said as he took her in his arms, “but I still have enough energy left for you.”

  Maddie peeled off his shirt, and then her own, as Connor crawled on top of her and unzipped his pants. He began kissing her down her neck and chest, letting his tongue gently sweep across her breasts. Soon all their clothes were off and their warm bodies collided into a beautiful explosion. Maddie moaned while he pushed into her and bit on her bottom lip. She felt utter rapture the harder and faster they throbbed together. She closed her eyes and lost all control of her senses.

  At five a.m., Connor quietly snuck out of Maddie’s room and back to his own. She stood at the doorway and watched as he disappeared behind the elevator doors. Her body was still tingling from the last few hours they had spent in bed. Her heart thumped fiercely in her chest when she recalled the way he touched her with his strong hands. She closed the door and fell down on the bed. She cuddled up in the blankets, wishing Connor would still be there for her to hold on to. Everything about him excited her, from his light scent to the way his dark eyes smoldered whenever he looked at her.

  “I love him,” Maddie said
aloud in the empty hotel room. She clutched her pillow and said it again. “I love him, I love him, I love him.” She repeated it over and over until she drifted off into a heavenly slumber.

  Chapter 8: Connor

  Connor’s cell phone vibrated lightly on top of the bureau in his suite. He stirred and slowly opened his eyes to the morning light. Drudging himself out of bed, he grabbed his phone and groaned when he realized who was calling.

  “Makaela,” Connor grunted and then slammed the phone into the bed. She was the last person on earth that he wanted to speak to, especially after he had just spent the last few hours in bed with another woman. Guilt ate at his insides, but a euphoric mist clouded his mind. That other woman had been Maddie and he enjoyed every blissful second.

  Connor glanced at the clock. It was a quarter to eight and about three hours away from the time he needed to be back at the speedway. He drew the drapes closed, set the alarm for ten-thirty, then collapsed back into bed.

  The piercing sound of the alarm woke up Connor out of a dreamless sleep a few hours later. He showered and got ready for another busy day at the track. He thought about Maddie and the way her skin felt against his own. He fantasized about all the different ways he could love her and could practically feel him self inside of her. The overwhelming feelings made his gut swirl with emotions. Even though he had never felt so intense about a woman before, he still felt guilty about cheating on Makaela. "I need to cut her loose," he whispered to himself as he rode the elevator down to the lobby. Maddie just makes me feel so different, so alive. She’s the one I need to be with.

  The rest of the day flew by like wild fire. He worked steadily with his crew preparing the car for the big race the following day. He placed fifth in the qualifying event, which pleased him and his team. It wasn’t the pole, but it would give him plenty of confidence and motivation to work his way to the top.

  At seven-thirty that evening, Connor met with his family, his team, and Maddie at a restaurant outside of town. Everyone happily drank and ate as they chatted about the upcoming race. Maddie sat beside Jim, which was all her idea since she didn’t want anyone to get ideas about her and Connor’s secret. She occasionally winked at Connor and he blushed like an abashed teenager crushing on the popular girl in school. She seemed to be enjoying herself and fit in perfectly with the crowd.

  When dinner ended, everyone headed back to the hotel. Connor checked his cell phone during the car ride and noticed that Makaela had called three times that day. He frowned when he wondered how he was going to explain the lack of communication to her. Usually they talked a couple of times a day when they weren’t with each other. He tried to put it out of his mind, since after all, she was out of the country and he had better things to focus on.

  Connor walked Maddie to her room and pretended to say goodnight. He winked at her before he turned and left. She only smiled and then closed the door behind her. He had planned to head back to her room once everyone had settled in for the night. Finally alone in his suite, he decided to call Makaela. If he didn’t, he was afraid she would start snooping around and eventually someone would clue her in on Maddie being there. There was no doubt that Makaela would be pissed, especially since Connor had never mentioned his old friend to her, not even once. It was way into the early morning hours in Sweden. Connor knew he would be waking her up when he called, but better to get it over with immediately. He wasn’t about to stay up another five hours until she got up and he wouldn’t have time to call her the next day. He dialed her number and prayed she wouldn’t answer so he could just leave a voicemail.

  “Hello,” Makaela answered in a hushed voice.

  “Hey, sorry to wake you up. I saw that you called.” Connor sat staunchly on the edge of the bed. He hadn’t planned on having a long conversation with her at that hour. The sooner he could hang up, the better.

  Makaela cleared her throat. “Yeah. What’s going on? I’ve been trying to reach you for two days now.”

  Connor took a deep breath as he prepared to lie to his fiancée. He kept his voice as bland as possible, completely free of emotion. “I’ve been working like crazy down in the garage, plus I’ve had a million appearances and interviews to do. It’s been hectic.”

  “I figured. So, have you missed me?” Makaela asked, her voice perking up a bit.

  Connor bit his lip. “Yeah.”

  “Mmm hmmm… I miss you, too baby,” Makaela purred into the receiver. “I’ll be home soon, though.”

  “What? When?” Connor asked, trying not to sound too alarmed by the news. He instantly remembered her booking her trip for well into the end of August.

  “Maybe next week. I’m bored here. My family is lame.” Her voice had a hint of conceit.

  “That’s early. Are you sure you want to come back already? I’m going to be real busy the next few weeks.”

  “Baby, don’t you want me home? I thought you missed me?” Connor thought she whined like a toddler.

  “Yeah, sure I do,” he lied. “I just don’t want you to get bored here. I know you don’t like hanging around the garage.”

  “Don’t worry; I’ll find something to keep me occupied. Besides, we’ve got some discussing to do,” Makaela said.

  Connor’s heart skipped a beat. Does she know?

  “Discuss what, Makaela?” Connor chewed his fingernails out of nervousness. He held his breath as he waited for her answer.

  “The wedding, silly,” Makaela replied with a giggle.

  Connor exhaled. “Oh, yeah. Okay, well I gotta go. We’ll talk about all that stuff later.”

  “Call me after you win the race.”

  “Okay, bye.”

  “Bye, love you!” Makaela exclaimed a fraction of a second before Connor hung up. He couldn’t handle any more chitchat with her. And he definitely didn’t feel right telling her he loved her after what he’s gotten himself into with Maddie.

  That was something else he pondered over while he lay motionless in bed; he was possibly falling in love Maddie. He couldn’t resist her for some reason. He was magnetically pulled to her and felt so wonderful whenever they touched. Making love to her was an experience he never wanted to forget. He had never felt so passionately about someone he was intimate with, not even Makaela. It was like a huge bonfire had lit up inside of him, and that fire burned for Maddie.

  Connor wanted to spend another night with Maddie, but fatigue had begun to take over. He sent her a text that he wouldn’t be stopping by her room that night. She understood it was crucial for him to get rest the night before the big race. Plus, he didn’t see himself getting into it since his talk with Makaela. Hearing her whiny voice had put him out of the mood. One last beep signaled a message from Maddie on his cell phone. He pressed the screen to illuminate the text.

  ‘I’ll dream of you, since we can’t be together. Night.’

  Connor smiled when he thought of her alone in the bed, in her powder blue nighty and her amazing legs stemming from underneath. He imagined kissing her pouty lips while letting his hands explore her bottom and up the small of her back. He was half tempted to run up to her room anyway, race or no race.

  No, he told himself. Just this one night. Tomorrow we’ll celebrate. He turned over, closed his eyes, and surrendered to his exhaustion.

  ***

  Connor blinked his hazy eyes and found himself inside of his race car. He was fully decked out in a fire suit and helmet and was speeding around a mysterious track. The scenery was a blur as his car raced around and around at top speeds. He pushed the brakes with his right foot, but he just kept going faster. He could hear his fans cheering for him and calling out his name. A feeling of elation took over and Connor gripped the steering wheel hard. He gained control of the flying vehicle and soon the blur became clear and turned into a mob of howling people. His car gradually began to wind down after his accelerated joy ride and he felt the engine stall. Out of panic, he pressed buttons, flipped switches, and checked gauges. There were no signs of engine failure,
but he had that sickening feeling that something was wrong. His eyes left the dashboard and looked toward the horizon. Up ahead in the distance he saw the black and white checkered finish line. On the right side was a figure holding a large flag, and another figure on the left doing the same. The flags flowed beautifully in the light breeze as he inched towards them. It felt like an eternity, but Connor finally was able to see the faces of the two figures. Makaela was holding a white flag on the left side of the track. Her long, blond hair was plastered against her head; her face was painted with globs of sparkly makeup. On the opposite side stood Maddie with a green flag. Her silky chestnut hair rippled lightly in the breeze. Her long eyelashes complimented her hazel eyes and her tan skin was flawless. She looked like an angel with a shimmering aura surrounding her entire body. Up above the girls was a giant LCD screen. A list of names scrolled down the screen, with Connor’s at the top of the list. He was in first place. He glanced back at the girls, both still waving their flags and trying to get his attention. Connor debated, which flag should he choose? They both were at the finish line, but he could only grab one as he drove by. His eyes switched back and forth between the ladies in his life. Which one do I choose?

  ***

  Beep! Beep! Beep!

  The shrill alarm sounded loudly in Connor’s ears, jarring him awake and out of his allusive dream. He shot out of bed like a cannon; his heart pumped rapidly and his eyes darted around the room.

  “It was only a dream,” Connor said aloud. He pushed the off button on the alarm and started toward the bathroom for a shower. He let the warm water wash over his head to cleanse away the frustration and anxiety he normally felt before every big race. He was especially jumpy today, no thanks to the dream he had just awaken from. His chiseled chest rose up and down erratically as he struggled to calm himself.