Free Crash and Burn by Michelle Libby Page B

photographer, who was concentrating as he looked into his camera. “The pictures we saw on the computer were excellent.”
    “I got that last shot just a second ago. That was the one we’ll use,” the photographer said. “Sweetness, tenderness and love.”
    “Divina, I don’t know where Stone found you, but you’re one in a million and I know you’ll be good for him. I hope to see you at the track on Saturday.”
    “That’s it?” She stood, not able to believe she’d survived her first test as Stone’s wife. She flashed a perfect, wide smile.
    “Divina, my dear, you were wonderful,” the photographer said, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles.
    Stone stepped between them. “She was wonderful, but now I’d like to take my wife home.”
    Mr. Halkins gave a deep, booming laugh. “Take your wife home and treat her well.” The two men disappeared into the garage, leaving Stone and Grace standing in the gravel driveway.
     

 
    Chapter 7
     
    Stone was in over his head. He knew it. His car was running shaky today. He’d qualified and taken the pole, but after fifty laps, the car was coming apart in his hands. “Barry, something’s wrong. I might need to pit,” he said into his headset, which communicated with his crew chief.
    “What’s the problem? Can you wait? You only have a few more laps until everyone starts to pit.”
    “Everything feels loose.” Grace would want him to pit. She’d err on the side of caution. “Shit.”
    “What’s wrong, Adams?” Barry asked, concern laced through his voice.
    Stone needed to get Grace out of his head. The photo shoot had been a few days ago and pictures were beginning to surface. The first one was of them sitting under the tree, him kissing her head. It was sickeningly tender. He’d played his part well enough. He thought he’d puke every time he passed the picture plastered again and again all around his trailer, compliments of George and Walt. He looked like a sap. Had he gone soft?
    It was a dangerous question to ask at one hundred ninety miles-per-hour on a straightaway.
    “I’m fine.” He tried to mentally kick himself. He’d better concentrate on this race or he wouldn’t be fine. He’d be slammed into the fence.
    “High. Go high.” Barry said.
    Stone let the car float to the top of the track, passing the thirty-seven car.
    No more thoughts about Grace. Let’s get this race done.
    * * * *
    He finished third. Not bad, but not great. If he wanted to make it into the big leagues, he couldn’t be thinking about women while he was driving. In truth there was only one woman he couldn’t get off his mind. When she’d ground her hips into his crotch, his pent-up need had surfaced and all he’d wanted to do was throw her over the hood of his car and do things he’d only read about in magazines.
    He’d relived his fantasies of her over and over again at night, lying only a few feet away from the star of his dreams. On purpose, he began staying downstairs until he was almost positive she would be asleep. Then he’d creep into their room. He couldn’t face her, not in the dark, in their shared room, where they could whisper about their day.
    This whole thing was a bad idea. One picture, one afternoon together and he was hopelessly sunk. He couldn’t even concentrate on his job.
    The crowds surged in on him, calling his name. “Where’s your sexy wife?” One man called holding up the magazine spread with their pictures gracing the pages.
    He didn’t know where she was. Of course, he didn’t say that. Grace hadn’t ridden to the track with him. She’d said she’d come later, after qualifying. He was surprised she’d even known what happened at races, but anyone could have told her, she could have researched it on the net. He looked around for her new blonder hair, but he didn’t see her.
    “Stone. Over here,” a woman called. His pulse quickened. Was Grace finally calling to him? He spun in the direction of the voice. A redhead with