I squared my shoulders. “Bring it on.”
“Oh, I will,” he promised, his tone teasing.
On the screen, our cars appeared, their engines revving as the counter counted down. A green flag waved brightly, and I jammed my thumb onto the button for the accelerator.
My little pink car shot forward, careening far faster than I’d expected. I winced as I narrowly avoided hitting a wall, taking the bend on two wheels.
When my car slammed back to the track, it nearly bumped into Kyle’s.
“Trying to take me out, huh?” Kyle asked.
“If I must,” I answered, my eyes fixed on the screen, determination driving me forward to the finish line.
Kyle and I skidded around another bend. But with me on the inside curve, I eked out a bit more speed, managing to shoot down the final stretch just inches ahead of him. The game announced I won by a bumper.
Kyle shifted his gaze to me, his eyes narrowed playfully. “I think I just got played.”
“I’m sorry?” I asked.
“You’re a game shark. You totally pretended not to know how to play just to lull me into a false sense of security so you could beat me in that race.”
My lips parted, a half-smile on my features as I defended my honor. “That’s not true. I couldn’t play. I just…am a fast learner.”
“Uh-huh, sure,” he answered, grinning broadly.
We held each other’s gazes, and for a moment, I wondered if he’d kiss me. It certainly felt like one of those moments on the cheesy movies where the man and woman shared a laugh over something unexpected, then ended up kissing.
Alex and Ava’s arrival with a big bowl of popcorn interrupted it, though. Probably for the best, I figured, as we played another few rounds.
The last thing I needed to do was fall in love with Kyle Carter. I needed his doctor skills, not his companionship. Yet I couldn’t deny the growing attraction I had for him.
He was so willing to help me without knowing anything about me. And I was all too willing to use him. I hadn’t much else. I needed him.
He was so sweet, almost too sweet. Could he handle the truth about me? Could it handle everything that came along with it? Or would his kindness turn to disgust?
I just hoped he could forgive me when it was all said and done. But I wasn’t so certain that would happen.
My heart skipped a beat as visions of the fallout flashed in my mind. I needed to proceed carefully. Very carefully.
CHAPTER 7
KYLE
As a doctor, I should have been worried. My heart rate had never decreased from the moment I’d first run into Nattie on the beach, and it had only gone up since.
I could still feel the softness of her skin against mine. It had sparked images of us curled up together as rain tapped against the windows—her favorite movie playing, a blanket draped over us, her tucked safely in my arms.
I pressed my lips to her temple, and she snuggled closer.
Life was perfect.
“Doc?” Ava’s voice cut in. “Are you planning on finishing the race?”
The sound snapped me back to reality. I winced, dragging my eyes away from Nattie and back to the screen. My little blue car sat motionless, its hood crumpled.
I’d smashed into a concrete wall.
“Oops. I, uh, wasn’t…yeah, I’ll finish.” I cleared my throat, shifting my broken car from its wrecked position and driving it forward.
