Yes, they are.
He blinked when her arms suddenly blocked his view. She’d crossed them.
Dario elbowed him, and he flinched. He looked at his cousin with a blank stare.
What?
“Rocco,” Casey said, “this is Nico.”
Oh, that’s what.
She’d uncrossed her arms and was holding out her hand. He couldn’t get a good look at her face with all that hair. Not to mention the fact she was wearing humongous sunglasses. But there was no mistaking the set jaw. He felt pretty certain she was glaring at him.
“Isn’t that a boy’s name?” Rocco sneered.
“Doesn’t Rocco meandickin Italian?” she responded.
Dario chuckled and nudged Rocco, his voice barely a whisper. “Don’t be a tool. Shake her hand.”
Reluctant, Rocco took her hand. Damn, it was small. A sudden surge of heat coursed through him when he felt her soft flesh up against his calloused palm. He gave her hand one solid shake and prepared to let go, but when he loosened his grip, she didn’t reciprocate. So, he closed his hand around hers and waited for her to loosen her hold. When she did and tried to pull away, he wouldn’t let her. He could see she was gritting her teeth. He did likewise.
You’re going to be here a long time, sweetheart, if you think you’re going to dictate when a handshake with me is done.
There was a moment of silence.
Casey clapped his hands. “Okay, well …”
Another moment of silence.
Dario sighed. “I’m going to count to three.” He held his fist above their clenched hands and indicated with a finger as he counted off like a countdown at a boxing match after a knockout. “One … two … three.”
Both of them unclasped at the same time.
She shook her hand and wiggled her fingers.
Was I gripping her hand that hard? Why didn’t she say something?
Another moment of uncomfortable silence.
Dario was the one to break it.
“You looked good out there … on the track.”
“Thank you,” she said, smiling.
“Didn’t she, Rocco?”
Rocco was staring at her hand. She was still moving her fingers.
Dario nudged him.
“Huh?” he said, looking over at his cousin.
“I said she looked good out there.”
Rocco glanced at her.
“You’ve raced Formula 3,” Rocco said in a harsh voice.
