Carrie had been silent in the car. The dreaded wedding under his belt and over with, they'd planned on driving to Bangor, Maine and checking into a hotel near the airport. Early flight Sunday morning; he wanted to get back to the crew as soon as possible. The car was a shambles and Hando was working on the back-up in Burlington. H could deal with the vehicle and get it delivered on time…but Col needed to be with the crew to make sure they knew the score.

Missing a race was not good. Missing a driver could be even worse. His healing shoulder may or may not be approved in six short days to drive the Charlotte race. His mind should be spinning with possible options to get them onto the track should the doc say 'no'…but it wasn't. His mind wasn't working so well at all because Carrie had slid her small hand to his thigh and set it there, right on his knee.

"Shouldn't drive with one hand, love," he almost choked.

"I don't care."

Colin blinked and turned to watch her profile in the darkness. Passing headlights brightened her pretty features then they fell into black relief to silhouette against the night sky outside. "Did ya drink too much, sweetheart? I can drive if ya need me to."

She abruptly pulled her hand away. "No. Shut up, Colin. Please, just shut up," she
sniffled and he felt his chest tighten. The next headlight sparkled off a tear streaking down her cheek. "Please…just shut up."

"Pull over, Carrie. Pull over now and tell me what's got ya so upset."

"No! And don't tell me what to do. You're always telling me what to do!" she gasped and ran a hand under her nose.

"Okay, okay," Colin said softly. "Then you tell me what to do. Ya want me to shut up, I can do that. But then you gotta do the talking, Carrie, then - "

"I love you!" she shouted, swerved then finally pulled onto the side of the highway. "I'm completely…hopelessly…helplessly…fucking in love with you! There!" She swung the door open and slipped out from behind the wheel. Slamming it shut, she leaned into the opened window. "Now…you can fire me!"

She stomped off; short little dress swaying and high heels clacking along the highway, speeding cars soaring past and Colin at a trot to catch her. When he neared his fingertips touched her elbow and she swung a turn. One glare then the pursuit continued.

"Carrie…stop. Carrie, come on, love, we should talk."

"Say it Colin! The words are… 'you're fired'…or 'I'm not interested'…either way, I can't take this anymore." She shouted but never turned.

"Take what?" He was almost beside her but she sped her step. Colin had to smile, even mad as a dingo she was the fucking cutest shiela he'd ever seen. "Take what?"

"This. You. Punishing me because of L.J." She swung around, looked at him but kept right on walking backwards. "I made a mistake, Colin! People make mistakes."

"And how can ya know loving me isn't a mistake, Carrie?"

They had both stopped; he, one step from her, and she, still swaying from the inertia. His hand tightened over her wrist. "How can you know, Carrie?"

"I don't have to know, Colin. I just do. I love you and it's killing me to be around you so much. I was hoping this trip would…would…" Tears dribbled and he caught them with the pad of his thumb.

"Carrie, I don't know what you were hoping for with this trip. But I'm glad ya made me come. Seeing Nat gave me a chance to see more. To see me, where I'm okay…and where I'm not so okay. Truth? I think I'm fallin' in love with you too. But I hurt her, baby. I made bad mistakes and hurt her. Not sure loving me a risk you should be considering."

"Then," she sniffled, rolled her neck and sighed. "You have to fire me or I quit. You're hurting me more by being near you…knowing there's no possible - "

But her words were cut off suddenly, smothered by the pressure of his kiss. Colin had taken that step, closed the gap he'd held firm between them and once he did, it was like rolling in that car yesterday. Free fall…out of control…exciting and terrifying at once. Her arms slid up around his neck and she squeezed.

"Ugh," he grunted, shifting her weight slightly and lessoning the pressure on his damaged shoulder. He kissed her like he was starving, sucking her lips, her tongue, the tears from her face. Another groan and she chuckled lightly.

"Maybe I shouldn't hold on so tight?"

"Don't let me go now, Carrie… don't…let…go." He had bent slightly and with his good arm, Colin grasped her around the waist. Lifting her he was careful to open one eye, watch where he was going, but the kiss continued. Unstoppable, full speed, intense. His body demanded, but there was more happening to him. Something that fit like a missing gear, making his entire life seem fully tuned for the first time ever.

"Forget the mind stuff," he whispered against her cheek as he neared the car. "Forget L.J. and Natalie. Let's forget every bloody thing that ever happened before this minute, Carrie. Can ya do that for me love?"

"Mmm, mm," she mumbled, sliding into the passenger seat, not wanting the connection to stop even for the moment it would take him to climb behind the wheel. With a sucking sound and gasp, Colin released her lips, ran a hand across his brow, slipped his aching arm from the sling and jogged to the driver's seat. This time it wasn't Carrie's hand on his thigh that was driving him mental…it was his own hand, slipping along her silk covered leg, teasing beneath the fabric, honing for the heat. As he drove, appearing perfectly controlled and calm, his heart was racing for the checker flag.

At first her legs were tight. Her chest heaved and her heated, wanting flesh exuded her perfume, wafting the sweetness and nearly dizzying him. His fingers still but wanting, her knees slowly, invitingly loosened. His advance was respectful, tender…and sure. It took a full twenty minutes, but before they parked in the hotel parking lot, Colin's index finger was buried deep inside of her. Carrie panted, sighed and finally rolled toward him as he cut the engine.

"Oh, God," she moaned, her hips moving on his hand. "Take me to our room, please Colin. Take me to our room or love me right now!"

Decisions, decisions. But this one was pretty clear. It had been a long time since he'd been with a woman he cared about, and fucking Carrie in a rented Ford wasn't how he wanted to start things. "Love, I can take care of you right now, but I wanna wait for a proper bed to love you." His fingertip slid and she sighed, rolled her head on his good shoulder.

"I want to love you in a bed too. And, I think you should put your sling back on that arm."

"Needed at least one hand to drive, Carrie," he chuckled.