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“I don’t appreciate being made fun of. And in the unlikely event you meant that as a compliment, I should warn you I’m not about to fall at your feet.”
    His grin widened. He looked so vital her heart actually stopped for a fraction of a second.
    â€œNow that’s a shame, because my team keeps this floor real clean.” He nodded at the serviceable beige linoleum running the length of the hauler. “If you did want to do any falling, I can assure you there’d be no, uh, hygiene consequence. ”
    He was employing the same kind of stilted language she’d used talking about his supposedly pregnant girlfriend. His eyes danced, mocking her lack of sophistication.
    â€œI think we’re done here,” she said stiffly. “I’ll deliver your message to Bob.”
    â€œTime we both got back to work,” he agreed. “After all, I’m not doing too well. ” He echoed her again.
    She colored. “If it’s any consolation, those twelve women you were flirting with in the garage seemed quite impressed.”
    â€œMore like eight,” he said modestly. “But thanks.”
    â€œIt wasn’t a compliment.”
    â€œJealous, chickadee?”
    She didn’t mean to snort, it just slipped out.
    Eli guffawed. She had to give him credit for not taking offence. Jen found herself smiling wryly. Now that his face was completely relaxed, she realized he’d been tense before. Genuine amusement softened his mouth, made his lips look—
    â€œI’m up here, chickadee,” Eli said softly.
    Jen jerked her gaze from his mouth. Her eyes met his.
    There was a moment of crackling silence while they stared at each other. Heat suffused her. Then she blinked, long and hard, severing the contact.
    Eli frowned. “How old are you?”
    â€œTwenty-two.” Going on thirteen. “Time I left,” she said.
    â€œYeah. Bye, chickadee.” Despite the teasing nickname, he sounded…remote.
    â€œDrive safely,” she said with sudden vehemence, imagining him caught up in another crash.
    Eli tilted his head, his expression a blend of surprise and amusement. “You want to wish me luck, too? Because much as I want to finish in one piece, I mostly want to finish first.”
    â€œI don’t really care about that,” she admitted.
    He shook his head. “You sure are the strangest race track employee I ever met.”
    He escorted her to the automatic door, which hissed open as they approached. Outside, a bunch of loitering women came to attention, craning their necks.
    Jen thought she heard a faint groan from Eli. But a sidelong glance revealed he was smiling.
    â€œEli!” One of the fans waved a program at him. “Sign this!”
    Immediately a clamor rose from the rest of the women.
    Despite the flippancy that suggested he didn’t care much about anything, Jen felt sorry for him. It couldn’t be easy, putting a brave face on his poor driving performance.
    Then his arm landed across her shoulders.
    â€œSo, Jen, do you want to spend tomorrow with my team?” he asked, loud enough for the fans to hear.
    Disappointment rippled through the throng.
    For one second, the wild possibility that Eli Ward was attracted to her ran rampant through Jen’s head.
    Twin sensations slammed her. Panic…and excitement. Which one was responsible for the way her brain clouded, her palms turned sweaty, her breath came faster?
    â€œI can’t,” she said with absolute certainty.
    Eli stepped closer, so close his eyes were brilliant. He must wear colored contact lenses….
    â€œYou understand I just asked you on a date, right?” he said, more quietly, so the fans couldn’t listen in. “You’d spend tomorrow with me, up until the start of the race. Then watch the race in my pits.”
    Oh, yes, she understood all right. Not why, not at all, but certainly what .
    Jen stepped back into the hauler, clear