****
Angela could barely see Shane through the throngs of people gathered around him. He stood on a large stage in front of a red backdrop boldly advertising the race’s major sponsors. All of his pit crew were with him, along with a couple of big breasted blondes dressed in midriff t-shirts and shorts. Angela was glad to see their shirts held the logo of a popular beer which meant they were part of the PR team and hopefully not there with Shane. Either way, she still didn’t like the way they were rubbing their boobs all over him.
While the rest of his crew whooped and hollered and popped bottles of champagne, she noticed Shane searching the crowd with his eyes. Angela pushed and shoved her way closer, knowing there was no way she could reach the stage. She’d already become separated from Shane’s parents, but she knew they were trying to make their way toward Shane too.
Suddenly Shane spotted her in the crowd and as their eyes connected, time stood still. A big smile broke across his face before he jumped off the stage and ran toward her. She moved faster too but when she finally stood in front of him, her nerve dissipated as she stared into Shane’s face. There was a glint of hope in that gorgeous grey gaze before he shuttered it. He held up a hand to the two security guys flanking him on both sides. They both stepped back a few feet.
He was looking at her like he couldn’t bear to look away. He hesitated a moment before saying, “You’re really here. You look lovely.”
“Thanks. And you look great too, Shane. Exhausted, but great. The other night at the party I…”
“You don’t have to go into that,” Shane said gently when she faltered. “You don’t owe me any explanations Angela.”
“But you came to see me. I tried so hard to catch you. And I’m the one who left that morning.”
She bit on her bottom lip, hard. Looked down at her hands and sighed. “I hate excuses, Shane. And I hate to think I’m a coward.”
“You think you’re the coward?” Shane asked on a low chuckle.
Now her eyes held his squarely. “Maybe we both took the easy way out.”
Shane seemed to nod in agreement. His attention was stolen for a moment by a camera crew yelling for him to come back to the stage for the ceremony.
“Angela,” he began slowly, then paused as if searching for the right words. “You’re right. I did take the easy way out. I thought I had all the answers but that was far from the case. There were many ways I could have handled things better between us. All I did was complicate it further.”
“I don’t regret anything that happened. Not the beginning…and certainly not the end. Especially not that,” whispered Angela. She felt Shane take her hand and she looked sideways at him sharply, her heart pounding at the warm touch of his fingers clasping hers.
“Why did you run away like that, Angela?” he asked quietly. Angela could feel his thumb stroke her knuckles and the way it struck her deepest nerve with desire made her gasp inaudibly. Just a casual touch of his fingers and she was in heat.
So pathetic of her.
“I guess the same reason you walked off a week ago, from that club,” she said hoping the hurt didn’t choke too loudly in her voice. “I was afraid of being hurt.”
“I didn’t want to disrupt…,” he began, then paused thoughtfully again before adding, “I guess I came to terms with the fact that I left things too late. I had many weeks to tell you how I felt. I wanted you that first day. Not just sexually. I wanted to kick myself for making that crazy offer for you to share my bed. The moment you walked in I knew you were someone special. But for so long I’d deprived myself of any real emotion, that I didn’t trust it when I felt it. I thought, if I held off long enough, I’d find it was a passing infatuation. Then came that last night. I was so sure if I had you one time, I’d get you out of my system. What a stupid idea!”
There was no way Angela could conceal what his words were doing to her. Could he tell her hand had grown clammy with the flush of pleasure she felt to know how deeply he felt for her? She thought of how much she quavered to Shane’s touch still holding her hand in that warm clasp which felt more intimate than even the hottest kisses at that moment.
“Please tell me you’re staying this time,” he said, his grey eyes pleading.
She reached up take both sides of his face in her hands. “I’ll stay as long as you want me, Shane.”
The crowd around them broke out in spontaneous applause when he picked her up in his strong arms and whirled her around. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Planting both her feet back on the ground, he raised her face to his and swooped down to claim her lips in a long, slow possessive kiss. Flashbulbs went off like fireworks around them as photographers jostled to capture the moment.
“Come with me,” he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him back up to the Winner’s Circle. “I want you beside me when they give me the trophy.”
She nodded and slid an arm around his waist. They stood hand-in-hand as he accepted the Winner’s Trophy and gave a short speech thanking his crew. When the President of the racing association stepped off the stage signaling the end of the ceremony, the crew popped more bottles of champagne, spraying the bubbly liquid all over them. Shane drank straight from a champagne bottle then handed it to Angela to do the same. After taking a big swig, she laughed joyfully and reached up to wipe the sticky champagne from his face with his dad’s handkerchief.
His eyes grew serious for a moment and he leaned down close to her ear to whisper wickedly, “When I get you home I’m going to lick a whole bottle of champagne from your beautiful body.”
Heat flooded her, from her head to her toes. Good heavens! If he kept that up, she’d jump his bones right here in front of everybody. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be much longer.
He’d warned her about the many interviews. Apparently not his favorite part of the job, but a necessary evil. After asking the mandatory questions about the car and his driving strategy, one of the reporters turned to Angela. “Shane, who is your lovely lady here today?”
Shane went still for a moment and looked down solemnly into Angela’s upturned face. “This beautiful and talented young lady, Angela Neil, is the love of my life. She’s the only reason I’m back here at the track again today. And…if I’m incredibly lucky I hope to convince her to become the future Mrs. Shane Davis.” In front of thousands of spectators and television viewers, Shane bent down on one knee.
As if on cue, Lloyd Davis jumped up on the stage and pulled a blue Tiffany’s box from his shirt pocket then handed it to Shane. Angela gaped at him in surprise. He knew? Shane’s family would never cease to surprise her. Lloyd winked at her, grinning ear-to-ear.
Shane opened the box and turned it so Angela could see inside. She gasped, recognizing the elegant Tiffany setting with at least a ten-carat diamond delicately set upon a beautiful gold ring. Classic and simple. Exactly the type of ring she would’ve picked herself.
Shane removed the ring and handed the empty box up to his dad standing by his side. He took both of Angela’s now trembling hands in his.
“Angela Neil, I love you more than you could ever possibly know.” He hesitated a moment, overcome with emotion. “I’m so lost without you. Will you please do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife?”
“Yes,” Angela sobbed, unable to believe this was really happening. “Yes, of course! I love you Shane, so much. Nothing would make me happier than being your wife.”
The crowd laughed when he breathed a huge sigh of relief and slid the ring onto her finger. She wasn’t surprised that the fit was perfect. Leaning down, she tugged him to his feet.
“Forever, Shane,” she promised, linking her arms around his neck. “Forever and a day,” he replied before claiming her lips with his.