Chameleon Soul (Chequered Flag #1) by Mia Hoddell Page B

right. Neither of us were really trying, yet we’d fallen back into sync.
    “Do you know what happened between them?”
    “No, he’s not told me. I never liked her, though.”
    Dustin was the silent, broody type, which I thought odd considering he was usually so chatty. With everything going on in my life, I didn’t have the energy to force him to talk. We’d developed a “don’t ask” policy. He didn’t quiz me about my nightmares, and in return I didn’t talk about Elora. We were just there for each other when we needed it.
    Teo looked thoughtful, as if considering whether to continue the subject or not.
    Finally he spoke. “Thank God his eye went down enough for them to clear him to race is all I can say. He doesn’t deserve to lose out because of Hattersey.”
    “Did he really plan to knock you off the track last year to win the championship?” When I’d seen that crash, my heart had been in my mouth. Aston had nicked Teo’s back wheel and sent him spinning into the barrier two laps from the end. Both Dustin and me had been screaming in outrage at the TV.
    “You saw that?” He sounded genuinely surprised, momentarily taking his eyes off the screen to look at me.
    “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
    “We can’t prove it, but everyone knows he did. Aston doesn’t play by the same rules as everyone else and he stops at nothing to win.”
    I knew that better than most.
    Before I could stop myself, my hand was on his shoulder and squeezing gently. When he didn’t pull away, I left it there. “That can’t have been easy; to lose the championship when you were so close to getting your hands on that trophy.”
    He clenched his jaw. “Losing the championship meant nothing compared to what else I lost that year, Raine.”
    I let my hand fall from his shoulder, placing it on my lap. I didn’t dare glance up and see the look on his face. He was meant to have gotten over me by now. That had been the whole point of the plan.
    “I’m sorry, Raine. I shouldn’t have said that.”
    I peered up through my eyelashes to find Teo staring off into the distance out through the garage door. His hands were clutched around the edge of the cabinet I was sitting on by his side, the muscles in his arms tense.
    “No, it’s okay. You don’t have to apologise. I made the decision, and I have to live with what I did.”
    When Teo’s fingers found my chin, I jumped in shock. I allowed him to tilt my head up, no urge to flee rising within me. When our eyes met nothing else existed. My lips parted involuntarily, my tongue gliding over them.
    “It doesn’t have to be this way, Raindrop.”
    His touch burned my skin and sent pleasant waves of heat surging through my bloodstream.
    “What are you saying, Teo?”
    An almighty roar ripped through the paddock, breaking the spell he’d cast. On the screen Dustin had passed the chequered flag and his mechanics were running out to meet him as he exited the car.
    Teo hooked my chin and returned my gaze to his. “I’m not giving you up without a fight, Raine. You can shut me out, lie to me, or break down as much as you want; I’m not going anywhere. I’m also not getting on that plane again until things between us are back to how they should be. I should never have left in the first place.”
    I gasped, my jaw dropping at his blunt admission.
    “Do you understand what I was saying now? Things don’t have to be this way.”
    I could only nod.
    “Good. Then I expect you to come out with us and celebrate tonight.”
    Teo backed away with a wink, not giving me time to complain, and then he was out of the garage and following Dustin’s mechanics, who were rushing to celebrate. I wouldn’t have put it past him to have figured out I couldn’t follow him. I’d chanced fate enough for one day.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Twelve
     
     
    Raine
     
    “I can’t do this, Dustin,” I whined, collapsing on his bed and throwing an arm over my eyes. I’d gone over every