Page 171 of Bend

When I pull back, he’s still close enough that his forehead almost brushes mine.

“Now go test it before you distract me into forgetting I have a job.”

His thumb presses once into my side. “Yes, ma’am.”

I roll my eyes, but I’m still smiling when he finally lets me go.

There’s a looseness to him this morning that wasn’t there when we first got here. The course is still dangerous and every one of them knows it, but that first-day tension has settled into something steadier now. Respect instead of nerves. They’re not underestimating what they’re doing anymore, they’ve just stopped letting the fear take up all the space.

Wolfe takes a step backward, still watching me.

“You’re smiling.”

“I am not.”

“You definitely are.”

“Go bother somebody else.”

“Can’t.” He starts pulling his gloves on, that easy grin still sitting on his mouth. “You’re my favorite.”

Heat rushes straight into my face before I can stop it.

I grab the pen off the bench and throw it at him.

He catches it one-handed without breaking stride.

Cocky bastard.

****

By late morning, Andre confirms they’ve got another full practice block before the schedule starts tightening closer to race day. Talon, Draygon, Thorne and Wolfe are heading out in the same block, staggered enough that they’ll each have their own stretch of road but still close enough to stay on the team channel.

Reign, Sayshen and Revel are up next, which leaves the three of them hanging around the bay with absolutely nothing productive to do.

Naturally, Revel decides to become my problem.

He leans over my shoulder while I’m checking Wolfe’s rear tire.

“You ever think about how weird tires are?”

I don’t look up. “No.”

“The whole bike is depending on two tiny patches of rubber touching the road.”

“Please leave.”

“I’m serious. That’s fragile as fuck when you really think about it.”

“Revel.”

“Yeah?”

I straighten and point across the bay. “Your motorcycle is over there.”

He looks toward it, then back at me.

“It misses you.”