Racing Home (Dirt Track Dogs Book 3) (Paranormal Wolf-Shifter Romance) Read Free Page B

finding what they were looking for.
    “The blanket,” he barked. “Cover yourself.”
    She glanced down at herself, biting her lip. Sighing, she calmly bent down to pick up the chips, grabbed a bottled water from the shelf and handed them to Blister. Then she picked up the throw and wrapped it around her body, securing it like a towel.
    “I forgot,” she said quietly. “I forgot I didn’t have pants on. I ran out of the house in a hurry and…” A shrug finished off her explanation.
    Blister uncapped the water and chugged the entire bottle down.
    “Sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” she muttered. “I wasn’t expecting company.”
    He couldn’t answer her. Not without sounding harsh, and he didn’t want to scare her anymore. The way her scent had changed left him feeling bereft. Her essence had twisted into something foreign, something acrid. Something he’d caused.
    “But since you’re here,” she said, her voice forcibly brighter. “Maybe we should get to know each other. I’ll go first. I’m Annie Redmond—but you already know that. I live in that big ‘ol house by myself because my parents are gone and my twin brother is… off in Texas finding himself. Red Cap is the family business, so I have to run it. But I kind of love doing it, because I get to cook. What else, what else… I grew up at the speedway. We were a racing family so you and I have that in common.”
    Damn it, he didn’t want to know anything. He knew too much already. And he definitely didn’t want to tell her anything about himself, but if he didn’t, he had the feeling she’d keep talking.
    “I’m Blister—but you already know that. I live in a tent in the woods on the back of the club’s property. All of my family is dead.” Damn it, not all of them. He had to quit thinking like that. “Except for Ella. I work in DTD’s shop. I like working on cars okay, but racing is better.” Racing gave him a thrill like nothing else. Reminded him he was alive. That the fire might’ve burnt him but it hadn’t killed him. And the oval was never scared of him no matter how much he ripped into it. No matter if he looked like a monster.
    Monsters were welcome at the speedway. The track didn’t care what your face looked like or if you turned into a wolf to forget about your troubles. All that mattered was how you mastered your run, how you worked the crowd into a frenzy, and what place you finished. Get those three things right and they could overlook your scars. Even if they looked as grotesque as his did.
    “Why do you live in a tent?” Her tone was genuinely curious. There was no ridicule in her question.
    He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I like being alone.”
    Her features scrunched into a frown. “You do?”
    Blister nodded.
    She looked away, rubbing her arms as if she had a chill. When her gaze returned to him, it was with a small uneasy smile. “I sure don’t. I’ve never known anyone who liked to be alone.”
    “Well now you do.”
    Her smile faded. Shit, what did he say? He was trying to speak normally. This was exactly why he didn’t like making conversation.
    Brow furrowed, he opened the bag of Doritos and shoved a few into his mouth. If it was full, he wouldn’t be expected to talk.
    Thunder boomed and Annie let out a small yelp. His gaze jerked to her.
    She stared with wide eyes the color of the sea. Damn it, would he ever get used to how breathtaking she was? Part of him wanted to take those heart shaped lips and press his against them. Tenderly, so he could feel how they contrasted, her softness with his blemish. He’d kiss her so carefully she wouldn’t notice his deformed mouth. Or if she did, she wouldn’t mind it. Maybe he could make her forget about it altogether.
    But that was the part of himself he fought. And would keep fighting.
    Unexpectedly, she started giggling. Almost as if she knew what he was contemplating, but she couldn’t hear his thoughts.
    “I’m not usually so jumpy, I