“I wouldn’t doubt it,” said another commentator. “Haskell is having a bit of problem with traction. He took on two tires when McBride took on four. That could cost him. McBride’s crew chief, Mike Alvarado, made the right call, it seems. Both cars are refusing to give way as they go into turn three. This might get interesting.”

  Caitlin wanted her legs to move, her mouth to tell Joshua to turn off the television, but she was frozen. She watched as the cars entered the curve. Seconds into it, Haskell’s car began to slide.

  She gasped.

  “Trouble for Haskell and for McBride if he doesn’t get past Haskell, and lucky for number thirty-five, rookie Russ Simpson, who’s behind them.”

  Her heart in her throat, she watched the back bumper of number 47 make contact with Cameron’s front right bumper. She heard the collective gasp of the crowd, wasn’t aware of her holding her breath, of crossing to Joshua and picking him up.

  Cameron’s car slid sideways for a car length, then straightened, but it was enough for car number 35 to pull even with Cameron’s car.

  “Number twenty-three has obvious damage to the front bumper. It doesn’t look as if it is enough to bring out the yellow caution flag, but it might be enough to slow down McBride if that bumper touches his tire. Both cars are racing flat out toward the finish line, inches apart, their front bumpers almost even.”

  “Go, Daddy! Go, Daddy!”

  “This is racing at its finest,” the announcer said. “You never know what’s going to happen in NASCAR. Rookie Simpson just might pull off an upset in only his third race of the season. Haskell has dropped back to fifth place.”

  “He can’t beat my daddy!”

  “Uh-oh. I see smoke coming from McBride’s right fender. Can he sustain his speed with seconds to go and be the season leader with two wins?” asked the commentator.

  “Go, Daddy!”

  “This is it! This is it! Wow, what a photo finish!!”

  Joshua looked at his mother. “Why are you crying?”

  She couldn’t do anything but shake her head and hold him tight.

  Chapter 12

  “Next time the race is mine.”

  “Not if I can help it,” Cameron said, shaking the callused hand of Russ Simpson, the sandy-haired driver who’d recently come from the Nationwide Series to NASCAR. They were finally through with the interviews, the presentation in Victory Lane. He was anxious to get back to Caitlin and Joshua, but people seemed to keep getting in the way. “Great race.”

  “The same goes.” Russ grinned. “At Atlanta, you might not be so lucky.”

  Cameron took the good-natured teasing as it was intended. Russ was a good driver. “Luck has nothing to do with it. I’ve got the best pit crew, chief, and car in the circuit.”

  “You also have the best PR rep in the business,” Russ commented, watching Hope running toward them, designer sunglasses perched atop her head. “She won’t give me the time of day.”

  Cameron had a pretty good idea why, but he was keeping it to himself. “Hi, Hope.”

  “Hi, Hope.”

  “Simpson,” she said firmly, before lowering her glasses to her eyes and turning to Cameron. “Let’s walk.”

  “Catch you later, Russ.” Taking Hope’s elbow, Cameron started toward the infield. “What’s the matter?”

  “Not sure, but if I were you I’d get to your motor coach.” She caught his arm as he took off. “VIP party at the Bellagio at nine P.M. Hilliard’s suite. Be there.”

  He glanced toward the motor coach. “I’ll see.”

  “No. Sponsors are crucial. This is not up for debate,” she said firmly.

  “Hope, you work for me.”

  She folded her arms, lifted her shades. Her gaze was direct. “Yes, I do, and since you hired me to get your name and face out there, to help keep the sponsors happy, I plan to do just that. Be at the Bellagio no later than nine P.M. The hotel has babysitting services.” Turning, she walked away.

  Cameron didn’t have time to argue. He’d deal with the fallout later. Now he needed to get to the motor coach. Hurrying through the infield while being stopped by well-wishers took him seven long minutes.

  Opening the door, he lifted his shades, not knowing what to expect. His chest felt tight as he saw all the signs on the walls, the cabinets. In the middle of them stood Joshua, a wide grin on his face, holding up one of the signs. MY DADDY WON.

  His gaze lifted to Caitlin. Her eyes were red, her lips trembling. He couldn’t get to her fast enough. He pulled her to him with one arm, with the other he hugged Joshua to him. “Honey, it’s all right. I’m here and safe.”

  “You won, Daddy!” Joshua yelled happily. “Mommy helped me make the signs.”

  Kissing Caitlin on the temple, he squatted down to Joshua, putting his cap on his head. He took the sign with hands that weren’t quite steady. Joshua had drawn Cameron’s car and put his signature on the bottom. “Thank you, son. I’m going to frame this.”

  Joshua curved his arm around his father’s neck and happily leaned against him. “I knew that other car couldn’t beat you.”

  Cameron’s head snapped up to meet Caitlin’s gaze. He pushed to his feet. “You watched the race?”

  “Mrs. Howard called. We saw the man hit your car,” Joshua answered for his mother. “Mommy cried when you won. I knew you would.”

  Cameron felt as if a tight band were around his chest. He stood and pulled her into his arms again. “There was never any real danger,” he whispered.

  A small fist hit his chest, once, twice. He felt her shoulders tremble and held her tighter. “Joshua, please collect all the signs you can reach and lay them face down. I’ll take the tape off later.”

  Joshua pulled down the nearest sign, which was attached to the back of the bar stool. “Daddy, you can put these in your memory book.”

  Every memory for him meant fear for Caitlin. His hand swept up and down her back. “That’s an idea. When you finish, wash up and we’ll go get something to eat.”

  “Mommy cooked, but she burned the brownies.” Joshua scrunched up his face. “They were supposed to be for dessert. They’re my favorite.”

  Cameron lifted her face to his. “You burned the brownies?”

  Caitlin swiped her hand across her wet cheek. “He hasn’t let me forget it.”

  “Or that he couldn’t watch the race, I bet,” Cameron teased, hoping to help erase the fear in her eyes, the tension in her body.

  Her lips slowly curved upward, then she placed her head on his chest. “An hour after you left I could have gladly strangled you.”

  “If you had, we couldn’t do this.” His mouth, warm and gentle, settled on her, reassuring her with the unmistakable heat and desire of his kiss.

  Giggling, Joshua pushed his way between them. “I got all the signs I could reach.”

  Reluctantly, Cameron lifted his head and saw the same regret in Caitlin’s face. “Good job. I’ll get the rest, then shower so we can eat.” His hand cupped her cheek. “Then we’re going out.”

  “No, Cameron, and that’s final.”

  “Come on, Caitlin. I need to go and I want you with me.”

  Caitlin folded her arms. Men. He stood before her looking impossibly gorgeous in a tailored wheat-colored sports coat, white shirt, and jeans. People, especially women, would be flocking to him. “We agreed we didn’t want the media finding out about us.”

  “There’ll be some media there, but not the crazy, in-your-face kind,” he said. “The hotel has a babysitting service.”

  Her hands dropped to her sides. She cut a glance at Joshua, who was watching his favorite animated movie. “It’s already past his bedtime. I am not dragging him out to be watched by some woman I don’t know.”

  He sighed, took her arms in his. “For once, trust me.”

  Her eyes widened. “If I didn’t trust you, we wouldn’t be here. You can’t control every situation.”

  His dark brows lifted. “You mean like you’re trying to do.”

  She stiffened and stepped back. “Think what you will. I’m not going.” Stepping around him, she went to sit beside Joshua. “Five more minutes and it’s bedtime.”

  “Ah, Mommy,” he said, glancing at her briefly as Mumbles pretended to sing to win the attention of Gloria, a female penguin. Mumbles’ deception almost backfired in his face. It was always best to be yourself and that’s what Caitlin was doing. There was no way she could change. It was time for Cameron to accept that.

  “Hope, I’m not coming.”

  Caitlin jerked her head around. Cameron, speaking into his cell phone, stared back at her.

  “Yes, taken under advisement. ’Night.” Disconnecting the call, he pulled off his coat, placed it on the back of a chair, and sat beside her.

  “You said your major sponsors would be there,” Caitlin said. “After you won the race, they expect you to be there. It’s a big PR event.”

  He ran his hand through her hair. “There’ll be other events.”

  “I don’t want to disrupt your life,” she told him, meaning it.

  Unrepentantly, he smiled. “Perhaps it’s payback. I certainly disrupted yours, but I hope in a good way.”

  “For the most part,” she said.

  He eased closer and whispered in her ear. “I bet I know the parts.”

  Heat and desire rushed through her. Unable to hold his sensual gaze, she looked away. With their son sitting right there she shouldn’t feel the rush of desire, the need to have his lips, his hands on her. The more they made love, the more she desperately wanted his loving.

  His fingers caressed her neck. She shivered. His cell phone rang again.

  “Hope?” she said.

  “Or Hilliard.” Getting up, he pulled the phone from the pocket of his jacket and answered. “Hope, I—” His gaze went to Caitlin.

  “What is it?”

  “She wants to speak to you.” He held out the phone toward her.

  After their conversation in the garage, Caitlin could well imagine what his PR rep wanted. “I need to get Joshua bathed and to bed.” Picking up the control, she turned off the TV.

  “Mommy,” Joshua protested, but the word was slurred with sleep.

  “Bathtime,” she told her son.

  “You want me to ask her what?” Cameron said, his frown increasing.

  Caitlin paused while picking up Joshua. “What does she want?”

  “Me to ask you if you had a cocktail dress,” he answered.

  Leave it to another woman to bust her. “That is none of her concern.”

  “No, she doesn’t,” Cameron answered, ignoring the glare Caitlin sent him. “Eight. All right. We’ll look for you when we arrive.” He spoke directly to Caitlin. “Hope booked us a suite so we could sleep late and enjoy the day with Joshua tomorrow. The babysitter is her cousin who came to Vegas to watch Hope’s brother race in the Busch Series. Hope will get you a dress.”

  “I’m not wearing one of her dresses.” Indignant, Caitlin said the words loud enough for the other woman to hear.

  Cameron got a strange look on his face and disconnected the call. “Ah, the limo should be here in thirty minutes. Hilliard isn’t happy that I’m not there to hobnob with the sponsors. He almost cut me when things weren’t going well. Another owner might have. I owe him.”

  Caitlin hefted Joshua in her arms. She was the cause of “things not going well.” She didn’t want or need any more guilt when she left, and no matter what either of them wanted. “I’m not wearing her dress.”

  Cameron took Joshua from her. “Pack a few things. We’re flying back on Hilliard’s jet tomorrow afternoon.”

  The Bellagio Hotel towered into the sky and glittered with lights. Directly in front were the dancing fountains, a spectacular water show in the man-made lake. The streets teemed with people going in and out of the casinos. The limo pulled to the end of the circular driveway and stopped beside several other limos. Almost instantly, the back door opened.

  “About time,” Hope said. “Cameron, give Joshua to me. Dad is waiting for you by the elevator. I’ll take Caitlin and Joshua up and introduce them to Abigail.”

  “I’ll take him,” Caitlin said, placing her hand protectively on his back.

  “You won’t be able to get out of the car holding him and, since you’re late, more media have arrived.”

  Cameron ignored Hope and turned to Caitlin. “She’s bossy, but she’s usually dead-on.”

  “All right,” Caitlin said softly.

  Cameron leaned over to kiss Caitlin on the cheek, handed Joshua to Hope and got out of the car. “If you don’t come to the party, I’m coming to get you.”

  Caitlin emerged and immediately reached for Joshua. Hope stepped back.

  “He looks too much like Cameron and, as you just heard, Cameron wants you two to be together at the party,” she said.

  “Cameron might take orders from you, but I don’t have to. I want my child.”

  Hope hissed several rapid-fire words in Spanish, before switching to English. “And if he wakes up and calls you ‘Mommy,’ and one of the reporters hears and happens to see you later with Cameron, then what? Or if Cameron is still in the lobby and Joshua calls him ‘Daddy,’ how do you propose to handle the situation?”

  “That’s a long stretch,” Caitlin said, but it wasn’t impossible to imagine.

  “I pride myself on avoiding those long stretches.” To the patient driver who stood by his door obviously giving them privacy, Hope said, “Thanks, Curtis. I’ll call you when Daddy and I are ready to leave.”

  “Yes, Ms. Alvarado.” Tipping his hat, he returned to the car and drove off.

  “Now,” Hope said to Caitlin. “Let’s get Joshua to bed, and we can have the conversation you’re aching to have.”

  Caitlin fell into step beside the other woman, keeping a watchful eye on Joshua. For once, Hope was right. She had a few things she was itching to say to the other woman.

  Inside the opulence of the hotel, the lobby was cavernous. She was about to point out to Hope that no one would notice them as they headed for the elevator, but was glad she’d remained quiet when she saw the crowd just off the lobby. Cameron was surrounded by people. The long shot had paid off.

  Cameras flashed. She thought the crowd was a mixture of fans and the media. She wasn’t sure, but from his downward-angled head, she’d bet he was signing autographs. Mike stood beside him.

  “The private elevator is this way,” Hope said, quickly moving past them.

  Through the glass windows Caitlin saw the immense swimming pool and cabanas, and what looked like a white stone villa directly behind.

  Swiping the card in her hand, Hope stepped on and punched in the penthouse floor. “I’ll take him.” Caitlin reached for Joshua as soon as the door closed.

  “You need to work on trusting others,” Hope said, but she released Joshua.

  “So I’ve been told,” Caitlin commented, stroking up and down on Joshua’s back.

  “I don’t doubt it.” Hope folded her arms and turned away.

  Caitlin immediately liked the sweet teenager waiting for them in the palatial suite. Thank goodness she was nothing like her bossy cousin. She had come prepared with several books to read. Caitlin liked that as well. An iPod or a radio with headphones would have prevented her from hearing Joshua if he woke up.

  After giving the sitter her cell phone number, Caitlin went over Joshua’s routine of settling in for the night before stepping outside the smallest room of the two-bedroom suite with Hope.

  “What did you say to Cameron when I said I wouldn’t wear one of your dresses?” Caitlin asked the moment the door to the bedroom closed.

  Hope lifted a perfectly arched brow and smiled, showing beautiful white teeth. “That you should be so lucky.”

  The other woman’s answer was so far from what Caitlin had thought she was going to say she was momentarily taken aback. For the first time, she really looked at Hope. The other woman was stunning, with an hourglass figure and small waist that men would love. The silver sleeveless dress stopped at mid-thigh and had side lacing. The gown was expensive and provocative and a size too small and five inches too short for Caitlin.

  “I guess I deserve that.”

  Hope’s dark head tilted as if she were just as surprised. “I might have misjudged you.”

  “You think?”

  Up went that dark brow again, then Hope laughed, and shook her head. “I’ve been known to speak before I think at times.”

  “Your father said it wasn’t easy for you gaining credibility in NASCAR, that you had to be tough,” Caitlin commented.

  “He doesn’t know how rough, and none of my family ever will,” she said. “Since I was a woman and a minority, people didn’t know how to take me, or they just wanted me gone. NASCAR was a good-old-boys sport when it started. Now women and the rest of the country are finally getting in on things. NASCAR is pushing diversity, and that helped. But you must have the skills, and not hesitate to speak your mind and stand up for yourself.”

  Caitlin admired any woman who could gain entry into a man’s world. “I guess you have to be a little pushy and thick-skinned.”

  “More than a little,” Hope agreed. “You’re seeing more women in positions of power and authority in NASCAR in part thanks to NASCAR’s policy of inclusion, but you have to be able to take the heat and show your mettle when you get the chance. Just as Cameron, my father, and my brother have done.”

  “You get the chance, but it’s what you make of it,” Caitlin said, knowing it was true in life as well.

  “Exactly, and we all plan to prove we have what it takes.” She hooked her arm through Caitlin’s and headed for the main bedroom in the suite. “Let me show you the dress I selected. Perhaps after seeing it, you’ll forgive my bad manners.”

  It would have to be some dress, Caitlin thought but she remained quiet. They both had just extended the olive branch. Obviously Hope wanted what was best for Cameron, and for that Caitlin would give her a pass.

  Inside the bedroom, Hope released Caitlin’s arm and picked up the dress on the bed. “Well?”

  Caitlin didn’t know what to say. Slowly, she took the dress from Hope and turned to the floor-length mirror in the corner. The dress, iridescent bronze, sleeveless, and straight, was fabulous. She couldn’t wait to try it on. Since Joshua’s birth she’d had few chances to dress up, and she had to admit she wanted Cameron to be proud of her when she went to the party.