Congratulations

Hunter gave Ryan a nod, knowing full well how scared she was, but also seeing the determination in her face to finish what she'd started. As engines revved around them, he remained calm and kept his eyes straight ahead. He had a different reason to win tonight. A different goal. 

As the flag dropped, they shot ahead with the other cars, immediately settling into third place. Hunter's hands and feet moved almost automatically as he maneuvered the desert road, keeping his position and not letting anyone else bully him off to the side. With Ryan's hand still under his, he could still feel her fear, especially now as they were flying in a dust cloud. He dared a glance at her before returning his eyes ahead. "I won't let you go," he promised. 

Shifting into another gear, they passed the second car and came up beside the one in first place, which tried to scare them off the road. Hunter gritted his teeth as he kept a steady hand on the wheel. Rounding the bend, they came up on the familiar home stretch. Seeing the opening he'd been waiting for, he shifted again, just to be cut off by the swerving car. Withholding what he really wanted to say, Hunter kept at it, back and forth, trying to get around the first car. Finally psyching out the other driver, he managed to slip through the opening he'd wanted, and pulled ahead only two seconds before crossing the finish line. 

Skidding to a spinning halt before hitting anything or anyone, Hunter let the car idle as he caught his breath and soaked in the adrenaline rush. Turning his head to look at Ryan, he smiled and gave her hand a gentle pat. "Congratulations. You just survived and helped win a race."