Can't Help Falling in Love {Ryan Blaney}✔️

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"I hate photo day." Lara sighed as she plopped onto a chair next to Chase. Photo day was when all of the drivers took most of the promotional photos for the season and the photographer had been incredibly hard on her.

Chase gave her a sideways look, "This is your first photo day, how can you hate it already?"

Lara wrung her hands, fighting the urge to run her fingers through his hair and plant a kiss on his lips. "Lara, why aren't you wearing makeup? Lara, take your hair out of your ponytail. Lara, Lara, Lara," she mocked the photographer. She was bitter that she was the brunt of the photographer's criticism all because she was a woman.

"Follow me," Chase motioned to the supply closet that was behind them.

She waited until he disappeared, taking a twenty count before following him. "What are we doing in here?" She asked.

Chase rested his hands on her hips, pulling her into him. He leaned down, planting a quick kiss on her lips. "You are beautiful without any makeup on and with your hair up." He brushed a curl away before brushing his lips against hers again, "Don't let anybody tell you otherwise."

"We're going to get caught." She giggled into his shoulder, her heart pounding at the thought of getting caught. Sneaking around had become Lara's new high in the way that racing cars, making her way up to the Cup level had been.

"It's been well over a month and we haven't gotten caught yet." Chase pointed out. "I've been meaning to ask you, we have one last weekend before we head to Daytona, can I take you away for the weekend?"

Lara nodded, "That would be amazing." These past few months had been amazing. Thankfully her grandfather was way too busy with offseason business to even notice that she had been sneaking away. She was worried about how the season would change things, but she tried her best to push those thoughts out of her mind, they were problems to be solved later.

Chase smiled, kissing her nose. "We should probably get back out there."

Lara nodded, pulling Chase in for another long kiss.

"I'll see you later, cowboy."

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"Where are we going?" Lara asked for the millionth time. They had been in the car for almost four hours and Chase had been tight-lipped as to where they were going, the suspense was killing Lara.

"We're almost there, and then you'll see." Chase turned on the radio, trying to prevent Lara from protesting.

Lara crossed her arms, staring out the window in a silent protest. She hated surprises. She was excited for the weekend away, time to relax without the pressure that she was starting to feel over being a female rookie who was taking over the legendary 48.

Chase slowed his truck, turning down a gravel driveway. Lara opened her mouth to ask again, but Chase shot her a look so she promptly shut it. She looked out the window, trying to figure out where they were.

Chase stopped the truck and killed the engine, "We're here."

Lara's eyes widened at the gorgeous cabin that stood before them. "What is this?" She asked.

Chase let out a small huff, "This is for us. For the weekend?"

"Oh, right." Lara was a little disappointed. She was hoping that they were going somewhere that could keep them busy, somewhere that she could forget the upcoming season and everything that was going to come with it.

"You don't like it." Chase's voice was flat, frustration evident. "I'll take you home then."

Lara shook her head, "No, no. It's just not what I was expecting." She squeezed his hand, giving him a reassuring smile. "It's beautiful."

Chase returned the smile, but Lara noticed that it didn't quite reach his eyes, "I just thought that since we're going to have to spend a whole lot of time looking over our shoulder this season that it would be nice to not have to for a weekend."

Lara's heart swelled at Chase's explanation. Just because it's not what you had in mind doesn't mean that it's not going to be an amazing weekend, she reminded herself.

"Let's go in?" Lara nodded, squeezing the handle to open the door to his truck.

She met Chase at the front of his truck, lacing her fingers with his. "This place is beautiful." She breathed as she took in the snowy mountains in the distance.

"Yeah," Chase replied flatly.

Lara had a creeping suspicion that she had upset Chase. "Did I make you mad or something?" She blurted out, unable to take the awkward silence that had settled over them.

Chase shook his head, "It's fine."

Lara pulled away so she could see Chase's face, his eyes dark, lips pressed in a straight line. "Are you sure?" She pressed as they neared the steps to the cabin.

"Drop it." Chase snapped.

Tears sprang in her eyes but she quickly wiped them away. She hated conflict, especially because Chase wasn't letting the conflict be resolved.

"Now you're crying?" Chase observed. "Just great." He muttered the second part under his breath.

"I'm sorry. I feel bad for upsetting you. Can we just forget and move on?" Lara pleaded.

Chase nodded slowly, "I put a lot of time into planning this so it hurt when you seemed like you wanted to be anywhere but here."

"I'm sorry." She squeezed his hand, "I didn't take you for the romantic type." They started up the steps, standing in front of the door.

"There's a lot that you still don't know about me," He reminded her.

She leaned up, pressing a soft kiss onto Chase's lips. He was right, even though they had spent a good bit of time together in the offseason, there was still a lot that she didn't know about him, and vice versa.

"Let's get this weekend started."

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