Lightning In a Bottle {A Chase Elliott Story}

Chapter 5: Spend the Night with Me

"Um. Hi," she managed to get out. Jess knew her face was probably bright red and it wasn't from the sun. "So are you hiding from me?" he asked again. "I mean, yeah kinda," she said. "Why?" Jess hoped that someone would break up this conversation, but no luck. "I don't know Chase. Last night was amazing, but I felt like maybe it was a one night thing. Not that you're not a great guy and all. I'm just not wanting to deal with a guy who has girls thrown at him all the time." Chase leaned back against the garage wall. "I figured," he answered. "You figured what?" she replied. "You got scared." "I didn't get scared," she said, noticing her voice getting louder. "Sounds like it to me. You just said you're not ready to be around a guy who has girls around him all the time. I mean you're not wrong, but hell Jess you didn't even give me more than a night." She huffed. She knew he was right and hated that she had to take what he was dishing back at her. "Fine. You win. Don't you have a race to get ready for?" she asked. "Yeah, but if you're going to stick around, come hang out with me." She wanted to say no, but after he straight up confronted her, it was the least she could do.

She followed Chase down the back way to his hauler and to the room where they had had their interview. Jess sat down on the couch that wrapped around the room as Chase sat down in the chair opposite of her. Jess was relieved it was just the two of them. "Still feel like you want to run?" He asked. Jess rolled her eyes. "So pushy," she joked. "And here I thought you were quiet." "Who told you I was quiet?" He asked. "I don't know. You seem really introverted. And your smile is so awkward around fans. Are you afraid of them or something?" Jess watched the look on Chase's face. She was pretty sure it was the same look she had given him when he called her out on her shit. "I have a lot of fans. Sometimes it gets to be too much and they're a lot at one time so I can only smile so much." "Fair." "You're very observant," Chase said. "I work in journalism; I have to be." Chase leaned forward in his chair and looked at Jess. "Listen. I'm flying back home tomorrow and I want to spend more time with you. Stay the night with me." There was a long pause and Jess felt her heart wanting to beat out of her chest. This is was the opportunity she had wanted, or did she? "Are you sure that's such a good idea?" she asked. "I mean I did leave you this morning." Chase's dark eyes met hers. "I know that, but I also know with me not living here, I don't know when I'll see you next. It's one night Jess." She took a long breath. "Ok. I will."

The May air was hot and sticky and even with the sun setting, the heat was still brutal. Jessica sat up on the 9 pit box as Chase had asked her to do. After him confronting her about her actions this morning, she was going to play his game and hoped once he got back home, it would be over. She watched as the cars zoomed by and looked up at the scoring pylon. 10 laps to go and Chase was 5th. She secretly hoped he would win, but then that might lead to other things. To her relief he ended up finishing 3rd. She hopped off the pit box and headed over to Chase's hauler to meet him.

Chase got out of his car and saw the fans already starting to gather for his autograph. He looked over the people and saw Jess hanging back. He just wanted to get back to his motorhome and spend the night with her. They weren't dating by any means, but he was drawn into her and he wanted her. He signed some autographs for the fans and walked into the hauler to change. He pulled out his phone and texted Jess. Meet me at the front of the hauler in 10 minutes.

Jess looked at her phone and saw the text from Chase. She made her way over to the front of the hauler where he met her. "What'd you think of the race?" he asked. "It was a lot more exciting in person than on TV that's for sure." He gave her his panty-dropping smile. God she'd take her clothes off for that right here. "Let's go," he said, taking her by the hand.