The many garages at Ryan Racing were expansive to say the least but this morning this one in particular felt tiny, almost suffocating to Tom. He stood in the farthest corner eyes trained on Jason's bright metallic blue car his mind full of images that he couldn't shake.

He heard his own hard breaths escape by his lips with a low muted growl. The sight of Jason disrobing Elizabeth took center stage. He hadn't had to stick around to inevitably know what had come next. The very thought strangled him. Slowly opening and closing his fists at his side, Tom was losing his battle at controlling his anger.

Without thinking he picked up a nearby crowbar and strode across the concrete floor determination in his stare. He needed something to take his fury out on and if not Jason himself what better than his precious stock car. Raising the cool metal tool over his head, Tom sneered as he imagined the damage he was about to inflict. Yet the abrupt sound of the man door opening and closing suddenly pulled him back to reality. Instantly the crowbar met the ground with a loud clatter. Tom heaved a heavy sigh as he leaned against his intended target. "What the hell am I doing?" he questioned himself taken aback by his actions.

He rubbed his rough hands over his face and turned around leaning heavy into the door of Jason's stockcar. What the hell had he ever done to deserve always getting the short end of the stick? Hadn't he paid his dues yet? He had been dutifully by Jason's side for years now but somehow he hadn't been able to get out from behind the other man's shadow. How many women did he have to lose to Jason Morgan before he would ever catch a break?

Tom had grown accustomed to the throngs of groupies that surrounded Jason and the racing circuit. He had to admit that he had had a great deal of fun with Jason's throwaways from time to time. Mostly Jason didn't pay much attention to the women who threw themselves at his feet so for them Tom had been a way to stay close and up until just recently he hadn't cared. However, when it came to Elizabeth Ryan – well he cared – cared a great deal.

There it was again the sight of Jason and Elizabeth locked in an embrace racing through Tom's head. He ran his hand over the hood of the car and wondered if that's where it happened. He shuddered at the thought doing his best to wipe it from his mind's eye. Standing there where the unthinkable most likely happened wasn't helping much. In a huff, Tom turned away eyes down and hurried off.

"Hey!" Billy Weston's voice startled him. "Watch where you are going!"

Billy had taken his vantage point from the shadows to watch Tom's little display. If he hadn't thought Morgan's mechanic could have been some use to him he would have laughed at his antics but instead Billy decided to use them to his advantage. It wasn't lost on him, hell it hadn't been lost on all of Ryan Racing, that Tom had a not so subtle crush on Pat's only daughter.

"Sorry," Tom mumbled uncharacteristically.

"Whatever," Billy said gruffly sticking to his normal temperament. He wasn't going to let Tom in on the fact that he was just about to be used as a pawn in a bigger game.

"What are you doing in here?" Tom asked defensively. He knew very well that Weston's car was never parked in this particular garage.

"Like I need your permission," Billy retorted true to form.

Suddenly Tom felt the need to protect what was Jason's as he had always done. "You do when it comes to being anywhere near this stockcar! I wouldn't put anything passed you Weston."

"Well that's a lot of vibrato for a guy who's always playing second fiddle," Billy chuckled.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Tom bit back.

"I'm sure you can figure it out."

Tom hated the sneer that taunted him from Billy's smug face. He knew exactly what his friend's rival was getting at but Tom wasn't about to that his knowledge be known. "Whatever," he said in a huff trying his best to sound nonchalant.

Billy continued to snicker under his breath. This was going to be more fun than he had first expected. "Oh really?" Billy enjoyed playing coy.

"What the hell do you want?" Tom spat.

"Nothing."

"Yeah, right! If you were even thinking of messin' with Jason's car you can think again!"

"Who me?" Billy chuckled. "I wasn't the one just standing with a crowbar over my head ready to do some serious damage." Instantly Tom's eyes sunk to the floor purely disgusted with himself and even more so that there had been a witness to his actions. "I can't say as I blame you though," Billy continued. "Morgan would have deserved it."

Tom was stunned for a second unsure what he was supposed to say to that comment. No matter how he felt about Jason at the moment he wouldn't ever let Billy Weston in on them. "What do you want?" he said angrily wishing that the arrogant driver before him would vanish.

"You and I could help each other out."

"Get to the point Weston!" Tom was beyond frustrated.

"No point really. I was just thinking what a shame it is for your talents to go unnoticed and unappreciated."

"Jason appreciates me!" Tom shot back.

"Oh I'm sure he does," Billy agreed sarcastically. "But from my vantage point I have to disagree."

"What are you even talking about?"

"Nothing really, I just hate to see you getting lost in the shuffle around here. So many mechanics, so many drivers…"

"You don't give a rat's ass about me, Weston!"

"See another thing that Morgan and I have in common," Billy continued laying it on rather thick and from Tom's expression he knew that his prey was taking the bait. "If he did he wouldn't be coveting your woman."

"Woman?"

"Liz."

"I don't know what you are talking about. Liz and I are just friends." That statement burned Tom's lips as it rolled off his tongue.

"It doesn't have to be that way."

Tom snorted under his breath knowing that after the scene he witnessed he'd never be anything more to Elizabeth Ryan. His best friend Jason had seen to that. "I know better than to get involved with my boss' daughter."

"Pat's not technically your boss right? It's Jake Russell and ultimately Jason." Billy was doing his best to drive Tom's inadequacies home. "I'm just saying that if you want something you shouldn't hold back from going after it."

"Like you?" Tom's suspicions were coming to the surface again. "What's in this for you, Weston?"

"Nothing really. I could use you in my pit crew. You are a hell of a mechanic and quick in the pits. I'm always looking for a way to get the upper hand. Not to mention I don't think you are as appreciated by your current team as you think you are!"

"You really think I would betray Jason by joining up with you?" Tom's voice dripped with audacity.

"Sometimes you have to give what you get. Just think about it. I might know a way you can get what you really want."

Before Tom was able to respond Billy had turned his back and was walking away. Yet their little exchange had got the wheels in Tom's head turning. He was torn though – torn between his loyalty to Jason and his frustration as always bringing up the rear. He laid his head against the roof of Jason's car and let out a heavy sigh.

Melanie stopped short when she saw Billy and Tom parting company. The small part of the exchange that she witnessed seemed odd to her at best. What on earth could men from rival camps have to say to one another? And since she hadn't heard anything in the way of a heated argument she couldn't help but be a bit on the suspicious side.

She wondered if maybe she should mention all of this to Leo when she was finally able to find him. Even though she had virtually grown up here running around with Liz, Melanie still found the maze of large metal garages more than a bit confusing.

She thought about Leo's phone call earlier. He had mentioned that Jason and Elizabeth had returned from Texas and appeared to be tighter than ever. Both of them were thrilled by this hoping that it wouldn't take much more of a push on their part to make those two realize how good they were for one another. Melanie had to admit that she was more than a little worried about sending Elizabeth back in the romantic direction of another NASCAR driver, but from all she had been able to observe Jason Morgan was a perfect fit for Elizabeth Ryan. She planned on doing her best to get her best friend to see it too.

She and Leo had a few more tricks up their sleeves should Elizabeth and Jason continue to resist. They planned on discussing their next move over lunch that afternoon. As her stomach growled, Melanie quickened her search for Leo.

Elizabeth rested her palm over the receiver of the phone that sat quietly taunting her from the corner of her oversized desk. Chewing on her lower lip repeatedly she toyed with the thought of actually picking it up and dialing Jason's number. Almost as instantly as she thought it, her head shook it out of existence. "UGH!" she let out an exasperated sigh.

She felt a warm blush cross her cheeks as her mind wandered back a mere day – less than that actually.

…she felt her rain soaked clothes sticking to her body as she brushed away the tiny water droplets from Jason's cheeks. Her hot touch felt as if it had turned the icy water to steam instantly. He caught her hand in his larger one and kissed her palm gently. Elizabeth shivered yet it had nothing to do with her wet clothing.

Quickly Jason captured her lips with his own and simultaneously their tongues began to do an erotic dance teasing and dodging one another as they went. Easily Elizabeth tucked her delicate fingers between the waistband of his jeans and his dripping tee shirt until she found herself caressing the hard plains of his finely sculpted chest.

Jason sucked in his breath when she ever so slightly grazed his nipples. Elizabeth's lips turned upward into a slight smile feeling triumphant in getting to him. Tugging at his shirt she removed it quickly to expose his bare chest to her.

In kind his own fingers toyed with the hem of her sopping shirt playing softly with the supple skin of Elizabeth's abdomen. She held her breath not wanting to give away the effect he in turn was having on her as well. Hastily Jason dropped his lips to nuzzle the nape of her neck sending another round of electric chills up and down Elizabeth's spine. Aptly satisfied he had gotten the reaction he had hoped for; Jason pulled her top off as well revealing her milky white skin barely concealing her ample curves beneath the lace of her bra.

"You are beautiful," he whispered, before his head could stop the words.

"So are you," she returned again running hands across his chest.

The explosion that touch erupted within him caused Jason to lift Elizabeth from her feet sitting her square on the hood of his racecar. Tenderly he stroked her cheek tucking the chestnut curls that had fallen to cover her clear blue eyes behind her ear. Again Elizabeth felt her body shiver due to his touch. Effortlessly the tips of Jason's fingers trailed up and down her bare arms until Elizabeth thought she might combust.

The arousal within the pair of them had reached a feverish pitch as Jason slipped the thin straps that held Elizabeth's bra in place off her shoulders. It took little effort on her part to aid him in shrugging the remainder of that lace article from her body.

Jason stood back captivated by her beauty. Her petal soft skin felt even more delicate under the rough texture of his own. Cupping her pert breast in his palm melodiously he began to message her erect nipple between his fingers. Instantly Elizabeth's head fell backward in delight as her breathing quickened to a soft pant. Jason relished in her reaction.

Gaining a bit of composure, Elizabeth allowed her own digits to incite a little bit of pleasure. Delicately she ran her pink painted nails across Jason's hot skin just above the waistband of his jeans. He let out a ragged breath which only served to prod her along. Meticulously she undid one button at a time that held his jeans closed. Jason wound his fingers through her unkempt curls his eyes fluttering behind his half closed lids when she reached her destination stroking his erect form.

Tugging the denim fabric low she exposed his hips and immediately leaned her own feverish skin in to touch his. Jason let out a low growl in anticipation. Pushing her back flat against the fiberglass hood, Jason quickly undid the confines of Elizabeth's remaining clothing and softly stroked her pulsing womanhood. She shuddered at the methodic way he caressed her.

"I want you," she whispered hoarsely absently pawing him nearly losing her mind from his touch.

Complying with her request, Jason shed his jeans and kissed her softly. He rested himself alongside her body never once allowing his hands to leave her skin. He cupped her erect nipple in his mouth and allowed his tongue to circle it in a lazy motion – a motion that left Elizabeth wet and screaming for more. "Please Jason," she begged softly.

Smiling slightly, he leaned in and took her just as she had wanted…

The ringing phone beneath her fingers startled Elizabeth back to the present. She took a few deep breaths before even attempting to find her voice. She was still lost in her memory of the night before. What had she been thinking having sex on the hood of Jason's stockcar in the middle of her father's garage no less. What she crazy?

She already knew the answer to that question. Yes, she was indeed crazy – crazy in love with Jason Morgan. There couldn't be any other explanation for what had happened. Not even in the times she had been with Billy had she ever acted so recklessly.

The phone's ring persisted demanding to be answered. "Patient Services, Elizabeth Ryan, how can I help you?"

"Hi, Elizabeth." Jason's voice brought a flush instantly to her face. "Are you busy?"

She looked at the stacks of work piled on her desk, "No, not really," she answered thinking she had just spent the better part of an hour fantasying about the man on the other end of the line.

"Okay, I didn't want to bother you," he said hesitantly.

For a moment there was an awkward silence as though neither knew what to say to the other in light of what transpired the night before.

"No bother. What's up?"

"Well I thought maybe we should talk about…"

"…Last night," she finished his sentence for him.

It appeared both of them had been thinking along the same lines trying to decide where they went from there.

"Yeah. I just…"

"…wonder where this leaves us?" Again Elizabeth spoke for him.

"U-huh."

"Where do you want it to leave us?" she asked.

"I could pose the same question to you?" he countered not wanting to lay his heart out anymore than Elizabeth did.

"Are you?" she questioned.

"I guess I am," Jason said slyly.

"How about if I say I'd like to see where the road leads us and leave it at that?"

"I can live with that," he agreed feeling relieved that their night of passion hadn't cost him the start of something more with Elizabeth.

Billy's ears perked up the second he heard Jason say Elizabeth's name. He slunk into a corner quietly listening to Jason's side of the conversation. And while he got nothing concrete from what he heard the sinking feeling in his gut told him that something – something big -- had changed between the pair. And Billy didn't like it one bit.

He was going to put a stop to it all if that was the last thing he did.