Page 15

Danger

I swear if I have to sit here and listen to Crank and Mike tell me one more time that I need to hug the corners, I’ll lose it.

After the track today, we had a team meeting. And I watched a bunch of videos of the last few races, mainly studying up on Thad and his driving.

And I’m not ashamed to admit that every time I watched him smile to the camera, all I could see was Monterey and him as a couple.

I’m new to the sport and wasn’t around the shit show when they broke up, but I’ve heard plenty of rumors. And one thing I know for sure is, Monterey was wrecked by it all. I don’t know if she was wrecked because she loved Thad, and a part of me believes she did. Another part of me knows she was devastated because it was splashed in every entertainment magazine on every shelf in America.

Sure, many people took pity on her, but I know she couldn’t have liked all that attention. The majority made her out to be the bad guy in the whole thing. Even though she wasn’t. Not by a long shot. I don’t think there’s anything she could ever do wrong.

I would never do that to her.

This is one fake engagement I am seeing through to the end. No women. As promised. Not that I’m some horndog that can’t turn away pussy. It’s always been there for me, ready for me to take it whenever I want it.

And honestly, the thought of hooking up with some random girl disgusts me in a way that it never has before.

And I know it has everything to do with a green-eyed beauty I can’t stop thinking about. I seriously can’t stop thinking about her.

That kiss.

Down on the track.

Fuck me.

I know my dick has never gotten hard just from a kiss before, but by fuck did it get hard when I pushed my tongue past her lips, having my hand full of her ass as her hot mouth breathed me in.

And while I’m on the subject, I’d never tasted a pussy so good. I wanted to really get between her legs, get my fill of her sweet scent.

I know she wants it, but something is holding her back. And I am desperate to find out what it is.

This meeting is daunting. After another hour of talking about my form and driving technique, we call it quits so we can get ready for the dinner tonight. When I make it back up to the room, Monterey isn’t there. I hop in the shower, washing in record time. Even though I’m running a bit behind, I take the time to slide on my suit, making sure each cufflink is properly secured. I fix my hair, and then I work on the Double-Windsor knot on my red power tie. I stare at myself in the mirror, making sure every little aspect of my look is one-hundred percent sex-in-a-suit. Because that’s what I’m going for.

When I enter the ballroom my eyes immediately land on Monterey from across the room. I swear she just keeps getting prettier and prettier the longer I’m around her.

I crack a smile as she greets me with a small little wave.

And then it almost feels like time stands still as I float across the room toward her. People try to get my attention. I feel a woman grab my hand as I pass by, but I don’t stop. My mind is set on Monterey and there’s nothing in this whole world that could keep me from crossing this ballroom and ending up right in front of her.

Next thing I know, I’m there. And I wrap an arm around her and tuck her into my side. “You’re gorgeous.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she says, kind of like she’s out of breath.

And maybe it’s because of the grip I have on her. Like I’m holding so tight that I fear she might be a dream. I loosen my arm, spinning her around to stand right in front of me. My eyes take in the sight of her. Long pink dress that swishes around her ankles. It shows off all her sexy curves and has a slit up the side that I would love to explore. “Love the dress,” I tell her, then smile. “I’d love to see you out of it, too.”

She swats at me with her clutch bag. “You’re impossible.”

I give her a toothy grin and she leads me to the table where we’re supposed to sit. The thing I’m finding I really enjoy about her is her quick way she calls me out on my bullshit. Most girls would swoon at my words about getting her out of her dress, but not Monterey, she’s too smart for that.

I pull out her chair, and push her in once she’s seated.

Then I take the chair right next to her. “I think my favorite color is pink.”

She faces me with a small smile. “Not many men would admit that.”

I take her hand in mine, bringing it down to rest in my lap. “What have I been telling you? I’m not most men.”

She breathes in deep. “I’ll say.”

I take my free hand, brushing back a soft strand of her hair that is dangerously close to her eyes. “Yeah definitely, pink it is.” I move her hand so she’s feeling the hardening length in my pants.

Her eyes widen, meeting mine. “Danger,” she whispers.

Have I ever mentioned I love when this girl says my name all breathy and shit? I fucking dig it. It makes my heart thump harder in my chest.

“This is how much I like the color pink.” I press her hand harder against the thick ridge of my cock.

“Danger,” she breathes out.

And I’m about ready to capture her lips with mine before we’re interrupted by the speaker welcoming everyone. It’s the president and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Monterey pulls away her hand as he speaks.

I sling an arm on the back of her chair, trying my best to pretend I’m paying attention to the man behind the microphone. Wanna know a secret? I’m not.

What my mind is settled on is the way Monterey looks tonight. Like innocence and candy on a killer set of long legs.

She’s so fucking hot.

I can’t keep my eyes off her, and the fucking slit hiking up her skirt.

I swear I want to rip the dress off her from the seams. Would she let me?

I can tell with each hitch of her breath when I touch her she just might. Don’t know though. A part of me wants to find out. A big part of me, like the kind of big that was straining my zipper earlier. But the other part of me says I need to walk the straight and arrow and play the part in a way that doesn’t have me touching her. Doesn’t have me yearning for her.

Everyone’s clapping, and I follow suit, even though I have no idea what’s going on.

And who cares. This is just the part where all the important people kiss each other’s asses and make themselves feel more important.

Seriously, I’m not sure why I even have to come to these dinners. It really is more for the managers and team owners than anyone else. They like to look at the ‘talent’ or so they call us. Like we’re a horse ready for a prize.

Monterey turns to me, her moss-green eyes slicing straight through me like she knows what I’m thinking and she offers me up a small smile. “I can’t wait for this to be over,” she says to me, leaning over to whisper in my ear.

“Oh yeah?” Now it’s my turn to whisper in her ear. “You ready to leave already?”

She shrugs and I spot Thad fuming from across the room. So, I do something I normally never do.

I lean closer, nipping the bottom of her ear with my teeth and say, “Looking to live a little dangerously tonight?”

She doesn’t say anything, and I glance back at Thad.

She follows my line of sight and then cups my cheek with one hand. “I’m always looking for danger.”

Fuck. Right answer. If we weren’t sitting here with a ton of people watching, I’d kiss the fuck out of her.

Instead I smile, ‘cause I know this girl’s mine. She just doesn’t know it yet.

I give a cocky smile over at Thad too, because well, fuck him. He doesn’t look happy.

And that thought lights a fire deep in my veins. A spark of pride, traveling through my system. This man didn’t deserve Monterey. Hell, neither do I, but at least I’m man enough to know I don’t. I’d never ask her to be mine and then fuck her over like he did.

Fucking idiot.

I don’t for one second pretend I know anything that happened between the two of them. All I know are the basics. The same shit the media knows. The same shit that everyone in this industry knows.

He cheated on her.

But, was she really devastated by it? Because after knowing Thad for like five minutes, I’d guess she probably felt relieved.

I don’t know.

All I do know is her father is staring at me. So I smile, and tip my head in his direction.

He raises a glass. “A toast to my only daughter, Monterey and her boyfriend, Danger. They’re recently engaged.”

And then the cameras, who come out of nowhere, flash on us and we smile as we give a little wave. Monterey is blushing as she thanks her dad.

And all I can think in this moment is I better not fuck it up.

Thad stares at me from across the room, many questions on the tip of his tongue. I’m sure he’s wondering how on earth I landed a woman quite like Monterey. Because well, let’s face it, she’s way outta my league.

But fuck him.

She’s way outta his league, too.

I haven’t even proposed yet, and already everyone’s asking me how I did it. They want to see the ring she’s not wearing, and I just smile and don’t say a word for fear of saying the wrong thing. Monterey yields their questions like a champ, talking about ring sizing and candlelight dinner last night where I got down on one knee.

I just keep smiling, pretending this is all real.

And a small part of me wishes it kind of was. Only problem is I wish I could have really fake proposed to her last night.

* * *

The dinner ended hours ago, and I’ve got Monterey tucked into my side, one arm slung over her shoulders as we walk toward the bar of our hotel.

“You shouldn’t have let me drink as much as I did,” she slurs.

I deposit her onto a bar stool. “Two waters.” I signal the bartender. “Everyone wanted to celebrate with you over the engagement,” I say to her. “And I couldn’t say no to free drinks.”

She laughs. “Well you should have cut me off hours ago. Because now I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep my hands to myself.” She slams a hand down onto my thigh.

And it’s like my whole body has turned to liquid lava, running straight through me. Her touch makes my breath hitch. “Monterey,” I say, grabbing the glass of water from the bartender, half-tempted to throw it over my head to cool off. “You can’t be going and laying your hands on me.”

“Why not? You seem to love to put your hands on me,” she purrs.

This is going to be a long hard night. No pun intended. Fighting off Monterey because I respect her way too much to let myself touch her when she’s drunk. It’ll most likely be one of the hardest things I do in my whole life. And I do mean... hard .

“Take a drink.” I hand her the glass of water, helping her get the straw lined up to her mouth.

She fights me at every turn, pushing the drink away. “I only want you, Danger .” The way she exaggerates my name tells me she needs to be put to bed.

I throw a few bills for the bartender for her time, and lug Monterey with me to the elevators.

“Here’s to the happy couple,” Thad says from behind us.

I spin around with Monterey still plugged away at my side. “Thanks, Thad.” Now it’s my turn to exaggerate names. “But as you can see, I need to get my girl to bed.”

“Ah, a little too much champagne, huh?” He studies Monterey like he’s inspecting a turbo inlet on a new Indy car. “She never could hold her alcohol.”

“Yeah.” I pound the button for the elevator a few more times as Monterey grows heavy in my arms.

The elevator opens, and I hope to fucking god Thad doesn’t follow us inside. I step with Monterey, and he doesn’t follow us through.

“She’s a sloppy fuck when she’s drunk,” Thad says right as the doors slam shut.

I lurch forward, and if it hadn’t been for the doors, I’d have pummeled his face right in. Every bone in my body buzzes with the need to punch something.

The monster comes alive.

I won’t let it rear its ugly head when Monterey is in need of my care.

The elevator stops at our floor and I get her safely into the room and onto the bed. She passes out as soon as her head hits the pillow, and I’m half-tempted to rush right back out and find Thad and show him what my fist looks like up close. A few times.

But I remember how much Monterey and Luther are depending on me to do the right thing.

“Danger,” Monterey’s soft voice calls out. “Come here.”

I need to walk the straight and arrow, and even though I want to smash Thad’s face in, I won’t let him goad me into doing something I know I shouldn’t do. Like causing a scene.

Instead, I rush over to Monterey and remove her shoes.

“Lie with me.” She holds her arms out and her eyes are devoid of anything. Like she could be calling out to whoever is in the room, not just me.

I know if she were sober, things would be different. But yet, I can’t deny her. I can’t say no to her.

I lay on the bed on my back, wrapping her into my arms.

But, she’s feisty, and moves on top of me to where she’s straddling me, rocking her body back and forth over my thickening cock. “I need you right now, Danger.”

Fuck. How am I supposed to turn her away?

“Baby, I need you to go to bed right now.”

She runs the tip of her nose across my neck and it tickles the skin there. “No, I want you to have your way with me.”

My shaft grows harder, my body going from zero to sixty in an instant. My heart pistons in my chest, and I try to breathe through my nose and out my mouth to calm the fuck down. The similarity between racing and sex is horsepower, and it matters when you know how to use it. And I’m hung like a horse with a power unlike any other.

My core temperature is through the roof, and I don’t think anything will cool me off tonight. I could take the coldest of showers and it would do no good.

She rocks her body again, rubbing her heat over my hardness, and I think for one second I wish there were no clothes between us. There’s nothing more I want than to fuck the hell out of this woman. She’s the sexiest woman I’ve ever known, hands down.

But I can’t.

Even if she were sober I still couldn’t go there with her. Sure, I like to push her limits, test her resolve, take pretending this thing is real a bit too far. But, I can’t really act on these urges.

These primal fucking urges.

She rocks against me one more time, and I close my eyes, allowing myself to get lost in the lust for one second.

I push her off. “Monterey, you should probably get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.”

“Come on. I know you sleep with just about anything that walks. And suddenly I’m not good enough.”

I want to tell her she’s more than good enough for the likes of me. “That’s not what this is.” She’s not like the normal revolving door of skanks that normally warm my bed, this woman is class and sophistication all rolled into one.

“Well, there’s many men who’d love to be with me.”

I don’t doubt this. “Monterey, you’re beautiful and smart. And believe me, I’d be a lucky son of a bitch to have you.”

She brushes her lips against mine. “Then have me, Danger.”

The offer is tempting.

It’s so fucking alluring.

I brush her hair off her shoulder. “Monterey, I do want you. I want you something fierce, like there’s a fire in my chest, raging and burning only for you.” I kiss her cheek. “But, I won’t do this to you when you’re drunk.”

She stands up, and she holds her hands up to her head, swaying just a little on her feet. “Whoa, I need to lie down.”

I help her into bed, pulling the covers up over her. “Get some sleep. I won’t even take your dress off.”

“So chivalrous,” she murmurs, but I catch the sarcasm lacing her tone.

I kiss her temple. “Goodnight.” I spot the book she’s reading on the bedside table and grab it.

I sit on the armchair, loosening my tie as Monterey sleeps.

I glance at the cover. “Why does she read this shit?” I mumble to myself. And then I flip through the book listening to the soft breaths as Monterey sleeps.

I watch as her chest rises and falls, not really paying attention to the book in my hands. I stare at the back flap.

My eyes zero in on the synopsis of the book, and then my head spins. I read each word over and over again.

I need out of this room.

I need out of this moment.

But, I know if I leave I’ll only find trouble. Because that’s what I feel like right now. I am in need of trouble. For danger.

And I promised Monterey I wouldn’t do that.

So, I toss the book back on the bedside table and head off into the shower to get ready for bed.

Before I fall asleep, lying next to Monterey, I say a silent wish.

One day soon, Isabella. One day soon.