Page 40

FORTY-ONE

Blake

A WARM TONGUE licking the inside of my ear wakes me up. I open my eyes and find Murphy’s nose inches from my own. He’s wagging his tail, panting in excitement that his new best friend is awake. Ella told me he usually sleeps with her parents, so I must’ve made quite the impression. I quickly get dressed before making my way to the kitchen.

“Good morning,” Mrs. Gold greets me, her voice warm as a cup of tea.

I fight back a yawn. Ella and I were up until 2:00 a.m. talking and “watching a movie” last night. “Morning.”

“I went to the store earlier,” she tells me. Walking to the pantry, she pokes around before pulling out a few of my favorite snacks. “Ella told me what you liked, so I got you some things. There’s also celery juice and chocolate milk in the fridge. I hope you don’t drink them together, though.”

“I don’t,” I quickly assure her with a chuckle. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” She waves me off like it’s nothing. To her, it may not be, but to me? It’s much appreciated. “Want some coffee? Just made a fresh pot.”

“That’d be lovely. Thank you.”

She pours me a piping hot mug, slowly handing it over so it doesn’t flow over the edge. I take a small sip. Damn. Mrs. Gold makes a good cup of coffee. There’s the perfect amount of natural sweetness paired with the refreshing acidity I love. I watch as she fills another mug, adding an obscene amount of almond milk to it.

“Will you bring this to the family room?” She hands me the mug. “Ella’s working in there.”

I consider myself an early riser, but Ella’s been up at the crack of dawn the past few days. Heading into the other room, I find my girlfriend sitting with her legs folded like a pretzel on the couch. Her glasses are perched on her nose and she’s staring at her screen intently. I can’t count the number of times I’ve found her in this same exact position.

“Why are you working, baby?” I kiss the top of her head. “You’re on holiday.”

“It’s not work,” she confirms. Her glasses slide down her nose and she pushes them back up. “Well, it is, but it isn’t.”

I smile down at her. “Ah, yes. That makes perfect sense.”

“It does!” She pats the spot next to her. “I’m working on my business plan.”

Carefully sitting down, I place our mugs on the coffee table, not wanting to spill on the cream-colored couch.

“For my podcast,” she adds, a wide smile stretching across her face.

“Damn straight it’s yours.”

It took half a fucking year to hammer out a deal with PlayMedia to buy the intellectual property to Coffee with Champions . God knows how many hours my lawyer billed. He has three kids and I’m sure I’ve paid for at least two of them to go to uni. I never thought they’d agree to sell it; they were still generating ad revenue from new downloads of old episodes. It seems my outburst on The Elliot Brown Show changed their minds. They’d look like real arseholes holding her podcast hostage after ignoring both the sexual harassment and assault claims she filed with HR.

I give her thigh a light squeeze. “I’m proud of you.”

She beams at me, glowing under my praise. Ella walks me through her plan, explaining everything to me in layman’s terms. Not that I thought making a podcast would be easy, but I never realized how much stuff a network took care of for you. Monetizing and sponsorships. Growth plans and marketing affiliates. Hosting platforms and equipment. My head is spinning.

She’s completely revised the format of the podcast, but the most surprising part about her business plan is that she wants to do two episodes a week rather than one. I make her go back and explain it to me multiple times.

She wants to have one episode a week specifically dedicated to Formula 1. These episodes will feature insights and interviews with the drivers, engineers, mechanics, fans, race officials, and whoever else she damn well pleases. I haven’t been able to get a word out in the past five minutes. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that she’s going to be with me next season.

“Hello?” Her hand waves in front of my face. “You’re either broken or you think this is the worst idea ever.”

“I think it’s the grandest idea I’ve ever heard,” I finally manage to say. “And I’m a World Champion, so my opinion is worth about ten times more than the average person’s.”

“Oh, is that so?” Ella laughs. “Good to know.”

Leaning back into the couch, I let out a low groan. “Wait, does this mean if I have a shitty race, you’re going to poke fun at me again?”

We’ve really come full circle.

“I’ll play nice,” she promises, placing her hand on my thigh. “If I’m tough on you, I’m sure I can think of a few ways to earn your forgiveness.”

“Do you two want breakfast?” Mrs. Gold’s head pops into the room. “I made pancakes and eggs.”

“I’m starving,” Ella says, jumping up from the couch.

I am, too. Coffee on an empty stomach always makes me jittery. The three of us sit at the kitchen table with plates piled high. I’m starting to see where Ella gets her appetite from. Like mother, like daughter.

“Your dad and I were looking at flights last night,” Mrs. Gold tells Ella. “I think we’re going to fly in for the first race next season and then stay for a bit so we can be in London for the book’s release party. What do you think?”

Ella steals a strawberry off my plate. “That’ll be fun. Can Dad take off that much time?”

“He’ll probably work remotely for a few days,” Mrs. Gold says before turning to me. “Blake, are you okay if we come to the first race? I’m sure it’s a stressful time for you. Should we come for a different one?”

“Sorry,” I cough out. This is all news to me. “What?”

“We want to come watch you race.” Her smile is almost identical to Ella’s, minus the dimple. “We’ll make a family trip out of it.”

“Oh, don’t feel pressured to come to a race.” My words stutter over one another as a flush of surprise marks my cheeks. “I, um, don’t want to put you out.”

“Of course we’re going to come!” Mrs. Gold briefly rests her hand on my forearm, giving it a quick squeeze. “We want to support you.”

“Thank you,” I murmur with a quick nod. “The first race is great.”

Mrs. Gold chatters away about how excited she is to see me in action. The chest-swelling sensation I’m experiencing is unfamiliar. The Golds have shown more interest in my career in the few days I’ve been in Chicago than my own dad ever did.

“Tyler’s flight lands soon,” Ella reminds her mom. “Do you want us to go to the airport for you?”

“Thanks, honey, but I’ll get him.” She stands up from the table, collecting our empty plates. I offer to help her, but she waves me off.

Ella and I exchange a secret look of anticipation. Home alone? Yes, please. I’ve truly gotten the full “high school experience,” trying to stay quiet and undetected as we fool around before bed. Our sex the past few days has been unhurried, with slow strokes and whispered “I love yous.” It’s been amazing, don’t get me wrong, but I’m desperate for the full volume of Ella’s moans as she comes.

The second we hear the garage door close, we sprint to Ella’s room, tripping over one another in a frenzied rush. I kick her door closed with my foot, leaving a whining Murphy on the other side. Can’t say I’m terribly sorry, buddy.

Clothes drop to the floor as we stumble to the bed. I climb on top of Ella, hungrily capturing her lips against mine. I’m so hard it feels like my dick is going to fall off. Her kiss is insistent, impatient, wanting me to be everywhere.

“I need you,” she whimpers, placing my hand between her legs so I can feel how wet she is.

I moan at what a mess she is for me. I slowly dip a finger inside her. Her back immediately arches, her perfect tits rising and falling with desire. My mouth waters at the mere sight of them. I suck her right nipple between my lips, swirling my tongue around the tightening bud. Switching between her two breasts, Ella moans like she’s been coded to do so. I add another finger inside her, caressing and curling until she’s rocking against my hand for more.

I slowly kiss my way down her body, nipping at the soft skin on the inside of her thighs. The happy sighs slipping through her lips make me lightheaded. Fuck exploring cities. I want to explore Ella’s body every goddamn second of every goddamn day.

I slowly drag my tongue against her clit, sucking the sensitive nub the way I know she loves. The combination of my fingers pumping inside of her and my tongue tasting her make Ella cry out in pleasure. It’s a damn good thing we’re home alone. All I want is to watch her fall apart. To know she needs this just as much as me. My eagerness to coax an orgasm out of her is quickly rewarded. Her thighs tremble as she comes, pleasure pulsing through her body. I don’t move until Ella gently pushes my head away, too sensitive for more.

“I’m changing my death-row meal to you.” I smirk. “Your pussy is perfect, baby.”

She lets out a loud laugh, her body vibrating beneath mine. “That’s the one thing you can’t change your death-row meal to!”

Placing her hands on the sides of my face, she tugs my lips against hers. Her breathing gradually returns to normal, pupils dilated and lips slightly swollen. I quickly grab a condom, rolling it on before I line my tip up at her entrance. Pushing in slowly, I make sure she can feel my every ridge. She lets out the filthiest whimper I’ve ever heard.

“Fuck,” I groan above her. Sliding into her core is fucking electric. “Always so tight for me.”

I thrust deep inside her, my body burning with desire. The rhythm of our clashing hips is frantic, my pubic bone rubbing against Ella’s clit at the perfect angle. The noises she’s making are sinful and I can’t get enough of them.

“Your cock feels so good,” she breathes out, her voice desperate and raw. Her nails dig into my back with reckless abandon. “Love having you inside me.”

I’ll take Ella’s praise over the praise of the world any day. She knows the effect her words have on me, and I lose any sense of reality as I pump into her, surrendering myself to the overwhelming sensations. I feel my own release building like a rubber band about to snap.

“Yes,” she groans. “Come with me. I want to feel it—”

Ella shudders around me, biting into my shoulder as another orgasm rips through her. That always does it, her begging me. I can’t resist the ache in her voice. I utter her name like a prayer as I let go to a jarring, pulsing climax.

I roll over, lying on my back next to Ella.

“I love you.” She leans over and places a sweet kiss on my shoulder. “And King Dong.”

A happy laugh comes deep from my throat. “We love you, too, baby.”