Page 21 of Racing Heat (The Forbidden Heat #2)

Chapter Twenty-One

~JASE~

The Tampa heat makes me so happy that my car has remote start. The air-conditioning is working overtime to cool it down. I inhale deeply, but the smell of our sex has faded. I see her over in her Jeep, and I wait until her brake lights turn on before I shift my own car into drive.

I wave at her, and she waves back before pulling out of the parking space and out of the lot.

I turn the music up and get myself in a game-ready mindset.

I know it’s just a pickup game, but something about having her watch me play makes me nervous.

It’s just for fun; there’s nothing at stake but inviting her makes me feel like there is.

I don’t want to her to see me as weak. I want her to see me do well in the goal.

Sure, I’m not what I once was. But I can still play, still keep up with her.

I remember back to her comment about me being a whole kid-who-could-drive older than her.

Deep down, I wonder if one day that will bother her enough that she’ll walk away from me.

I don’t have time to ponder that much. My phone rings and I can see from the Audi’s display that it’s Danny. I remember the look on his face when Cassie and I were dancing last night. I was hoping he was too drunk to remember. Maybe he’s not.

“Hey, Danny, what’s up?” I say in way of greeting.

“How are you doing today, man? You feeling okay after everything last night?”

I choose my next words carefully, because I’m not sure what he means about ‘everything.’ I wonder if we were more obvious than I thought and if he’s connected any dots.

“Yeah, I’m good. Just tired. On my way to my pickup game right now.”

“Geez, you never stop,” he comments.

“Are you lying low today? I just released Mac and her friends after we worked with Hendrix, so she’s coming your way, I think.”

“Great. I’m out getting some groceries, and I plan on cooking her a nice meal in. Thought it might be fun to do some swimming, relaxing, and just hanging around the house with her. Trying to slow down and be present when we can.”

“That sounds like a great afternoon, man. I hope you get to enjoy every little bit of it. The team is coming into the training center on Monday just to watch some film. Nate is going to go easy on them for a bit. Our next game isn’t until Friday of next week, so he’s trying not to burn them out too much.

Especially with this fucking heat wave we having coming our way. ”

Danny laughs into the phone. “Are you still not used to this heat and humidity?”

“Fuck no. I never knew how bloody hot this place could be. It wasn’t when I came for my interview.”

“You’ll get used to it, mate,” he throws in there. “Just stop and get yourself a sports drink before or after your game so that you can rehydrate. It’ll be warm, but I know not playing isn’t an option for you.”

“Me, cancel? Nah, why would I?” I ask him. “I can handle the heat. I’m just bitching. Or are you going to give me shit about my injury and age the way Hendrix does?” I think quick on feet because Hendrix wasn’t the one who said it but Cassie.

“I know if I had the chance to swim again, even if it was just for a rec league, I would jump on it. But there aren’t any options like that in my sport. So go and have some fun. Just be careful and hydrate.”

“Will do, sir. Anything else you need?” I ask him. “I’m almost to the game.”

Danny sighs heavily into the phone. “Yeah, man, there was. Did I really see what I think I saw last night?”

“That is one vague statement. You’re going to have to spell it out for me. Remember, we all had a lot to drink last night.” I’m not showing my cards. If he wants to know something, he’s going to have to ask my directly and tell me what he thinks he saw.

“You weren’t that drunk, from what I could tell. But what I’m referring to is the way you were interacting with Cassie. You were dancing and grinding all over her, and then you both were gone. Are you seriously going to tell me that nothing happened between the two of you?”

“Danny, I don’t want to lie to you, so can you not ask me anything else?”

“Nope, can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because the woman in question here just happens to be my girlfriend’s best friend.

There will be consequences when this goes south, and I’ll have to help clean up the mess along with Mac.

I care about Cassie too, don’t get me wrong.

I can’t let you do anything that might hurt her or her career.

Because this could blow up in an epic way. ”

I’m still not sure how much of my cards I want to put on the table. “I was dancing with her. I took her outside to get some air, and then we came back in and joined the rest of the group.”

“Jase.” He says my name in a scolding manner. “You’re leaving something out. And don’t give me that gentlemen-don’t-tell bullshit, because I don’t fucking care. What did you do with Cassie?”

“Danny, I like you. I want to make that known. But right now, I’m trying to figure out why you’re asking questions the way that you are.

Are you doing this out of sheer concern for Cassie or for your own relationship?

Because depending on which choice it is, your interest changes. My answer changes too.”

“It’s not that simple. You and I both know that. This is messier than Mac and me.”

“Which is why I think I would have been granted some leeway with you. And that this conversation would or should be going differently.”

“So, something happened?”

I look out the window and try to decide how I want to answer him. He can’t have it all, that much I’ve decided. I have to protect her. Someone has to, and I want that person to be me, not him.

“You think you have it all figured out then, huh? You know exactly what took place from the moment you didn’t see us from the moment that you did? So why the phone call? Are you calling to help or to hinder?” He’s playing a game with me, so I play it right back.

“I thought this conversation would be simpler,” Danny admits.

“I thought so too, but you’re not presenting this like you’re on my side.”

“I am on your side, but this is messy.” His voice is strained, like there’s more he wants to say but he doesn’t. “What happened? Will you tell me that much?”

“I’m not going to give you details, Danny.

It’s not happening. We’ve done something—you’ve pretty much figured that out.

So, what do you need from me right now?” My temper is flaring a bit because this conversation got so much more complicated than I thought it would.

If he was coming from a pure place of protection for her, it would have been different.

But he’s also worried on how this impacts him and Mac. That, I’m not so happy about.

Danny sighs. “I don’t want to be this guy” is all he says.

“Then don’t. It’s that simple.”

“How can I not be?” he asks me. “I’m not asking for a blow by blow or anything. I just want to know what you’re doing here. Is she just someone you’re having fun with, or do you care about her? If I knew, maybe I could help you.”

I pull into the parking lot and pinch the bridge of my nose. Fuck, I’m here and I’m not sure if she’ll be getting out of the car and coming over to me or not. Before my game is not the time to tell her about my phone call with Danny. That will need a much longer conversation.

“I care for her. I’m not sure where her head is with me. I know that there’s the chance of this blowing up and one or both of us losing our jobs. I don’t want that for her. I can figure something out or go back to Manchester. She’ll be finished and that’s my concern.”

“That’s all I wanted to hear. So, you want something more than a quick and dirty fuck.”

I laugh at what he says, because that’s kind of what just happened between the two of us that night. “Yes.”

“Yes?” Danny asks with a laugh. “I’m not sure that that answers any question that I had.”

“Look man, you may or may not know this about me, but I’m a gentleman, and I refuse to kiss and tell.

Call it being so much older than her. Call it all that’s at stake here.

But I refuse to be the one who brings her down with gossip or spills all the intimate parts of our encounters.

Especially when I really haven’t had a chance to talk much with her since it happened. ”

“I get it. And I respect it. You’re kind of old school, and I like that,” Danny says with a laugh. I laugh at his calling my respect for her old-school, but I don’t say another word, because he’s talking again. “Where is she now?”

“Here to watch me play pickup.”

“Have fun, you two, and let me know if you need anything. Like a place to lie low or if you two want to come hang with Mac and me in the open. You can, you know. Whatever you need,” he offers.

“Appreciate it, man. But let me talk more with her. We might be getting ahead of ourselves here.”

“Alright. Well, let me know what you need or how I can help.” Danny sounds sincere in his words.

I look in my rearview to see it looks like she’s behind me, on her phone maybe. It’s hard to tell. “Does Mac know that you think something is going on with Cassie and me?”

“Ha, I don’t think—I know. And I believe you just confirmed it. But no, she has no idea. She was pretty wasted last night. While you two snuck out to do whatever you were doing, we all had another round.”

“Ah, well, that’s good because I’m pretty sure she’d cut my balls off if she suspected anything differently.” I’m half kidding, but part of me thinks that she would castrate me if I did anything to hurt her friend.

“They’re like sisters. Moved here from Portland together, roomed together all four years of college. They’re tight. So, she will cut you if you happen to hurt Cassie. But we’re not going to have that problem, are we?” Danny adds, a bit of an edge to his voice.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, you all are getting a little ahead of yourselves. We’re just…” The words die on my tongue. I don’t want to tell him. I want to protect her privacy.

“You just what?” Danny’s teasing tone is back.

“We just nothing,” I say with a laugh. “But I haven’t really gotten to talk to her yet. We’ll talk first and then I’ll talk with you.”

“Oh, you’re gonna call me later? Mac and I might be busy…”

“Alright, go make your girlfriend dinner so you can fuck her later. I’m gonna go play.”

“Okay. And Jase”—he pauses for a moment— “do something that makes you happy.”

“I will, man. Thanks.”

I decide to wait to tell her about my phone call with Danny after the game. Maybe get some food in her and then break the news that her best friend’s boyfriend, who was a former reporter, caught on to us.