Page 6 of Light It Up Red
“I know her name, idiot. Why is she so dangerous?”
“Valentino, as in the Valentinos.” He puts her last name in air quotes.
“Still not getting it.” I shrug one shoulder, already bored with everyone’s dramatics.
“Okay, well, I warned you. So when it blows up in your face, I can honestly say I told you so,” he grunts before walking away.
“Congrats, boys. Morning skate, 0700 hours. Don’t be late,” Coach yells out above the chatter of the locker room. Everyone is on cloud nine. There’s nothing like winning.
Picking up Lili’s coat from my locker, I walk over to her. “You ready to get out of here?”
She jumps at the sound of my voice. When she spins back in my direction, her lips tip up at one side. “You sure you want to take me home?”
I run my eyes up and down her body. “Never been more sure of anything in my life, babe,” I tell her.
“Okay then, but we’re going to your place. Mine is… well, it’d be like walking through a minefield.” She laughs.
Taking hold of her hand, I lead her out of the locker room and towards the bank of elevators that will bring us to the undercover garage. “Did you drive here?” I ask her.
“Nope. I came with Harper,” she says.
I nod my head, unlock my Jeep, and open the passenger door. “Your chariot awaits, princess.” I grin while tipping an imaginary hat.
“Not a princess. But thank you,” she mumbles as she slides onto the seat.
Chapter Three
Ishould warn him. Tell him who I am. It’s obvious he has no idea, but I kind of like that. I like not being known as the mafia princess. As the Valentino Princess. It’s refreshing.
Or maybe he does know and just doesn’t care.
If that were true, he’d be the first person I’ve come across who, one, didn’t fear my family. And two, didn’t want to try to gain something through me. I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve never really known any differently.
Right now, the only vibes I’m getting from Travis are the ones telling me just how much he wants to get in my pants. Which I’m totally on board with. A girl has needs, and those needs went into overdrive the moment I saw him in nothing but a white towel. Water dripping down his body. And what a freaking body it is.
My legs squeeze together, trying to ease some of the building pressure.
“You doing okay over there?” Travis asks, humor in his voice.
“Just fine. How far is your place?”
“About twenty. Why?”
“No reason,” I tell him. I can wait twenty minutes before I jump his bones. It’s only twenty minutes. I can do this. I try to distract myself, think about anything other than the hunk sitting next to me.
Travis’s hand lands on my upper thigh. I jump at the contact. “Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t have to come home with me, you know. I can drive you to your place,” he offers.
“I’m fine. I just… I’m horny, okay? So if you could speed this whole thing up a bit, I’d appreciate it,” I admit.
His neck snaps in my direction and there’s a huge smile on his face.
“Don’t look like you won the golden ticket. I like sex. It could be with anyone really. You just happen to be the one I’m going home with tonight.” It’s a lie. Not the whole liking sex part; the I’d go home with anyone part. I don’t. I wouldn’t. But I needed to wipe that cocky-ass smirk off his face somehow. And it worked.
“So you do this often then?” he says, his tone much more serious.
“Not really.” I shrug.
The rest of the ride is silent, the feel of his thumb rubbing up and down my jean-clad thigh driving me insane. I think he knows exactly what his touch is doing to me too.
