Page 55 of Speed Crush

I grip her hip with one hand to steady her as the other dips lower, fingers hooking into her waistband, ready to tug—

The door creaks open.

June lets out a startled scream as I lower her legs fast, not dropping her, but damn near. Her heels hit the floor with a stuttered thud. I whip around in a blur, sliding in front of her like instinct—the kind only a man who lives at 200 mph has.

Behind me, her body trembles against mine. I feel her hands clutch the back of my shoulders like she half-thought a SWAT team was about to burst through the door.

Blocking her from the door, adrenaline burning hot under my skin, my arms are out slightly, ready for anything—security, staff, a teenager with a camera phone.

I glance hard at the glass door. But there's no one there. No footsteps. Just that faint hum and blinking light behind the glass, the moment stretching until I realize what it is.

The glass door swings open slowly. A low mechanical hum grows louder, and then something rolls around the corner—a commercial-sized cleaning bot, almost waist-high and built like a mini Zamboni. Its lights flash blue as it scans the floor, completely indifferent to the fact it just interrupted one hell of a scene.

June lets out a squeak behind me. "What the—is that a cleaning robot?"

The machine beeps cheerfully, like it's acknowledging June's question, and begins its wide sweep of the room. It's oblivious. Efficient. Unbothered by the half-naked chaos it just rolled in on.

June whispers, horrified, "Do they have cameras on those things?"

I flash a grin. "Not this one."

Before she can protest, I turn and kiss her again—deep, fast, and full of heat. Her fingers clutch my shirt, and she kisses me back like she's still dizzy from it all.

The bot gives a final beep, spinning in place.

And we both break.

Laughing.

Because it's pretty ridiculous.

Out of breath, off-balance, and completely hysterical in the best way.

Yah. We both lose it.

It's perfect. And honestly? We need the laugh.

I help her zip up and smooth out her hair while she reaches up to clean the lipstick smudges off my face. She giggles, this breathless, surprised little sound that tugs something loose in my chest.

For a second, we’re just standing there in this absurd little bubble of laughter, heat, and total, reckless joy.

I nudge her nose with mine and murmur, “You okay?”

She nods, still smiling. “Yeah… weirdly, yeah. I haven’t laughed like that in forever.”

“Good,” I say, brushing a thumb across her cheek. “Because you deserve to laugh. And be seen. And touched like you’re the most exquisite thing.”

June looks up at me, eyes glossy but soft, and for one suspended second, I swear the rest of the world doesn’t matter.

There’s hope in her eyes. Like maybe this isn’t just heat anymore.

It’s something worth holding onto.

And for the first time in two days, I’m sure of something.

She wants me.

Now, I just have to convince her she can keep me.

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