Page 58 of Octane

“I'm not going to lie. I was a little nervous for you that day. If Jackson hadn't stepped in, I was going to.”

I feel a huge amount of gratitude for Nate at that moment. I can’t speak, but I shoot him a smile.

“You’ve got to get away from him,” Tim proclaims again. “Dude’s a ticking time bomb.”

If you only knew...

“Here’s your check, is there anything else I can get you tonight?” Our waitress comes back at the perfect time. I didn’t want to talk about Daniel anymore.

“Nope, we’re good, thank you,” Jackson replies.

His eyes bore into mine like they never have before while we are waiting for our waitress to return with his credit card. In them, I see promise.

Promise that I’m worth it.

Promise that he will protect me.

Promise that he’s going to finish what he started when we get back to the hotel.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

SAWYER

As we were leaving the restaurant, Ryder suggested that we go to a local bar that a lot of teams go to when they’re in town. I didn’t feel up to it, but I didn’t want them to miss out, so I said I would take an Uber back to the hotel.

Jackson said that he needed to get some work done anyway and that he would drive me. I can honestly say that I was scared to get into his car. It’s the smallest space that we’ve ever been in together. If we couldn’t keep our hands off each other in the elevator, I don’t see how we’ll be able to in a Ferrari.

We drive in complete silence. No music. No talking. Just the thrum of desire pulsating through us. No, he didn’t tell me that he has crazed lust running through him like I do. I can tell by the way he grips the gearshift tightly. As if crushing the knob will abate his sexual appetite. The harsh manner in which he shifts gears reminds me of when I’m racing and the aggression that diminishes with each lap around the track.

The five-mile drive feels like it lasts an hour.

“Don’t move,” he demands when he puts the car in park and turns off the engine.

He doesn’t take his eyes off of me as he walks around the front of the car. The promise that I saw in them earlier shines like headlights in his stare. I swallow down the lump in my throat. I’m not stupid enough to believe that nothing will happen between us tonight, but to what extent, I’m not sure.

I’m shaking in the leather seat, the culmination of nerves, excitement, and anticipation of what will happen when we get inside. It feels like the oxygen is being sucked out of the car at a rapid pace. The moment Jackson opens my door and the fresh air hits me, I inhale a deep breath. Stepping from the low seat of his car, I let the chill in the air cool the flush on my skin.

Jackson offers me his hand and helps me from the car. His palm is a little damp, and I wonder if he’s as nervous as I am. Silently, we walk into the hotel and take the elevator to the fifth floor. I get my room key out of my purse as he walks me to my door, still not knowing what to expect when we get there. With each step we take down the long hallway, the more the sexual tension grows between us.

When we get to my room, I swallow and put the key card in the lock. Jackson is right behind me, so close I can feel his breath on my neck. My pulse beats loudly in my ears as the lock turns green and beeps. Grabbing the door handle, I open the door just a crack.

Holding it open, I turn to face Jackson. In his eyes, I see a struggle. It’s like he’s fighting to gain control over a beast that wants to devour me whole. He searches my stare, looking for a sign that he can let the beast loose. My breath hitches, and it’s as if we’re on the track and the green flag is waving us to go.

Jackson presses his lips to mine and backs me through the door, kicking it closed behind him. His hands are at the hem of my shirt, our lips parting for just a second as he tears it over my head. My fingers fly to the buttons of his shirt as he unfastens the button on my jeans. As the backs of my knees hit the bed, I go tumbling backward. Jackson stays upright and finishes unbuttoning his shirt.

When he’s done, he lets it fall to the floor in the same spot where it fell earlier. It’s as if the past two hours never happened and we’re right where we left off.

“Are you okay?” he asks me as he unbuckles his belt.

I nod my head, letting him know I’m fine.

“Good,” He pulls his belt through his belt loops with one tug then drops it on the floor at his feet. “Because I don’t think I could stop myself, even if you begged me to.”

His admission should scare me, but all it does is egg my hunger on. Heat blooms in my stomach as blood rushes to my clit. Tugging on my jeans, he pulls them down my legs then tosses them in the corner. I watch as his eyes roam my body, and I begin to feel uncomfortable. Unsure of what to do with my hands, I end up placing them over my chest.

“Uh-uh,” Jackson says, grasping my hands and laying my arms over my head. “You’re too gorgeous to cover yourself up.”

Jackson grabs me around my waist and hoists me up the bed before crawling onto the mattress. Bending over me, he situates himself between my legs. Placing his hands on the inner part of my thighs, he spreads my legs apart, making more room for his body.

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