Page 94 of Reckless Hearts

Chapter 31

Callie

“Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé… O-lé… O-lé.”

Beer sloshes over the edge of Luke’s glass as he belts out his fifth celebration chant of the night. He’s clinging to Marco for support, though judging by Marco’s equally wobbly stance, neither of them is doing much stabilizing. Luke landed the best score of the night, and he’s decided to celebrate with the full obnoxious joy of a frat boy who just discovered tequila.

I laugh along with them, the silly chant catching like wildfire across our corner of the pub. I’m pretty sure the song’s from soccer, but no one seems to care. It works.

We managed to land ourselves in a proper pub tonight, not a country bar, for once, and it’s a nice break from all the twang and two-stepping. Not that I mind cowboy bars, but after weeks on the road with the same crew, the change of scenery feels like a vacation.

Well… not much of a break, considering this place is still packed wall-to-wall with riders from tonight’s event. Luke’s a wild staple of the circuit, and the loyalty shows. The way people have gathered around him tonight, it’s clear he’s earned theirrespect. He’s magnetic when he wants to be and surrounded by a rotating orbit of friends and fans.

My eyes drift toward Maverick and Colt.

Colt’s been practically glued to Maverick’s side all night, not that either of them would admit it. There’s still a hint of nerves clinging to Colt, like adrenaline hasn’t fully let go yet. Their gazes keep catching, lingering longer than usual. There’s a weight to the silence between them. A shifting.

Then Colt’s shoulder brushes Maverick’s, and Maverick doesn’t pull away.

Instead, he leans in to say something, closer than he needs to be, voice low against Colt’s ear. My chest tightens not with jealousy but with something quieter. Warmer. The resistance they’ve clung to for so long is dissolving right in front of me. Not all at once. Unraveling.

They catch me watching.

Their attention slides to where I’m sitting with a few of the guys, laughter vibrating through the table as empty glasses pile higher. I don’t break their gaze as they approach. Something about this moment feels important.

Maverick reaches me first, hand outstretched. “Come here.”

Before I can ask what for, he tugs me gently to my feet, only to switch our positions. He drops into my spot on the bench and pulls me down beside him, dragging me close until our thighs touch. Colt slides in on my other side, the wood creaking beneath his weight as he brackets me in.

Neither of them says anything.

They don’t have to.

They just sit there, one on either side of me, shoulders brushing mine, chatting casually with the rest of the group as if this is normal. As if this is always how it’s been. Warmth builds in my chest, slow and steady. This moment mirrors that firstday I saw them again. But now, the tension that once simmered between them is gone.

In its place: ease.

Familiarity.

Like something old and beautiful settling back into place.

They’ve still got things to work through, things I’ll make damn sure they talk about but tonight? Tonight, we’re just us.

I press my palm to the center of my chest, trying to ease the ache that’s been creeping in more often lately. Time’s speeding up. When I first got here, it felt like I had all summer. Now, it’s slipping through my fingers like sand.

Colt leans closer, his breath warm against my ear. “What’re you thinking about so hard, Sunshine?”

His voice wraps around me like velvet, and the ache in my chest is instantly replaced by something hotter. He doesn’t wait for an answer. His hand is already sliding beneath the table, warm fingers wrapping around my knee, then moving slowly higher.

Not casual. Not comforting.

Intentional.

I take a sharp breath, my thighs tensing. We’re surrounded by people, music pulsing, glasses clinking, laughter all around us, but all I can feel is Colt.

His thumb traces the soft skin just above the bend of my knee, back and forth, slow and steady. The kind of rhythm that feels practiced. That makes my stomach flutter.

Then, he drags it higher.

---