Page 89 of Burnout
“Come on.” I take his hand and pull him quickly to it. I unlock it and climb into the passenger seat.
He gets in, looking adorably conflicted about driving my pretty vehicle. The inside is pink too—pink seats, pink dash, pink gear shift. I’m fully aware it looks like Barbie threw up inside of my Bronco. I love it.
“Only for you, princess,” he says before starting it up.
I fall asleep on the ride back to my dorm and am woken when Knox opens the passenger door and tries to carry me.
“I got it,” I say and stumble a few steps before he hurries to my side and helps me stay upright. Maybe I don’t have it.
His laughter is the only sound in the quiet parking lot. “You are such a lightweight. You got this drunk off a few beers?”
“I’m not that drunk!” I insist, but we both know that’s a lie.
In my dorm room, I fall onto my bed and stare up at the ceiling. The room is spinning.
The mattress dips with his weight and Knox holds a glass of water in front of me. “Drink this.”
I sit up and take it, but I spill more of it down the front of me than I get in my mouth.
Chuckling, he takes the glass back and sets it on the nightstand then disappears. I hope he isn’t leaving.
“I just need a minute and then I’ll be ready to make out,” I yell.
I’m met with silence. It feels like too much effort to sit up. The next thing I know, I’m being pulled back up to a sitting position. Knox smiles down at me with an expression that seems almost tender.
“Hands up.”
I do as I’m told even before I realize what he wants. Knox pulls my bralette up. My skin tingles at the contact. Even in my drunken haze my body comes alive under his touch.
“Is everything you own pink?” He holds up the offending bra.
“You’re one to talk, mister all black and sexy.”
One side of his mouth lifts. He brings a T-shirt down over my head, covering my breasts.
“Why are you dressing me?” I ask. “Aren’t we gonna…” I waggle my brows.
“Not tonight.” He hits the light and then climbs into bed next to me.
Instinctively, I turn on my side and curl into him. “Thank you for coming to the party tonight. I’m sorry I drank too much.”
“Happens to the best of us.” He runs a hand down my hair and pulls me farther onto him so my head is resting over his heart. The steady thump is soothing.
I like him so much it actually hurts a little. “I missed you.”
A beat passes, and then he says, “I missed you too.”
I bury my smile into his chest and wrap my arm around his middle. “Hey, Knox?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re cuddling.”
TWENTY-NINE
“That wasthe best one I’ve seen you land yet.” Colter holds his fist out for a bump as I come to a stop on my bike next to him. He’s grinning like Colter often does. “You’re doing it, man. Another month and you’ll be ready to do the entire show with us. We just need to get your timing down on the group runs.”
It feels good. I like these guys, and while I was worried about switching gears to do freestyle and how it might impact my racing, it’s only improved it. I’m in more control of myself and the bike. It makes the fact that I haven’t heard from Mike sting a little less.
