“Because I wanted to show you the racer I was.”
“That’s all?” she whispers.
“And I wanted to remind myself why I’m worth fighting for. Why I shouldn’t be afraid of the meeting I scheduled with the Formula Corp to defend my case.”
“Really?” She turns on her heels and swallows the distance between us. “You’re going to speak to them?”
“I’m going to fight for my right to race again, and there’s no one I want there more than you.”
Tears glisten in her eyes, but she blinks them away before they have a chance to trail down her cheeks. “I’m so proud of you. Like my chest hurts because I’m ridiculously proud.”
“I couldn’t have done this without you.”
She offers me a watery smile. “You could’ve.”
“Okay, let me amend my statement. I wouldn’t have wanted to without you.”
“Okay, you got me there.” Chloe tips her head back and smiles up at me. She steps onto her toes and leaves a lingering kiss on my lips.
I deepen it, cradling her head in my palm as my tongue caresses hers. Chloe lets out the softest moan, and I take initiative. I move away from her lips and bend down. She screams as I hurtle her over my shoulder. There’s a slight pinch from my prosthetic leg, but nothing I can’t handle for a few minutes. Some things take precedent, and the way my dick throbs tells me I’m making the right choice.
“What are you doing?” she cries out.
“I have one last thing to show you.”
“What?”
I clutch onto the backs of her thighs and carry her through the house. She pinches my butt cheeks and complains about the blood rushing to her head, but I ignore her. With my free hand, I rip her shoes off. They clatter to the ground.
I enter my bedroom. The sunset on the lake casts an orange glow across the walls. Chloe lets out an audible oomph as I throw her onto the bed.
I grab a few things out of a drawer and place them beside the nightstand.
“Newsflash: I’ve seen your bedroom. This isn’t anything new or shocking here.” She pushes her hair out of her eyes. The dark strands stand out against the white pillows.
I’m stuck in place, staring at her like a fool. She’s perfect in every way. From her smile to the tiny freckles running across her nose. But most of all, I like the way she looks at me. Like I’m more than just a guy.
Like I matter to her as much as she does to me.
“Bueller,” she calls out in the same voice as the movie we watched.
I crack a smile.
She pokes me in the chest with her foot. “What do you have to show me?”
“How much I care about you.”
Now that shuts her up. Chloe remains mystified as I turn and crawl over her. I pause, unsure how to go about the next steps without making things awkward between us.
“Can you do something for me?” Chloe shifts beneath me.
“What?”
“Will you swap positions with me?”
I blink at her. Following her command, I press my back into the mattress. My head sinks into the soft pillows, and Chloe follows, covering my body with hers.
Chloe’s lips press softly against mine. Her hands run over my shoulders before drifting down my abs. Every muscle she touches contracts, tightening until she moves on. Her hands lift the hem of my shirt, pulling it over my head. She kisses her way down my body. I’m addicted to the feel of her running her tongue across the rigid muscles.
My dick throbs painfully against the seam of my sweatpants. Her light caresses leave me straining for more. More of her. More of this. More of everything she has to offer.
“Keep your eyes shut. If you open them, then this is over.” Her hot breath trails against my skin.
That’s the last thing I want. I screw my eyes shut and grip onto the comforter. Instead of thinking, I focus on the feel of her lips against my body.
She grips onto the waistband of my sweatpants and briefs at the same time. Every muscle in my body tightens as she slides them down my legs, revealing the part of myself I keep hidden from the world.
Does she think my leg looks as awful as I do? Does the jagged scar and puckered skin freak her out? My body locks up at the onslaught of negative thoughts. I try to banish the idea of Chloe having an up-close and personal view of my stump and metal leg, but everything about the situation make me uncomfortable.
“Santiago. Stop thinking and focus on how I make you feel.” Chloe runs her palms up my thighs. She settles between my legs, and her warmth erases some of the coldness seeping into my bones. Goosebumps pebble my skin as her palm runs up the length of my cock.