Page 78 of Close Contact
“Oh, no, love. I’m exactly as bad as you thought.” I licked my lips. “Because now I know you weretryingto cover me up all night. Which only makes me want to leave more marks.”
She swore in French, tipping her head back against the headrest. It was the first time all night she seemed fazed.
I chuckled, but it was short-lived—because then she turned her head slowly, her eyes narrowed. “You know what? I wasalmostready to let it go. Let you off the hook. But now? You’re not touching me again for another 24 hours.”
My blood ran cold. “Baby?—”
“Nope.”
“You can’t be serious.”
She picked up her phone, taking her attention off me. I hated it. “You’re going to stand next to me in this dress at the club, watch every man in there try to flirt with me—and you’re not going to be able to do a damn thing about it.”
Fuck.
My heart pounded like I was halfway through qualifying.
And when she crossed her legs again, that little ruffle bouncing against her thigh? I caught sight of those panties and I about died. Almost crashed the goddamn car.
“I’ve made a huge mistake,” I muttered.
The music thuddedthrough my heels, bass vibrating in my ribs like the pulse of something alive. Lightsstrobedoverhead. Laughter rippled through the crowd. And still, all I could feel was the warmth of his hand on the small of my back.
This closeness, the unspokenusgrowing louder in the spaces between the paddock and the track and the hotels and all the locations we’d visited… I used to be afraid to be someone’s secret. Now I wanted this to stay our secret for a little while longer. Before the universe was involved.
“Dubois!”
Kimi’svoice rang out from the upper level of the VIP section, cutting through the music like a whip. He stood with a bottle in one hand, waving with the other. Marco stood beside him, grinning like the devil. Dozens of the engineers and mechanics were up there with them.
“You’re late!” Kimi called.
“Fashionably,” I called back, stepping ahead and feelingCallum’shand follow. His fingers grazed my waist. I needed to remember to breathe and not move my hair over my shoulder.“That’s how the French do it.”
Marco handed me a champagne flute as we reached them. “To the star of the show,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “Looking dangerous tonight,Dubois.”
“She always does,”Callumsaid behind me, voice low and unbothered. Except I knew just how bothered he really was.
“Careful,” I teased Marco, “you’re going to make him jealous.”
Marco smirked. “He can’t be that jealous. Not with that bruise on your neck.”
I almost choked on my drink. “Oh, my God. Let it go.”
“Kind of like how I should let our shared kiss go?”
“Marco.”
“Hey, I didn’t say Iminded,” he said. “Dramatic. Public. Just the right amount of tongue.”
“Liar. There was no tongue.”
Callumdidn’t say a word, but his hand slid just a little higher. Not enough to draw attention. Just enough to remind me he was there.
Kimiwaggled his brows. “I’m just saying, if anyone’s sweepingAurélieoff her feet tonight, it might not be Fraser.”
I turned my head and looked straight intoCallum’seyes, slow and deliberate. “You guys are delusional. Fraser saved a damsel in distress today. A gallant hero, one would say. Don’t be so hard on him.”
Callum’sthroat bobbed. The corner of his mouth lifted—barely—but I saw it.
