Page 72 of Close Contact
Dammit, Callum.
“No. It’s from my harness straps. I took a turn too tight and it shifted and pinched me. Left a little bruise, that’s all.”
Marco scoffed. “Monaco is literally the slowest circuit on the calendar. Be so fucking for real right now. Took a turn too tight?”
“Did debris hit you during the race? Blink twice if you’re okay,” Kimi said.
“Isaidit was tight! You know Monaco is also the… the—ugh, I don’t know how to say it—it’s one of the twistiest! Les virages? Très… twisty? Twisty-est?”
“Did she just saytwisty-est?” Marco asked.
Kimi wheezed. I was not amused. “Les twisty-est virages! Incredible. Put that on a T-shirt.”
“Back to the matter at hand, which is that you two are godawful liars—that looksexactlylike someone marked their territory.”
Kimi nodded vehemently. “We already know Fraser is into pain and poetry.”
That gave me pause. I turned slowly to face Callum, who’d taken a few steps into the room and was watching me curiously. This was aknown factabout him? Uh-uh. Didn’t like that. Not one fucking bit.
“Well, as the reigning Monaco champion, I think I know what bruised my neck. But thanks for your concern.”
Callumwas at the end of the bed now, and I swallowed. He better not make a fucking scene right now. I grabbed a pillow and tossed it at him. He chuckled like the smug asshole he was and said, “You should thank me, actually.”
Marco gasped, and Kimi reared his head back.
“FRASER CONFIRMED IT. THIS IS AN ADMISSION OF GUILT.” Marco was shouting like a child while I sat there fuming.
“What hemeantwas that it happened when I overtook him. So yes, thank you, Callum, for the win today. And to the two of you little shits, nothing is happening here. Why do you think I’m in the guest room?”
They both stopped, contemplating.Callumhung up, his square disappearing from the screen as he tossed his phone on the bed, and the other two immediately began rioting again.
“Tell him to get his ass back on here.”
“Mmm, no. He came in here looking for something while I’m trying to plan my victory party tonight.”Callumreached for my ankle, but I moved to the head of the bed. “Anyway, as I was saying before the interrogation. You two can fight over who gets to buy the first round. I want champagne and fries for the harassment tonight. Possibly a crown for my win.”
Marco feigned annoyance. “Where am I going to get a crown at this hour?”
“We’re in Monaco. I’m sure there are plenty of jewelry stores open.”
“Sounds like something a boyfriend should do.”
“Well, I don’t have one of those, so I’m sure you won’t mind.”
“Damn, I was rooting for it,”Kimimuttered at the same time Marco said, “But what aboutFras?—”
“I need to go change now. Text me the details. Aurevoir, boys!” I hung up and leveledCallum with a challenging glare.
“Aurélie,” he rasped, eyes dragging down my body, settling on my little pink shorts.
“Nope. Don’t look at me like that. You almost gave us away.”
His throat bobbed, and he climbed on the bed to crawl toward me. “I didn’t mean?—”
I practically leaped off the mattress to avoid his touch. If he reached me, I wasn’t confident I’d be able to resist. “You think a little text about how I taste was going to get me back in your lap after that?”
He sat back on his heels and dragged his hands through his hair. Ugh. Why did he have to lookso hotall the goddamn time? “I told you not to answer them.”
“Oh? So this is my fault? I’m now responsible for your actions?”
