Page 67 of Crash Course Omega
“What do you know about me, Harmony Grace?” he asks. “Apart from how dashing and irresistible I am?”
I pause at his question, trying to think about it honestly. I said to Maddock about only meeting them a week ago, but moments like this between me, Jaxx, and Everest were what mattered more than how long I’d known them for.
“You're Maddock’s teammate. You joined my family’s team two years ago. My dad offered you a reserve spot before you’d even done your first year in F2.”
“Okay, good, yeah. Do you know anything about me that doesn’t have to do with racing?”
“Well, there are photos of you with different women in every city you go to.”
“I won’t deny that, though it does mean I’m good with my hands.” He smirks as he digs his thumbs into my muscles, and a moan escapes me.
“What about me being your future mate? Is that something you know?” he asks.
“Who said anything about you being my mate?” I say, trying to hold back my smile.
He instantly moves, sliding both hands up my thighs, creeping in. My breath catches in my throat, and I’m already leaning back, waiting for him to kiss me. This is what it’s all been leading up to, and I’m already ready for him.
But he just laughs, gently biting my cheek, and perfume flows out of me, along with my building slick.
“Tell me I’m not your future mate when you’re thirsting over me like this,” he purrs. And I grin back, because he definitely caught me out. But it’s the same with Maddock. I can’t say anything to Jaxx when I have no idea what’s coming for us in the future.
He nudges my nose with his before he draws back, moving to my other calf.
“What about being a rancher’s boy who loves riding horses more than driving cars?”
“You’re joking,” I laugh.
“Not for a second. I know it’s cliche, a rancher from Texas. But riding horses is like nothing else. I’m the one in control of the car, so I make the decisions and I’m the one who’s got my hands on the wheel. But it’s different with horses. We’re working together when I have the reins. We have to listen and respond to each other, and there’s nothing like the beating of hooves and the feel of the horse moving under me as I race along.”
“Why do you drive then?” I ask.
“Because I’m seriously good. You’ve seen how good I am; you know what I can do. My daddy doesn’t want these kinds of skillswasted on ranching when I’m earning this much money through racing.”
“Is that what you want to do when you finish racing? You'll ride horses?"
“Well, what if I said I want to whisk you away to my ranch and make love to you until the cows come home?”
I suck in a breath, pressing a hand against my mouth as my cheeks flush.
“That shouldn’t be so hot,” I murmur, but he just laughs.
“I guess I hit the nail on the head with that one. I can go even harder, if you like?”
He leans in close, taking my lips for himself. But his kiss is so light and gentle that it means more to me than the desperate, passionate kisses we’ve shared in locked rooms.
He pulls back, the light in his eyes softens into pain, and his chin dips. He shifts his hands, taking mine in his with a sad smile.
“Seriously though? Why I drive?”
I nod, already sensing that he’s about to share something I’m lucky to hear.
“I had a friend back in F2,” he says, his voice serious. “We met when we were still training in F3, but it was instant. You know those people you meet and you just know you’re going to be friends for life? That kind of thing. Hell, I thought we might even match with the same omega.” He chuckles as he rubs the back of his neck. “But he was crazy. He drove like a maniac and took wild risks, ones that always paid off. It was like he had an angel on his shoulder or something. It didn’t matter how hard he pushed his car or himself, he always seemed to fly around the track like a whirlwind. If Carl was in his car, you knew you had to stay out of his way.”
Jaxx’s fond smile already tells me this story won't end well.
“We promised each other. There was no way we were going to ever quit driving until both of us won a championship. Each. Either we did it together, or separately, but we both had to hold a title. And we'd keep going until we were old guys sitting on a porch drinking like this, reminiscing about our driving days with eight million grandbabies running around like wild things. We were in it for the long run. And if either one of us got injured, the other one had to win two championships to make up for it. We were thorough like that, you know. No room for loopholes.”
I reach out, curling my hand around his wrist, because it seems like he hasn’t realized he’d stopped stroking my calf. It’s more like he’s holding on to me for support.
