AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And now it turned out Solo and I would be competing against each other directly in the hop today, something that was sure to turn any warm feelings from the day before into cold, hard rivalry. Neither of us liked to lose, but we couldn’t both win, so once I took Solo down, I could only imagine the disgruntled remarks he’d shoot my way.
Maybe it would make him back off me a little. But was that what I really wanted?
The logical side of my brain said yes, but I couldn’t deny the lust that shot through me when I remembered the way Solo had ground against me as he kissed every thought out of my head. He was a risk I wasn’t willing to take.
But…
But.
“Oh shit, this should be good,” Houdini said over my shoulder as we studied the whiteboard where our pairings and objectives were clearly marked. “So. You think Solo’ll cry when you win, or just nosedive straight into those cliffs?”
“Mighty presumptuous to assume I’d let Panther win,” Solo said, strolling into the room. He dropped into a chair beside us and kicked his feet up onto the desk. “If I were you, I’d be more worried about Gucci tagging you out in five seconds flat.”
Houdini smirked. “More likely to puke in his cockpit, from what I hear.”
“Oh hell naw.” Gucci shot daggers at Houdini as he walked in. “I’d never lose my lunch in the pit. Do I really have to give everyone the damn play-by-play? It was a handbag.”
“He’s just trying to rile you up, Gooch,” Solo said, and then he gave Houdini a wry grin. “Keep that shit up. It’ll only fuel the fire.”
“Maybe you should focus on your own match today. My boy’s gonna have you chasin’ his ass all over the sky.”
Solo’s eyes practically sparkled as he looked my way. “Sounds like a good time to me.”
The innuendo made my stomach flip, but I couldn’t let myself get distracted right now. More than any other day, I needed to keep a clear head and focus on the hop, which was sure to be the toughest one yet. Solo wouldn’t be going easy on me, and I didn’t want him to.
As I shoved down everything that had happened yesterday, Houdini turned his back toward Solo and kept his voice low. “The guy gets off on a challenge. Be careful up there.”
“I’m not worried.” Then I glanced over my shoulder and indicated Gucci. “You got this.”
Houdini grinned. “Damn right I do.”
After we went through the briefing with our instructors, we received our lineup order and then headed to the bay to gear up. Solo and I were last on the list, so we’d join the others in watching each pair battle it out.
“Saving the best for last,” Solo said, his voice a purr in my ear where he stood behind me. “Looks like today’s my lucky day.”
I didn’t turn around, because the last thing I needed was to have him in my head when I’d already worked hard to get him out.
I finished snapping my gear into place, checking and double-checking that everything was as it should be, and then I headed out of the bay to watch the first match of the day—Houdini and Gucci.
“Ahh. Ignoring me, then. And I thought we’d finally gotten to a good place yesterday.”
I kept a fast pace, but he caught up to me anyway. “Not now, Solo.”
“Aw, don’t be nervous. I’ll go easy on you.”
“No, you won’t.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I won’t. I was just trying to make you feel better.”
“I feel fine. I’m not scared of you, and I don’t need you trying to fuck with my head.”
“So I can fuck with other parts of you?”
Jesus Christ. “Go away.”
“I would, but it looks like we’re heading to the same place.”
Rolling my eyes, I pulled open the door to the viewing area we’d be watching from and headed inside, Solo at my heels. The guy was so damn persistent, going from annoying to charming and then back to annoying in a matter of seconds. It was hard to reconcile the competitive Solo with the Mateo who’d opened up and showed a different side. The Solo I was seeing today didn’t have an ounce of vulnerability anywhere.
Luckily, the first match-up between Houdini and Gucci caught his interest enough that the only smartass comments he made were directed at their flying and not at fucking with me.
It was a close call throughout, and just as I thought Houdini was about to lose it, he came back from behind to lock in on Gucci.
Solo chuckled. “Should’ve placed a bet on that one, Panther. At least you would’ve won once today.”
I could feel the eyes on us, the tension in the air, and I was more determined now than ever to shut him the hell up.
