As his release fades, his grip loosens, and his hands drift to my thighs. I release a shaky breath as my body sags against his, too spent to move.
“Silent sex is kinda hot,” he rumbles in my ear.
“Mmm,” I agree, as my eyes start to drift shut.
“We should do it again.” I feel him smirk against my neck.
“You’re a bad influence.”
“I’d say I’m pretty good.” He circles his hips, a final caress, before lifting me off him.
Plucking a tissue from the box on my desk, I eye him wickedly as I offer it.
“Nope.” He licks his lips as he pulls his pants up and tucks himself away. “I want to wear you the rest of the day.”
He plants a soft kiss on my mouth before I can react, and steps out from behind my desk. I clean up and get dressed as he unlocks but doesn’t open the door.
“Did that recharge your social battery?” I smile as I collapse into my seat.
He shrugs again and sinks into the chair on the opposite side of my desk with a smug grin.Damn that’s a good look on him.
“Did you have a good time riding with Blake?”
“Yeah.” He stretches his legs out in front of him, resting his hands on his stomach. “You were right about getting back on the mountain. It reminded me why I started riding in the first place.”
“Why did you?” I assume in a town like this it’s practically a requirement—at least to learn—though sticking with it and turning pro isn’t a feat most people can accomplish.
“There’s no feeling in the world like floating over the snow. And nothing gets the adrenaline pumping like speeding down the slope. Well, sex maybe.” He gives me a wry smile.I think he’s trying to share an inside joke.
Shaking my head at him, I return the smile, adding a playful eye roll. It makes him chuckle. “So, riding fast is your adrenaline fix? Does that mean you want to go back to racing?”
His chest rises and falls heavily before he responds. “I’m not sure. On the one hand I think I could still do it—I wasn’t pushing myself, and I still went pretty fast—although that doesn’t mean I could jumpinto a race and really compete. And while I’m curious how fast I could go, getting back on the circuit would mean I won’t have days like these, where I just get to mess around with friends. I’ll be on the road, probably a different country altogether, just me and my coach, if he’s even still available. And almost every run will be a training run. Screwing around with friends on the mountain, having someone to hang out with once the lifts close… I guess I could do that with the other riders, though that’s not really the same as havingmypeople there.”
“Is that important to you?”
“It didn’t use to be.” He runs a hand through his hair. “It doesn’t matter, though. It’s not like people can drop what they’re doing and follow me around the circuit.”
“Probably not,” I agree with a weak smile. “Maybe they could make a few events, though?”
He chews on his lip, studying me. “Would you?”
“Would I come to your events?” I feel my eyes grow wide. Though I’m flattered he’d even ask—okay, more like giddy—that’s a dangerous road. Even more dangerous than pursuing this…attraction, while he’s still figuring things out. “You can’t make your decision based on that.”
“I’m not.” He sounds so confident I’m tempted to believe him. “I’m just curious. Axel, Lennon’s boyfriend, still competes on the motocross circuit, and sometimes he goes to watch. They make it work even though he travels.”
Oh wow. Is he suggesting what I think he is?
“You want this to be something?” I bite my lip to keep my smile in check.
His gaze falls to his lap as he speaks in a softer than usual voice. “I’m saying I don’t want this to end before it starts. If I’m not here it can’tstart,” his eyes find mine, “unless maybe you’re willing to come see me?”
Inhaling deeply, I take a second to choose my words since the wrong ones could erase all the progress we’ve made. “Being willing to come see you and being able to do it are two different things. I’d be very willing.”
“But not able,” he interrupts. “Not with this job, anyway.”
“I don’t know the answer to that,” I say softly. “If I’d been here longer, had things more established, I could probably afford to take some time off without risking my position. If I were to take time off now… I don’t know what Carter would say.”
“So, that’s a no.”
