“I love him too,” is all I can get out.
Jay is slightly bigger than Ryder; there’s not much in it, but he’s covered in tattoos, which makes him lookvery intimidating. He has his own shop, and I’ve spent more than a few hours tracing over Ryder’s tattoos, and I know Jay has done them all.
“I… um… I like Ryder’s tattoos,” I say in the end, trying to strike up something we have in common, and he just replies with.
“Thanks.”
I sigh and watch them line up for the race. After the starting straight, there’s a bottleneck that heads down to a sharp berm, a row of whoops and then a large tabletop jump before back to another tight bend, then another, more whoops and a double before a fast straight into a large berm, then back to the start.
Ryder pulls off strong. He’s in fifth, but as he gets towards the bottleneck, he accelerates instead of breaking and squeezes forward. I grin. He watches every move everyone makes and knows when to take chances. This is my first time watching him in a proper race. When you’re a competitor, it’s hard to see what others are doing and how they’re doing it. He does his signature dig and turns to cut another place. He’s now in third, and I know he won’t be happy settling for that, so he throttles it and hits the top of every whoop perfectly, sailing over them and up to the double jump. He clears a good fifteen feet before he slams back down. The second he does, he’s on the accelerator again, tight around the berm, then flips and tight around the second. I can’t help but grin as he passes us. I can see why they chose him. He’s unstoppable. He manages to pull into second the next lap just before the finish line. He’s a fucking beast out there, and I now understand why I never stood a chance.
He comes over when we arrive back at the awning and gives everyone a hug. There’s another racetomorrow, but he’s done for the day. His family go to leave for the night. I’m confused. “Aren’t you all staying for tomorrow?”
His mum shakes her head. "It’s only an hour and a half away, so we’re heading home and then back in the morning.”
“Just wait a minute before you leave.” I pull out my phone and make a call. When I walk back over to them, I have a massive smile on my face.
“I just called the hotel. There are a few rooms left if you want to stay. I would love to take you all out for dinner, if you’d like?”
“We can’t accept that. That’s too much, Archibald, but thank you.”
“Please, I insist. I would love to get to know you all more.”
Jay huffs. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I got you a room, too, Jay. Would you like to stay?”
I know he doesn’t really like me, but I’m trying. And this is something I can actually do. He nods, but I don’t miss the look he gives me.
We head back to our room in the hotel, and I can’t wait to spend some time with Ryder. My phone rings as we enter the lobby. “It’s my parents.”
I nod outside as I leave to take it while they head up to their rooms. I’m pissed, as they give me a berating for not being home since I was the one who wanted to see them, and they’re home a day early, apparently. When I argue they’re actually a week late, I get another berating. I’m so fucking sick and tired of their bullshit. I wish I could just walk away and have the life I want with Ryder. I sigh, hang up and head up to the room. The only thing I want right now is for my boyfriend to buryhimself as far inside me as he can. I crave his touch, his smell that encompasses me, but mostly, all I crave is him. But when I get there, Jay’s lying on the bed, and Ryder’s in a towel. Water slicks down his body. Jay’s eyes never veer from Ryder’s as I walk in. They’re talking about something, but I just want to be with my man.
Jay sits up and crosses his legs, tapping the bed beside him, and I take a seat. They’re talking so animatedly about this new piece Jay has been working on for Ryder.
“You’re getting a new tattoo?” I ask. He hasn’t said anything about a new tattoo, but I suppose it’s a regular thing for him.
“Yup,” Jay says smugly, and Ryder turns to me and shakes his head.
“I saw that!” Jay points at Ryder.
“I am not having your fucking face tattooed on me, Jay. I love you, but no, that ugly mug ain’t coming nowhere near my work of art body.”
My face scrunches up, and Jay shoves me off the bed, and I land with a thump on my arse.
“Just think, if I convince him to do it, while he fucks you, it will be my face staring back at you.” Jay laughs.
Ryder swats Jay's arm. “I am not having your face tattooed on me, period.”
Jay just laughs. “We’ll see.” I climb up from the floor and sit back down again, and it feels… nice. Strange, but nice.
I wish I had a friendship with someone like they do.
I head to the shower while I leave them talking. I’m kind of miffed that Jay’s here, cock blocking me, but I know they’re excited about everything. I just wish I hada night to myself with my boyfriend. Then I sigh, as I could have had that, but I was trying to be nice, and then I sigh again, remembering that I said we would all go for dinner. I’m such a dick. I’ve only got myself to blame, and as I think that, the bathroom door clicks open, and I turn to see Ryder standing there, biting his lip.
“Room for a little one?” He cocks a sparkling gaze at me, and I look him up and down, laughing.
“There’s nothing little about you.”
