by Paige Steele
I believe she just put me in my place, but I will continue with the little innuendos here and there. I want her. I know she feels the same way, but I’m also not blind as to what she’s been through, so I’ll tread carefully.
It’s been a month and I’ve finally closed on my house today. Not sure what the hell I was thinking though, buying a house at the same time that the Supercross season was ready to start wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done. Thank goodness, the first few races are here in California, so there’s no traveling to do, but I do have press days that I need to be ready for on Fridays. My routine has been the same for the past couple of weeks. Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, I’d pack up my stuff from the team house in the morning, followed by a workout. The afternoons I’ve spent at the practice track with the team and my mechanic. Then I’d take a long bike ride with my trainer at night. Wednesdays and Thursdays have been strictly workout and ride days, while Fridays I’ve just busted my ass in the home gym before heading to the race.
It’s amazing all the stuff I’ve accumulated over the last five years of living here. I didn’t realize I saved everything: all the magazines I’ve been in or on, along with brochures, posters, and any other promotional items I’ve had the pleasure of doing. They’ve all been stored in my room. Now they’re in boxes on the floor of my soon to be living room.
Maddie and Josie went with me to pick out my kitchen barstools, a dining room table and chairs, along with the couches and recliner, for my living room. The two of them shopping together should never be allowed. They had me so confused about what matched what, and why I couldn’t buy this over that, which made me want to throw my black card at them and walk out, but I was afraid I’d end up with hot pink everywhere in my house.
Ansley and Kenna offered to go small appliance shopping with me. I thought, okay perfect, they own houses already so they’ll know exactly what I need. This shouldn’t take long at all, right? But shopping with those two included hearing what they have liked and what they hadn’t liked about this toaster, that coffee pot, and those utensils. So that eight-hour day was spent walking around in circles, until finally I just sat on a bench and let them bring whatever they thought I’d need to the register. After they piled up things nice and tall, we cashed out and packed the back of my truck.
I decided today to be a little sneaky and tease Maddie, just a bit more, so I’ve asked her to go help me decide on a couple more things I need for the house. Without hesitation she was on board. It wasn’t until we pulled into the parking lot to the store, Beds and More, that I saw her eyes narrow at me.
“What?” Trying to act innocent is difficult when I see the creeping of the color red in her cheeks.
“You know exactly what, Mister!”
“I need help picking out the right bedding to go with my new king-sized, comfy bed. So I thought I’d ask you.” I chuckle at her expression.
“Hmm, hmm. Let’s go.”
I’m heading around the truck when she hops down.
“I could have gotten that for you.” Now I narrow my eyes at her.
“And I can open my own door and get out.” She smiles back.
I let it go…honestly it’s not worth the argument. But I wish she wouldn’t be so damn independent. I want to treat her like she deserves to be treated, but she’s so used to being shit on that she doesn’t even know a real man opens the damn door for a lady.
I get to the front of the store first and grab the handle before she can reach out for it. Smirking at her, I swing it open.
“Smart-ass,” she says, as she looks up at me and passes by.
“No, Cupcake, just trying to be a gentleman.”
She smiles over her shoulder at me and keeps walking.
We stroll around for a little bit before she reaches forward and says, “This is it. Do you like it? I think it’d look perfect in your room.”
“If you think it’s perfect then I’ll take it.”
“Are you sure? I mean, you don’t have to get it just because I love it.”
Little did she know, I instantly pictured her newly darkened hair spread across the deep color red that she picked out. The sheet set color with the charcoal grey comforter and matching pillow shams actually looked great together.
“I’m sure.” I nod over to the saleslady to let her know I’m all set.
“Well, that was easy.”
“Yes, I agree. A lot easier than it was shopping for the entire rest of the house.” I chuckle at her.
“What do you mean? I thought it was fun picking out your furniture, and I know Ansley and Kenna had a good time with you, too.”
“All you ladies are crazy when it comes to deciding what to buy.”
“No, we are passionate, that’s all.”
“If you say so.” We both let out a laugh.
Tonight Jesse and I will be meeting for our weekly dinner date, and it’s the first one we’ve had in a couple weeks. Between his move and my work schedule, it’s been a bit crazy around here. I just got back late last night from doing a promotional shoot for the new bikini line for Hyped Energy. They flew Josie, Kenna, and I to Mexico for three days. The weather was beautiful, and we had a great time goofing around on the beach, while we posed for picture after picture.
If I’m being honest, I’ve missed Jesse and his flirting. All while arranging furniture and decorating his new place, I felt like he was holding back slightly. It’s like he doesn’t want to push me or cross the line before I’m ready, but I think I need to be pushed. I don’t want to dive in at a speed of a hundred and ten, but I’d like to at least cruise at the local speed limit of sixty-five. So maybe I need to encourage it a little, here goes nothing…
I walk in wearing my hair up in a clip, giving me the messy but sexy updo look. My make-up is tastefully done, yet enough to accent my features perfectly. I’ve thrown on my pale yellow sundress with tiny white daisies, matching it my brown cowboy boots. The neckline on my dress allows just the right amount of cleavage to show, and it’s long enough not to give too much away, but short enough to expose my thigh and catch his eye.
He’s not facing me so he doesn’t see me walking up behind him. He’s watching something on the TV and tipping his beer back when I reach him.
“Hey there, sexy, got one of those for me?” I whisper closely to his ear, while resting my hands on his shoulders.
“Only if you look as good as you sound.”
“I might, but maybe you should turn around and see for yourself?”
He turns in his seat and lets out a low whistle, while his eyes rake over my body, head to toe and back up again.
Standing, he pulls me into a hug, his entire body engulfs me as his arms circle around my shoulders. Leaning down, he places a tender kiss to my cheek and I can’t help but close my eyes, taking in his scent.
I feel his breath against my ear as he says, “Damn, Cupcake I didn’t think you could get much hotter.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. You don’t even want to know what I’m thinking right now. You may run.”
“Maybe I do.”
He pulls back slightly and looks straight at me, like whatever he’s going to say, he wants to see my reaction to it.
“I want to take your hair out of that clip, run my hands through it, and kiss you.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“Are you ready for that?”
“I think so.”
“I need you to be absolutely sure because once I get a taste of you, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop.”
“Oh…” God, he’s extremely sexy when he puts a little growl to his words. I suck in a breath and let it out slowly.
“Did I just scare you?”
“Not at all.” I lean up against him on my tiptoes, I place a tiny kiss to his lips. Now his eyes are the ones closing, while a groan escapes his throat.
“Not nice, not nice at all.”
I giggle at him.
“So, we having the usual?” I s
ay, while I hop up on the stool. He throws his head back and makes another sound that lets me know I affect him just as much as he does me.
“Yeah, the usual.”
JESSE
Waking up on this Friday morning, I’m ready to catch my flight to Phoenix, Arizona, and I’m ready to race this weekend. There is a bunch of us that will take this hour and half, direct flight together. We all chose to leave first thing this morning, instead of yesterday, because Ansley can’t fly and Cooper is having a hard time leaving her at home and pregnant. His parents flew in and will stay at the house with her while we are racing. He’s taking a flight right back home, immediately following the race on Saturday night. His father is keeping a jet there, waiting for him, so when he’s ready to go, the plane will be ready as well.
I swing by and pick up Josie and Maddie, at their place, on my way to the airport. Ryan and Kenna are meeting us there, as well as Trey, Cole, and Adam. With the Supercross season in full swing, they need to be there for the entertainment that takes place at the pit party before qualifying practices happen, and then again during the pre-race show. I will never understand how Trey and Cole flip dirt bikes around like they weigh nothing. They have mad talent. And the speed and tricks that Adam does on the BMX bike is just as impressive. All three of them are good guys to hang with.
I honk the horn before I jump out and open the tailgate for the girls’ bags. Walking over to the side, I open the passenger side door and the one for the backseat. Having a crew cab certainly comes in handy at times.
“You know what they say about a horn being blown…” Josie says with laughter, as they both come out of the apartment.
“Do I dare ask?” I chuckle back at her.
“No, you don’t,” Maddie says rolling her eyes and giggling, as I reach for their bags they are pulling behind them.
“The horn blows, how about the driver?” Josie smirks at me.
“Really, that’s what they say, huh?” Raising my eyebrows, I look over at Maddie as she just shakes her head back and forth.
“Don’t look at me, I told you not to ask,” she says, as she climbs up in the truck.
Chuckling at her expression and comment, I shut the tailgate up before taking my seat behind the wheel. The three of us chat about the race and what they’ll be doing during it all. Maddie is holding the thirty second board this week, and I slightly growl at the thought of seeing her in front of me before I hit the throttle. My focus has to be on the board and not on the skirt she’ll be wearing as she stands there shaking her hips back and forth.
We park and make our way to our gate. Everyone is seated together, and of course we are the loudest ones in the airport, I think. The girls are all noticed by men as they gather in a circle, with their matching leggings and shirts. Hyped Energy is written down one side of their entire leg, making their appearance almost impossible to miss. Hell, I’ve been admiring Maddie’s ass the entire time I walked behind her through the airport. Each one of us guys is dressed basically alike: jeans, one of our sponsors’ t-shirts, and a team ball cap. Unless you follow racing, we probably look like nothing more than a fan of the sport and of the ladies we’re with.
“Can I have your autograph?” One little boy looks up at Cooper and asks.
“Absolutely, bud,” he says and bends over, taking the Sharpie from his hand. Once Cooper signs his Fox racing shirt, the little guy is beaming with pride, but probably not as much as Cooper is. He loves seeing the smiles it brings to their faces.
As we are ready to board the plane, I make a point to walk over to Maddie in line. I have every intention of her sitting next to me.
“Sit with me.” It’s not a question but more of a statement. I can only try and make my intentions known with words, since showing her is off the table…for now.
“I was going to sit with Josie.”
“I think she’ll be okay,” I nod my head in her direction.
She glances over to see Josie eating up the attention she’s receiving from Adam, Cole, and Trey. Those boys are going to be fighting over her at some point, guaranteed.
“Okay, I guess.”
“What’s your hesitation, Cupcake?”
“You and your charm.”
“Ha, ha. What?”
“You know what I’m talking about. You’re hard to resist.”
“This coming from the girl who placed her lips against mine and made me gather all my strength not to react,” I say, as one of my hands glides across her back, landing on her waist. I give it a light squeeze, while leading her toward the lady at the ticket stand. She just giggles and looks over her shoulder at me.
Everyone is already checked in and walking down the ramp toward the entryway to the plane, when our tickets are scanned and handed back to us. As we walk, on the only two seats left in first-class are ours, and they’re the last two in the section. I see Josie wink at Maddie when we pass by, she’s sitting next to Cole, which leaves Trey next to Adam, and of course Ryan with Kenna. As I look over, I notice Cooper is enjoying a row to himself. We pretty much have the entire area to ourselves as there’s one other couple. I let her in first, since she wants to sit next to the window. After settling in, we stow away our bags and buckle our seatbelts, then once in the air, drinks are handed out and a light snack, since it’s a quick flight.
“I forgot to tell you, I’m liking the new color.”
“Color?” She looks confused.
Taking the opportunity that I’m given, I swipe the back of my fingers across her cheek, then tuck a few strands of her hair behind her ear. “Your hair. It looks good.”
“Oh, yeah I kinda forgot I did it, to be honest. I had dark hair back in high school so I decided to go back to it.”
“It looks amazing on you.”
“Thanks.” She smiles brightly over at me.
“So what do they have planned for you ladies this weekend?”
“Ansley set up for us to be at press day, like usual, and then we just have to be at the pits by nine thirty to set up under the tent before they open the gates at eleven. Then we’re done after the race, flying home with you all. And you?”
“Well, for starters, I have press day then I’m racing, and that about sums it up.” I’m hoping to lighten the mood, as much as she’s trying to be herself, it seems like she’s holding back slightly.
“No way, I had no idea. You’re a racer? Are you any good?” She smirks at me, while taking a sip of the mimosa she ordered.
“Yeah, I’ve been told I’m pretty good.” I wink back at her.
“Just pretty good, huh?”
I lift the armrest that separates our seats, leaning over I whisper, “I guess you’ll have to see for yourself just how good I am.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, really. I’ve got skills others have only dreamed about having.”
She bites her lip, swallows, then closes her eyes. She’s trying to hold back her smile, and I can’t help but to have a big ass grin on my face.
“Cupcake, you’re beautiful when you’re at a loss for words.” I kiss her cheek, sit back in my seat, and continue to smile. Her eyes stay closed for a couple seconds longer before she says anything.
The rest of the flight is spent chatting amongst all of us. Ryan and Cooper give each other shit about the race ahead, while the girls decide what they’d be wearing.
Press day goes as well as to be expected. Smack talk is in full swing, no one holds back as we make our statements to the reporters of exactly the way we feel when we start the bike up and take it to the track. Nothing is off limits when it comes to racing.
There are a few of us riders that are expected to take a few laps around the track, so they can get some footage for the local television stations. Trey, Cole, and Adam show their skills off as well, and again, I shake my head in disbelief at what they do.
After leaving the track, we all decide to grab dinner and call it a night, there’s no time for slacking. We hit up the steakhouse attached to the
hotel, and while all of us guys don’t drink tonight, the ladies are enjoying not one, not two, but three bottles of wine between the three of them. Cooper excuses himself early and heads back to his room after Ansley called. He’s missing her like crazy, and it’s killing him not to be with her. Not sure what they were thinking having a baby during Supercross season, because he may go nuts being away from her. I don’t even want to think about what’s going to happen when they have the little one. Yikes…
“I don’t think I’ve had a chance to tell you, but you look gorgeous tonight, Cupcake,” I talk low enough for her ears only, as she takes a long sip of her wine.
“Mmm, and you smell incredible.” She leans over to my neck and inhales slowly, her lips brush against my skin, and I’m immediately on fire. She’s almost humming as she breathes in.
“Cupcake, you need to stop making that noise or there’s no telling what I might do.”
She turns her face ever so slightly that she’s a mere inches from mine. “No telling, huh?” And she does it again, then glances up through her eyelashes until her eyes find mine.
“Maddie…”
“Jesse…”
“I’m trying to be a nice guy here.”
“You know what they say…nice guys finish last. Tell me, Jesse, do you want to finish last?”
Her eyes are saying more about the meaning behind her question. My forehead drops to hers before I find the words that have escaped me.
“You’re killing me, you know that, right?”
“I guarantee you, I’m not trying to kill you, but I am trying to get you to kiss me. I’m dying to have your lips fully against mine.”
“Geez, you two, get a room,” Josie yells over, breaking the bubble that we’ve been enclosed in.
“I’m trying,” Maddie shouts back, as she drops her head to my shoulder and hugs my arm.
“I bet you are.” Josie is giggling over at the two of us.
Reaching over, my hand covers her, and I place a kiss to the top of her head. I hear her say under her breath, “That’s is not the kinda kiss I was thinking of.”
