When I went back inside, Liv was sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes with her hands. She was naked except for the sheet and her messy hair framed her face perfectly like a halo. “What time is it? I’m so tired,” she asked. “I’m starved.”
I burst out laughing. “You’re adorable,” I told her. Just like that, the bad feeling in my stomach from my awful conversation with Andy was starting to fade. Liv was more than just lucky—being around her was like magic. She always cheered me up, and she could make me feel more confident just by smiling at me. I couldn’t believe that a gorgeous girl like her would want anything to do with me.
“I’m not,” Liv said. She wrinkled her nose. “I hate being called cute.”
“Ah,” I said, climbing next to her in bed and wrapping my arms around her shoulders. “But I didn’t say cute, did I?”
Liv rolled her eyes and we laughed together. “I guess not,” she said. “Everything okay?”
I sighed. “Andy’s pissed,” I said. “I forgot about an interview this morning, and he’s pretty angry.”
“Jake,” Olivia said in mock surprise, lightly whacking me on the shoulder. “That’s terrible! You can’t keep forgetting about your engagements like that.”
“I know,” I said. “Trust me, I know. I’m handling it. There’s something else tomorrow that should be able to make up for today.”
Liv nodded, looking comfortable. She yawned. “I still can’t believe I’m in Paris,” she said slowly. “You know, I always wanted to come here when I was growing up.”
I flopped down on the bed and Liv snuggled up, resting her head on my shoulder.
“Oh yeah?” I closed my eyes, playing with the ends of her long hair. “I didn’t really think about traveling much. I thought I’d be stuck in Oklahoma forever.”
Liv laughed. “Travel was like, all I thought about,” she said. Her voice took on a slow, dreamy quality. “My best friend, Nina, and I had it all planned out. We were going to graduate from high school and backpack across Europe. She was the only other girl I knew in Odessa who didn’t want to stick around and like have babies right away.”
“What happened?”
Liv sighed. “Nina got pregnant when we were seniors and ended up staying,” she said. “She said she felt she had to for the kid.”
“Ah,” I said.
Liv rolled onto her belly. Her warm brown eyes focused on me. “And that’s fine,” she said. “I totally want kids in the future, at least I think I do. But I also wanted a lot of me time, and I wasn’t going to settle for staying in Odessa.”
I nodded. “I get that,” I said. “I just wanted to race. That’s all I ever wanted to do.”
Liv beamed at me. “And look at you now,” she said slowly. “You’re doing it.”
I looked at my feet, humbled by how proud she was of me. “I never thought I’d get the chance.”
“You’re Mr. Famous Fancy Pants Race Car Driver!”
I laughed. “Yeah, maybe not for much longer,” I said. “At least not if Andy has his way.”
She frowned. “Why? What happened?”
I puffed out my cheeks and exhaled forcefully. “I don’t fucking know,” I said, raking a hand through my hair. “I wish I did, Liv. He was so pissed.”
Liv narrowed her eyes and slowly sat up, folding her long legs under her body. “What’s going on? Was he just mad about the interview?”
I shook my head. “That’s part of it, I know, but there’s something else, too. When I told him about those sponsorship offers—damn, it was like that was the worst possible news he could have heard.”
Liv frowned. “But that’s good, right? Doesn’t that mean more fame for you?”
I nodded. “It does,” I said. “But I think that’s why Andy was so angry. He told me I was thinking too much about myself.”
Liv snorted. “Bullshit,” she said. “What are the odds that he’s just jealous of you?”
“I don’t think that’s it.” My stomach had settled but realizing that I had no idea what was going on. “Shit, I really don’t know.”
“What if he doesn’t want you to succeed?” Liv pursed her lips. “Not that I support that or anything,” she added quickly. “But is it possible that he never considered that you might actually get bigger than him and the team?”
“That’s the whole thing, though,” I said, shaking my head in frustration. “I can’t believe Andy wouldn’t want me to succeed.” But even as I spoke, the truth came rushing back to me. Maybe Liv was right—maybe Andy didn’t want me to get very far in the racing world. After all, I thought bitterly as I stared down at my hands. I wasn’t even supposed to be a racer—he hired me as just a mechanic, nothing more. Maybe Andy can’t deal with the idea of having a famous driver, when I wasn’t supposed to amount to anything at all.
The idea made me sick and more than a little angry. It wasn’t fair. I’d worked my ass off for this! And sure, I’d gotten insanely lucky on more than one occasion. But that shouldn’t have anything to do with it. Just because I’d managed to claw my way to the top didn’t mean that I didn’t deserve to be there. After all, I’d won fair and square. I never cheated.
“Hey,” Liv said. She scooted closer and put her hands on my shoulders, tugging me down into bed. I burst out laughing as we tumbled over each other in the giant bed.
“What?” I leaned back, resting my head on her taut stomach. “What’s your brilliant idea this time?”
Liv giggled. “I don’t have one,” she said. Her brown eyes were so big that I felt like I was about to fall into them and drown. “I just wanted to make you laugh.” She bit her lip and batted her eyelashes at me, managing to look both coy and incredibly sexy at the same time.
I leaned down and kissed her softly, pressing my lips to her. Liv moaned underneath me and shifted her body against mine. She wrapped her long, lean legs around my waist and pulled me close. My heart skipped a beat at the warm touch of her skin. When her tongue danced against mine, my cock stiffened and twitched against my thigh. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her closer than ever, feeding on her open mouth as our kiss grew more intense with each passing second.
“See,” Liv whispered, pulling away and resting her forehead against mine. “This isn’t so bad, is it?”
I snickered. “You wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t famous now,” I teased softly.
Liv snapped her teeth at me, catching my lower lip in her jaws. I groaned as she licked the tender skin before gently sucking on my lip.
“That’s not fair,” Liv said coyly. “I liked you before you were famous when you were nothing more than a longshot,” she said softly before kissing me deeply. I twisted my fingers in Liv’s long brown hair and tugged at her scalp until she moaned into my mouth.
“You bet on me before I was famous,” I said, smirking as I pinned Liv down to the bed. She arched her back and moaned as I dipped down and kissed her neck.
“I did,” Liv moaned in a low voice. She grinned. “I liked the way you looked,” she said. “I thought you were cute.”
“Cute?” I growled, sliding my fingers up Liv’s shirt and nipping at her stomach. She yelped in surprise and I slid one hand lower, until it was resting on her lower belly.
“Yeah,” Liv said in a breathy voice. “I thought you were cute. Now, I just think you’re sexy.”
I snickered. “I can deal with that,” I said. Liv’s taut stomach quivered and shook at my touch and I dipped my face to her belly button, licking the salty skin with the tip of my tongue. Liv moaned, tightening the grip of her thighs around my waist. My cock was throbbing and I was dying to tear her clothes off and fuck her senseless, but teasing her like this was too much fun.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Andy’s angry words came thundering back to me. If you’re not there, you’re fired.
I tensed and stiffened. Liv sat up and pushed her bangs out of her eyes, looking at me with concern.
“Jake? What’s wrong?”
I sighed. �
�Nothing,” I said. I leaned down and kissed her forcefully, willing my passion and lust to return. But my cock was already softening against my thigh, and the lure of Liv’s kisses just didn’t have the same thrill they’d given me a minute ago.
I rolled away from Liv and sat up. “Sorry,” I said.
Liv nodded. She looked hurt, but she didn’t say anything.
“I really am sorry,” I said again, feeling like an idiot. “It’s not you, okay? It’s just something Andy said to me on the phone.”
Liv nodded, her features darkening like a sky filling with clouds. “It’s okay,” she said softly. “Don’t worry about it.”
Chapter Six
Olivia
Paris was great. So was Amsterdam. Rio de Janeiro, and Brussels were fantastic too. I’d never imagined South America could be as cultured as Europe, but spending time with Jake was teaching me a lot of things that I never would have guessed before.
Munich was okay—as a rule, I liked the beer but wasn’t fond of the pork and potatoes. But I liked the scenery, and Jake won every single race while we were there. I came away from the race track there with twenty thousand dollars…most of which Jake and I blew on a little weekend getaway to the Swiss Alps, where we lived like royalty in a beautiful chateau that was hundreds of years old.
Before I’d met Jake, I’d had no idea how easy it would be to blow thousands of dollars in such a short amount of time. I’d never had that kind of money before and I never knew anyone who did. I’d always had a little extra cash to play with after paying the bills, but it never led to anything more extravagant than Chinese takeout and maybe a movie on the weekends.
But now, Jake and I were back in the states. We were in Dallas, Texas—home turf of the Laconick team. The team, was participating in a race that was designed as a charity benefit. Jake told me how much fun I’d have, and honestly, I couldn’t wait. It had been a long time since I’d been around native English speakers, and while I’d loved Europe, it felt good to be back home in my own country.
“I can’t believe we’re back here,” I said as I opened my suitcase and pulled out a long golden gown that was covered in sequins—I’d bought it because Jake said it made me look like a movie star.
“I can,” Jake said. He snickered. “Dallas was the place to go on the weekends when I was growing up,” he said. “There was nothing like it in Oklahoma.” He studied his reflection in the vanity mirror. “How do I look?”
I glanced over. He was wearing a perfectly-cut black suit and he looked gorgeous.
“Talk about hot hunks to die for,” I said, walking over and draping my arms around his neck. “We’re gonna be the most gorgeous couple at that party.”
Jake turned around in my arms and pressed his forehead to mine. “What? There are going to be other couples there too?” he joked.
I giggled. “You’re so corny,” I said softly. Jake leaned in close and pressed his lips to mine. I purred softly—there was something about the way he always nipped at my lower lip made me so aroused that I could hardly stand it.
“You love it,” Jake teased. He winked and I melted at the boyishly charming smile on his face. “Come on,” he added, glancing down at his phone. “It’s almost seven. We’re gonna be late.”
As we left the hotel suite, Jake extended his arm and I accepted. By now, I was used to the stares we inevitably attracted whenever we went someplace new. Jake was turning into someone, really someone—and I’d been dubbed his “ladylove,” his “good luck charm,” and my personal favorite: his “gorgeous girl.”
A limo was waiting outside of the hotel and it zipped us over to the charity venue in no time. The races were tomorrow—but tonight, it was our time to shine among the drivers of Laconick and their wives and girlfriends. By now, Jake and I had been traveling together for about four months, and I still had yet to meet any of his teammates. I’d always been interested in getting introduced, but Jake always found an excuse for us not to.
“I can’t wait to meet some of the other guys,” I told Jake as we walked arm-in-arm into the ballroom. It was decorated in lots of gaudy gold and black spangles, as well as giant ice sculptures shaped like race cars.
“Why?” Jake raised an eyebrow. “I’m the best looking, so don’t think you’re going for an upgrade.”
I burst out laughing. “And why would I want to do that?” I squeezed his hand. “Besides, it wouldn’t work. I’m your good luck charm. I don’t think I’d be as lucky for other guys.”
Jake nodded. He smiled stiffly, then guided me across the floor toward another young couple.
“Jacob Teller! I’ll be God damned!” A man in a tacky white suit swooped down and pulled Jake away from me, pulling him into one of those manly half-hugs that guys always do when women are watching.
Jake snickered and pulled away. “Skip, this is Olivia,” he said, gesturing towards me. “She’s been with me since Daytona.”
Skip’s eyes went wide with appreciation at the sight of my low-cut gown. His girlfriend’s eyes met mine in a brief, flinty second as Skip pulled me into an embrace that was a little too intimate for two people just meeting. As we pulled away, I caught a whiff of whiskey on Skip’s breath.
“Pleased,” I said, turning my attention to the girl. I could feel her eyes boring into me and I knew I had to do some damage control if I wanted to make it out of this party with my hair extensions intact.
“I’m Caterina,” she said in a simpering voice. “Skip’s fiancée.”
“Oh, that’s fantastic,” I said, forcing a smiling. “So nice to meet you.”
Caterina extended her hand and gave me one of those limp, debutante handshakes. A dead fish would have more charisma, I thought as I pumped her delicate hand through the air.
“Hey Caterina, nice to see you again,” Jake said softly. He winked at Caterina and kissed the back of her hand just like he kissed mine the first time we met. A brief flash of jealousy shot through me.
“Jacob, man, we gotta catch up,” Skip hollered. He threw an arm around Jake’s shoulders. “Come on, shots for everyone!” As he guided Jake away, he glanced back over his shoulder at me. “You girls comin’?”
Caterina smiled unpleasantly. “Thanks, but I’ll stick with the champagne,” she said dryly.
Jake and Skip disappeared before I had the chance to ask Jake to bring me a drink.
I smiled awkwardly, wondering if it had been Jake’s plan to ditch me all along.
“So,” Caterina said. “How do you know Jake?”
“We met in Daytona,” I said, standing up on my tiptoes and peering around for Jake.
“Oh,” Caterina said. She sounded bored. “Did someone introduce you?”
“No,” I said casually. “I bet on him. I won and decided that since it was such a tough bet, I had to find him and thank him for winning.”
Caterina gave me a look that managed to be both smug and horrified. “What?”
“I bet on him,” I repeated. Sweat dripped down the back of my neck and I was suddenly aware of how uncomfortably tight my gown was pinching around the waist.
“Like, as a joke?”
“Not really.” I forced a smile. “I mean, I guess it was funny. But I was kind of desperate at the time.”
Caterina raised her eyebrows. “Oh?”
Internally, I groaned. I knew I’d dug myself into a situation that I couldn’t get out of easily.
“I’m gonna go look for Jake,” I said, flashing a fake smile. “It’s been nice chatting with you.”
“It won’t last,” Caterina called after me.
I spun on one golden heel and turned back around to face her. “Excuse me?”
“It won’t last,” Caterina repeated. She smiled. “Jake won’t stay with someone like you.”
“What?” My jaw dropped. “What the fuck does that even mean?”
Caterina giggled, covering her pink-painted mouth with one dainty hand. “I mean, you’re obviously not a good match now that he’s getting so f
amous and rich,” she added, dripping sarcasm on the last word.
“I don’t see what that has to do with it,” I said airily.
“You’ll figure it out,” Caterina said tartly. She walked past, shoving me with her shoulder as she moved. “Trust me, I’ve known Jake a lot longer than you have.”
Fucking bitch, I thought as I watched her heart-shaped ass wiggle away. She doesn’t know me. Just because she’s some dumb southern belle doesn’t mean she knows I don’t belong with Jake.
But as the night wore on and I watched more and more couples appear, I started to feel the slightest trace of doubt worming its way into my heart. All of the girls were like Caterina—obviously well-bred girls poured into silk gowns. You know the kind, prissy uptight little sorority bitches, who never drank too much. I groaned as I thought back to how I’d partied with Jake—tossing back tequila shots like I was one of the boys.
No matter how much I hated to admit it, Caterina had a point. I wasn’t like the other girls. Even if their skin and hair was as different as the colors of the rainbow, they were all the same. They were polite in a weird snooty kind of way, like bitches with fangs, who would bite if you weren’t careful. They were all obviously well-off, apart from their boyfriends, fiancés or husbands.
It took almost another hour for me to find Jake, and another hour after that to convince him to walk away from Skip. By the time I got Jake alone, I could tell that he was loose and relaxed from the alcohol.
“What’s your deal tonight?” Jake squinted at me as we stood on the balcony. A surprisingly chill wind blew over us and I shivered, wrapping my hands around my bare arms. I thought Jake was going to offer me his jacket, but instead he ran a hand through his messy blonde hair and leaned against the wall.
“I don’t feel well,” I said. I didn’t want to bring up what Caterina had said, at least not now.
“Well, cheer up,” Jake said. He took a long swig from his cocktail glass. “This is a great party.”
Heart Racer: A Billionaire Love Story Page 5
