Rayna looks at me with a mock annoyed look on her face before standing up and peeking out her open window that overlooks pit lane.
“Hello, everyone. Have you misplaced some engines?” she teases, looking down at Riley, Javi, Fleur, and Cole, all on BMX bikes. Otto sits patiently by Cole’s side.
“You are a riot, Rayna! Is Mabel up there? Can she come out to play?” Riley jests.
“How about it? Do you want to go hang with the cool kids?” Rayna smirks at me.
“Tell them I’ll be down in a moment.” I laugh and collect my things.
“Leave your stuff here. I’ll be around for a while.”
“Bring her back by curfew!” Rayna shouts out as I exit her office and go down the stairs.
As I make my way into pit lane, Riley is on his BMX and the others are further behind, chatting amongst themselves.
“Hey,” Riley greets with a nod. His wrists rests on the handlebar grips as he balances on the bike with one leg down, his black hoodie engulfing his frame. Has he always looked this…cuddly?
“Hey,” I reply, tucking some escaped hair behind my ear.
“We're just heading for a few laps around the track. Thought you might like to join us.”
Looking between the bikes, I note there are four bikes and five riders. “Where’s the fifth bike or am I riding on your lap?”Shit!
Riley side-steps my faux-pas and throws a thumb backwards. “Cole is running with Otto.”
“Got that all worked out neatly.”
“Absolutely. Now come on, we’re burning daylight.”
I swap with Cole and he takes off with Otto chasing behind him; Javi and Fleur pedal behind them. Riley and I are a little slower at the back of the pack.
“What have you been up to today?” I ask.
“You know, the regular. Training, meetings, promos. How’s your day been?”
“Great! Firmed up the next month of Javi’s commitments. Now that I have a handle on everything, Rayna’s said I can work in the hotel most of the time.”
“That’s great! Been getting lonely on my own.” He smiles, looking down to the track.
My face heats. Two months of sharing a space and hanging out has definitely put him in another light. He’s sweet and caring. Funny and kind. I’m really enjoying his company. Watching him compete has done things for me. Not to mention the sex dreams I’ve been having lately involving him have not helped me stop thinking about him in that light. Feeling the blood drain from my face thinking about last night’s dream, I try to distract myself. Reality check—I can’t let myself get swept up in his kindness and caring ways. I can’t hurt him.
“Are you looking forward to this weekend’s race? Prepared to go from third to first?”
“Yes. I know where I can improve on from last race’s fourth.” His voice is determined, focused.
“That’s great,” I reply, trying to keep my eyes ahead of me, but his face draws me in and I keep veering my bike towards him.
“You never mentioned you were bad at riding a pushy,” he teases after the eighth time I almost run into his front tyre.
“Sorry, little distracted.” And I vow to myself to keep my eyes forward as a shiver shutters down my spine.
“Cold?” he asks, noticing everything.
“A little. Wasn’t expecting to be out of the office and on track this morning when I left.”
Riley stops and places his legs on the track as he crosses his arms over his torso and lifts off his hoodie. His tee catches in his hoodie, exposing the ripples of his abs before the tee falls back in place, hiding his stomach from my thirsty eyes.
He hands the hoodie to me while I am in my own head. I take it with a weak, “Thanks.”
