Luckily, it did not take much time to revise the document. The shuttle noise definitely impacted our productivity levels.
“Amazing. I’ll send this off and I’ll see you down in the bar.” Rayna encourages me out the door.
Standing in the long hallway, my laptop in my arms, I head to my room to drop it off. Riley should be down in the bar by now with his friends. What I wouldn’t give to be alone with him right now. No, I can’t be alone with him. Not with these thoughts swirling in my mind. He’s been so kind to me. I can’t misreadtoo much into the small things. He’s just being nice. I pull my room key out of my pocket and swipe in to the room. The common area lights are on. It’s quiet, but I hear rustling and a “Hey!” from the kitchen direction over my shoulder. Turning around, I am gobsmacked.
13
Riley
May - The Bend – South Australia
The team departs from the shuttle and spills into the hotel foyer. Our shuttle was the first to leave the track, so I have time until Mabel arrives. A shower is on the cards after a brutal day, with the sun helping me drench my leathers. I’m surprised anyone could sit next to me on the bus and not puke. The shower is a rewarding alleviation to the stresses of the day as the water drips down my body and cools me. I’m relaxed after several moments. I know I didn’t drink enough water today, and I resolve to set up an electrolyte drink as soon as I’m done in the shower. Tonight won’t be a messy night; it's still only the start of the season, but if I don’t hydrate, it’ll be a disaster of muscle cramps and stiffness. I pick up my body wash and…it’s empty.Crap!I roll my eyes at my fuck up. How did I forget to buy body wash?!
A bright red bottle catches my eye. I pick it up and pop the lid, inhaling the scent of berries. Lathering myself up, Mabel is all I smell, dancing on the steam of the shower. Closing my eyes, she is all I see, smiling back at me. The month away from each other really amped up my feelings towards her. The times we had to separate and go to our own rooms was a really lousy feeling. I missed her. Ached for her to be in the same space asme, to see her stuff lying around the place. Enjoying the silence between us sitting on the lounge watching TV or her working. Or having long discussions about important or trivial topics. But we have been in the same hotel room together for a week and I am walking on air.
I rinse off, not wanting to dwell too much on those thoughts right now, and shut the water off. I debate if I quickly make the electrolyte drink now so it’s ready once I’m dressed or after I’m dressed, but then bargain to myself that if Mabel isn’t here, I’ll make it. If she’s here, run into my room and change, then make the drink.
Wrapping the towel around my hips, I peek my head out the bathroom door. “Mabel?” I call out, waiting for a reply. None, brilliant. I quickly step over to the kitchen and pop two dissolvable tablets into a glass of water. The packet slips from my butter fingers to the floor. Bending down to pick it up, my towel slips to the floor.Shit!
I pick it up and rearrange it as the door opens.That was a close one.
“Hey!” I reply, death gripping my towel and waving with my free hand.
Mabel scans the room and lands on me in the kitchen. “Hello.”
She notices me in the towel, staring at me for several solid moments before looking away, blushing. “Sorry, I wanted to drop my stuff off before heading down,” she says as she places her laptop and extra devices on the dining table.
“No problem. I won’t be long. We can head down together?”
“Sure.” She looks back at me, biting her lip. I raise my eyes to the ceiling. I can’t see that.
My room is beyond Mabel, so I have to pass her to get dressed.
“Hey, congrats again. You did really well.” She draws my eyes back to her, opening her arms as I get closer into her space. Her arms circle around my bare waist and my arm encases her at the shoulders. I feel her breath across my chest, her breasts pushing against me, and my heart quickens.
We part slowly and stare at each other. Captured in a stronghold. A dare to see who can look away first, if we want to at all. Her hands have moved to my biceps and my hand is on her shoulder. There are no words, nothing that needs to be said. There is a comfortableness and calmness between us that I cannot explain. I want to lean down and kiss her, but I don’t know where she’s at. Is it the adrenaline of winning kicking in? Am I being a creep by looking too far into this friendship?
I go to step back, but her fingers grip me tighter, encouraging me to stay close.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” I start.
“It’s okay...” she trails off. Her eyes stay looking into mine and I am at peace.
My hand moves slowly up her neck to cup her jaw. Her pulse quickens under my hand and her pupils dilate. I don’t want to do anything to risk losing her. “Can I kiss you?”
Her breath hitches, and she nods, her fingers on my biceps pulling me closer.
My lips meet hers in a tentative and restrained way. I don’t want to put her off, she may not be as into this as I am. But she surprises me and pushes the pace deeper, quicker. Both my hands move in her hair and hers are on my shoulders, gripping me like she wants to climb me. I know it’s just kissing, but it’s fucking mind-bending because it’s with her. My hands move to her back and I pull her into me, relishing her arms now around my neck. The air is electric around us, thick with want and need. She moans quietly as she pushes against my cock, and I want to hear her do it again. My hands roam down her back, to her ass, and I push her into me again. Another moan, and it’s the sweetest and sexiest thing I have heard. I hoist her up easily, and she wraps her legs around my hips, pushing her against the nearest wall. She moans, louder, along with an “Oh, fuck,” and I am so into it.
“That’s the best fucking noise I have ever heard,” I breathe into her neck as our lips break away. Biting her gently on her neck, she moans again. I groan in response. “Best fucking noise.”
Unceremonious knocking bellows from the door and we both freeze, staring at each other.Were we too loud?Would anyone hear us on the opposite side of the door?The knocking continues. I let Mabel slide down me gently. I look down at my towel tenting over my hard cock, and her eyes follow.
“Maybe I should get the door?” Amusement drips from her voice.
“Good call,” I reply and run into my bedroom.
Closing the door behind me, I pause. Wow, that was absolutely incredible. I can’t believe she kissed me back, wanted to kiss me! Am I completely blind and she was sending me signs all along? I wonder when all this changed for her, when she didn’t just see me as a friend. I know it’s only been a short time since we've known each other, but that felt like pressure-cooked attraction between us.
