“Just let me know the next one and I’ll be there,” I reply to both of them.
“It’s normally a huge day. Loads of fun. You get back to the hotel aching.”
“How often do you all do these days?”
“As much as we can, and if the schedule permits. And if the tracks are available when we are around. So both go-karts and motocross. It goes both ways.”
“I’m sure it would be great fun for a birthday with everyone, too? You’re the type to have an insanely competitive go-kart birthday party.”
“Hell yeah. Hang out with us more and we’ll get that competitive streak out of you.”
“I don’t think I have a competitive streak.”
“Hmmm, bet you do. I just have to find what brings it out.”
17
Riley
NSW – One Raceway, New South Wales
Mabel lies facing me. Fully dressed in pajamas that hug her body. The material is soft as I brush my fingers along her thigh, my other arm under her neck, her loose hair grazing my forearm. Her hands run along my tattoo chest piece, tracing the conglomerate of images. Skulls, flora, and fauna that mean something to me. I feel her get to a particular part of my chest and trace around the small cockatoo I have on my left pec.
“A cockatoo because you are as unhinged as a one?”
Softly laughing, I say, “Sort of. Kiara and I had matching ones in the same place. We had cockatoos hanging around the farm all the time. Became something we both associated with our childhood.”
She presses her palm over the cockatoo, over my heart. “I love that.”
I smile and reach for her, snaking my hand between her legs and grabbing her lower back from there to drag her into me. Her leg slips over my hip, my face meeting her collarbone so I can feel enveloped by her presence. I smell her scent of berries as her elbows rest on my shoulders, her fingers playing in my hair.
I kiss her where my face is, and my hand moves from between her legs up under the back of her shirt, gripping her close to me. Delighting in the feeling of her skin under my palm as I press her in. Her fingers grab my hair as I keep kissing her collarbone, neck, and chest. Whatever I can reach while embracing her body tightly. She moves her head to meet my lips, kissing urgent and possessive, tongues invading mouths. Our bodies melt into each other. My hand under her shirt moves to her waist, the delicate skin smooth as I clutch her side. She sighs in my mouth. This doesn’t have to progress to sex; I am so into this moment. Being here with her. Touching her. Enjoying the intimacy.
My hand rolls down her side to her leg, gripping her on the way down.
As fevered as the kissing started, it slows down of its own volition. Her fingers’ intense grip loosens to brushing them through my hair. Our kisses move to reserved and less demanding.
“I really don’t want to leave,” Muttering when my forehead falls to her shoulder, her chin resting on the top of my head. I love this moment, this contentment with her. I want to stay here forever.
“Do you need to leave?”
“Fleur is in the hotel room a few doors down. She might figure out I am not back and we’ll get found out.”
“Fair call.”
I stay put, my arms still around her. My brain knows I should leave, but my body doesn’t want to comply. She also hasn’tloosened her grip on me, instead moving to twirl my hair in her fingers.
“If you keep doing that, I’ll fall asleep,” I mutter.
“I know. Rumours will start flying, right?” she replies, hearing the smile on her lips.
And I stay, because fuck it.
Fleur texted the group first thing in the morning, putting out last-minute feelers for who would like to head to the motocross track today. Wanting to get Mabel out to have some fun sounded like a great idea, but seeing how I fell asleep in Mabel’s hotel room next door to mine, I need to sneak back without Fleur opening her door and catching me out.
Making it next door, I slip in without running into anyone.
Before I make it to the shower, there is a knock at my bedroom door.
