by Lindsay Becs
“Yep,” I answer, grabbing my clutch from my bed before walking to follow him out.
When my dad asked that we all go as a family to the IMR banquet, I knew I needed to go with them. A different race team hosts it each year, and this year Royal King is it. It was only fair that the King family all be present and accounted for together.
I hated the crestfallen look on Zander’s face when I told him, but he said he understood. I’ll see him there regardless. At least that’s what I keep telling my disappointed heart.
“You couldn’t have worn a different color?” my mom asks with a quirked brow and a knowing smirk as she takes in my royal-blue dress.
“What? I’m wearing the winning color.” I smile at her.
“Ouch!” I hear my dad say behind me with a laugh.
“Oh, come on, you raced well and should be proud. But Zander showed you up, and you can’t deny that.”
We all climb into the limo, both my parents along with Harry, Ruby and myself. Harry is focused on his phone while Ruby stares out the window. My parents quickly begin acting like their usual selves, not able to keep their hands off each other while the rest of us have to witness it.
Pulling my phone from my clutch, I send Zander a quick text.
Me: I’m wearing your favorite color
Zander: Nude?
I bite back my laugh as I respond.
Me: OK, your 2nd favorite.
Zander: I can’t wait to see you
Me: Almost there
Zander: I’ll be waiting
We arrive a few minutes later to the venue that’s housing the banquet for the night. My dad exits first, followed by my brother while they help us ladies out. It’s the way we’ve been taught and trained to arrive to any event like this for as long as I can remember.
Ruby and I take Harry’s offered arms while we trail behind our parents. We stop to pose for pictures for the press. Some as a family and then us kids are shooed to the side so they can get my parents, who are the real King and queen they want. We kids make our way inside, each going our own separate direction once we’re away from the cameras.
Scanning the crowd, I search for Zander but can’t find him anywhere. Giving up my search, I find our table and sit. I’m sipping on champagne when I feel a warm hand gently squeeze the back of my neck.
“I have missed you more than I should admit,” he whispers in my ear. His hot breath on my cool skin makes goosebumps erupt down my arm.
Turning my head to look back at him, I take in his longer hair, which is slicked back for the night instead of wild around his face or covered in a hat like usual. I stand then and let my eyes peruse over him in a tux. “Fuck, you’re hot, dude,” I admit, making him laugh.
“And you’re beautiful.” Taking my hand in his, he brings it to his lips and places a kiss to my skin. It sets off tingles all over me. I miss his lips and what they can do to my body.
“You’re going to torture me tonight, aren’t you?” I groan.
He smiles wickedly. “I think the torture will be evenly dispersed. Have you seen your tits and ass in this dress? And you’re wearing my color, which is the biggest fucking turn-on of all.”
His eyes roam over my curves and my cleavage before looking back up at my face. Tugging my hand still in his, he pulls me against him, suddenly making me gasp in surprise. His lips go to my ear again, and I close my eyes when I feel his lips there once more. “Do you feel how hard I am for you already? How am I supposed to accept a trophy when my cock is hard as fuck and ready for your pussy?”
I swallow down my lust and want for him as we stand in a crowded room at the table reserved for my family, who could walk up at any moment. Sliding my hand down, I grip him through his pants and hear him growl. “Guess you’ll have to calm that down,” I taunt as I turn my head to look into his eyes.
I let go of him and step away, turning for the bar with a smile of satisfaction on my face.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asks with both amusement and frustration.
“I’m getting another drink. Do you need one to help you… cool down?” I ask, glancing down to where you can see his erection through his pants.
I’m hardly two steps away when I feel him at my back, walking close behind me to conceal himself. I chuckle as we continue our way to the bar. “You think this is funny, don’t you?” he asks behind me.
“Oh, yeah,” I admit when we reach the bar. I take one of the already poured glasses of champagne while Zander orders a beer.
“You just remember who started this little game first,” he tells me before taking a long pull of his beer.
“You did,” I say with a raised brow.
Realization hits him then, and his face falls a little. “Oh, fuck. I’m a stupid man,” he groans, tipping his bottle back and gulping down the rest of its contents. He waves the bartender over again. “I’m gonna need something stronger now. Can I get three fingers of whiskey please?” His drink is poured, and he tips it back to take a sip.
“Three fingers, huh? That’s my favorite too.” He chokes on his drink, making me laugh as I set my now-empty glass down on the bar. “My family just sat down. I need to go sit with them, but I’ll see you later.” I smile and pat his cheek. Walking away, I add a little extra sway to my hips.
10
Zander
I watch Poppy’s luscious ass longer than I should as she walks away before turning back to the bar with a groan. The bartender places a refill down in front of me with a knowing smirk. I nod in appreciation and drop a nice tip for him before making my way to my own table.
I sit through the rest of the night stealing glances at the girl I wish was next to me instead of across the room. Accepting my championship trophy feels bittersweet without being able to thank my biggest supporter. This season wouldn’t have been my best one yet if she hadn’t been there with me. I know that much.
Pulling out my phone, ignoring the awards still being handed out, I text Poppy.
Me: I love that you’re in my color while sitting at a table full of red and black
Soda Pop: I told them I only wear the color of winners
Stifling a laugh from her answer, I swing my eyes to meet hers shining with mischief.
Me: Come home with me tonight
I state it instead of asking and wait while those three dots wave next to her name on and off for the next several minutes.
Soda Pop: Not tonight
Me: Can I see you tomorrow?
Soda Pop: Yes
Satisfied, I pocket my phone with a smile. I can’t wait to leave this banquet because the faster I leave, the faster I can go to sleep knowing that when I wake up, I’ll see her soon after. I’ll get to touch her and kiss her and no one can tell me not to.
One too many hours later, the night is finally over, and I’m free to leave. Heading toward the exit, I walk up to where the King family is standing. Placing my hand on the small of Poppy’s back, she jumps.
“I hope the royal family had a good evening despite not taking the championship this year,” I jest at Benton, who I know will be a good sport. “But at least one King knew who the winner was,” I add, locking eyes with Poppy.
My hand lightly makes its way across Poppy’s exposed back until I’m tracing my fingers dangerously close to her ass, which I wish I could squeeze. Wanting nothing more than to beat my chest and claim her as mine.
“She’s a grown woman, free to support whomever she pleases,” Tatum answers with a tight-lipped smile threatening to show.
“She may be wearing your color tonight, but she knows who the real talent is on the track,” Benton adds.
“She is standing right here,” Poppy deadpans.
“Obviously, that’s why she chose me to train her,” I tell Benton with a smile.
“Okay, enough,” Poppy says, pushing away from me. “Are you two done seeing who can piss a bigger circle around me?”
“Gross,” I hear Ruby mumble while Harry coughs to cover
his laughter.
Leaning into Poppy once more, I kiss her cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I tell her with a wink.
“You’re seeing him tomorrow?” I hear Benton ask, sounding surprised as I turn for the exit. My smile grows bigger, knowing that I just got under the skin of not one King but two.
I’m just finishing up changing the oil on my bike when I hear Poppy’s bike coming up my long drive. Smiling at the sound, I stand and wipe my hands on a rag as I watch her park next to me.
Turning my cap backward, I waste no time claiming her lips once her helmet is off. My hand goes to the back of her neck, pulling her into my mouth more. Groaning when her tongue teases mine, I drop the rag from my other hand as I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her from her bike. Her legs instantly wrap around my middle as we continue to kiss each other like it’s been years instead of hours.
When we finally slow, I set her on her feet. “That was one hell of a hello,” she says against my lips.
“I miss you so damn much when I’m not with you. It doesn’t matter if it’s been one hour or one week,” I tell her honestly, cupping her face in my hands and peering down into her shining blue eyes.
Slowly, she closes her eyes and leans her head against my chest. “I do too,” she says softly.
Kissing her head, I step back from her. “Let me clean this up, and then we can do whatever you want the rest of the day.”
“Whatever I want?” she asks, wagging her brows suggestively.
Picking up the rag I dropped, I snap it against her ass, getting a yelp from her. I clean up the mess I made and put everything away in my garage. Tilting my head toward the house, I signal for her to follow me. I wash my hands while she makes herself at home in the living room. Pulling a couple bottles of water from the fridge, I toss one at her when I plop down next to her.
Downing half of mine in several gulps, I pull it away and turn toward her. “I want you to come home with me,” I tell her.
Her face scrunches in confusion. “I thought this was your home.”
“It’s my home here,” I start, swallowing down my nerves. “But I have another home in California. It’s where my Grams is. During the off season, it’s where I usually stay and sometimes go between races.”
“You go mid-season?” she asks, and I smile at the fact that is what she picked up from what I said.
“Sometimes. Not always.” Taking her hand in mine, I ask again. “I plan on leaving in a couple days. Will you come with me?”
“Zander…”
“I know, your family will question it. I get it; you don’t want them to know about”—I move my hand back and forth between us—“this.” She lets out a long breath, and I can hear the wheels turning in her head as she thinks about it. “I care a lot about you, Poppy. I want you to see me. All of me. The real me. Will you come?”
“I want to. I’m just not sure I should,” she says, licking her lips before looking up at me. She opens her mouth like she wants to say more but closes it again, searching for the words she wants to say.
“Do you want this? Me?” I ask, needing to know where she stands. She is young, and maybe my feelings are one-sided. Maybe she really is just using me as a temporary good time. That is what we said from the beginning, after all.
“I think so,” she says quietly.
“You think so?” I ask with a short laugh, leaning back against the couch. Removing my hat, I run my hand through my hair before replacing it. “Right. Alright, well, maybe I was wrong about all of this.” I gulp down the rest of the cold water in my bottle, trying to calm down my growing anger.
“Zander, it’s not like that,” she tries to soothe.
“Then what’s it like? You said you want to come with me, that you think you want me—whatever the hell that means. What am I supposed to do with that? I’m putting myself out there.” I put a hand on my chest. “And you’re hardly giving me anything in return.” I stand, needing to put space between us with how frustrated I am. “Maybe you should go.”
“Zander!” she yells in surprise, standing to meet me. “Can you just stop for a second and give me, like, five seconds to wrap my head around everything you’ve just said? It’s a lot to take in at once, dude.”
“Isn’t that just it though? You shouldn’t need time to catch up. Either you feel the same or you don’t.” I shrug. “It’s obvious you don’t.”
“I didn’t say that!”
“You didn’t really have to. I can see it all over you face, Pops.” I sigh. “I think you should go,” I say again, walking to the door. “I’ll let you know when I’m back in town to start training again.” Opening the door, I can’t look at her.
“Fuck you,” she says as she brushes past me.
I slam the door shut before she even has her helmet strapped on. “Fuck!” I yell, slamming my hand into the closed door.
Angry and frustrated, I decided there’s no point in waiting to head home to California. I’m on the road an hour after I kicked Poppy out of my house. The whole drive, I replay everything in my head. I know I was an asshole, but I was really putting myself out there. I haven’t done that in a long fucking time and to have her react like I was asking her to be my sex slave… I don’t know, maybe she’d have liked that better.
I’m mentally exhausted by the time I pull up to my Grams’s house. She lives outside of the city in the same house where I grew up. I know if anything will help me feel better, it’s seeing Grams. Exiting my car, I stretch my legs after the hours I spent driving.
I knock while opening her door. “Grams!” I call out as I step inside.
“Is that my Zander?” I hear her call from her recliner.
“Sure is. Did you miss me?”
“Oh, my heavens, yes,” she says, standing and hobbling to meet me for a hug. “I thought you weren’t coming for a couple more days.”
“What? I can’t surprise my favorite lady early?” I tease.
“Oh, I see now,” she says as she sits back down. “You had plans with a different lady, and she shot your ass down.”
“Grams!” I yell with a laugh. She gives me a knowing look. “Okay, so maybe.”
“There’s some leftover meatloaf in the ice box if you want some.”
I stare at her for a second. “That’s it? You aren’t going to ask more?”
“Do you want to share more?” she counters.
“Nope,” I say, turning for the kitchen.
“Then no point in me pressing. You’ll tell me when you’re ready. You always do.”
“Pfft! You wish,” I say as I go in search of whatever dessert she has around here.
“Apple pie is on the counter,” she says.
“How’d you…” I start but I stop, shaking my head because she knows me better than anyone else.
Pulling down two plates, I put a piece of pie on each and carry them into the living room. I hand her a plate as I sit down and watch “Jeopardy” with her in silence as we eat our pie. I start to feel a little bit better after things went to shit earlier today until Grams breaks the silence.
“Natalie called here looking for you last week,” she says, making me instantly tense.
“What’d she want?”
“What she always wants.” She pauses, turning to look at me. “Money.”
Running my hands through my hair, I feel frustrated all over again but for different reasons now. “Did you tell her I’d be here this week?” I ask.
“Hell no. I know better than to tell that crazy woman where you are,” she says, sounding offended that I would even suggest it.
Letting out a breath, I lie back on the couch, closing my eyes and rubbing my head, suddenly feeling a headache coming on. “I don’t know why she bothers you. She has my number if she needs me.”
“You’ve given her what she wanted. I don’t understand why she can't just leave you alone. You’re busy and making a life for yourself. She should do the same. It’s what she said she wanted anyhow,” Grams grumb
les, making me smile.
“You know it’s more complicated than that.”
“Still.” She looks at me pointedly. “You be careful with her.”
“If there is anything I’ve learned about her through the years, it’s to be careful and not trust a single word out of her mouth.”
“You’re a good boy, Zander. Don’t let her get you mixed up again.”
“Awww… you think I’m a good boy now?” I ask with a growing smile.
“Don’t get me wrong; you’re still a little shit sometimes. But yes, you’ve done well for yourself. I’m proud you.”
“Don’t make me cry, Grams. It’s been a long fucking day of people playing with my sensitive emotions,” I joke, trying to make light of everything that this exhausting day has held.
“Oh, shush!” She bats her hand at me.
Standing, I kiss her cheek and say goodbye as I leave to head to my house. Driving there, I think about what I’m going to do about Natalie. Now, instead of just being consumed with Poppy, I have to deal with Nat too. Oh, how this break just got a whole lot more stressful.
11
Poppy
Tears flooded my eyes the second I heard Zander slam his door and curse after kicking me out of his house. I don’t know how I managed to get home on my bike when my vision was blurred most of the way there by the constant stream of tears that were falling.
I ran to my room, slamming my own door the second I got home. I needed to be as far away from Zander and the world as I could. I know I should have told him how I felt about him when he asked, but I was scared—am still scared. But now I’m scared that I ruined the best thing that’s happened to me. I pushed away the best person in my life, and now I don’t know how to fix it.
I fell asleep after crying myself into exhaustion some time later, and when I woke up, the sun had set and I’d slept the day away. Even so, my chest ached from the loss of not having Zander with me.
Pushing my hair back, I pulled it into a ponytail as I walk to the bathroom. I wash away all the dried tears on my face. Letting out a breath, I take in my puffy eyes and wish I could go back and get a redo of this day. It started so well but went to complete shit in a matter of seconds.