by Amy Gregory
“Oh, please…” Molly rolled her eyes. She knew exactly how she looked after she’d been running. Amazing wasn’t anywhere close to an adjective she’d use. Red-faced, sweaty, her hair wet and stuck to her skin. She felt a shiver as a drop of sweat ran down the side of her neck and down her chest, disappearing into her sports bra. Oh yeah, she was a real beauty right now.
“You don’t see it, do you? You don’t even try and you’re beautiful. I love that about you.”
“Okay, you must still be drunk from last night.”
“You’ll hug me if I’m on the podium, right?”
“Well of course.” She lit up. The thought of him on the podium made her heart soar. She would be proud of him no matter what, but they were both racers at heart. Winning was everything.
“There you go. I’m sweaty, dirty, and gross after racing.”
“You like to be right, huh?”
“I always am.” He winked.
“Okay, Hollywood, I’ll let you keep thinking that a little bit longer.” She giggled as his hands slid down to grab her ass.
Her pulse quickened at the shock of the public display of affection. She wasn’t used to it at all, but the girly part of her liked that he was proud enough of their relationship not to hide it. She should be appalled, or in the very least surprised, but instead, she was completely giddy.
“I came to see if you wanted to eat breakfast with me.”
“I’d love to. Let me grab a shirt first?”
“Ah man, and ruin my view?”
Her cheeks flushed instantly. “Not your view so much as everyone else’s.”
“Oh, good point. I don’t want other guys checking out my woman.” He laughed as he picked her up and swung her around.
“I love the sound of that.”
“What?”
“Yours.”
With his arm around her shoulders, they started walking. “You are mine, Gorgeous. You’re mine for as long as you’ll have me.”
~
Wanting a quick minute alone with Molly before the evening got too busy, Carter hurried through a quick bite to eat for dinner. After they’d had breakfast together this morning, the day turned into a whirlwind. Something he was used to, but it frustrated him to no end this time. He wanted desperately to have more time with her, to get to know her even better. He needed to get his head in the game and his focus on the race tonight, but all he could think about was leaving tomorrow and not being able to see her again until next weekend. That thought was making him crazy.
He knew it was insane to be so attached to a woman he’d just known a few days, but he couldn’t help it. He also knew if he said anything to anyone, they’d think he was a love-sick fool. At the moment, he didn’t really care. That’s what he was.
“Hey, man. Are you going to head over to see our girl soon?” Jesse asked as he pulled up a chair at Carter’s table outside his factory rig.
“Yeah, I’m getting ready to head that way now.”
“Well, wait just a second, if you don’t mind. Hunter and I wanted to wish her good luck too. He’ll be here in a sec.”
“That’s fine, as long as he hurries.”
“So, what’s the deal with her anyway?” Jesse’s eyebrow went up.
“I like her, Jess. A lot.”
“Yeah, we can all see that. How serious is it?”
Carter popped the last bite of his sandwich in his mouth on purpose. It gave him time to choose his words. He couldn’t really remember a time when Jesse, Eli, and he hadn’t been friends. As kids they only met up on the tracks, and as teenagers with promising careers, their time on the same tracks became more and more frequent. A friendship born of a mutual passion, then a mutual respect that followed. As they grew up, they each realized their world was relatively small when it came to people who understood them—understood that passion for racing and respected it.
As pros, their friendship was a necessity. It kept everything in prospective. They shared everything, the ups and downs of racing. Periods of time off due to injury and the frustrations that went with it, the trials of wanting to ride with the coveted red number one plate on their bikes and the stresses of keeping sponsors happy.
Now wouldn’t be any different.
Carter didn’t hide the goofy grin as he thought about his girl. He nodded at Jesse. “She’s the one, man.”
“Yeah, Eli and I thought so. You can see it. She’s a doll, that’s for sure. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks.” Carter got up and threw his trash away as Eli walked up.
“I hurried.”
“No prob, Hunter. I’m ready if you all are.”
As they got close, Eli came to a skidding stop, grabbing Carter’s arm to halt him as well. “Damn. How freaking sexy is that?”
Carter followed Eli’s line of sight. He took in a deep breath then picked his jaw up off the concrete floor. “No shit. Oh my God, she’s gorgeous.”
Molly was simply standing there, talking with Joey outside their semi trailer, but it was what she was wearing that was driving the guys crazy.
Jesse shook his head. “No girl should look that damn fine in riding pants and boots.”
“It’s the unzipped pants and sports bra, dude. I know she’s your woman, Sterling, but wow. That is pure sexy,” Eli said in a slow appreciation. They continued to stand and stare at her, all three grinning to themselves like twelve-year-old boys. “She is just freaking ripped. Shit.” Eli let out a breath.
Jesse hit Carter on the arm. “Damn, man. We were all sitting there that afternoon, how in hell did she pick you?”
“God only knows, but I pray she never changes her mind.”
As the words were coming out of Carter’s mouth, Molly turned and put her foot up on a chair and bent over to buckle the clasps of her boot. “Oh, wow.” Carter smiled big.
Jesse elbowed Carter. “Apparently, she always wears a thong, Sterling.”
“Quit looking.” He halfway laughed, knowing they wouldn’t.
Eli gave Carter a brotherly punch to the arm. “Ah, man, you know we’re just giving you shit.”
“Get your own woman.” Carter elbowed Jesse in fun. “That goes for you too, Hunter.”
The three of them continued walking the rest of the way to her. Eli put his arm around her shoulders. “Nice show, D.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and then he kissed her cheek.
“What are you talking about?”
Jesse chuckled. “I didn’t know watching a girl put on riding boots could be so…erotic.”
Carter punched Jesse in the arm, but chuckled too. “What the hell, Frost?” He turned to Molly and winked. “Sorry.”
“Y’all are pervs.” Molly crossed her arms at the three men and shook her head in mock disapproval.
Carter couldn’t help but grin like a school boy. “No, it was freaking amazing.”
“Well, I’m glad I could give you all a cheap thrill. It apparently doesn’t take much to entertain you boys, does it?” She grinned as Carter grabbed her to him.
“It’s not my fault you’re so damn hot.”
She reached up to give him a quick kiss on the lips. “Nice save.” She turned and walked to the chair she had left her jersey laying on a few moments before. “Ah man, D.”
Molly gave Eli a raised eyebrow. “Seriously?”
She pulled her jersey over her head as she was walking back toward the guys. She’d purposefully left her pants unzipped so she could tuck in her jersey. As she finished, she looked up to see all three guys staring at her.
“Are you all thirteen?” Molly snickered as she zipped and clasped her pants. She looked back up to their grinning faces, then motioned to the floor. “Boys, go get something to wipe up all that drool. You’re embarrassing yourselves.”
Jesse shook his head. “That’s okay, D, we don’t care.”
Molly rolled her eyes as Carter slipped his arms around her waist. “So, the nickname thing? It’s going to stick, huh?”
Eli nod
ded. “Oh, yeah.”
“All right boys and girls,” Brody said out loud to no one in particular as he walked out of their bike trailer, reading the clipboard in his hand. “Time to head…”
Carter saw the disgust on Brody’s face when he looked up to see him and his friends. He watched Brody’s eyes wander over the arms he had around Molly. Tact wasn’t something he was obviously concerned with. Brody seemed to have no problem making it apparent that he wasn’t welcome around their trailer, or more accurately, around his sister.
Molly was either oblivious to the stare-down, or she just didn’t want to start another round with him because she kept happily chatting with him. Pure joy and excitement shone on her face as she told Carter how excited she was to see him race. He squeezed her closer to him, watching Brody’s eyes narrow. Carter kept his face light, masking the frustration that was verging on anger. He lifted his shoulder in a nonchalant shrug, letting Brody know once again that he wasn’t backing down.
The phone ringing in Brody’s back pocket broke their eye contact. Carter continued to watch Brody as he scowled at the caller ID before answering. He spoke for several seconds before looking straight at Molly with panic written all over his face. Carter locked in, watching every nuance, trying to gauge Brody’s facial expression. This wasn’t the same coldness that Brody looked at him with, it was pure fear.
Carter tried to rub Molly’s back and keep her attention diverted with her head against his chest. Before he could tear his eyes off Brody, Molly caught on. Following his gaze, she looked over at her brother. When Brody instantly turned his back to them, Molly looked up to him for an answer.
“What’s going on? Did I miss something?”
He tried to feign mild surprise to Brody’s actions. “I don’t know, Gorgeous. It’s awfully loud in here. Maybe he’s just having a hard time hearing.”
Eli and Jesse bought him some time, announcing their good luck wishes and giving her light good bye hugs at precisely the perfect moment. “Hey, will one of you ask someone on my team to meet me down there with my bike? And have them bring my stuff too, please?” Over the top of Molly’s head, Carter glanced at both men. The slight jerk upward of both their heads meant they understood something was up. “I want to walk down with Molly.” He pulled her tighter to him without letting the silent conversation die.
“Sure, Sterling, not a problem.” The slight rise of Jesse’s eyebrow told him both men would be there if he needed help.
It amazed him how they could read each other’s minute signals. Another nod to the fact he was as close to them as he was his own two biological brothers.
“We’ll see you down at the gate in a few.” Eli lightened the secrecy when Molly started clueing in to the three men. “Can’t wait to see you ride, D.” He patted her shoulder lightly before turning away.
Brody shoved his phone back in his back pocket of his jeans. “Let’s go, grab your helmet and stuff.”
His gruffness wasn’t lost on either Carter or Molly, but the hurt look on her face as she silently questioned Brody sent a pain straight to Carter’s heart.
“Let’s go. Come on.” Brody repeated anxiously.
When it was apparent Brody wasn’t going to explain or apologize for his mood, she shook her head and turned toward the trailer. The instant Molly was up the two steps it took to make it in the door of the bike trailer, Carter marched over to Brody. “What’s going on? Is everything all right?”
“Don’t worry about it, Sterling. Don’t you have a race to get ready for?” Brody huffed out and turned his shoulder to Carter.
Determined to get an answer, Carter moved so he was back in front of Brody again. “Something’s wrong. Is everything okay with Molly?”
Brody furrowed his brow. “I’ve got it, Sterling. I said not to worry about it.”
“I want to help if something is wrong.”
“I don’t need your help,” Brody said through gritted teeth.
“Something is wrong, isn’t it?”
Brody didn’t answer. That silent admission chilled Carter to the bone.
The walk from the pits down to the track was longer than it ever had been in the past. Carter held Molly’s helmet for her in one hand and he held her tight to his side with the other, listening to Brody’s last minute instructions and reminders for her as they walked. He tried to catch Brody’s eye several times, but could tell Brody was avoiding him at all costs. At least for the moment it seemed like Molly had either let the incident go, or she didn’t realize that Brody was hiding something involving her. Carter hoped like hell it was the second of those two scenarios.
She was just coming out of her shell around him and his two best friends. The more she did, the more he adored her. The thought that something was going on in her family that could upset her had Carter’s stomach in knots. Those kinds of phone calls were never good. Inevitably it was about a death in the family or some other terrible news like that. He knew Brody not telling her before she got on the bike was a smart move. That was one of the golden rules, never get on the bike if your mind wasn’t one hundred percent there. That would be like playing with fire. He was scared to death to watch her ride, and he knew without a doubt that if she wasn’t focused, she could get hurt. Badly.
When they got to Joey and her bike, Carter pulled her tight against his chest. He blew off his worries over the phone call and forced a lighter mood for her.
“Well, Gorgeous, you be careful out there, okay?” he whispered into her hair as he leaned in. He brushed a kiss over her neck before pulling away to look down at her. The smile she gave him was priceless, so carefree, honest, and innocent. He melted all over again. “You’re really something, you know that?” He leaned in and placed a kiss on her forehead, shutting his eyes for a moment and dragging in an extra breath of her light perfume.
“I’ll be careful, I promise. This stuff’s easy. You be careful tonight, please?”
She pulled away and, on tip toes, gave him the sweetest little peck on the lips he’d ever felt. It seemed as if she hadn’t cared that Joey, Brody, and Erin were mere inches away. She looked back up at him like they were the only two people in the stadium. She hadn’t kissed him to prove a point to her brother, either. She’d given him the sweet token purely of love and it was written all over her face. Her smile reached clear up to her sparkling deep blue eyes, and it stole Carter’s breath.
“I’ll be careful too, I promise. I’ve got you to come back to now.” He winked down at her grin and kissed her cheek. “I better go. I’ll be waiting over there with the guys,” he waved an arm at Eli and Jesse. Normally they’d have been back behind the scenes with their bikes, but there was no way in hell he was going to miss seeing her. Luckily his manager didn’t balk.
Carter’s stomach dropped at the announcer’s voice. “And our next rider is a special treat for you all. She—” He clenched his fists at his sides and dragged in slow, deep breaths, trying with everything in his power to not hyperventilate. The announcer continued. “—started racing at the age of four and has won seven WMA MotoCross Titles. She then moved into the freestyle world, and her own personal trainer is the great Brody Noland.” The crowd let out a huge cheer.
“Everyone, please welcome seven time WMA MotoCross Champion and two time X-Games gold medalist, Molly West.” The crowd roared as he watched Brody give her the sign, and she rode down the stage ramp and onto the track.
The guys all looked at each other, then at Carter. “Did you know about the X-Games?”
“No.”
“Well maybe if you’d quit making out all the time and find out more about her, we’d have known.” Jesse punched him in the arm jokingly.
Molly raced across to the table top and launched into a perfect whip. Continuing around the track, she did a few tricks, most of which she was roughly twenty or more feet in the air. She rode down to the end of track close to where Carter and the guys were standing. Brody moved to her and Carter could tell she was waiting on his instruc
tions.
Carter shook his head, “Ah, shit.”
He had heard them discussing this part of the show earlier in the weekend. Brody wanted her to stop for a minute to grab a breath and let the anticipation of the crowd build before performing her last stunt.
“It’s okay, she’s got this dude.” Eli patted Carter’s shoulder.
“I know, I know. Just doesn’t make it easier to watch.”
Brody pointed to a couple of things and she nodded again at his directions, then he backed up. She hit the throttle and rode the perimeter of the track, eyeing the takeoff and landing. Molly sped up as she headed into the corner that Brody had mentioned he was worried about being slick, and then into the straightaway section. She raced full out toward her take off ramp. She sailed up about thirty feet in the air to do the rotation of a back flip.
Carter felt lightheaded.
Molly came out to land smoothly on the other side, facing the guys. She gave a small wave to the crowd and rode toward the stage.
Jesse laughed. “She is freaking awesome.”
“No shit.” Eli shook his head in disbelief. “I mean, how fucking cool.”
Jesse shook Carter’s shoulders. “Your girl is so amazing.”
Carter let out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding.
“She’s fine, Sterling.” Jesse put his arm around Carter’s shoulders. “Just enjoy this. You’re the only one with that bragging right.”
“Exactly, none of you have to worry about your future wife falling off a dirt bike from however freaking high she was.”
“It’s so cool.” Eli looked at him. “Hey, if you’re not man enough to handle this…” Eli winked at his friend. Carter just shook his head, letting out another deep breath. He rolled his eyes and left Eli’s comment hang unanswered.
“Did you say future wife?” Jesse teased.
Carter nodded proudly and with all seriousness in his voice, he answered. “Yeah, I did.”
His heart was still hammering in his chest, and it had nothing to do with his not-so-accidental admission being caught and everything to do with the woman riding up to the announcer near the stage. They had talked about the tricks she could pull and he had listened to Brody plot out what he wanted her to do on this particular track, but hearing about it and seeing her do it in person were two very different things. Suddenly he had the need to call his mother and apologize for all the worry she’d lived with since the day he sat on his first dirt bike back when he was five.