Declan Reede: The Untold Story (Complete Series)

by Michelle Irwin

  And if that was my medicine, I didn’t ever want to be cured.

  With a regretful sigh, I pulled back from the kiss. Even though I was unwilling to back away completely, I knew all too well how many people were around. With any other girl, I wouldn’t have given a shit. But this was Alyssa. And she was too fucking pure to be screwed in the middle of an open racetrack in full view of the safety staff.

  I zipped her suit back up, but not before running my finger from her belly button to her chin, and then from her chin to her ear.

  “Do you want me to show you how it’s really done now?” I whispered in her ear.

  A shiver raced through her. I wasn’t sure which emotion dominated her features the most—fear or excitement. But she nodded once and so for the third time in as many hours, I strapped her into the car. This time took the longest as I checked, double-checked, and triple-checked her straps, taking all the time I could to enjoy the sensation of my hands on her body.

  After I was in the driver’s seat, I took her for a genuine lap, at proper race speed. Trying to impress her, I hit the track like someone was on my tail. I fought hard for the line against imaginary competitors. Through the straights, I drove hard and fast, braking deep into the corners, and cutting across the racing line.

  Alyssa alternated between fits of screams and giggles as she was thrown around the passenger seat. I couldn’t deny I had enjoyed every fucking second. It’d been far too long since I’d been able to properly stretch my racing legs. The fact that she was beside me, enjoying every second, just made it sweeter than ever.

  After a few more laps, I pulled to a hard stop in front of the office. Then I turned and grinned at Alyssa. I couldn’t believe that we’d been at the track for almost four hours—it felt like five minutes.

  I was euphoric and she was grinning.

  And the day had only just begun.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN: LIFE’S A DRAG

  LIKE A CAT rising from sleep, Alyssa stretched her hands out above her head languidly. After dropping the car back with the track officials, we headed down to a secluded spot for an intimate picnic. We’d eaten, and then taken a moment to just enjoy one another.

  With her warm body tucked between my thighs, I couldn’t have been happier. Her shoulders rested across my hips, and her fingers raked my sides. I chuckled as she tickled my ribs. She dropped her head back, resting her chestnut locks against my stomach. She smiled a little and tilted her head so that she looked up at me. When she noticed I was watching her she flipped herself over and her smile widened.

  “Thank you,” she said. “For this morning and for today. It’s been . . .” She trailed off with a sigh.

  “Perfect?” I asked, hopeful.

  She offered a small smile and nodded. Then she crossed her arms across my stomach and rested her head back down on them. I ran my fingers through her hair, brushing it all to the side so I had an uninterrupted view of her face.

  “You’re so beautiful,” I said to her.

  She swatted my stomach lightly, but I wouldn’t be deterred. We’d had a perfect morning at the track, followed by a picnic in a quiet, and most importantly, secluded little corner of the Ipswich race precinct. I’d left explicit instructions that we were not to be disturbed by anyone, for any reason.

  Which was a good thing, because almost as soon as I had unfolded the blanket, Alyssa had pulled off the top half of her racing suit and tied the sleeves off around her waist. She pulled a t-shirt on almost immediately, but not before I had a good look at the ivory planes of her back.

  As if driven by the memory, my hand dropped from her hair to the collar of her shirt. My fingers dipped in and out as I rubbed a small circle there, relishing in the feel of her silken skin.

  In response to my touch, Alyssa gave a small moan of approval, which spurred me on further. I rubbed my hand along her back over the top of her shirt. She groaned again. Each time she did, her chest vibrated against my groin, sending shivers of desire through my entire body.

  She had to know how she was affecting me because my erection was pressing hard against her breasts. My hand went to her chin, lifting it up so that she was looking at me.

  “I love you,” I told her.

  She looked me in the eye and smiled. Then she dropped her head back onto her folded hands. She closed her eyes and seemed lost in thought. I dropped my head back to the ground and closed my eyes. Even if she still couldn’t say it, I was sure she felt the same way about me. After all, she’d put her trust in me around the track. She’d allowed me to push her boundaries and get her driving up over the 200-kilometre mark.

  Lost in my own thoughts, my hand ran absentminded trails from her hair to her shirt and back again. I thought nothing of it when she shifted her weight—she’d been wiggling and moving most of the time she’d been lying between my legs anyway.

  It wasn’t until soft lips touched mine that I realised she’d shifted her entire body on top of mine. I opened my eyes to see her grinning at me from above. Once she knew she had my attention, she dropped her lips to my ear.

  “I love you, Declan Reede.” She whispered it so quietly I was almost sure I was hearing things.

  Then her lips crashed onto mine, and her tongue pressed forward. I opened my lips and allowed her tongue into my mouth. Her hair fell in curtains around our faces as we became consumed by each other. I reached down between us to untie the knot in her race-suit—it was pressing hard against my stomach and was uncomfortable. Alyssa gasped as my hand slipped inside the suit to grab hold of the knot. Her mouth pressed harder against mine, and she moaned into me.

  That small moan was it for me. I reached around her, pulling her closer. Then I flipped us over so she was pinned beneath me. I pushed her t-shirt up and tasted the skin of her stomach. I groaned in ecstasy. She tasted so fucking good. My hands explored north of where my head rested, pushing the cups of her bra up and releasing her breasts to my waiting fingers. I rolled her nipple gently between my thumb and forefinger. My mouth longed to join my hands, but was too busy exploring other parts of her stomach. Finally, with a trail of kisses, I climbed up her body. My head scooped low and tasted her breasts.

  “Perfect,” I breathed against her skin as my fingers traced the constellation tattooed near her heart.

  She pushed her head back, bucking her hips and exposing her neck in the process. My mouth found her throat, my lips grazing and gently nipping at her skin. My hands parted ways; one ran to the back of her neck, supporting her head by resting against the base of her skull. The other traced a straight line between her breasts, over her stomach, and down into her racing suit without hesitation.

  My fingers trailed across her panties. The heat radiating from her was exquisite. I claimed her mouth with mine again as my hand pushed down under the material covering her pussy. With a soft touch, I brushed my fingertips across her wet and ready flesh. A groan escaped me in unison with hers as I dipped my fingers inside her, first one, then two.

  Alyssa’s breaths became heavy pants against my mouth. I pressed my body against my hand, grinding my crotch against hers, sandwiching my fingers deeper inside her and rubbing my palm over her clit. Sucking her bottom lip into my mouth, I grazed my teeth along it.

  With desperate thrusts, she pushed closer to me, sending my fingers deeper still.

  Shifting my body away enough to move my hand, I grazed my thumb against her clit as I thrust against her again and again. She tipped her head back as a sigh of ecstasy escaped her lips.

  Dragging her closer to the edge with every movement of my hand, I watched her face as she tensed in my arms. With a desperate moan, she came around my fingers. The sight and sound of it left me desperate for more. I pulled my hand out and rested it on her hip as I kissed her throat again.

  “I want you so badly, Alyssa,” I whispered, unthinkingly, against her hair.

  “I’m yours . . .,” Alyssa breathed back. Then, almost silently, she added, “Please . . . be careful with me.”

  A s
mall tear in her eyes told me how honest her request was.

  I kissed the corner of her eye. “Always,” I told her, reverently. “I’ll never hurt you again.”

  I wrapped her tightly in my arms, and twisted so I was lying on my back before pulling her in to my side. Her hand moved up to my face and her fingers grazed along my chin. She dropped her head against my shoulder.

  “Just see that you don’t,” she murmured into my chest.

  In response, I pulled her closer to me. The more time I spent with her, the more it became clear that I could never intentionally hurt her again. I could never leave her side again, because I needed her like air.

  We lay there alongside each other for a few minutes more. We were both sleepy from the sun and food, and were soon completely relaxed into each other. I didn’t want to move from the perfect slice of heaven we’d created in our private little corner, but I also knew we needed to get a wriggle on if we were going to make the second part of my date.

  With a sigh, I pulled myself away from Alyssa and moved to my feet. Once I was standing, I turned and offered Alyssa my hand. “Coming?”

  “Where?” She narrowed her eyes at me as she accepted my offer and rose to her feet.

  “To our date: part two.” I tied the arms of her racing suit back around her waist again as I spoke.

  She laughed. “There’s a part two?”

  I raised my eyebrow at her. “Damn right there’s a part two, and it’s going to be a drag.”

  I laughed at my own pun, but Alyssa just stared blankly at me for a few minutes before recognition of what was right next door lit her features.

  “Of course. It had to be that,” she said.

  “Of course. I mean, why pass up the opportunity while we’re here.”

  “You know it won’t be my first time?”

  I cocked my head to the side. “Really?”

  She blushed. “Yeah, Flynn brings me down a bit. He’s quite into it.”

  “That’s right, he drives a fucking ricer Silvia or some shit, wasn’t it?”

  She patted my chest. “Be nice.”

  I clasped to her hand and pulled her into my arms, leaving her fingers resting against my heart.

  “I can be nice,” I said. “But only because I get to do this—” I pressed my lips to hers, pushing my tongue forward and running it along her upper lip.

  Her lips parted, and I brushed her tongue with mine. I deepened the kiss, bringing my hand to her hair. When I drew away from Alyssa again she was breathless, her eyes hooded with lust. I just smiled and winked at her, before pulling the picnic blanket up off the ground and shoving it into the basket. I’d have to thank Eden later for arranging this part of the day; it had been one of her last-minute suggestions.

  Linking my hand with Alyssa’s, we walked back to my car in silence. I began to wonder whether I was being selfish by dragging her to do the things I wanted without checking that she was happy to do it. Once we reached my car, I opened the boot and put the picnic basket inside. Alyssa slid into the passenger’s seat without another word.

  “If you’d rather go home, we can,” I said as I climbed into the car.

  She smiled at me, and shook her head. “No, I’ve enjoyed myself today. It really has been,” she gave a small sigh, “perfect.”

  “And you want to go to the drags? I mean, I just thought that we’re kitted out in the suits anyway and we even have the helmets.”

  “It’s fine, Dec. I told you, I’ve been with Flynn before.”

  “Yeah, but have you driven?” I asked excitedly, almost guaranteeing I knew the answer.

  She bit her lip and nodded.

  Fucking son of a bitch! My brows knitted together in a frown.

  “So when Flynnie-poo brings you down here, which one of you races powder-puff?”

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I could see the pain that I’d finally shifted begin to form on her features again.

  “Fuck!” I exclaimed, drawing her eyes back to me. “Just forget I said that, okay? Please? I’m sorry . . . I just . . .” Can’t fucking stand the fact that Flynn has stolen everything in my life.

  I couldn’t tell her how that sentence was going to finish.

  I turned to her. “Please?” I repeated, more softly. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine, Dec. Let’s just go to the drags.” Her voice held a certain resignation that I knew, and hated.

  I shook my head. “I’m not moving this car until you forgive me. I was an arse and I’m asking you to accept my apology.”

  Her lip twitched just a little, and then she smirked. “You were an arse.”

  “And?” I prompted.

  She sighed. “And . . . I forgive you. At least, so long as you promise to try to get along with Flynn,” she added quickly.

  “I promise to try.” I said.

  “Fine then, let’s go.”

  I grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles lightly. “Thank you.”

  After driving the short distance to the Willowbank Raceway drag strip, I joined the queue of cars that were there for the Street Meet. The tension in the car was still palpable, but Alyssa seemed as content to ignore it as I was. I couldn’t believe that I’d fucked things up so soon after our fuck-awesome date, part one.

  I paid our entry and drove into the pits. Alyssa sat quietly, playing with the stereo, while I began to unpack all the unnecessary shit from the car, putting it all to one side so that I could lighten the car and get a better time. I’d just finished unpacking the baby seat when I looked up and saw a familiar shape climbing out of a gunmetal-grey Silvia S14 which, judging by the number stuck in the window, was a regular here.

  It took me all of two seconds to work out who it was. Fucking Flynn.

  “Fucking perfect,” I muttered to myself. I wasn’t looking forward to facing him so soon after I’d had to endure watching him take my role to comfort Alyssa.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked, turning her head. If I’d hoped she wouldn’t notice the fucker, I was disappointed almost immediately. She sighed audibly.

  “It’s fine, Lys,” I said, through gritted teeth. “Do you want to go see him?”

  I decided I would try to be the bigger man, the better man. The fucking best man. I knew I was, I just had to get Alyssa to see it.

  She bit her lip, and I could see her desire to say yes warring with her anxiety about my possible reaction.

  “Really, Lys, if you want to see him, it’s fine. Go. I’ll finish unpacking the car, and then run it to scrutineering.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Breathing heavily through my nose so that I wouldn’t swear, I nodded. I could do this—I could be the supportive person Alyssa needed me to be. With my arms crossed, I watched as she waved at him before walking over to his car. The fucker picked her up and gave her a giant bear hug.

  I turned away and let loose a stream of invective when she smiled widely and laughed at something he said. It just seemed so effortless between the two of them. It was the way we used to be. The way I wanted us to be again. The way we almost were when no one else was involved.

  After yanking out the spare tyre and my toolbox, swearing and cursing the whole time, I shoved them onto the ground in our pit area. When I’d finished, I risked a quick glance back at Alyssa and Flynn. He was pulling on the sleeves of her racing suit, and they were both laughing. Fucking arsehole. I’d hoped that this would be a good date for Alyssa. To show her part of my world and why I found racing so addictive. But she just found it all so fucking hilarious instead.

  I’d opened myself up to her, and she was fucking laughing with that fucker about it.

  Kicking the tyre, I let loose a low growl. Then I climbed into the car, started the engine, and headed off to the scrutineering shed, kicking up dirt as I went. In my rear-view mirror, I watched Alyssa. Her body was leaning against Flynn’s car, and she was talking to him still, but her eyes followed my car the whole way. I raked my hand through my hair as I thought
about the disaster the date had become. The thing was, I wanted to fix it, but I had no fucking clue how.

  Climbing out of the car, I passed my helmet and paperwork across for the officials to check. I popped the hood so they could check the engine mods and exhaust system. They wrote the class and temporary number in white shoe polish on the rear passenger-side window and told me I was good to go. I double-checked that I’d signed Alyssa up for the powder-puff event. The thought of her taking control of my car scared the shit out of me. No one else ever drove my car. Usually I didn’t even allow valets to touch the steering wheel. Especially considering it’d only just come back from being repaired—the last thing I wanted was new scratches.

  In the small gesture of handing over control, I was trying to show my trust in her—my love for her. I’d told her as much so many times in the last few days that saying it again would mean little, so I had to show her with my actions instead.

  I drove back to the pit area and saw that Flynn had shifted his car to be in the space next to me. Fucking great. As if it wasn’t bad enough knowing he was there, I’d have to deal with him all fucking night. Alyssa jogged over to me when I was parked and pulled my door open. She knelt in front of me, placing one hand on my thigh.

  “Try,” she whispered to me, before pressing her lips to mine. “For me.”

  Closing my eyes, I allowed my body to take control for a few minutes. I needed to stop overthinking it. I needed to focus and think of it like a race. In my professional life, I was used to being on an opponent’s arse on the track, trying to get by. If I rode hard enough, and was patient enough, they would usually make a mistake eventually and allow me to pass.

  It was the same thing here. Before long, Flynn would make a mistake, and Alyssa would stop wasting her time with him.

  “Anything for you, Lys,” I whispered against her lips, before opening my eyes again.

  She smiled at my compliance. Her hand came into my hair. “Thank you, for trying.”

  “It’s not too late to go home if you want?” I offered, even though I was anxious to get out on the strip and kick the fucker’s arse, but if Alyssa wanted to go I would.