Collided: Dirty Air (Book 2)(88)

I can’t help wondering if she doesn’t want to share her nervousness about what will happen after the season ends. I plan on spilling everything to her once the race finishes on Sunday because McCoy promised a final offer by then, with them agreeing to rethink the Bandini clause at my insistence.

Her playlist of songs fills the silence. I let her choose the music, hoping it would boost her mood. The closer we get to our destination, the giddier she gets as she returns to her usual self.

Her smile eases the tightness I’ve felt in my chest all week.

“Are you planning on burying me out in the desert? Creative, I’ll give you that,” she sasses me. Grumpy Sophie no longer seems like an issue.

“I considered it, but everyone knows where I’m taking you. So, although effective, I’d be the primary suspect.”

“Everyone, huh?” She tilts her head at me.

“Just our friends.”

Somewhere along the way, our separate groups of friends merged into one. Santi hangs out with Jax on his own because I’ve been busy with Sophie. Maya and Noah officially came out as a couple, leaving Sophie to myself this evening.

She hums along to the music as I take us to the spot I researched. The moment I park the truck, she bounds out of the car. I kill the headlights and hop out, shrouding us in darkness, the sky on full display.

“No freaking way.” She runs a few feet ahead of me.

I walk up to her and wrap my arms around her as I look up at the bright Milky Way, courtesy of the Al Quaa desert. She listed have outdoor sex, and I hope I delivered.

Silence surrounds us—not a single animal or person around, the cool air brushing against our joined bodies. Sophie’s skin breaks out in goosebumps and I squeeze her closer.

She gasps. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything this amazing.”

I have.

We both stare up at the starry sky. I unwrap myself from her after a few minutes to grab the supplies. Thanks to Maya, I packed enough food to hold us over until tomorrow, along with basic camping necessities. I pull out a telescope I bought and set up a padded blanket with a couple of pillows. A tiny lantern lights up our makeshift bed.

“When I wrote that item, I would’ve never ever thought this up. I’m impressed because this is straight out of a storybook. Thank you.” She pulls me in for a hug.

My arms instinctively wrap around her and tug her flush against me. I love the instantly recognizable smell of her, summertime and ocean waves wrapped up in one. “I’d buy you the whole damn night sky if I could.”

Sophie laughs into my chest before she disentangles herself and lies down on a pillow. I busy myself with setting up the telescope.

She watches me, her eyes following every move I make. “Did you ever hear back from McCoy or any other teams?”

My hand stills on a lever, her question catching me unprepared. “Yeah, but I’m still waiting. You know, just in case.”

“So, McCoy offered an extension?” Her eyes shift from me toward the sky.

“Yup. Them and a few others.”

She pauses before speaking again. “What’s the holdup?”

“Contract deals are complicated. As smart as we both are, I leave that side of the business to my agent.”

Her bouncing leg freezes. “If you had a gun to your head and you had to choose a team for next year, out of all the teams except Bandini because they can’t offer anyone a seat, who would you choose?”

My heart races in my chest. I run my tongue across my lips, buying time to think up a response.

“Stop thinking and go with your heart,” her hoarse voice whispers.

“McCoy. I like the team and Jax, plus Peter finally chilled out,” I blurt out.

Her eyes slide from mine to the sky again. “Even with Claudia causing drama?”

I can’t tell if her voice sounds sad or annoyed. “She’s like Day of the Dead, coming out once a year to wreak havoc, only to return back to the fiery pit she came from.”

Sophie laughs, but the sound isn’t the same as usual, coming off forced.

I fumble with the telescope. “But there’s still time. Other teams can offer deals until the end of the season, and I haven’t made up my mind. You know things can be contingent on the final Championship standings.”

“Yeah, maybe something happens.” She lifts off the blanket, abandoning the conversation and grabbing my extended hand. Thank fuck. My breathing slows down again.

Her blonde hair glows from the lantern as she bends down and stares into the telescope. “Whoa. Just wow. I don’t have adjectives for this. You have to see this.”

I feel the same about her half the time. “I interpreted outdoor sex as spending a night under a starlit sky. I hope you like it.”

“You exceeded my expectations. As per usual.” She offers me a sweet smile.

“Do I get a kiss for my good efforts? Well, to be honest, I’ll take a kiss or a blowjob. Who am I to discriminate?”

She lets out the softest laugh that I want to record. “We can negotiate a deal of our own.” Her lips find mine in the dark. I tug her close, loving the feel of her pressed against me—a high worse than any drug.

Her soft lips kiss mine and her tongue teases my bottom lip. She invades my mouth like she does my life—unforgiving and unapologetic. Not that I want her to be. Shit, being with her brings out parts of me that I never knew were there to begin with. Her tongue caresses mine, our warm breath mingling together, an erotic feeling I don’t want to let go of. I crave everything with her.