30. Harmony
Harmony
I sigh happily as the cold air sweeps over my body and my feet dangle freely.
Jaxx’s hotel room is twenty stories up above one of the wide main streets where huge trucks drive up and down, honking as people holler. I thought they'd be so far away I wouldn’t hear anything, but it’s like background music compared to the gentle breeze and the feeling of Jaxx next to me.
We don’t talk, just sip our beers and sit with each other, enjoying the rising sun from the balcony of his room.
It’s the same kind of peace I have with Everest when I watch him in the mornings.
The barrier of the balcony is made of metal poles, with sheets of glass through them, and a gap along the bottom for Jaxx and I to push our legs through and hang them over the side.
“What do you think would happen if I kicked off my shoe?” I ask him, still tipsy from the vodka shots I'd downed hours ago. He peers through the glass along with me, looking down at the busy street below.
“Well, I kinda wish your shoe would make a crater in the sidewalk. But judging by the sharpness of your heel, you might get 50 points by scoring it straight through someone’s head. It'd be unique, but it wouldn’t be a good way to end the career of the beautiful Harmony Grace.”
I giggle at how stupid it is, releasing a long breath, happy to feel so normal.
“Give me your legs, sweetheart. Let me investigate those heels so I can make a proper assessment.”
He laughs as I give him a pointed look, because we both know what he’s after. But I want it as well. So I pop my beer down on the tiles with a high clink and swing my feet around to rest them on his lap.
Another breeze sweeps through us, stealing my breath at how handsome he looks in the orange light. He really is dangerous, and my smile deepens as he takes my left calf in his hand, gently massaging me with a knowing grin.
I have to make sure not to moan, even though we can both already tell where this is going.
But I settle into it, both of us watching each other, neither of us asking questions.
No expectations, nothing to stop us being together except the weight of my conversation with Maddock.
I need to tell Jaxx about him and Everest, but how am I meant to lead into it when each stroke of his thumb has me inching towards him and my legs opening wider the further up my thigh he goes?
I bite my lip as he smirks at me, and the second I see him leaning forward, I drop the question.
“Why did you let Maddock pass you?” I ask.
He pauses on my calf, and I wiggle it, making sure he carries on, which just makes him chuckle.
“You saw that, did you?” he asks.
“You were subtle enough about it that I don’t think many people picked it up. But I know Maddock well enough to tell when he feels like he’s been cheated. And that was not the face of a person who’s just grumpy because he had to do interviews.”
“Fair enough. You would know him best, wouldn’t you?” He tilts his head at the question.
My eyes widen at the amusement on his face.
“So, you know we’re scent matches after all?”
“It’s kind of obvious when you stand back and look at it. It’s Everest that’s the surprise, really. I don’t think he’s ever be attracted to something that isn’t a car.”
I press my lips together, trying not to laugh, but Jaxx is twinkling too hard. I don’t know how he can look mischievous and handsome at the same time.
“What do you know about me, Harmony Grace?” he asks. “Apart from how dashing and irresistible I am?”
I pause at his question, trying to think about it honestly. I said to Maddock about only meeting them a week ago, but moments like this between me, Jaxx, and Everest were what mattered more than how long I’d known them for.
“You're Maddock’s teammate. You joined my family’s team two years ago. My dad offered you a reserve spot before you’d even done your first year in F2.”
“Okay, good, yeah. Do you know anything about me that doesn’t have to do with racing?”
“Well, there are photos of you with different women in every city you go to.”
“I won’t deny that, though it does mean I’m good with my hands.” He smirks as he digs his thumbs into my muscles, and a moan escapes me.
“What about me being your future mate? Is that something you know?” he asks.
“Who said anything about you being my mate?” I say, trying to hold back my smile.
He instantly moves, sliding both hands up my thighs, creeping in. My breath catches in my throat, and I’m already leaning back, waiting for him to kiss me. This is what it’s all been leading up to, and I’m already ready for him.
But he just laughs, gently biting my cheek, and perfume flows out of me, along with my building slick.
“Tell me I’m not your future mate when you’re thirsting over me like this,” he purrs. And I grin back, because he definitely caught me out. But it’s the same with Maddock. I can’t say anything to Jaxx when I have no idea what’s coming for us in the future.
He nudges my nose with his before he draws back, moving to my other calf.
“What about being a rancher’s boy who loves riding horses more than driving cars?”
“You’re joking,” I laugh.
“Not for a second. I know it’s cliche, a rancher from Texas.
But riding horses is like nothing else. I’m the one in control of the car, so I make the decisions and I’m the one who’s got my hands on the wheel.
But it’s different with horses. We’re working together when I have the reins.
We have to listen and respond to each other, and there’s nothing like the beating of hooves and the feel of the horse moving under me as I race along. ”
“Why do you drive then?” I ask.
“Because I’m seriously good. You’ve seen how good I am; you know what I can do. My daddy doesn’t want these kinds of skills wasted on ranching when I’m earning this much money through racing.”
“Is that what you want to do when you finish racing? You'll ride horses?"
“Well, what if I said I want to whisk you away to my ranch and make love to you until the cows come home?”
I suck in a breath, pressing a hand against my mouth as my cheeks flush.
“That shouldn’t be so hot,” I murmur, but he just laughs.
“I guess I hit the nail on the head with that one. I can go even harder, if you like?”
He leans in close, taking my lips for himself. But his kiss is so light and gentle that it means more to me than the desperate, passionate kisses we’ve shared in locked rooms.
He pulls back, the light in his eyes softens into pain, and his chin dips. He shifts his hands, taking mine in his with a sad smile.
“Seriously though? Why I drive?”
I nod, already sensing that he’s about to share something I’m lucky to hear.
“I had a friend back in F2,” he says, his voice serious.
“We met when we were still training in F3, but it was instant. You know those people you meet and you just know you’re going to be friends for life?
That kind of thing. Hell, I thought we might even match with the same omega.
” He chuckles as he rubs the back of his neck.
“But he was crazy. He drove like a maniac and took wild risks, ones that always paid off. It was like he had an angel on his shoulder or something. It didn’t matter how hard he pushed his car or himself, he always seemed to fly around the track like a whirlwind.
If Carl was in his car, you knew you had to stay out of his way. ”
Jaxx’s fond smile already tells me this story won't end well.
“We promised each other. There was no way we were going to ever quit driving until both of us won a championship.
Each. Either we did it together, or separately, but we both had to hold a title.
And we'd keep going until we were old guys sitting on a porch drinking like this, reminiscing about our driving days with eight million grandbabies running around like wild things. We were in it for the long run. And if either one of us got injured, the other one had to win two championships to make up for it. We were thorough like that, you know. No room for loopholes.”
I reach out, curling my hand around his wrist, because it seems like he hasn’t realized he’d stopped stroking my calf. It’s more like he’s holding on to me for support.
“What happened to him?” I ask. But he stays silent, watching the sun for long enough that we see it move an inch higher behind the tall buildings of the skyline.
“It’s so weird how fast it is, you know?
” he says eventually. “Those actor friends of yours, they were laughing about how it wouldn't be hard to drive the cars, but it’s like a bolt of lightning. One second you’re talking and joking with your best friend.
And then, suddenly, you’re watching them being carted into an ambulance, and you just know you’re never going to see him again. ”
“Jaxx…” Sorrow fills my voice as I edge closer to him.
“And we were a good team, you know?” He blows out a heavy breath.
“We wanted to race for the same team, but he got an offer from the Cuba Libres, and we decided we’d give it our all as competitors.
But then he just took a corner too fast. His car flipped, his head got stuck at the wrong angle, and the fire was too much. And that was that.”
But his voice cracks hard, and his hand trembles so much that it’s obvious that isn’t the end.
I edge in closer, wrapping my arms around him, and he buries himself in my chest. Our scents mix as he sighs, leaning against me. And my heart gently eases to know that I can help him like this. Like how an omega helps her alpha.
A few deep breaths and his fingers dent my skin as I hold him. He finally clears his throat.
“Yeah, so, when Maddock drives like that, all I see is how Carl went over.” He lifts his head to meet me with a hard gaze.
“Every single time Maddock tries to kill himself just to get to that number one spot, I want to shout at him for being so stupid. And it’s not worth it. It’s never been worth it.”
“Why do you keep driving if you don’t think it’s worth it?”