Chapter twenty-one Cole
Chapter twenty-one
Cole
May
Final race, Salt Lake City, Utah
The last race of the season and the last lap, and I was leading. I was leading in points as well. This championship and this race were mine! I tried to commit every bit of the track to memory. The whoops, the rhythm section, the tabletop jump, the straightaway, and the finish jump.
I sped around the last corner and headed for that finish line.
It was a high, steep jump, but no match for anyone on a 450.
Up I went, past the checkered flag. I pumped my fist in the air.
After I landed, I slowed and moved to the first exit area off the track and neared the barrier that held the fans back.
I revved the bike and let the wheel spin over the concrete for a good burnout. The fans cheered.
I moved toward the podium. Before I made it halfway, Fisher stopped me. He slapped my back, whooped loudly, and threw his leg over the back of the bike. We rode up to the podium, and before I could even take my goggles off, Nix jumped me. His arms tightened around my shoulders, feeling perfect.
I gently pushed him back. “Don’t go anywhere.
” I pointed at him, then pulled my goggles off and looped them over the handlebars.
My helmet was next, and I handed it over to Zeke.
Then Fisher took the bike when I dismounted, freeing me up to grab Nix.
I pulled him into my arms, lifting him off his feet, and kissed him.
I could feel the flashes of cameras going off all around us.
Those pictures of us would be everywhere in a matter of minutes, but I didn’t care, not one damned bit.
My new manager, Brandi, had been working with a PR team, building up to this.
My relationship wouldn’t overshadow my championship win.
I pulled back and looked into Nix’s happy eyes.
“I have to go talk to the press.” I nodded to the big stage with the backdrop featuring Monster Energy and a few other big sponsors. It was set up to talk to the winners.
“I know.” He gave me another peck on the lips. “I’m so proud of you. Go do your thing, and we’ll celebrate later.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah, promise. Always.”
I kissed him again before walking up the stairs.
I didn’t need to be directed behind the mic since I’d done this plenty of times.
Gavin handed me a fresh hat with one of our sponsors’ logo on it and an energy drink.
No matter how valiant the win, we still had product placement to do to appease the sponsors.
In fact, it was more important now that I was the champion than ever before.
Everyone wanted to be seen on the winner, after all.
They handed me the number one race plate.
I answered the standard question or two and talked about the race.
I thanked my team, my sponsors, and Nix.
Without him, I didn’t think I would have done half as well this season.
He gave me hope, helped me focus, but more important, he helped me relax and realize I could have a life outside of racing.
I high-fived Tate, who came in second in the race and in points.
Then moved on. Plenty of champagne flowed at the pit.
Everyone wanted to celebrate. I couldn’t blame them.
BikeMax was now a team the others had better take seriously.
In fact, we were more than a team. We’d become a family, much like Davey’s Apex crew.
Gavin threw his arm around me. “Great job, Cole. I knew you could do it. I’m flying everyone out to HQ for a big party.
Including your parents and Nix.” He pointed at me as he spoke, then shook me with his broad arm.
The next few weeks would be a whirlwind.
I would not only have that party to attend, but press conferences, and other promotional events.
The entire off-season would be busy, but it was worth it.
The only thing I worried about was making time for Nix, but he’d made time for me, so it was my turn to rearrange schedules to find our balance.
After what seemed entirely too long, the party finally started breaking up, so I grabbed Nix and headed over to the hotel we’d booked for the night. I needed alone time to do our own celebrating.
Next day
Atlanta
We pulled into the driveway of Nix’s house.
Our house. Even if his name was on the mortgage, we both lived there, and Nix made me feel like it was my place, too.
I’d managed to get all my stuff from my folks’ house moved over the week before.
A few things were still in boxes in the extra room, but I’d go through them soon enough.
“Home sweet home. Come on.” Nix got out and grabbed some of our bags from the back of the car, while I grabbed the rest. “Let’s dump them in the foyer and go lay down. We can get them later. I’m tired.”
“You got it.” I dropped the bags I had and followed Nix through the house.
We pulled our clothes off, down to our briefs and climbed up on the bed.
It was so easy to wrap myself around this man.
I lay my head on his hard chest and let myself enjoy his warm arms around me.
Nix had the best heart of anyone I knew, and we fit so well together, emotionally and physically.
Losing him was not an option. I was so grateful he gave me another chance with him.
I would have gone to even greater extremes to get him back, but now that I had him, I planned on keeping him.
“I’m calling my dad’s friend tomorrow to come look at the back yard.
We need a pool.” I was thinking of extras I wanted to throw in for Nix, including a grotto and waterfall on one end, a hot tub on the other, and some tropical landscaping.
He would love it. The pool was for both of us, not simply for me to swim laps, although that was important.
“I can’t let you pay for all that.”
“Shh…nonsense. You’re paying the mortgage. I need to contribute.” I pushed myself up on one arm so I could look at him. I wanted to see the expression on his face as we talked. “Plus, we’re building the house in North Carolina together.”
“You bought the land.”
“But the house is both of us. In fact, I have a few floorplans to look at later. We need to pick the one that fits us best and tweak it. Adding or changing whatever to make it perfect. I’m excited about it.”
“Me too. It’s going to be great. Hmm…”
“What?”
“I’d like the washer and dryer to be closer to the bedrooms. I hate hauling laundry through the house and having it stack up in the kitchen.”
“Can do. What else?”
“I want those big glass doors that completely open up the back of the house.” He spread his arms out as if demonstrating how the doors opened. “We should face it east to west so we can get a great sunrise over the pool.”
“Can do.” I snugged back down next to him.
“What do you want?”
“All of that. Anything you want. As long as you’re with me.”
“Can do,” Nix echoed me.
I sighed into the skin on his chest and flicked my finger over his nipple, making it perk up.
“Before you start that, uh, I kind of have something for you, or rather to share with you.”
“Okay. What is it?”
Nix sat up and rubbed his hands over his face. “I’m nervous.”
“Don’t be. If it’s from you, I’m sure I’ll love it.” I encouraged him with a nudge.
“Okay.” He got of the bed and crossed the room. I didn’t know what he was doing until he grabbed his guitar. “Like I told you, I’m out of practice, but, uh… well, let me just play this.”
Nix strummed his guitar, and it didn’t sound out of practice to me. Not one bit. It was soft, sweet and beautiful. I was about to tell him exactly that, but he started singing.
My jaw dropped at the beautiful tone of his voice and the words that were so fitting.
Lonely boy…
You’re more than just a line in a song
I’ve been watching you spin your wheels for so long
Just where are you running to?
Chasing your dreams can be lonely fuel…
Lonely boy.
Lonely boy…
You’re racing your whole life away
I’ve been waiting so long for this day
You’re finished hiding your scars below the surface
Together our stars will give our love purpose
Lonely boy
Lonely boy…
“That’s all I have. But, um. It’s for you.” He ducked his head and set the guitar back in the stand.
“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Shut up.”
“Come here.” I held my hand out for him, and Nix fell into my arms. I kissed the top of his head and squeezed him tight. “You never told me you could sing so well. It was utterly amazing. I’m in love all over again.”
“Thanks,” he breathed the word into my skin.
“That song proves it.” I pushed him down to the mattress.
“Proves what?”
“That you love me. You get me. Like no one else ever has.”
Nix nodded. “I think I do.”
“I know it’s going to be hard for a while, Nix. But I promise to work on it and balance our life together with the racing as best I can, but don’t forget, I only have a few years left. Then, I’m done. And you’ll probably get sick of me following you around everywhere.”
“Never.” Nix chuckled. “Have you thought about what you want to do after you retire?”
“Some, but I don’t know yet.”
“You’ll figure it out.”
“I hope so, but you know what I do know?”
“What?”
“I know what I want right now.” I crawled over him and kissed him. I tried to put all my passion and love into the kiss. I wanted him to know how I felt, wanted it to radiate through his whole body. I moved to mouth over his neck and collar bone, then flicked my tongue over his nipple.
Nix moaned, encouraging me to continue. I went straight for the main course, pulling his briefs down and inhaling his musky scent. It made my dick rock hard. I sucked his head into my mouth and ran my tongue over his crown.
“Cole, uh…want to do the sixty-nine?”
“Nope. I want to concentrate on you.” I sucked him again, bobbing my head and slurping loudly.
At one point in my life, I thought this was something I would never want, let alone have, but I was grateful now for every bit of it, including the slobber that ran down Nix’s shaft.
I worked his balls with one hand and gripped his cock with the other, while sucking him.
“Feels so good, ahh…Cole…” My name on his lips sounded like heaven. Like home.
I kept up the pace until I thought he was close, then I stopped fondling his balls and slid a finger over his taint and to his hole. I touched it. He spasmed and came hard. I swallowed what I could, but a lot of it still splattered over my face.
Nix sat up and laughed as he licked at his own seed on my cheek. “Your turn.”
“Just touch me.” I wiped my face and used that to jack myself, sitting up on my knees. Nix fingered my balls, tweaked a nipple, grabbed my ass.
“I’m so close.”
I grunted as Nix slid his finger down the crack of my ass. I was shooting off before he even got close to my hole. It was so intense, it blinded me for a short moment as I came. It never lasted long enough, but with Nix, I was pretty sure there would be plenty of orgasms in the future.
We lay down together afterward. “Mmm…that was nice.” Nix tucked into my side.
“Yes. Perfect. Just like you.”
Nix snorted and nudged me with his elbow. “Not even close.”
“Perfect for me.”
“I’ll take that.”