Chapter Fifteen
MATT
So far, the fundraising aspect is going really well. Already, a heap of money has been raised from the races between Alex and me. For every donation that’s won, the sponsors of the event double the amount raised.
After ring toss, sack races, donut-eating contests, and scarfing down far too much street food, it’s time for the final contest of the night, and it’s a partner race.
All night, it’s been one-on-one between Alex and me.
For this pairing, they thought it would be funny to put us together so we couldn’t be rivals and we’d have to be teammates.
Everyone’s putting in a pile of money with the hopes of us winning the three-legged race as well.
Alex and I walk up to the start line, and a woman hands us our rope.
I smirk, thinking of things I could do with a rope other than tie our legs together, then shake my head slightly, ridding my brain of such indecent thoughts.
I shouldn’t be thinking about anything like that in a place like this.
The lack of sex is causing the kinky side of my brain to take over, but these women deserve better than that.
Pushing aside any thoughts of bondage, I look at Alex.
She stares at me, then the rope, and swallows hard with a slight smirk.
She bends to tie our legs together. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was having some kind of immoral thoughts, too, though I doubt it.
There’s no way she’d be into kink with her trust issues.
Why are you thinking about sex with Alex?
Fuck! I need to get laid!
Clearing my throat as Alex ties the knots, I try my best not to think about anything kinky.
I don’t need Alex looking up to see a raging boner right in front of her eyes.
As Alex looks up, I don’t miss her eyes sneakily glancing at my crotch as she makes her way to a standing position.
She wobbles slightly as her body aligns right next to mine.
I figure this will work best if we wrap our arms around each other and run together, so I wrap my arm around her shoulder, and she instinctively places her arm around my waist. It’s not lost on me that she fits into my side perfectly, like she’s meant to be there.
At this moment, I can’t help but think of my ten rules and how Alex not only breaks, but smashes most of them, and yet, somehow, we get along more than most of the women I seem to meet.
It’s funny how someone can be the complete opposite of what you’re looking for, but be so in tune with everything you are.
If things had been a little different, maybe we could have been more than friends.
Maybe.
But then, is stepping out of the friend zone something you should ever really do?
Especially when you have such a great friendship like this.
Is it worth the risk of potentially losing that friend if it all goes south?
No… probably not.
Alex isn’t the girl I’m after. Her look, while I find it fucking sexy as hell, is not the image I’ve imagined on my arm.
Her personality, while I love her, is all fight and fire.
I want a calm girl, one who won’t sass me on everything.
Alex is amazing, and as I look down at her, I see her greatness, and I know she’ll make someone very happy one day.
The firing pistol goes off, breaking me from my thoughts as Alex squeezes my side. She doesn’t even make sure I’m ready before she pushes me forward. We stumble because I wasn’t prepared, too lost in my thoughts, and not concentrating on the race.
“Seriously, Matt? Get your head in the game. Let’s go!” Alex berates, trying to right our stance.
Throwing our joined legs out, I chuckle and push myself into the motion of running.
Shit! We’re already behind.
One look at Alex and I know I’m in trouble. Her game face is locked in. If I don’t pull it together, she’ll straight-up drag me across the finish line.
I shake off the fog and kick into gear. “Alright, alright, I’m moving!” I shout, half lifting her as we lurch forward. She laughs, wild and breathless as we stumble down the lane.
“Oh my god, we’re so bad at this!” she yells over the cheering crowd. We’re at least five feet behind the rest of the pack and moving like two drunk flamingos, but somehow I don’t even care—she’s laughing, and that’s the only win I want to nail today.
“Malex, Malex, Malex!” the crowd cheers, and I look up as Alex laughs and shakes her head.
“What the hell are they saying?” I call out as she continues to laugh, looking up at me.
“They have shipped us. You know, like Tayvis or Tomdaya.”
I burst out laughing, still trying to run, but my laughter makes my balance falter, and Alex tips into my side a little further than I can hold.
“Oh shit,” I yell out, my balance floundering completely, and my body starts to tumble toward the ground, taking Alex with me.
She squeals, and I turn my body just in time for me to land hard on my back, causing Alex to fall directly on top of me with a thump.
I gasp as our heads bang slightly, but I open my eyes to see Alex lying on top of me, holding her breath.
Her eyes meet mine.
And there it is—the warmth.
People are cheering, but I can’t hear them.
It’s like all the sound has stopped around us, and all I can hear is my heart thumping in my ears, pumping so fast as the blood rushes through my veins.
My skin prickles in goose bumps while I stare into her eyes.
Alex looks back at me, licking her lips slightly, our foreheads only inches apart from each other—our bodies connected in every way.
I swallow hard, trying to figure out what’s happening right now.
The same energy from the egg incident is back, but this time, I find it harder to question.
My body is so warm, hot even. I’m burning up, and staring at Alex isn’t helping. Her cheeks flush as she lets out a gasp. I bring my hand up to wipe a stray hair away that’s fallen over her face, and she smiles down at me.
“You two are too freaking cute. I think I can forgive you for losing. Now, did you hurt yourselves?” Nora asks, breaking the moment as I shift my gaze from Alex and look beyond her to Nora, who’s standing next to us.
Alex clears her throat and subtly slides off my body to the ground beside me, and I try hard to keep my thoughts straight.
“I’m good, I might have a bruise on my head from doodle bug’s headbanging, though,” I tease, and Alex scoffs, pinching my arm.
“Well, if someone wasn’t distracted, we totally could have made a comeback. I want a trade-in. My partner totally sucks. Augie, I’m with you next round, okay?” she calls out to the Sideshow Bob-looking guy.
Laughing, I lean down to untie the knot around our ankles as Augie chuckles and nods at Alex like he’s totally in awe of her. It's pretty much the same as everyone else does around here.
“Thanks for having me here tonight, Nora. I really appreciate you letting me come and participate,” I tell her while finally removing the ropes from around our ankles and popping them into my pocket.
She smiles as I go to stand, and I hold out my hand for Alex to take. She does and moves in next to me, dusting off her ass.
“No, thank you, Matt. We were worried we wouldn’t have a celebrity here after Zaria canceled at the last minute, but you’ve stepped up to the plate so well.
Participating in all the activities wasn’t a necessity, but Alex said you’d be up for the challenge, and you’ve done all of them without a fuss and with great humor.
So for that, I thank you. You’ve made tonight really special for the women here. ”
“My pleasure, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to make an announcement if I can?” I ask.
Alex and Nora both look at me, raising their eyebrows. Nora nods and heads toward the microphone while Alex glares at me like she’s worried I’m going to do something stupid.
But I’m not.
I know exactly what I’m doing.
Nora takes the stand and taps the mic. Everyone turns and looks at her, hushing down as they focus their attention.
“I just want to thank you all again for coming out tonight. It’s been a huge success, and it’s been colossal fun with our celebrity guest, Matthew Levine from Recoil, who would like to say a few words.
So welcome to the stand, Matt, everyone. ”
The crowd cheers, and I wink at Alex, who looks suddenly incredibly nervous as I walk to the stage and clear my throat.
“Hi, guys! First of all, a big thank you to Nora for throwing such an epic event. This fundraiser is awesome, and I can’t imagine having a better Saturday night.
Rosalie House, from what I have seen and heard so far, is truly remarkable.
The women here, now and from the past, are strong, brave, and some of the most beautiful people I’ve ever met. ”
I look at Alex as I say that, and she chews on her bottom lip, crossing her arms over her chest like she’s trying to support herself.
“The issues you’ve all overcome, or are trying to overcome, are hard.
It’s tough. It’s, well, for the want of better wording, fucking shit.
Pardon my French.” The room fills with soft laughter.
“But I know that with the help of Nora and Rosalie House, you can do anything you put your mind to. The strength you find in each other will hold you together, but the strength you find in yourself is the most powerful of all. But, of course, places like this need all the help they can get, right?”
There is a collective “Yes” from the audience.
“That’s why they have fundraisers like tonight.
I hope you all put your wallets on the line and continue to do so because whatever the fundraiser brings in at the end of the night, I will personally match dollar for dollar.
So if you guys donate a thousand, I’ll donate a thousand. Do you see where I’m going with this?”