Chapter 5 #3
He peppers kisses anywhere he can reach – my neck, my collarbones, down my shoulder and over until his tongue flicks at my nipple.
My moans and little sounds of pleasure spur him on, driving deeper into me.
And when I lift my knees, bringing them closer to my chest and spreading wider for him, his measured movements lose some of their control.
‘Like that,’ I breathe out as he hits a spot that makes my stomach twist into the most perfect knots. ‘God, just like that. Don’t stop.’
He obliges until I’m begging him for more, harder, repeating ‘yes’ and ‘please’ until the words lose their meaning. He gives me enough to keep me on the brink, but not the push I need to get over the edge, and it’s the sweetest form of torture.
‘You’re taking me so well, sweetheart. Tell me how it feels.’
I dig my nails into his back as I try to form a coherent thought.
‘It feels—’ I cut short when he hitches my left thigh higher, a moan escaping instead with his next stroke.
It takes a few more seconds of breathing before I can speak again, and even then the words are barely more than a whine. ‘I think you know how it feels.’
He smirks and runs his thumb over my lips before pushing it into my mouth. I swirl my tongue around it and suck, smiling at the way he shivers and stills for a moment before finding a rhythm again.
‘You were right about ruining my idea of you. It’s gone.’
I squeeze around him in reply, which earns me a string of expletives as his thumb slips from my mouth, composure disappearing. When his hand travels lower and his touch finds my clit, I’m the one with no composure left to speak of.
‘But I’d rather have this version of you,’ he murmurs, rubbing tight circles as he snaps his hips.
My thighs tremble. I’m close, so close that it’s not going to take much to finally reach the top of this towering peak, pushed to heights that have me panting.
And when it finally happens, it’s incendiary, like crackling flames licking at every inch of me, igniting every nerve ending until I burn completely through.
The rush of my climax triggers his, and with a few more stuttering thrusts, he follows me over the edge, his face buried in my neck as his body shudders. The hand between us slowly rises until he’s cupping my cheek, lifting his head to give me one last deep kiss before he rolls off to my side.
My heart hammers and my chest heaves as I recover, and I can’t help but slap a hand on his chest to see if he’s in the same state.
‘Fuck,’ he exhales, his hand falling on top of mine. Under my palm, his heart thunders. ‘There are more condoms in that drawer, right?’
I want to laugh, but all I can do is suck in another lungful of air. ‘How can you possibly be thinking about doing that again already? I’m going to need five business days to recover.’
Zaid grasps my hand and drags it to his lips, speaking against my knuckles. ‘Haven’t got enough of you yet.’
‘Charmer.’
‘Let me show you how charming I can be.’
And then he makes me come four more times.
Hours later, I’m sprawled across his chest, satiated and completely spent. Somewhere in the heap of clothes on the floor, a phone buzzes, but neither of us moves to get it, content to bask in the afterglow.
‘It’s probably my driver,’ Zaid says against my hair, fingers drifting up and down my spine. ‘My original plan was to head home early. I have a morning flight out to Bahrain tomorrow.’
Pre-season testing, where all the teams’ cars will be out on-track together for the first time, starts on Wednesday, so it’s no surprise that he’s heading to Bahrain for it a few days early.
I know from experience how killer that first time-zone change of the season can be, so he’s smart to give himself a chance to acclimate.
I lift my head enough to glance at the clock on the bedside table, which tells me it’s nearly midnight. ‘Do you need to go?’
‘I’m not rushing.’ He traces his fingers up my neck and sinks them into my hair, pulling my head back so that he can brush his mouth across mine. ‘Don’t want this night to end yet. Best one I’ve had in a long, long time.’
‘Best one? Really?’ I tease against his lips. ‘Even though you nearly punched an old man in the middle of a perfectly nice party?’
‘I’m choosing to ignore that part. My night started when you stole me away from the party and then snuck me up into your tower.’ He kisses me again, slow and tender, before murmuring, ‘Might start to think you really are a princess.’
‘Mm, don’t blow my cover.’
We keep kissing, drunk off each other now that the whiskey has worn off, only reluctantly stopping when his phone buzzes again.
Zaid pulls away and sighs, dragging his free hand over his eyes. ‘Guess it’s time to go.’
‘It is,’ I agree, pushing down the growing desperation to keep him here, because that was never what this night was supposed to be about. ‘Don’t want your carriage to turn into a pumpkin.’
He drops his hand, staring at me like he’s trying hard not to smile. It’s been a delight watching him relax and light up, and I’ll savor this rare peek behind the curtain of such a private man. I doubt I’ll see it again.
I roll to the other side of the bed, freeing him to get up, and I admire his spectacular backside as he heads to the bathroom. When he emerges again, he moves to our shared pile of clothes and gently tosses the pieces that belong to me onto the duvet before tugging on his own.
‘Are you gonna be in the paddock this season?’ he asks as he zips his trousers.
I shake my head and lean against the headboard, tucking the sheet around my torso as he sits to put on his shoes. ‘No. Not with Specter, at least. I’m not really welcome back there after . . .’ I motion vaguely, knowing he’ll understand what I’m referring to. ‘Everything.’
I swear guilt flashes across his face before his expression settles back into that pleasant neutral.
‘Besides,’ I go on, deciding not to dwell on it, ‘I don’t think I’d be up for that much travel.’
He shoots me a doubtful look as he shrugs into his shirt. ‘Really?’
He’s right to be suspicious, but if he’s waiting for me to explain myself, he’s wasting his time.
I’ve only told Edith and a few other friends about my plans to be a single parent, one who won’t abandon her kid to go galivanting around the world for the sake of motorsport.
I certainly haven’t told my family, especially not my father or maman bozorg, who’d both be upset that I’m doing this alone and unmarried.
Dad would probably attempt to talk me into waiting until I met someone to settle down with, while my grandmother would whip out a binder of potential suitors I could be married to within the month.
Since I don’t want either, I’m not telling them anything until I’m nearly to my due date.
Hard to yell at a heavily pregnant woman, you know?
And I’m definitely not telling Zaid Yousef, because no one’s one-night stand wants to hear about their plans for a baby. I’m sure he’d keep my secrets, though. I’ve kept his.
After a slight pause, Zaid pushes on. ‘Thanks again for saving me tonight,’ he says as he buttons his cuffs, hiding away his scars. ‘Can’t say I have any interest in ever going back to that pub, though.’
I laugh. ‘Happy to have given you inspiration for your next nightmare.’
The silence that follows should be awkward, but all I feel is content, and Zaid’s small smile is a comfort. This was a perfect night and I’m happy to leave it at that, even if that lingering burn to ask him to stay the night is there.
‘Take care of yourself, yeah?’ he says, and I swear he’s hesitating, waiting for me to tell him to come back to bed.
But I know better, and it’s time to listen to reason, no matter how much I’d rather ignore it.
‘You do the same,’ I tell him, a gentle dismissal. ‘I’ll be rooting for you.’ I pause before flashing him a grin. ‘But I’ll be rooting for Axel more.’
He chuckles and dips his chin. ‘You’re a bloody pest, princess.’
‘People have called me worse.’ I give him a happy little wave. ‘See you around.’