CHAPTER 10 #2
Her forthright gaze met his. “I don’t have a proper job or a home, but I enjoy spending time with you. I decided to deal with my past. I didn’t want you to be part of my entanglement.” Her eyes pleaded with him to understand.
“I’m hoping you’ll find some quality time for me and a different kind of entanglement in a few hours. After the race.” He went to kiss her, but she gasped and stepped back.
“I haven’t messed up your race routine today, have I?” Her tear-filled eyes were so intent and serious. “We’re due on the track in five minutes.”
“You make me race better. You help me concentrate on what’s important. One kiss, then it’s race time.” Her soft lips parted beneath his. When he stepped back, he said, “One of these days I’m going to win a race.” He hadn’t shared that goal with anyone in a long time.
“Maybe today,” she said with a smile that brought out her dimple.
“Circuit of The Americas is one of Vince’s favorite tracks,” said Isaac. “I won’t beat him here unless he has an out-of-character disaster and crashes. But one of these days, I’m going to be a MotoGP winner.”
“I believe in you,” she said. “Go race.”
They came out of the trailer together. Vince stood at the bottom of his stairs, dressed in his orange, black, and white riding leathers.
“You might want to save that energy for the track,” said Vince with a headshake.
His brother assumed he knew what they’d been doing in the trailer. Isaac grit his teeth. Vince needed to mind his own business.
Anna’s smile disappeared and she let go of Isaac’s hand. With a glance over her shoulder, she slipped into the box from the back lane.
He and Vince were alone.
“You don’t seem to take my advice. I hope you know what you’re doing, little brother.” Vince stalked into his garage without saying anything else.
Isaac clenched his jaw for a moment, closed his eyes, and pictured the track.
He wouldn’t think about Vince right now.
Just the race. He calmed his thoughts, at last, got into racing mode, and joined his team.
With the countdown on to start time, he ran through the course in his head the way he had the last few races.
The race itself flew by in a flash. It was a fun course to ride with tight turns, a roller coaster hill with a blind crest, and enough straights to hit top speed each lap before hard braking.
His favorite spot to overtake was at the bottom of the hill as the track turned.
The course ran counterclockwise, unlike most of the other tracks, which was part of the reason Vince had been so successful here.
He excelled more than most riders at left-hand turns.
Isaac finished second, having kept his brother in sight during the entire race.
A feat here at COTA, where Vince had often finished ten or twelve seconds ahead of the second-place rider.
There’d even been a moment with five laps to go when he’d considered chasing down Vince and vying for the win.
But, with worn tires, Isaac hadn’t wanted to throw away a solid second place.
The way his bike was functioning, and with how he was riding, there would be other chances for victory.
This afternoon’s celebration in parc ferme was more subdued than previous times they’d been together on the podium.
His brother’s smile seemed forced, and he’d turned away quickly to talk to his teammate, Luka Catala, who’d finished third.
Isaac forgot that awkward moment when Anna stepped forward with shining eyes to give him his cap and water bottle with his energy drink sponsor for the camera.
“I have a surprise,” he whispered as he lifted her for their now customary post-race hug. Maybe she was his good luck charm, like Angel insisted.
She arched an eyebrow. “What kind of surprise?”
“It’s my birthday, so I’ve arranged to spend this evening with you somewhere nice.”
“Happy Birthday.” She kissed him again. “What about the team?” Her eyes had gone wide.
“I paid for their dinner and a night out, too. Just somewhere else. Lots of great live music here. They’ll never miss us.”
. . .
After the podium celebration, Isaac and Anna ducked out the back of the garage and into a car that took them first to the hotel to get changed, and then into downtown Austin for dinner.
A camera crew caught them sneaking away, and a car followed when they left.
At the restaurant, a camera filmed when they exited the car and headed inside.
Isaac signed a few extra autographs on the way.
“Does that happen often away from the track?” she said in a stage whisper as she tossed her head toward the reporter.
“More in America than most places, other than at the racetrack. They probably think I’m Vince.
Or expect him to come along soon. This is one of his favorite places too.
I invited him to come tonight, with Catarina or a date, but he declined.
” Declined was a polite way to say that he’d been unresponsive.
Anna squeezed Isaac’s arm in sympathy while they followed the server to their table.
“I don’t think Vince likes me,” said Anna as they sat at the table for two at the window overlooking the river and the brightly lit city on the other side.
“Vince? He likes you fine,” said Isaac, opening his menu. He didn’t want to talk about Vince, and his voice was more clipped than he intended.
“Yeah. Fine.” Anna’s words conveyed more acid in her tone than he’d heard her use before.
He closed his menu and took her hand. “Vince doesn’t dislike you. His problem with us is because of me. He’s worried I’ll become distracted and ruin my racing career.”
“Aren’t you off to a great start this year?” She frowned, looking more puzzled than upset. “You’re in second overall.”
“My best. I’ve had entire seasons with fewer points than I have now. Just to put it in perspective, I’m usually happy to finish in the top ten. That I’ve been in the top four for all four races is a complete surprise. To me, as much as everyone.”
“Shouldn’t Vince be happy for you? This afternoon, he was… weird.”
Of course, she’d noticed.
“You’re the first woman who has ever been important to me.
The only person I’ve dated anywhere near the track or for more than a couple of weeks.
Maybe Vince is jealous.” He’d never considered the possibility, but suddenly, some of Vince’s scowls made more sense.
His brother would deny it, but Isaac hadn’t been spending much time with Vince.
Isaac loved his brother, but he had to be his own person, and spending time away from his brother was important.
However, it may have been too big a change all at once for Vince.
When they got home, Isaac would see if they could get back in their brother groove.
Try to match up more of their training again.
“Do you want me to stay away from you in Cervera? Give you more time for your brother?” Anna spun the ring on her right hand. He hadn’t seen her do that in a while.
“I’ll find time to train with him more, but I’m not giving you up,” said Isaac. “Before I forget, my mom wants to meet you. She’s invited us to dinner on Wednesday. Are you free?”
She nodded and bit her lower lip. “Will I be what she expects?”
“She’s so excited I have a girlfriend, at last. I don’t think you need to worry,” said Isaac with a laugh.
Anna’s smile chased thoughts of Vince away so he could enjoy his birthday dinner. They were brothers. They’d work it out, eventually.
. . .
Back at the hotel, Isaac’s focus shifted.
As soon as they stepped through the door, he flipped the lock and pulled Anna into his arms. She fit perfectly, and when he bent to kiss her, he forgot everything else.
He wanted to taste all of her. His skin thrummed with energy as he touched her smooth skin.
Attuned to his every touch, she pushed against him, deepening their kiss.
One strap of her dress slipped down her shoulder, and he traced the neckline with a finger, goosebumps rising on her skin as she shivered beneath his touch.
“I don’t have a present for you,” she gasped.
“You are my present. I’m unwrapping you right now.
” He ran his hands down her sides and lifted her dress, pulling it off over her head, leaving her in a purple lacy bra and matching thong underwear.
He wanted to rip it all off but instead dropped to his knees, kissing her flat stomach, his fingers sliding under the edge of her underwear.
As always, she was wet and ready, as turned on by their kisses as he was.
They’d been all over each other in the limo coming back to the hotel, and it seemed like he’d been hard all night.
He slid his fingers deeper, making her cry out.
Removing them, he licked them and ducked his head to taste more.
He kissed the lace and did something new, sucking on her through the flimsy fabric.
She bucked away, but he held her close and licked her again, watching for her reaction.
She closed her eyes and twisted her hands into his hair.
Oh fuck. She tasted like candy, sweet and delicious.
He dove back in, sucking until he couldn’t stand not to reach her bare skin.
Sliding her soaked underwear down, his tongue slid into her swollen folds, and he kissed her there.
First soft, then with his tongue swirling in her wetness.
His insistent cock strained at his boxers, and he sucked harder.
She rocked against him, pushing him deeper. This was so fucking fantastic.
“Isaac. Oh. Oh, oh my god,” she said, tightening her grip. A hot rush filled his mouth as she came. He slowed down and kissed her again, savoring all of her. He wasn’t a selfish lover. He enjoyed her pleasure, but he was wound so tight and needed his own release.
With a last kiss, he undressed, her eyes fixed on him. His turn.
She dropped to her knees, where she stroked and blew him until he was incoherent. Twice she brought him to the brink, but he held back. He wanted to come, but he needed to be inside her, or this would be over too soon.
When she slid onto the bed, he rolled on a condom with shaking hands and followed. He was so ready he could have come with the first tight thrust, but he’d learned he could make her come a second time and that’s what he wanted. Knowing that he was giving her pleasure too made everything better.
When Anna came again, clenching around him as he thrust deep, he could hold off no longer. He watched her face as she came down, and his orgasm rocked through him—an unstoppable train.
After cleaning up, she snuggled against him, and they drifted toward sleep. He was almost out when his phone buzzed and lit up the darkened room. It was late, but carefully, so he didn’t disturb Anna, he reached for his phone on the bedside table. The message was from Vince.
“Happy Birthday, little brother. Should have gone to dinner. My apologies.”
Isaac’s last thought before drifting off to sleep was that it was good to hear from Vince. They might not always be as close as they had been in the past, but he didn’t want a rift.