Chapter 11
TYRE
The rays of the rising sun filled my room with a soft glow, giving me just enough light to see the rumpled sheets tangled loosely around Cecily’s bare skin.
She lay cuddled into my side, one arm draped lazily across my stomach, her leg hooked comfortably over mine.
Her dark red hair spread out like wildfire across the pillow, a bold splash of color against my charcoal-gray bedding.
She fit here—like this space had been waiting just for her, and now that she was here, nothing else made sense.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept so deeply, especially after so many restless nights dreaming about Cecily.
Her quiet breathing filled the room, a steady reminder that my world had shifted and locked into a new rhythm.
This was my reality now—waking up to Cecily’s soft warmth, having her close enough to reach out and touch whenever I wanted.
Now that I’d experienced it, no way in hell would I give it up.
Her presence had settled something inside me. Looking down at her as she was at this moment, knowing this was exactly what I wanted for good sent a hot, possessive satisfaction pulsing through every nerve ending in my body.
My gaze flicked briefly to the clock on the bedside table, and a reluctant sigh escaped my lips.
Cecily had training soon, and even though the thought of waking her seemed like a damn shame.
She wouldn’t forgive herself if she was late.
However, unlike her camp schedule, she didn’t have to be at the facility until seven, so it left me some time to make her breakfast.
I shifted onto my side, pulling her a little closer, and brushed my thumb lightly along her jaw. Then I lowered my head and captured her mouth in a kiss—slow enough to make sure she woke up feeling exactly who she belonged to.
Cecily stirred beneath me, her eyes fluttering open slowly, the deep brown gaze hazy at first. She blinked softly, confusion melting slowly into awareness. Her cheeks turned a delicate pink, but her lips curved into a lazy, unintentionally sensual smile as she realized exactly where she was.
“Morning, baby.” I traced her lower lip as she stretched, her body arching sweetly against mine. The motion tightened everything in me, heating my blood so swiftly it felt like fire was coursing through my veins.
“Good morning,” she echoed softly, her voice still husky from sleep. Her gaze cleared gradually and she took in our surroundings, the scattered clothes on the floor, and my bare chest beneath her palm.
I ran my hand up her spine, wishing I didn’t have to urge her out of bed. “Unfortunately, you’ve got training soon. Need to get moving.”
A flicker of surprise crossed her expression, her eyes widening slightly as she pushed herself up onto an elbow to look at me more clearly. “You know what time I have training?”
My mouth quirked up at the corner. “I know everything about you, baby. Should’ve figured that out by now.”
Her cheeks flushed faintly, and she dipped her gaze away for just a second as she giggled softly. “Of course you do.”
I leaned in, close enough that my breath brushed warm against her lips. “Believe me, I’d rather keep you right here all day, tangled up in these sheets with me. But we both have shit to deal with.”
She laughed softly again, the corners of her mouth kicking up playfully. “Maybe we should play hooky…just this once.”
“Trust me,” I drawled, my voice low and rough as my fingers tightened possessively on her hip. “If I thought you actually meant that, I’d already be inside you.”
I fucking loved it when that innocent little blush stained her cheeks. Especially when it was because I’d said something dirty and the spark of heat in her eyes pushed the limits of my control.
Sighing, I gave her another quick kiss, then smacked her delectable ass lightly. “Come on. I’m gonna feed you so you don’t collapse halfway through training.”
Cecily laughed again and shifted to climb out of bed. I couldn’t tear my eyes off her as she grabbed my T-shirt from the floor and slipped it over her head, the soft fabric falling loosely around her bare thighs. Then she gathered up her clothes and padded into the en suite bathroom.
I forced myself to get up after her and make my way to the kitchen as she moved to wash up and dressed.
It took a few minutes to get breakfast going—scrambled eggs, lean turkey sausage, whole-grain toast, and fresh fruit.
Every item I placed on her plate was intentional, carefully balanced nutrition tailored specifically for an athlete’s performance.
I’d made sure I knew exactly what her body needed, so I could take care of my girl.
When she joined me at the table, her eyes widened slightly at the meal I’d laid out. She glanced up, surprise and warmth spreading softly across her features.
“Wow,” she murmured softly, something deeper shifting beneath her quiet words. “How did you know what to make?”
I sat across from her and winked. “Research.”
Her smile turned brighter, and her eyes softened with affection. “You’re kind of amazing, you know that?”
“Just so long as we’re clear on that,” I teased.
Cecily rolled her eyes, but her smile didn’t dim as she ate.
Watching her was distracting in the best way, my attention constantly snagging on the curve of her lips and the delicate line of her neck as she swallowed.
My thoughts drifted dangerously to how she’d felt beneath me last night, the breathless sounds she’d made when she shattered for me.
It took every ounce of restraint I had left not to drag her straight back to bed.
When she finished eating, I drove her back to her house so she could get changed for training.
We didn’t talk much on the drive, but it wasn’t an empty silence.
The air between us felt thick with what we were building, but also comfortable.
I held her hand, our fingers laced together and resting on the center console.
Before she climbed out of the SUV, I tugged to turn her back toward me. “You have lessons tonight here at the facility?”
She cocked her head to the side and stared at me for a moment, then shook it slowly. “I’m not even going to ask how you know that.”
I grinned. “I’ll pick you up there when you're done. Pack a bag and bring it with you.”
Her lips parted slightly, her eyes widening as heat bloomed in her cheeks again, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she nodded once, a soft agreement that sent my pulse racing again.
I leaned in, capturing her mouth in a kiss that promised exactly what tonight would hold. It was deep and slow as I tasted her fully, savoring how she melted into me without hesitation. When I finally pulled back, her breathing was uneven, and her eyes were glazed.
She blinked, clearing away the fog of lust. Then she silently watched me as I exited the SUV and came around to open her door.
Once I helped her out, I gave her another lingering kiss, just one more reminder of who she belonged to. Then I waited for her to disappear inside before I finally drove away, the memory of her mouth on mine and the heated promise of tonight keeping me restless and impatient for the end of the day.
I drove straight to The Burnout—a bar co-owned by the club and another brother, Fury—to go over the books. I sank into the familiar rhythm of the numbers, the intricate details as natural to me as breathing.
Cecily had turned my world on its axis—not that I was complaining about that. But it felt good to be in my element again. Focused, efficient, and in control of every aspect of the club’s finances.
But even with the familiar routine, Cecily hovered at the edges of my thoughts.
I’d catch myself replaying her voice, her scent, or the heat of her skin beneath my fingertips.
Not really distracting me though, it was deeper than that.
As if she’d slipped under my skin and become part of my foundation, woven so tightly into my consciousness that my mind had simply reshaped itself around her.
By the time I wrapped up with Fury, the late afternoon sun was dipping lower, and I was already impatient to have her back beside me.
When I picked her up again after training and her final lessons, the tension in my chest eased instantly, her presence grounding me as we drove back to my place.
I made her dinner, and we shared parts of our day as we ate.
But after we finished and she was helping me clean up, the air between us thickened again. My body ignited every time she brushed against me, her scent invading my lungs and making me hungrier than I’d been before dinner.
When I put the last dish in the dishwasher, there was no discussion of what came next. I scooped her into my arms and stalked to the bedroom.
Over the next few days, we settled into a rhythm so natural that it felt like we’d been doing it for years.
I took her home every morning so she could change and get ready for training, then I’d head to work—The Burnout, The Pit, meetings with Jax, Fury, and Kane.
Whatever the day demanded. Cecily trained, taught lessons, and chased the Olympic dream she’d built her entire life around.
When she was done, I picked her up wherever she happened to be, and she always had her overnight bag because neither of us bothered pretending she wouldn’t be back at my place that night.
She’d left little traces of herself behind without realizing it.
A hair tie on the bathroom counter, her toothbrush beside mine on the sink, and one of her sweaters folded over the arm of my couch.
The scent of her drifted through rooms that had never smelled like anything so sweet before she walked into my life.
It had already started to feel like it was her home as much as mine.
Not that I minded. I fucking loved it.
I hoped I’d be able to convince her to make the move official soon.
But sometimes I caught the hesitation in her.
How she’d pause before walking into the house, or the way her expression would turn distant after we’d spent hours tangled up in my sheets.
Like reality would creep in and remind her this thing between us wasn’t supposed to happen.
I wasn’t sure why she kept trying to treat this as temporary, but I didn’t call her out on it. Not yet.
However, every time she started drifting too far into her own head, I shut it down immediately.
Always finding a way to remind her that she was exactly where she belonged.
And no matter how hard she occasionally tried to pump the brakes, she always ended up right back in my bed by the end of the night.