Page 7 of Rush

“I don’t want them,” I grit out the words, hoping she hears the seriousness in my tone. How could I ever want another girl when I have Sam? Her eyes drop again, and her cheeks pinken with a blush. Something in my chest snaps, and it feels like the pieces of the universe are starting to fall into place. Sam is jealous. She’s worried I would want a shot at some rando, and it’s bothering her. My heart lurches in my chest. Finally.

Before I can say more, the server is back with our food. Seemingly happy with my answers, Sam spends the rest of the meal chatting about school and the game. I could listen to her talk for hours. Every once in a while, I grunt in response or agree with what she’s saying, and her smile lights up her whole face. After we eat, I pay our bill, pushing Sam’s money back when she offers. She does this every time, and while the gesture is nice, it's unnecessary. Anytime she’s with me, I always pay, and if I wasn’t there, I expect Luca or Braysen to pick up the tab.

With her hand back in mine, I lead her outside to my car, and we head over to the Landing. Once we cross the line out of the city limits, the area turns to forest, with a one-way road that seems to go on for miles. There’s a single right-hand turn that’s hidden, unless you know to look for it, and that's the road we take to the racetrack. Cars and trucks line the side of the road and the sound of revving engines and the smell of exhaust pierce the air. There’s a steady strum of excitement in the crowd. I glance at Sam and find that she’s already looking at me with a mischievous smirk on her lips.

“You really love this, don’t you?” she says more than asks.

My shoulders lift and fall. I don’t know if I love it. I like it. Racing fills an adrenaline high for me. I like hockey. I’m good at it, but after high school, I don’t have plans to play again. Racing is something I can see myself doing long term. Fixing cars, working with my hands, and feeling the purr of an engine while crossing the finish line is what I crave.

“I like it,” I finally reply before taking her hand in mine over the console. “Bunny said a few of the guys tonight might race dirtier than I’m used to. I want you with Luca and Braysen.”

She nods and squeezes my hand. “Be safe.”

My lips tip up in a smirk. I’m going to win, then I’m going to take Sam home and explain how things are going to be different for us from now on. She’s ready. And I can’t hold it in anymore how much I want all of her. I want to publicly claim her as mine. “Always, Pretty Girl.”

She smiles, shaking her head, and gets out of the car. I watch through the windshield as she makes her way over to Luca’s side. He wraps an arm over her shoulders and pulls her between himself and Braysen. Even though I trust them, I still pull out my phone and fire off a text before driving over to the race line.

KANE: No one touches her.

BRAY: Obviously. Sammy is safe with us ;)

KANE: That goes for Luca too.

LUCA: I knew it. I was just getting her over to us.

KANE: Didn’t like it.

BRAY: Ok ok. Just race. We got your girl.

LUCA: We’ll protect her with our loves.

LUCA: Shit! I mean lives.

KANE: …

jameson, age 17

. . .

Sam asked if I love racing, and my first instinct had been to tell her that I love her more. I’m already flying on adrenaline about the race, but knowing that things are finally changing between her and me fuels a different part of me. A dark corner of my mind and my heart that has been waiting, dormant for years now. I’ve never wanted to push Sam. I’ve been content as her best friend, the person she comes to for everything. We’ve always had hockey in common, and up until today, she’s never questioned her place in my life. Mostly because I’ve never given her a reason to. I don’t look at other girls; I don’t talk to them if I can help it, and I absolutely do not date. I’ve never been interested in anyone else except for Sam. I only want her. If it’s not Sam, then there will be no one else for me.

In turn, she’s never been interested in other guys either. Plenty have been interested in her, and I’ve scared away all of them. For as long as we’ve been friends, Sam has been solely focused on hockey and school. She has the 4.0 grade point average to get into any college she wants; she could probably get a scholarship as well. I know Sam’s mom isn’t hurting as a nurse, but like my blue-collar family, we take saving and spending seriously. Sam also has her younger sister to think about, and she has already mentioned that neither of them has a college fund. These things are huge for my girl, and I'll do everything in my power to make sure she gets everything she wants. All of her dreams will come true. I’m even prepared to wait until she reaches her PWHL goal before making her officially mine. I’d wait forever as long as she’s happy.

Over the years I’ve built myself a certain way, ready to notice what her needs are before my own. I know everything about her: her favorite color, red, to the specific way she likes veggies cooked, not steamed, and the way she orders her lattes, with a dash of cinnamon and a hint of vanilla. I know her shoe is a size eight, and she has exactly three more days left until her blades will need to be taken in to be sharpened. I even know exactly when her period is, thanks to a handy little app on my phone. Those weeks she needs extra compliments, and I make sure to leave my hoodies around for her to snuggle with because she likes the weight of them on her in school. I also know that Sam has started looking at me differently lately, and now after tonight's revelations, there will be no more going back for either of us.

My car rumbles over the start line next. I can feel the searing look of my opponent burning into the side of my face from next to me, but I don’t look at him. Instead, I let the noise drain away, imagining the curves of the track and myself driving around it. My eyes flick up to the man responsible for tonight's race. He’s holding a checkered flag, and with a very loaded look at me and my opponent, his hand drops the flag to the ground, signaling the start of the race. My foot presses down on the gas, and I easily shift gears, propelling myself forward, passing the other guy. After the first curve, the rhythm and flow come back to me, and I ease into the rest of the drive. I manage to stay almost a car length ahead of my opponent the entire time; the one time I glance at him he’s glaring hard at me. I could show off, but winning is more important than my ego tonight. I catch a quick glance at the crowd waiting on the side and spot Johnny, my older half-brother. Almost seven years and different moms separate us. His mom left when the family legacy started sinking; mine left when she realized she had bigger dreams outside of being a mom to two young boys.

Shit situations for both of us; yet, he’s never treated me like a pest. Johnny gives me a short jerk of his head, a nod if you will. He knows I race here often and doesn’t say anything to our dad to rat me out. As long as half my winnings go toward the garage, he’s okay with it. Crimson Bay Tires is our legacy, and according to my older brother, that’s the only thing that matters.

Nearing the last curve, I catch sight of my girl, standing between my friends and the look she shoots me sends an extra shot of adrenaline to my system. The end is near, and I can sense the battle behind me while my opponent thinks he still has a chance to win. My eyes flick carefully to my rearview, and my lips twitch with laughter. That asshole doesn’t stand a chance. My hand clamps down on the gear stick, shifting one more time, before my foot pushes the gas, just to ensure that there’s at least a car length between us. I sail over the finish line, the bass from my speakers pumping in my car and the rush of the win running in my veins. After shifting into park, my vehicle is bombarded with spectators and friends. Each of them thumping my car and slapping my shoulder. The grin on my lips is easy, but my eyes look past all the faces surrounding me until I find her.

Sam stands off to the side, her hands clasped together in front of her, and there’s a knowing gleam in her eyes. She already knows what the win does to me. Before I can stop myself, I cross the distance between us until we’re standing toe-to-toe. My hands run through my hair, pushing it out of my eyes. Her smile falters, and her eyes widen while I stare, making her aware of exactly what she does to me.

“Good race, Kane.” She laughs lightly, her eyes darting between mine, trying to ease the tension surrounding us. “Two wins in one night, now what are you going to do?”

My gaze drags up her body from her scuffed sneakers to the top of her blonde head before darting back down to look into her blue eyes. “Going for the hat-trick, Pretty Girl.” That's all the warning I give her before my hands cup her face and tilt her head back. “I’m going to kiss you now, Sam. If you don’t want this, don’t want me, now's the time to stop it.”

I feel the hitch in her breath and her eyes darken to midnight blue. Her tongue pokes out and runs across her bottom lip, a move I’ve seen her do a thousand times when she’s nervous. “Jameson.”