Page 93 of Over the Limit

Lachlan

“You look exhausted,” she says as she walks across the space and wraps her arms around me.

I never realized how incredible it felt going home to someone after a long day’s work.

Interviews. Testing. Debriefing. Team meeting.

“I am, but I’m all better now.” And I truly mean that. This, coming home to Blair, is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I take in the feel of her body against mine but know it’s so much more than that. It’s having someone here. A person to wrap their arms around me regardless of whether I test well or give a good interview or have a shitty day. A partner who doesn’t care about that because she cares about me more.

I’ve never had that before, never wanted it, and now, as she’s pressed against me and the tension of the day dissipates second by second, I can’t help but wish that this was my everyday normal.

However, for now, this whole private vacation rental away from the team hotel is the way to go. I get her, I get quiet, and . . . I get her.

“Testing went . . .”

“For shit? Yeah. Definitely a crap day.” I love that she follows even when she isn’t there.

And it was. A total shit day. Everything that could go wrong went wrong, and that’s why being here right now with her is what I need. Normalcy. Honesty. Her.

“I was going to say fucked but sure, your adjectives work too.” She loops her hands around the back of my neck. “You’ll get ’em tomorrow. Got all the bad out today.”

“Mmm.”

“That doesn’t sound convincing,” she says.

“Tired?” I don’t want to think about me or my day. I run my hands up and down the length of her back. Will I ever stop wanting her?

“Tired. Overwhelmed. Stressed. Putting out endless fires.” She chuckles. “It feels like this is a normal state these days. But once the gala is over, life will go back to normal and I’ll miss it.”

“Back to normal?” I spin her out by her hand and pull her back into me.

She throws her head back and laughs at the unexpectedness of the action and the sound, the look in her eyes, and the feel of her body as it collides back with mine makes me smile.

“What? Why are you looking at me that way?” she asks with her head tilted up and her lips parted.

Because what did I do before you were in my life?

“I like coming home to you, Tink.” I slant my lips over hers and my tongue seeks the access she grants. She tastes of wine and . . . dare I say peppermint?

I smile against her lips.

Leaving my peppermints for her is such a childish, silly thing to do and yet . . . when I taste them on her tongue it makes me happy.

“There are definitely no complaints there,” she whispers.

“I have a surprise for you.”

“For me?”

“Mm-hmm.” I hope everything is in place. It isn’t exactly the easiest to get things organized when in a different city, spending all day at the track surrounded constantly by people who might overhear my scheming.

And of course, here I am stressed about this little thing while Blair is organizing something a thousand times bigger.

“Follow me?” I ask and link my fingers with hers.

“To where?”

“The answer is supposed to be sure, Lachlan. I’ll go anywhere you lead.” I laugh.