“I’m sorry,” I said as his lips continued to travel up my neck. “I didn’t mean for things to be awkward in there.”
“It was bound to be a little bit awkward.” He leaned back, his arms still cinched around me. “But it is what it is.” He tilted his head and I immediately regretted even putting the thought in his head. Did he really believe what he was saying? Did he not even feel the slightest bit odd standing there with Reid and me? “Unless you’re having second thoughts or something?”
“No,” I assured him. If he didn’t think it was weird, then I wouldn’t either. This is exactly why I needed Beau in my life. Simplicity. “Not at all,” I added, trying to convince myself. “I just mean... it’s weird to see him, right?”
“Look, babe,” he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Both of us have a shitty history with Travers, yes... but it’s in the past. We all ended up exactly where we are supposed to be. He went after what he really wanted and I got you.”
His words made me wince and I hoped Beau didn’t notice. It still hurt to think that Reid wanted racing more than he wanted me. Even after all the effort I’d put into not letting it.
“You’re right,” I agreed, pushing my feelings aside. “The past.” The past, which I have apparently been holding onto a little more tightly than I realized. I needed to forget about what I had with Reid and focus on what I had with Beau.
“Besides that, it’s not like he’ll be here long. Winter’s coming and he can’t train in Halstead for his big, fancy career when the ground is going to be covered with snow.” He shut my door and the sudden reality of it all hit me.
Reid wouldn’t be around for very long. Three months. Any fleeting thoughts I was having about him had to be dashed. He’d be leaving and I’d be damned if I was going to let it affect me the same way it had last time. I’d keep my distance and keep my guard up. The man sitting next to me starting his truck was the man I was supposed to be with.
“My place or yours?” he asked, reaching over to grab my hand.
“Yours is good,” I smiled, knowing that deep down I was making the right call by leaving with Beau.
Reid had a way of clouding my judgment, and even if there was some merit to the feelings I was having about him, it wasn’t right. Beau drew my hand up to his mouth and pressed a chaste kiss across my knuckles reminding me why I was with him. He was sweet to me. He always had been. And, more importantly, he wanted to be with me for more than just a trip down memory lane. Reid may have said he’d thought about me over the past few years, but it didn’t change the fact that he hadn’t been around.
*
The rumble of dirt bike motors still made my pulse speed up and I wasn’t even the one racing them. Just being at the track made me feel like I was a part of it though. A part of the excitement. A part of the thrill. Sometimes I took pictures. Sometimes I just watched in awe of the athletes manipulating metal and rubber across the dirt. There was nothing sexier than a man on his bike, even all covered up with a helmet and riding gear. I knew the way his forearms flexed as he revved his bike and gripped the handles, and the way his thighs squeezed the bike tight as he took a turn.
I sighed and took in a deep breath trying not to look like I was about to go into heat. It wasn’t just any guy on a bike that did it for me either. One in particular was leading the pack on the final lap. Every other guy was trying to catch the one with TRAVERS on the back of his jersey.