I resisted the urge to wank off while imagining Dinara taking a shower—the cold water helped with that—and instead hurried through the shower. I towel-dried myself hurriedly before I slipped on boxers and black jeans. The shirt in my hand, I stepped back outside. In the three minutes it had taken me to shower the temperature seemed to have increased ridiculously.
Dinara must have woken by the constant hum of the truck engine because she waited in front of it with fresh clothes and a towel in her arms. She yawned. Some of her mascara had smudged under her eyes and her hair was all over the place, but she still looked eye-catching. A dot of color and excitement in our barren surroundings. Endless sand and stone and dusty roads. “I was starting to wonder if I needed to join you for the shower before the time was up and I didn’t get a chance to clean up.”
“I took only three minutes. That gives your seven luxurious minutes.”
After hearing her suggestion of showering together, I regretted not having prolonged my session.
Dinara moved past me with a small smile. “Thank you. I don’t think showering with you would have been a good idea anyway.”
With that, she disappeared inside and closed the door.
I pressed out air, unsure how to handle Dinara’s flirting because I wasn’t sure if she really meant it or was playing with me. Maybe both. But every day I cared a little less about the latter. Two could play a game.
I let the hot midday sun dry my hair even if that increased my curls. Women loved them and I preferred that they made me look different than my brothers.
The driver had already put a bag with provisions on each of our hoods, and I grabbed mine and took a bite of the chocolate muffin as I waited for Dinara to emerge. When she finally did, I almost choked on my bite. She was dressed in her usual jean shorts, boots, and tank top, but for the first time since I’d known her, her top was white and clung to her body. Her hair was dripping water down her shoulders and front, slowly turning the fabric transparent. After a wave at the driver, Dinara headed toward me. My eyes were magically drawn to the outline of her perky breasts through the sheer fabric and the piercing in her left nipple. Dinara grabbed her breakfast and propped herself up against the hood of my car.
The corners of her mouth twitched with amusement. “If it bothers you, wait for the sun to dry my top. It won’t take long.”
I’d never be able to unsee Dinara’s nipple piercing, nor stop wondering how it would be to play with it. I could only imagine how much more sensitive it made her breasts.
“It’s a pleasant sight,” I said with a smirk once I’d torn my eyes away from her chest.
Dinara let out a laugh before snatching her own muffin and taking a large bite.
“Did it hurt worse than the belly button?” I asked eventually, unable to stifle my curiosity.
Dinara nodded. “Yeah. It hurt like hell, but I’ve had worse and I really love the result.” When I risked another glance at her left breast, I realized the piercing had gemstones on both ends but the fabric didn’t allow me to make out more. The sound of a drone camera made us move apart and Dinara slipped inside her car. She’d avoided being interviewed so far and didn’t seek the cameras at all.
That didn’t change over the next few days. She and I spent three more nights in the same place, but the longer the race lasted the less we talked. Exhaustion was too prominent. But even just sitting beside Dinara in front of the blue gas flame felt right. I enjoyed her company, maybe because she treated me like a normal guy, no reverence or respect. I had a feeling she wouldn’t hesitate to kick my ass if I pulled some shit.
I waited for her to bring up her mother or my brothers again but she didn’t. Maybe it was tactic and I definitely was still wary of her. She had a reason to be here, and yet I couldn’t stay away from her.
On the last two nights, however, I made sure to keep up with the leading duo. Dinara and two other cars followed us not too far away. I finished second, maybe I could have won if I hadn’t decided to spend a few nights at Dinara’s side, but I didn’t regret it. She managed to finish in fourth place. Dima, whose injuries had hindered him as expected, came in as one of the last. He looked royally pissed during the awards ceremony, especially when my name was called as second.
He stepped up beside Dinara who watched everything with crossed arms.
There were seven days until the next race now.
When I stepped down from the winners’ rostrum with a bottle of champagne, Dinara headed my way. I shook off a few of the pit girls who came to congratulate me and find out if my stance on fucking them had changed—it hadn’t.
“You’re not just words and a big name, Adamo. You can race a car, I got to hand it to you,” Dinara said.
I grinned. “Thanks. It’s not my only talent.”
Dinara raised one eyebrow. “Maybe one day you’ll show me your other talents.”
I took a swig from the champagne then held out the bottle to Dinara. “Whenever you want.” Dinara took the bottle and drank a few gulps before handing it back to me and leaning close.
“Maybe after the next race. Until then I’ll have to head back to Chicago.”
“Next race,” I promised.
Her lips brushed my stubbled cheek—I’d cut my beard yesterday because it had become too untamed. Her eyes captured mine and fuck, I was a goner. I wanted to drag her toward my car, set up a tent and devour her.
I hadn’t seen C.J. in a couple of weeks and I would have stayed in camp and not returned home after the seven-day-race if I didn’t know I had to settle things with her as soon as possible. It didn’t feel right to have her in the background when my mind kept revolving around someone else, even if she and I weren’t in a relationship. The promise of a kiss and more had lingered between Dinara and me these last few days and I definitely wanted to make good on that promise.
The moment I stepped into C.J.’s apartment she made a move as if to kiss me but I grabbed her shoulders, stopping her. “I—”
“There’s someone,” she said immediately, smiling knowingly. The hint of hesitation flickered across her expression. She took a step back. As usual, she was only in a negligee and for a moment, I considered taking my words back. I owed Dinara nothing, and C.J. and I weren’t exclusive…
Yet, I cared too much about C.J. to keep her in the dark.
“Not really. Not yet. Maybe never—”
She motioned me inside and closed the door. “But your interest is piqued. I think it’s so un-Falcone of you to not sleep around even when you’re still unsure about the girl.”
I sank down on her sofa with a dark laugh. “Don’t make me sound like a saint. I’m not.”
C.J. covered herself with a bathrobe before she lowered herself beside me. “In comparison to your brothers you are.”
“I’m not the guy you first met,” I muttered. This was one of the reasons why I didn’t often return to Vegas. People always mistook me for the boy I had been, when I’d changed irrevocably over the years.
She smiled wistfully. “I’ll miss the orgasms. Sex with johns never does anything for me.”
“You should quit and only work in the bar, then you can find a boyfriend who’ll give orgasms to you.”