It would’ve been so much easier for both of them if he’d left like she’d told him to.
She just needed this race to be over so that she could get away from him and try to keep the MS from him. That was so hard when all she wanted to do was lean into his strength.
“What’s that sigh all about?”
She turned to find Bo standing behind her. “Just trying to keep all you crazy racers in one piece.”
“I’m sorry about the shit today with Phoenix. Truly. This race is hard enough without having a breakdown during one of your best events. I’m sure he’s frustrated. Anybody would be.”
“I’m concerned about him, just like I’m concerned about you all.”
“Okay. Right.” Bo looked sympathetic, though incredulous too.
“How about you? How’s the body holding up?”
“Some cuts and scrapes like everyone, but I’m feeling great overall.” She looked him over. He had a couple of cuts on his palms as well as some scrapes and bruises from getting up and down to the kayak yesterday. He had stiffness in his shoulder from the obstacle course that might give him some discomfort over the next couple of days, but she was sure he would ignore that.
These athletes would ignore almost everything until the race was over. Her job was to make sure there was nothing wrong with them that couldn’t afford to be ignored. Bo didn’t seem to have any of those worries.
She slapped him on the back. “Looks like you’re in pretty good shape, just where you want to be halfway through this race. How are you feeling mentally?”
Unless someone showed obvious signs of mental deterioration, she wouldn’t really be judging anyone’s emotional stability, but it never hurt to give somebody a chance to express themselves.
Bo shot her a beaming smile. “I feel great. This is really my year. I’m going to win.” He grimaced. “I guess I shouldn’t say that to you.”
He was so enthusiastic about winning it was hard not to be caught up in it. “No, it’s fine. Really. For more reasons than one.”
“I’m sorry about you and Phoenix.” Bo shrugged. “I’m not good at interpersonal communication stuff. But, you know, I’m sorry.”
Coming from the big guy, it was a sweet gesture. “Thank you.”
“If you want to talk about it or anything…” He shrugged awkwardly. “Now, or even after the race sometime.”
He touched her on the arm. It was all she could do not to flinch and jerk away. Nothing about the touch was inappropriate, but she still didn’t want it.
She was never going to date Bo. She didn’t want to date anybody in the adventure sport world if it wasn’t Riley. She didn’t want to date anybody at all if it wasn’t Riley. She wasn’t sure that would ever change.
“Can I see you in the medical RV for a couple minutes?”
She jerked at the sound of Boy Riley’s voice behind her. As she turned, she caught sight of Bo’s sly little grin.
Fucker. He’d been using her to poke at Riley. These guys would do anything to win.
“You really are bad at this interpersonal shit,” she murmured.
Bo ignored her, his attention now on Riley. “Glad you finally made it in, Phoenix. Sorry to hear about your missing box trouble. I was offering Girl Riley here a shoulder, or more, if she was ready to level up in her love game.”
Oh, this guy was about to need a lot more medical attention than she’d be able to give him. “Watch it, Gonzales,” she murmured.
“It’s okay,” Bo said, actually stepping closer to her as if both she and Boy Riley weren’t about to kill him. “You guys are broken up. You’re free to do what you want. If you want a better man—a winner—nobody would blame you. Looks like Phoenix is going to lose the girl and the race all in one year.”
Boy Riley’s eyes narrowed and he took a step closer.
Shit. Bo was pushing all Riley’s buttons on purpose, trying to start a fight. Once Riley lost his temper, there would be no stopping his fists.
That would be another penalty at best, complete disqualification at worst.
“Riley—” she started.
He took a step closer, his eyes on Bo. She held an arm out toward him and he glanced at her. The tiny smile he gave her—the one they used to communicate with each other that everything was okay—warmed her heart in a way she didn’t want to think about.
It also meant he wasn’t going to let Bo goad him into anything. Phoenix was in complete control of himself.
When Boy Riley’s gaze fell back to Bo, all traces of warmth disappeared. He continued walking forward until he was right up in Bo’s face.
“One,” Riley poked him in the chest, “Girl Riley is way too good for me, which makes her ten times too good for you. So you can touch her all you want. She’s perfectly capable of breaking your fingers herself.”
Had her heart been warmed by his smile? That was nothing compared to how his words made her feel now.
Because she damn well was capable of breaking the fingers of any man who touched her without her permission.
“Two,” Riley lowered his voice so nobody but the three of them could hear, “that’s a nice dirt stain on your knee, BoGo. Funny how your knee got muddy in today’s events. Only one knee got dirty.”
She had no idea what Riley was talking about.
But evidently Bo did.
“You can’t prove anything.”
“Can’t prove what?” she asked.
Neither man answered her, attention caught on each other.
“Plus, we’re in a race that has us all filthy,” Bo continued. “How the hell am I supposed to know how my knee got dirty?”
Boy Riley reached up and brushed an imaginary piece of lint off Bo’s shoulder. He leaned in closer. “You should’ve opened with that argument, Gonzales.”
Bo grimaced.
“What is going on?” she demanded. Whatever was happening between these two guys, she didn’t understand it.
“Nothing. Bo was just leaving, weren’t you, buddy?” Riley turned to her. “And I need you to look at my hands.”
Bo stomped off without another word. She turned her glare on Riley. “What just happened?”
“Gonzales decided to up the game. I was just letting him know I’m up for the challenge.”
She narrowed her eyes. She still didn’t understand what was going on.
Before she could even ask him what was wrong with his hands, he was moving toward the RV. She had to hurry to catch up with him.
“Hey, are you okay?” she asked as he reached the steps leading up to the RV door. “Zac said the box was there. I don’t understand that. And your hands are hurt? What’s going on?”
She looked down at his hand. The knuckles were bloody.
“Inside.” He reached for the door, leaving her to follow behind.
Alarmed by his tone and everything that had just happened with Bo, she immediately followed. The door closed behind her.
“Riley.” She slapped him on the back. “What the fuck is going on—”
The breath left her body in a huff as she found herself slammed up against the door, her body trapped by his, his lips pressed hard against hers.