Happy Hour (Racing on the Edge) (21 page)

“Oh, I think you
do,
Jameson.” Alley got right in his face. “My son called a one year-old little girl a ruthless bitch because of you.”

Both Jameson and me started laughing at that point.

I know it’s not supposed to be funny that Lane called a little girl this but it is funny. I only wish I could have seen it. Lane had the cutest little chipmunk voice. It was probably adorable like those
Subway
commercials with the kids talking.

“Stop laughing, both of you.” she snapped changing her focus into work mode. “Jameson you have an autograph session in an hour. I suggest you get to it. After that, you have a meeting with Simplex and an interview with Track Pass at six.”

Jameson just nodded to everything she told him pulling his drivers suit down around his waist.

Alley started to walk away but turned when she reached the bay doors at the edge of his car. “Oh and Jameson,” she glared directly at him when he glanced up at her. “Paybacks are a
ruthless
bitch.”

Jameson rolled his eyes imperviously sitting on some tires before pulling me onto his lap.

“Uhh
...
should I be sitting on your lap here in public?” I asked glancing around the garage. The crews were all distracted by their duties; I still thought this was rather public of him.

“Fuck what they think.”

“Hmmm,” Part of me wished Chelsea would walk by right about now. Punching her just didn’t seem like enough. I wanted her to see this, Jameson and me together, in public.

Now you really do sound like you’re in high school.

“Have dinner with me tonight.” Jameson whispered pushing my hair off my shoulder to reveal my bare skin that wasn’t covered by my tank top.

“Friends with benefits go to dinner together?” I raised an eyebrow.

He nodded his head once. “Well,” he leaned forward and put his lips at my ear. “We are
exclusive
friends with benefits. And I say we make our own rules to this.” He kissed my neck softly before pulling away. “So if I want to take you to dinner, I think I have every right to, as your
exclusive
friend with
his
determined benefits.”

“
His
determined benefits,” I repeated.

“Yep,” he said popping the “p” at the end.

“So what are
his
determined benefits anyways?”

“I can’t give my secrets away just yet.” His eyes sparkled. “What would be the fun in that?”

“Does it involve more race cars?” He piqued my curiosity when he said his determined benefits.

Jameson winked. “I would say race cars could be arranged.” He smiled wickedly leaning into me again. “Do you wanna go for a ride in my race car?”

“
Actually
, I’m dying to go for a ride. I’m being serious. I
really
want to take a ride in your race car.”

“Really, you want like a
real
ride in my car? As in
that
race car?” He gestured towards his car parked beside us.

I nodded my head like a five-year old wanting candy or a pit lizard in heaven, either way, I was ecstatic at the possibility.

“Let me talk to the officials and see what they say.”

He acted as if this wouldn’t be a problem but I wasn’t getting my hopes up. I knew the NASCAR track officials had rules against this kind of thing. It could potentially be a
huge
liability if something were to happen on the track.

Jameson went out for another practice session after the crew finished the changes, so I went with Emma and Nancy to set up his autograph session.

Emma and I talked and of course, I forgave her.

How could I not? She was the closest thing I had to a sister.

“I just want you to be careful with him.” Emma looked close to tears again. “I know that he cares for you, that’s evident. I just
...
he’s focused on his career right now and Jameson doesn’t know
how
to do both. He doesn’t want to get hurt either.”

I just nodded because I knew. I knew he was incapable of offering me anymore than his exclusive friend with
his
determined benefits but at that point, I didn’t care.

My logic was so messed up it was becoming hard for me to even realize how far we were really getting into this. It had only been going for a few days now but with every touch, every kiss, every tender word spoken between us, my heart was falling deeper and deeper in love with him. Before long, there’d be no going back. Therapy would be my only answer, and
lots
of ice cream.

“I can handle it, Emma.”

Walking towards a box of t-shirts, I began taking them out of the box, one-by-one, to avoid anything more details into my stupid logic.

I was screwed.

Once I had all the shirts lined up, I stepped back to examine the way they looked. Again, it was entertaining to me to see a boy I grew up with plastered all over the place, as the he was a huge star. The difference, he
was
a huge star now.

“So you must be Sway Reins?” a man asked from behind as I daydreamed.

I turned to see Darrin Torres standing there with a grin.

“I
...
uh
...
yeah, I’m Sway.”

He reached his hand towards me. “It’s nice to meet you, Sway. I’m Darrin Torres.”

“I know who you are,”

 “So I see you’re with Jameson’s team?” He hinted looking at the t-shirts I had arranged.

“Well, no. I’m just helping out. I’m
...
” my voice trailed off because I couldn’t really say “fuck buddy” in public, or could I?

“His girlfriend?” Darrin finished.

“No
...
we’re
...
I’m not his girlfriend,
just friends
.”

“Oh,” Darrin smiled, his eyes dropped from mine to my lips and then back. “Does that mean I can take you to dinner tonight?”

Christ he’s bold.

“No, it doesn’t mean you can take her to dinner tonight.” I heard Jameson’s furious voice from behind.

Darrin laughed darkly, his eyes focused on Jameson standing behind me. “I wouldn’t advise starting anything here with all your fans around, Jameson.” Darrin suggested motioning towards the crowds gathering around, all waiting to catch a glimpse of Jameson. “I just want Sway to know they’re
...
other options for her besides
friends
.”

You couldn’t miss the way he articulated the word friends, implying he knew exactly what we were doing.

Turning around, I focused on Jameson instead, pushing his chest. “
Jameson
, he’s right. Don’t do anything stupid.” I warned attempting to catch his gaze.

Jameson bypassed me and stood face-to-face with Darrin. “Stay away from Sway.” He snarled, his body instinctively preparing for a fight.

His voice lowered and they exchanged a few words we couldn’t hear until Darrin shook his head slowly and started to walk away. “Good luck with the
...
friend’s
thing.”

I turned back to a fuming Jameson and hit him in the shoulder. “Stop it. You have an autograph session.”

With the help of Emma, we finally got Jameson calmed down enough to have a seat and show his fans a normal human being side and not the crazed lunatic he could be.

Once around his fans, he began to enjoy himself and gave them the attention they deserved after waiting in line all morning just to see him.

As with any scheduled autograph session, he was attentive to each fan. He smiled, posed for pictures with them if they asked, and actually stopped to have conversations with them. Still, a piece was missing. I knew him well enough to know this wasn’t him; this was the guarded version he had around his fans.

The garage groupies annoyed me and disturbed my daydreams.

They were clingy, way to chipper and just downright slutty for being underage. I didn’t think a twelve-year old could be slutty but today, I was proved wrong by one who was wearing a mini skirt shorter than mine had been and a bikini top trying to reveal her none existent funbags to Jameson.

He looked up and took a double take when she leaned forward but what I thought was a double take of
“Hey, look at her”
was quickly squashed when Jameson shook his head, signed her poster and then threw a shirt at her and told her to put it on.

Emma and I laughed for a good ten minutes when she stomped away over to Paul’s hauler to get his autograph.

Paul Leighty was another rookie in the cup series this year and yes, I will admit, Paul was attractive with his dark skin, brown eyes and one hell of a body but I was a sucker for my tall beautiful rusty haired hot head.

Finally, the autograph session was over, practices were finished up, Jameson finished his interview with Track Pass and we were now on our way to dinner at the Tokyo Tea House in Pocono Summit.

It was strange going out to dinner with him now. Over the years, we’d gone out on many occasions but it just felt different now. I wasn’t sure how to act around him so I stayed quiet in fear I would say something incredibly asinine because of the lack of oxygen to my brain.

It was all going to my lungs just trying not to hyperventilate.

Jameson noticed my lack of conversation and heavy breathing during dinner and threw an arm around my chair as we were sitting at the sushi bar.

“Why are you so quiet?” he asked leaning into my shoulder.

I shrugged and gave him a small tentative smile. “No reason.” I lied.

My heart was pounding in my chest, apparently trying to see if there was a way to pump more blood to my brain. It wasn’t helping though, not in the least. I was pretty sure it was full, but didn’t really have the opportunity to dwell on it before Jameson spoke again.

“Is it because you’re horny?” holding my gaze, he seductively licked sauce from his thumb.

“You’re such a pervert.” I took another bite of my spicy tuna roll keeping my stare ahead of me. “Is that all you think about?”

He wrinkled his nose but nodded. “Sadly, yes.”

“You never used to be this perverted, what happened?”

“Mmm
...
my friend with benefits,” he leaned closer, his lips at my ear when he started with the whispering. “She has seemed to have brought out some hormone enraged fifteen-year old boy in me that can only think about sex
...
” his voice lowered with a husky edge. The hand that wasn’t wrapped around my chair started at my knee and began to trace lightly up my thigh.

His feather light touch alone was enough to make me want to rip his clothes off right there in that damn restaurant and make him scream my name in front of this poor man serving our sushi rolls.

Jameson continued with that damn whispering and I soon realized this was part of his plan he wouldn’t say earlier,
his determined benefits
.