Switching Lanes (11 page)

Chapter Eighteen

SPRING

I wake to the smell of coffee wafting into my room. Once I
squint my eyes open, I see that Alexis must have set a steaming mug on my nightstand. I sit up in my bed, sipping on the hot liquid until I can fully awaken.

Once I drink my mug, I head for the shower and I hear Alexis moving around in the kitchen. Instead of heading to the shower
, I go to the kitchen and find her.

“Thanks for the mug of coffee.
” I set the mug down on the counter. “I’m going to shower.” I’m glad I can have my own space and not worry about it. We have our own drawers and a cabinet in the bathroom.

After my shower
, I throw on a pair of skinny jeans and a midnight blue one shoulder top and a pair of wedges since the weather is turning out to be nice now. I throw a headband in my hair and let it air dry then I meet Alexis in the kitchen as I carry my phone with me checking my messages.

“Here is a refill.
” Alexis passes my newly filled mug over to me as I sit on a stool along the island. I watch as she fills a mug up for herself and joins me. “I’m so glad this winter weather is over with. So I feel the hot sun on my face now. I bet you can’t wait until the race in a few hours, huh?” She brings the cup up to her lips to hide her smile, but her eyes give it away. 

“What about you? You get to see Cole
, too. Are you coming to the after party this time?”

“I’m glad to see him again and I doubt I’ll be coming to the after party. I just don’t think it is a good idea at this point. I mean
, if Cole and I were seeing each other then maybe I’d consider it. You know?”

“I get it. And I don’t blame you. I mean, it’s always best to have a guy on your side so everyone knows no
t to mess with you. Even though Layne does not put up with that. But I get it.” I shake my head.

“I just think baby steps right now are the best thing. I don’t want to rush into anything and I definitely don’t want to find myself in a predicament I can’t get out
of. I think I’ll go shower now.” She hops off the stool and carries her mug out of the room.

I open my phone. No messages.
I tap my fingers on the island counter, not knowing what to do with myself. But then I remember I need to eat breakfast. I take out a skillet and make two egg white omelets and by the time Alexis comes back out I have a plate ready for her. She comes out in a pair of skinny jeans as well with a pink tee shirt and her hair blown out straight, as her hair is normally wavy.

“Here, I made breakfast. And I like your hair. You look nice,” I tell her
while scooping up a piece of my own omelet.

“Thanks
.” She shoves a bite in her mouth.

We pass the time by
washing and drying the dishes and watching a mini marathon of
Friends
. Finally after about four hours of sitting around, I get to see Layne race again. Just knowing I’ll see him gives me goose bumps and the butterflies start to flutter in my stomach. I don’t know what has gotten into me.

“I can drive and you can drive my car back if you like? I’m sure I can get a ride back from Layne.
Unless you want to ride with Cole.” I wink.

“Ugh, you are terrible
; you know that.”

“But you know you love it
.” I stick my tongue out at her as I go grab my bag, phone and keys.

“How about I just drive myself? It seems more logical to me and I can follow you there,” she responds.

“Fine. I’ll see you there then.” I get in my car and roll the windows down letting the cool wind whip my hair around. I pull off the highway and notice a few lookouts for the drag race. I wave and go through and park. I wait for Alexis as she parks next to me in a field. We make our way to the strip of road that the race is at.

I spot Layne across the way and we make our way over to him. When he sees me
, he doesn’t say anything. He reaches out hugging me tightly, and I feel him nodding to Alexis. “I’m so glad you came,” he says, pulling away.

“Good luck out there. I know you won’t need it
, though. You will be at the top in no time now.” I smile at him.

He pulls me back toward him and whispers in my ear. “I heard there is
someone here, checking out the talent. Maybe for a pro position in legal drag racing, on a track in the pro circuits. I don’t know.”

His whisper
, even though it was the simplest thing, sends shivers down my spine. Either I’m in a dry spell and need some, or Layne is really starting to affect me, in a big way. “You’ll be fine,” I whisper back.

I pull back and pat him on the back as he starts to walk to his car. I know this profession is quite dangerous and I always wish for his safety, because the last wreck he was in was quite scary and he was quite lucky to make it out alive. I can’t stand the thought of losing him; it causes me to swallow a hard lump that’s formed in my throat. I decide that he should know how
I feel, eventually. I was so caught up in Layne that I didn’t even notice Cole approaching and he and Alexis are having a conversation. I back up to the side of the road and wait as Layne gets ready to take off. His opponent, Jeff, is a tough one, but I know Layne can do it.

Once the flag
sways, the guys take off like a bat out of hell. If you blink, you miss the race, which is how quick they can be. I watch as Layne keeps the momentum of the race, but barely wins this time yet it was a win nonetheless. Alexis and I both jump up in excitement at his win. I watch as he makes his way back to the start line and he gets out of the car and takes his helmet off. He runs his hand through his hair.

I walk over to him. “Congratulations!” I squeal. 

“Thanks. That was a close one.” He smiles.

“You won, that
’s all that counts,” I say, patting his shoulder.

An older gentleman approaches us. “Layne Michaels?”

“Yes.” We stop as the guy comes over to us.

He holds his hand out to shake Layne’s. “My name is Anthony and I am looking for someone to drive a car of mine. I can no longer drive due to an accident. It’s on the pro circuit and a lot of money can be made. I race what you call funny car. Here’s my card. Word on the street is you are the go-to guy. So take some time to think about it. I’m not in a rush for a response. But call me when you’re ready to go pro.”

“Thanks so much. It was nice meeting you,” Layne says
, holding his hand out to shake hands with Anthony.

I wait for Anthony to walk away before expressing my excitement.
“Oh my god, Layne! That is an amazing offer. You could go pro!” I practically jump up and down and he laughs. He looks at the business card before sliding it into his pocket.

“I can’t even believe that just happened. That would be the dream job for sure. It’s something to think about. I just can’t believe it,” he says
, smiling and showing off his deep dimples.

“Congratulations all around,” I tell him as the crowd starts to thin out.

“Thanks. It was nice having you guys here,” he says to me, Alexis, and Cole. “Are you coming over tonight?”

“I am. I don’t think Alexis is
, though.”

“Well, maybe another time then. I hope you know
, you are always welcome to check it out. You will be okay there; you don’t have anything to worry about,” Layne says to Alexis.

“I appreciate that. Perhaps somet
ime I will. Congrats on the win,” Alexis says.

“Can I walk you to your car?” Cole asks Alexis.

“Sure,” she says as they walk away.

“Can I ride to my place with you? My uncle brought me straight to this site to race. Can you wait a few while I talk to the crew?” Layne asks.

“Sure; I’ll meet you at my car,” I say, walking toward that direction.

I see the crew congratulating him and giving him pats on the back. I take a seat in the passenger side of my car and hang my foot out of the window until I see him approach. He comes over to me with a questioning look. “You can drive
.” I toss my keys to him and he catches them. “I like when you drive.”

He grins
while putting the key into the ignition. “I bet you do.” He winks.

“You’re such a perv
.” I swat him on his arm and he laughs.

“Whatever,” he says.

“You are in rare form tonight. But this has been an awesome day for you.”

“And I plan on drinking a lot tonight so you’re either
staying the night or going home.” He raises his eyebrow at me.

“Geez, add bossy to the list
, too. But I guess I can stay the night and fend the girls off you,” I say with a sarcastic tone. “Can we swing by the apartment so I can get a change of clothes?” I ask nervously.

“
Sure.”

I don’t know what to make of Layne and his comments. But whatever, I’m game for whatever. Drinking the night away and shaking these thoughts of Layne is just what I need. He pulls up to the apartment and I run inside to grab a change of clothes.

“Home already?” Alexis asks as I walk in, in a rush.

“No, I’m actually staying at Layne’s tonight
. I just need a change of clothes.”

“Oh, okay. Why do you need clothes?” She winks.

“It’s not like that.” I walk to my room and grab a pair of capris and a short sleeve shirt, underwear and bra, and I throw them in a bag and head back into the living room. “Are you going to be okay here by yourself?” I stop to ask her.

“Of course
. You go ahead. Have fun.” She waves me off. “Go,” she shoos me out the door. She closes the door behind me and I meet Layne back in the car with my bag in tow. I throw my bag in the back seat and Layne pulls out of the parking spot and heads to his place.

We are silent the rest of the drive to his place. When we pull up
, he can barely find a parking spot. He finally finds one along the road in front of the mailbox. He parks and I grab my bag from the back seat.

“I’m just going to go toss my bag in your room. Get some shots ready,” I tell him as we walk inside.

Like always the place is overcrowded; it’s probably a damn fire hazard. Couples are hooking up, dancing, doing body shots and god knows what else. I make my way through the crowded hall to Layne’s room and throw my bag inside. I step into his bathroom and throw some cold water on my face, trying to calm my nerves. Looking up in the mirror, I see my bright brown eyes shine. My face is starting to look fuller. I put some gloss on my bow shaped lips and run my hands through my hair straightening it. I head back out to meet Layne and those shots.

Chapter
Nineteen

I push my way through the crowd and find Layne with a bottle of vodka, triple sec, and lime juice the ingredients to make a Kamikaze. Yeah, he is definitely getting drunk tonight and I just might let myself, too, since I won’t be driving home tonight. I watch as he makes the concoction and passes me a glass. We clink our glasses and down the shots. A few more follow and then he grabs two beers, handing me one.

“Want to sit out back? The w
eather is nice and cool tonight,” he asks.

“Sure.”

We walk out to the back porch. I inhale the cool night air. There is just something therapeutic about inhaling fresh air into my lungs. I slowly let out my deep breath. I look up and see the night sky is filled with stars. Layne looks up just as I do and we both see a shooting star. “Shooting star; make a wish,” he says in a low voice.

My head is buzzing from the shots and I make a wish. I watch as Layne closes his eyes and makes one
, too. His jaw clenches and he takes a swig of his bottle of beer.

“How come we never got together?” His tone is serious.

“Come on; you always had some new flavor of the week. And I just figured why ruin the friendship?”

Insert foot in mouth,
I thought as I avoided his eyes.

“Need another?” He points to my now empty bottle.

Yes.” I close my eyes as he goes inside to get more beer. I know I shouldn’t, but I’m allowed to be careless for one night.

“So you thought about it?” h
e asks, continuing the conversation as he walks back outside. My head buzzes with confusion. And I don’t know what to say. “Don’t even tell me you haven’t thought about it. I’ve had a crush on you ever since we were kids.”

I jump up off the porch
. “Don’t even say that, Layne. Don’t you dare say that, if you are just trying to sleep with me,” I tell him with an angry tone.

He doesn’t respond right away. “You know me better than that
, Renee. You, of all people, should know. I would never treat you like that,” he says, looking me straight in the eye.

“I know,” I whisper
, sitting back down. “I have thought about it. But I always thought our friendship meant more and I didn’t want to lose that.”

“Seriously?”
he questions then takes a drink of his beer.

“Yeah, I’m serious
.” My heart pounds loud and fast, beating against my ribcage. I even feel it thumping in my ears. My mouth is dry so I take a drink of the beer I have, swallowing the last drop. Before I realize what is happening, his lips crash against mine with his hands cradling my face. My head is buzzing from the drinking and Layne. I let his tongue explore my mouth while his hands roam up and down my back, giving me goose bumps.

My head continues to buzz as Layne plants kisses along my jaw and I tilt my head back giving him the access. “What if we just continued this in my room right
now?” His caramel eyes are hooded and filled with desire, something I’ve never seen from him. I don’t even think about it before I bob my head yes. It’s like an out of body experience; this is not me because I can’t believe what I have longed for is actually happening.

When we stand
, he easily picks me up and I lock my legs locking them around his waist. I let out a giggle as he kisses me with force and lust as I hold his face in my hands. Somehow, we manage to make it to his room and I’m sure we just gave everyone a show, but I don’t care. In this moment, this is what feels right, even though it is probably a bad idea.

He kicks the door shut and presses my back into the grooves of it, and I don’t even care. My legs are locked around his waist like a vice grip. I pull my head back and stare into his hooded eyes. “This is such a bad idea.”

“It is?” he asks, planting a grin across his face.

“Yes.” B
ut we don’t stop. His lips crash against mine and my mind fills with fuzziness.

“Just stop fighting it
, little butterfly,” he whispers against my neck, sending chills down my body.

We continue making out and kissing and rubbing against each o
ther. He runs his hand up to my thigh, sending a heated desire between my legs. I can’t help but let a moan escape my lips. A low growl rumbles out of his mouth. He moves, still holding me against him, and we fall onto the bed with him on top of me.

“You can’t escape now, little one
.” He smirks, planting more kisses along my bare shoulder. In one swift swoop, he tugs my top over my head, exposing my lacy pink bra. “Mmm,” I hear him say as his lips touch the top of my breasts; as his hand cups the other one. I tug on the hem of his shirt, exposing his bare chest and he flings it across the room. My hand runs over his hard, perfectly defined chest. My hands meet across his neck interlocking my fingers as he lowers himself against my body.

There is just something erotic about him being
above me as I look up at him. Our eyes meet for a split second before his lowers his mouth onto mine. I can’t get enough of his kisses and the sensation that is shooting through my body. I can’t even explain it, but I know I have never felt this before. He is taking his time, tormenting me with his hands and lips. My heart beat feels like it might burst out of my chest and my breathing has kicked up. I reach down and unbutton his jeans that are hung low. I slide his zipper down and I can feel him smile against my lips. I smile back.

I push his jeans down as far as I can reach and he hooks a hand behind my back
, undoing my bra and the straps fall freely. I fling it by the door. He kicks his jeans off and they land on the floor. I can feel his hardness against me and I moan. He takes my breast into his mouth, sucking on them as my nipples perk up. He runs his tongue across my chest to the other one, sucking on it and giving it equal attention.

I feel like I might burst from his touch.
He drags his tongue all the way down my stomach, stopping to plant small kisses along the way. His hands grip my panties as his eyes bore into mine, making sure this is okay. “You won’t be needing these.” I lift my legs out and he flings them across the room. He bends down and his mouth lands on the dampness between my legs and I loudly call out his name as he shows off his talent.

He reaches up
, grabbing a condom from the drawer by the bed and slides it on quickly. Crawling up my body, he enters me while kissing me, and my body clenches. “Relax,” he whispers. I relax, my body feeling him inside me claiming my body, putting his permanent invisible mark on it. I run my hands over his back and he thrusts into me, causing me to arch my back and welcome the sensation coursing through my body. I moan out loud as my body shudders against his touch.

He moans into my neck as his body shakes from the pleasure. Layne kisses me some more. He rolls over to lie next to me and he entwines his fingers with mine as we lay there catching our breath.
My head still feels fuzzy and I feel even more drunk from being with Layne. He literally just set my body on fire and I still feel engulfed by the flames.

I turn on my side, prop my head up on my arm
, and face him. He turns to “You’re so face me and smiles. He lightly brushes his fingertips along my jaw, and then tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re so beautiful, you know that.”

I smile lazily. Sometimes it’s hard for me to take a compliment when I’m a victim of my own body
; the most critical of it too. He pulls my hand and holds it against his chest and I rest my head on his shoulder. I fall fast asleep with the sound of his humming heartbeat echoing in my ear.

A noise startles me awake, and I panic at the sight of Layne’s naked body next to mine. I agreed to it, fully aware of the effect he was holding over me.
But now I’m in panic mode and I slowly and quietly untangle myself from his grip. I scramble and grab my clothes that are scattered all over the floor while cursing myself in my head. He’ll probably wake up regretting what happened and I can’t bear to see that on his face. I silently close the bathroom door behind me. I rest my head against it to fight the hangover that is occurring causing my head to throb. I take my phone out and text Alexis.

Sorry to bug you, but can you come pick me up from Layne’s?

Renee, it’s 5am and you want me to get out of bed to come get you?

Yes, please
. I need to get out of here before he wakes up.

Fine
. Text me the address and I will be there as quick as I can.

I text
her, Layne’s address and I quickly get dressed. Slowly opening the bathroom door, I see he is still asleep in the same position I left him in. I quietly sneak out of the room so I don’t disturb him. And now the guilt really sets in as I leave him alone in the bed.

I make my way over the scattered bodies across the room and m
ake my way out the door. I anxiously wait for Alexis to come get me as I tap my foot on the concrete sidewalk. Finally, she pulls up along the curb and I hurriedly slide into the passenger seat. She drives us back to the apartment.

“So, what happened? Did y
ou cross over that friendship zone and now you’re running from him?”

“In our drunken stupor
, we slept together and I couldn’t bear to see the look on his face when he woke to see me next to him. So I saved us both the trouble of the awkwardness,” I say in a harsh tone, not meaning to come out like that.

“Somehow I don’t think Layne is going to take you sneaking out like that so lightly. You’ll have to face him eventually. But it’s about damn time you two stop dancing arou
nd your feelings for each other.”

“Sometimes I really just want to smack you, but it’s hard even trying to be mad at you,” I tell her with a giggle.

“Because you know I’m right.” She pulls into the apartment.

“I just want to sleep this hangover away before I do anything else,” I tell her as we walk into the apartment. “I’ll talk to you later,” I say as I walk down the hall to my bedroom. I don’t know what I was thinking last night.
Drunken sex is never a good idea, even if it’s with Layne, the soul person I can only see myself with.

I slide out of my jeans and under the sheets of my still new bed. I close my eyes and all I see is Layne’s hooded eyes burning with desire.
I can still feel his touch, his lips, and the sensation only he made me feel.