Page 42 of Drive Me Crazy
“I’m all good,” I promise Theo. “Just going to be sore as hell tomorrow.”
“You just always have to one-up me, don’t ya?”
I roll my eyes. Theo’s crash in Singapore last season was brutal. And naturally, everything is a competition between us, so the only reason I could have possibly gotten hit was to outdo his crash.
Theoturns to Ella and winks. “I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s a sore loser.”
“Why can’t you guys just one-up each other by seeing who shotguns a beer quicker?” She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “You’re both insane.”
“Insanely handsome,” Theo corrects her. “We already know that, Goldy.”
ELLA HASN’T LEFT my side since finding me after the crash. She took up residence in the medical tent, waiting patiently for the doctors to release me. I couldn’t help but chuckle when she told the nurse I requested a small snack and then proceeded to eat the Jell-O and saltines they brought. Her face is etched with worry, giving me glances every few minutes to make sure I’m not going to suddenly keel over and die. There’s no point in reassuring her that I’m fine. I’ve tried and failed numerous times. She even follows me into my hotel room because apparently, I can’t walk through a door without my unlicensed nurse by my side.
I leave Ella and head to the bathroom, turning the shower to the hottest temperature. Shower, eat, sleep. That’s all I want to do. The steam blissfully envelops me as scalding hot water pounds down, massaging the tension out of my body. I don’t realize how long I’ve been standing there until my fingers resemble raisins.
Stepping out of the bathroom, a petite brunette lying comfortably on my side of the bed greets me. Her hair is sprawled out on my pillow, the white case barely visible under her thick hair. She’s sporting an extremely oversized red sweatshirt and what I hope are some type of shorts underneath.
“That may’ve been the world’s longest shower.” She flips through the channels on the TV, not even glancing in mydirection. “I found a movie that looked good, but it’s not in English and I can’t figure out how to get the subtitles on.”
I thrust an impatient hand through my hair. “What are you doing here?”
“I swiped your room key and changed when you were in the shower so I could spend the night here.”
Yeah, because that explains everything.
“Like bloody fuckin’ hell you’re sleeping here.” I need a good night’s sleep. Not one where I’m up the whole night hyperaware and painfully turned on knowing her body is in my bed when she may not even be in fucking shorts. I’m getting hard just thinking about it and am momentarily thankful she’s not looking at me as I readjust the towel around my waist. I also don’t want her to see me take my medication. Knowing and seeing are two different things.
“Yes, I am,” she argues.
“Seriously, El,” I growl, my displeasure apparent. “You’re not sleeping here. I’ll carry you out if I have to.”
“And I’ll bite you if I have to.” Her voice carries the same level of annoyance as mine.
I smirk. “I’d rather enjoy that.” “Kinky.”
She finally turns my way and I wish she hadn’t because the look in her eyes is so innocently sultry it unnerves me. She unabashedly rakes over every inch of my body with her gorgeous eyes.
“You kind of look like a cologne model right now.”
“How does someone model cologne?”
The bed bounces as she smacks the empty space next to her. “Settle in and I’ll tell you.”
“I sleep naked, you know.”
“Congrats.” Her eyes focus back on the TV, attempting to figure out where to find closed captioning.
“And I like to cuddle,” I try again.
“Great,there’s an extra pillow right here you can spoon with.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re incredibly exasperating?”
“My parents and therapist in not so many words.” She shrugs, unbothered. “Oh, and Sal. He owns a bagel shop by my apartment building in New York. He says it’s a good thing I’m sweet because I drive him insane. But same thing.”
I bury my face into my hands, groaning loudly.
“I don’t have women sleep over unless we’re fucking.” My voice is once again serious. “I’m not about to change that because you want to have a slumber party, love.”
