Page 57 of Drive Me Wild
Because I didn’t realize how frustrated I was until I started working with Kelsey. Because I’m worried if I do tell you these things, I’ll become too dependent. Because I’m falling for you, even though I know I shouldn’t be.
I can’t tell him any of this, so instead I say, “Because you live and breathe McAllister, Walker.”
He nods pensively. “Yeah, but I came out of the womb knowing I wanted to race for them. This has always been my dream, and I get to wake up every morning and live it. I don’t mean to discredit your work because you know I think you’re fantastic at what you do, but I don’t think McAllister is necessarily the end all, be all for you.”
My shoulders slightly relax as he gives it an encouraging squeeze. “No?”
“I mean, if you start freelancing for another team, I will go full-blown Blake, but other than that, no. You’re smart, talented, very skilled—in and out of the bedroom. Kelsey’s lucky to have you for the next few months. And honestly? I think it’s rather selfish of you to not share your talents with more people. So, side hustle your heart away, baby.”
His approval means a lot to me. Not because Ineedit, but because I value it.
“Well, maybe notallof your talents,” he amends. “I’d like that thing you do with your tongue to be specially reserved for me.”
I rest my head on his shoulder, nodding with a laugh. “The tongue thing is all yours, babes.”
“Good.” He gently kisses my head before grabbing me by the waist and helping me off the sink. “Now, can we get out of here? God knows the last time they cleaned these counters. Christ, I can’t believe we almost had sex in a bathroom. What are you doing to me, Bancroft?”
The same damn thing he’s doing to me. I’m supposed to be focusing on myself, not complicating my life by falling for Theo, yet I no longer have any idea where the invisible line between purely platonic and strictly sexual falls.
TWENTY-ONE
THEO
I joltup to the sound of someone ringing my doorbell at rapid-fire speed. I’m running on minimal sleep thanks to a delayed flight back from Singapore. Looking at my phone, I see it’s only seven-forty-two.What the fuck?Throwing on a pair of sweats, I head downstairs. The hardwood floor is cold beneath my feet and sends an unwelcome shiver through my body. I should check the peephole, but I’m too desperate to stop the goddamn EDM song my doorbell’s conducting.
Swinging open the door, I find my sister standing with a massive suitcase next to her. She’s a mini version of our mum—except for the blue eyes we both inherited from our dad—with her wavy, dark brown hair, a nose no plastic surgeon could find fault in, and dimples that wink with her ever-present smile. And right now she’s giving me our mum’s infamous stare of calm reproach.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, dumbfounded.
She puts her hands on her hips and raises a singular eyebrow. “You’re kidding me, right?”
I rub the sleepiness from my eyes. “Uh. No?”
“Did you forget that I’m having an existential crisis and desperately need a holiday?”
Charlotte has just one semester of university left before graduation and has no idea what she wants to do afterward. Considering she’s changed her major three times and collects hobbies like Pokémon cards, I can’t necessarily say I’m surprised. Not that I’d ever tell her that. Nope. I’d like to have kids in the future, so I’m keeping that observation to myself.
“I didn’t forget, Char, but you told me you were arriving tomorrow,” I reply slowly.
“There was an earlier flight available,” she says with a frown. “I texted you about it.”
There’s no way I would’ve given her the green light to arrive the day I got home from a race, but I don’t mention that. “No big deal, Char. I’m glad you’re here.”
“I swear I did, Theodore.” She starts scrolling through her phone to find the text. Glancing up a few moments later, she bites her lower lip and mumbles, “Oops. I texted my friend Thea instead of you. I didn’t notice since, ya know, it’s only a letter off. Shit, I’m sorry. I?—”
I burst out laughing since I did the same thing earlier this year, although it was my team principal on the receiving end of a dick pic.
“C’mere, kid.” I pull her in for a long hug, resting my chin on the top of her head. I place my hands on her shoulders a few seconds later. “How about you freshen up while I get dressed and then we can head to breakfast? There’s a new spot down the street we can try out.”
Her dimples flash as her grimace dissipates. “Perfect. I’m starving.” She walks past me and into my foyer, saying, “Oh! What’s the dress code of this place?”
“It’s breakfast, Lottie. Wear pajamas for all I care,” I state, rolling my eyes. The world is Charlotte’s runway and I say that with complete seriousness. The woman dresses up to grab her prescriptions from the pharmacy.
“Okay, so cute-casual.” She flashes me a thumbs up before rushing up the stairs to get ready in a guest bedroom.
I text my friends and let them know that Lottie’s joining our dinner plans. I could reschedule, but they all get on well and having plans will help fight the eleven-hour jet lag.
I sigh when I notice a purse at the bottom of the stairs and a pair of shoes haphazardly piled at the front door, blocking the coat closet—where the shoesshouldgo. I love my baby sis, but it’s going to be alongweek.
