Pole Position Read online

  Play was forgotten. I eased into her, pressing deep and slow, burying myself in her tight heat. Holding still, then sliding back, and pushing farther. Braced on one arm, I closed my mouth over hers and kissed her, sweet and slow. Our lovemaking was tender, unhurried. We had all day. I ran one hand through her hair and angled her face perfectly for my kiss, capturing her lips as I plunged deeper. Her moan vibrated through my chest. Back and forth, I rocked in a sensuous rhythm, drawing out the pleasure. She was mine for the taking. I wanted to keep her there forever.

  “Oh God,” she whispered, her voice catching.

  She dug her fingers into my shoulders, and I felt her tighten around my cock. Jesus. I couldn’t hold back much longer. She came in a series of ripples, each one squeezing me and making it impossible to wait. I groaned and then came explosively. It seemed to last an age but eventually I sagged over her and kissed her breathless.

  Even spent and exhausted, I wanted more. I wanted everything. And that scared the shit out of me.

  11.3 Anita

  After spending most of Saturday in bed together, I was amazed I could actually walk on Sunday morning. The thing I found oddest was the more we made love, the more we wanted to. I’d vaguely expected that after a couple of sessions, the novelty would wear off, but no, with every encounter I wanted him again, and again. It amused me how much I’d changed in just a few weeks. And so far, my fears about disappointing him were held at bay.

  On Sunday morning, after a leisurely session in bed, we had a quick breakfast and Jon dropped me off at the stables. Rather than messing around with two cars, he’d come back later to pick me up. While I was busy, he would go to the gym.

  I caught up with Clare, took my usual classes and exercised Sam. I saw Danny briefly between classes, and he cheerfully asked if I was still going to the Blackheath Show the day after. At last, everything was right with my world.

  Sitting on the bench in the yard, I gossiped with Clare and Danny while I waited for Jon to pick me up. I heard his car before he turned into the yard, and stood up at the same time as Danny.

  “It’s good to see you happy again, love,” Danny said, before sweeping me into one of his bear hugs, and lifting me right off the ground. Despite my height, he carried me as easily as a bag of feed and strode across the yard.

  I squealed with mock annoyance. “Put me down, you ass.”

  “Here?” He held me over the water trough and pretended to drop me.

  Thumping his shoulders, I was helpless with laughter, and clung to him just in case he let go. Eventually he set me back on the ground and that’s when I spotted Clare’s worried face. I turned to see Jon glowering at us, his fists clenched at his sides.

  I hurried across the yard, dusting off the straw spills attached to me, and leaned into him to claim a kiss. He just stood there, scowling at Danny.

  “Jon?” I was concerned. “Are you okay?”

  “Huh?” He snapped his attention to me. “I’m fine. Are you ready to go?”

  “I’ll just get my purse.” I walked back to the bench, puzzled. Meanwhile, Danny strode across the yard toward Jon, his hand held out in greeting.

  “Well, mate, I don’t think we’ve actually been introduced. I’m Danny Webster and this is my yard.”

  I watched the encounter with interest. I was pleased Danny was making the effort, and I hoped Jon would accept this olive branch.

  A muscle twitched in Jon’s otherwise poker face, but Danny had his back to me and I couldn’t see his expression. After a long hesitation, Jon held out his hand for the briefest of shakes.

  “Jon Craigowan.” He bit out the words. I could see he was angry with Danny, or me, I wasn’t yet sure.

  My happy mood punctured, I trailed to Jon’s side, taking his hand and squeezing it, before gazing up at him.

  “See you tomorrow, love,” said Danny. Leaning forward, he brushed a kiss across my cheek. “And don’t be late.”

  Jon’s hand tightened on my fingers to the point where it hurt. I whimpered, and he instantly released me. “Come on,” he turned and stomped back to the car.

  I’d barely climbed inside, didn’t even have my seatbelt fastened, when he started the engine with a roar and swung out of the yard, far too fast.

  “Jon. Let me fasten my belt please.”

  He instantly slowed down, and held out his hand to me again. “Sorry.”

  I took a deep breath. Something had changed but I didn’t know what. “Will you please drop me at home. At my house?”

  His gaze flicked to me, anger flashing in his eyes. “I thought you were coming back with me?”

  “Yes. I just want to pick up my car first.”

  He stared, and then returned his attention to the road. “Why do you need your car?” His voice was low.

  “I have to be up early in the morning.”

  “Apparently. And I can’t get up early enough for you?”

  “Why are we quarrelling? I don’t want to spoil our weekend together.” Anxiety churned in my stomach. Where had this row suddenly blown up from?

  He groaned, pulled the car off the road into a side street and switched off the engine. Turning to me, he held out his arms, and I nestled into them. My heart thudded painfully inside my chest, and I could hear his racing too. What had just happened?

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I guess I was looking forward to spending the weekend with you, and then when you said you wanted to go home, I thought you’d changed your mind.”

  He’d been acting strangely since he came to pick me up, before I asked to go for my car. “Is that all? You were odd in the yard. I thought you were angry with me then. Have I done something to annoy you?”

  “No, of course not.” He held me close. “I’m being an idiot, and I’m sorry. Let’s forget it shall we?”

  “Okay.” I was hesitant. He hadn’t answered my question and I was sure he was hiding something. When he nibbled my earlobe and slipped one hand under my grubby T-shirt, I was suitably distracted and forgot to be cross with him. I pulled back, playful now. “Not here.”

  He gave me his delicious, sexy grin and wiggled his eyebrows. “I’m inclined to agree, you smell of horse. I think you need a shower first.”

  Starting the engine, he set off again. “Do you still need your car, or do you trust me to drop you off early enough?”

  “Of course I trust you. I just feel bad about you driving me round everywhere, when I have a perfectly good car at home.”

  “That’s settled then.” His tone was happy. The argument had been forgotten.

  11.4 Jon

  I concentrated on keeping things light and fun between us for the rest of the day. We showered together, finally made love on the huge sofa in the lounge, and then sprawled on the floor to watch a trashy film, while picking at cheese and crackers. Later, as Anita slept beside me, I let my mind wander.

  I loved the way her body fit next to mine. She was a perfect match. We lay spooned together, her skin touching mine all the way down her body, my right arm supporting her head and my left resting across her middle, with my hand gently holding the curve of her breast. When we lay together like this, I could pretend that everything was fine. It was difficult to believe we’d met only two weeks ago. So much had happened. And now I couldn’t imagine sleeping without her by my side. If only it were that easy.

  My right arm was going dead under the weight of her head. I eased it out and curled it behind her instead, causing her to shift slightly, mutter something in her sleep, and then settle again. I stroked her hair. I loved the thickness of it, and how it was so soft at the same time. I sighed. Sleep was a long way off for me.

  I hated Danny. Everything about him made my skin crawl. He saw me arriving in the yard, we made eye contact, and then he started playing around with Anita, knowing I was watching. Knowing I didn’t like it.

  How I longed to march across the yard and smash his face in, dunk him in the water trough. But she couldn’t see that. She claimed he was like a brother,
and in some respects, he might be. I fumed again at his smug assertion that it was his yard, staking his claim with the sub-text being that I clearly wasn’t welcome. And when he’d swaggered toward me and declared we hadn’t been introduced yet, what a farce that had been. We had a large enough audience that I would only be making a dickhead of myself if I didn’t comply.

  I was jealous of him. Jealous he’d known Anita for so long, shared so much history with her, known her before that twat Rob messed her up. Jealous of his proprietary behavior. He sauntered up and kissed her as we were leaving, and even Clare looked surprised at that. He knew I couldn’t do anything about it.

  Clare on the other hand, was lovely. Down to earth, capable, and appeared to have Anita’s best interests at heart. When I called at the yard to meet her last week, Clare had led me round to where she practiced on Sam, and she’d questioned me. She made it clear Anita was her oldest friend and she was looking out for her. I could understand that and even appreciate it.

  I’d moved too often to gather friends, so I’d never had the luxury of knowing someone in such detail. In truth, I was always wary of intimacy; I’d always preferred to keep my distance. But if having Anita meant putting up with a tribe of well-meaning friends that was be the price I’d have to pay. Whether or not I could tolerate Danny remained to be seen.

  I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, but my brain still whirred like a hamster on a wheel.

  Anita was keen for me to come to the show tomorrow, to watch her ride. I’d leap at the chance, but it meant being pleasant to Danny. He would also be competing, and he’d take every opportunity to wind me up.

  I tried to focus on something else. While Anita would be competing in her biggest show next weekend, I’d be racing for my title in Belgium. This circuit, the Spa-Francorchamps was new to me. I’d seen layouts and maps, studied every available piece of video footage of the track to familiarize myself with it, but I would still be at a huge disadvantage compared to well over half the other drivers.

  I ran through the layout again in my head. It was the fastest open road circuit in the world, famous for not only its hilly turns, but also its completely unpredictable weather. The lower parts could be in brilliant sunshine, while the upper parts were shrouded in fog or being doused with heavy rain. It was filled with hairpin bends and blind summits, and this circuit probably demonstrated the importance of driver skill more than any other in the world. I shivered in excitement at the prospect of my greatest challenge yet.

  Assuming I took the title this year, what lay ahead for me? My goal, my dream, was to be invited into Formula 1. So many other household names had already made that leap from Formula 3, would I be the next? And would I be able to keep Anita by my side then? She had her own life, her own dreams and ambitions, and it was highly unlikely trailing after me featured highly in them.

  Chapter 12

  12.1 Colette

  I had to wonder if Danny was on drugs. After his anger and bleakness, now came one of his bouncing-off-the-ceiling brilliant moods. He came home from the stables singing lustily to the radio, and greeted me with a big hug and kiss.

  “We’re going out,” he announced. “Where do you fancy?”

  “We are?” I quickly latched onto his good humor. “Pub? Or somewhere more exotic?”

  He thought about it, while inching his hand down the back of my jeans. “Let’s go clubbing.”

  “It’s Sunday, there’s nowhere open.”

  “How about a pub with live music? There’s the Red Lion in Cumberley.”

  Danny was irresistible when he was happy. After a lengthy shower together we spent the evening in the Red Lion, dancing on the tiny area they laughingly called a dance floor, and sharing a giant bowl of fries with mayonnaise. He even asked me to go to his show the next day. I wasn’t a fan of horses, but I was thrilled to be invited, and to see another part of his life.

  I assumed that since Anita planned on spending the entire weekend at Jon’s, Danny felt happy because we had the house to ourselves. I spent a while daydreaming about Anita moving out permanently, leaving Danny and me to be a proper couple.

  He was strangely tender that night, not in such a hurry to bang my brains out. Leading me into his bedroom, he undressed me slowly, kissing every new piece of skin he uncovered. When I tried to grab at his jeans to free his hard-on, he tutted at me.

  “Nu-huh. Not tonight.”

  He guided me to lie on the bed and then lifted my hands, to curl my fingers around the headboard. His eyes gleamed in the dim glow from the bedside light. “You hang on to that, until I say you can let go.”

  I giggled, but complied. If it meant he continued to pleasure me with his mouth, I’d stay there all night. He burned a trail with his lips, tormenting me when he played with my nipples and scraped his teeth across the hard buds. His mouth was everywhere, kisses followed little nips and sucks, as he lit a slow-burning fire deep inside me.

  Dropping his jeans, he stepped out of his boxers and stood before me, a hungry look on his face. My gaze was drawn to his cock, to his hand stroking the length, the drops of pre-cum glistening at the tip. I licked my lips. I wanted that in my mouth and he knew it. He fisted his dick, a devilish grin appearing.

  “Something you want?”

  I squirmed on the bed. “You’re playing with me.”

  He climbed up beside me and trailed a sticky finger over my chin, smearing it across my lips. “You want this?”

  “You know I do.” I tried to catch his finger in my teeth and missed.

  “Later. I want to fuck you first.” He ripped open the foil packet with agonizing slowness, took his time fitting the condom and finally eased inside me, an inch at a time. I usually liked it hard and fast. This gentle, intense shagging felt alien to me.

  Hours later, with Danny sleeping curled around my back I realized something significant.

  We had been making love, instead of just fucking. He was finally starting to see me as something more than a fuck buddy. I went to sleep with a smile on my face.

  12.2 Anita

  I loved show days, the anticipation and excitement, the detailed preparation, the smells and noises from hundreds of horses together. I didn’t think I’d ever tire of them. Although the Blackheath event was small and provincial by many standards, it was the last opportunity for us to test our horses before Charrington and I hoped for a good result.

  The sun rose in an already blue sky, the ground was nicely firm, and a light breeze would be just enough to keep it from getting hot. Perfect show conditions.

  True to his word, Jon brought me to the yard early in the morning. He walked to Sam’s stall with me, and watched in amusement as I hugged my horse, and dropped a kiss on his velvety nose.

  “There’s no need for you to be jealous.” I slipped my arms around Jon’s waist. “What are you going to do with yourself today?”

  “I’m going for a run, and off to the gym this morning.” He scratched his stubbled chin. “Then I’m going to watch some bird riding a horse this afternoon.”

  I poked him playfully. “You know where you’re going? Once you get to Blackheath it’ll be easy to find. Just look out for a field full of horseboxes.”

  “Yep, I think I can manage that.”

  “You’ve seen our box? Bright blue with a yellow and white stripe, and ‘Webster’s Horses’ painted on the side. Find that, and wait for me there. You’ll be arriving at two?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  He could have made reference to my non-appearance at Oulton Park, but bless him, he didn’t. I waved him off, and got down to the business of getting Sam ready.

  Danny was in a cheerful mood too, much to Clare’s relief. Between us, we groomed and polished, organized the juniors to watch the yard in our absence—there were no classes that day—and finally loaded up the van. We were taking all the horses that would be going to Charrington next week. Sam of course, Nizzi and Brutus for Clare, and the mighty Boomerang for Danny. Boom stood a magnificent eight
een hands high, with a coat of polished, chocolate brown you could see your face reflected in. He had huge potential, and Danny had invested a great deal of energy in him.

  Not long before we set off, Colette came strolling across the yard, lugging a picnic hamper.

  “Hiya.” I gave her a quick hug. “What are you doing here? Are you coming to the show too?”

  “Yeah, Danny asked if I’d like to come and cheer you all on.” She placed the hamper on the ground. “I figured you might like some food, since you’re out all day, so I made a picnic lunch for us all.”

  “You angel. That will make a lovely change from the burger vans.” I scanned the yard, looking for Danny. “I think he’s in the box at the moment, supervising the haynets.”

  “I’ll go and say hello.” She wandered across to the van while I resumed my job of packing up the grooming kits.

  There was a brush missing, one of Danny’s, so I went to ask where he’d left it. As I reached the open back of the van, I stopped and stared. Danny leaned back against the interior partition, Colette held tight in his arms, her legs wrapped round his waist, while they snogged the faces off each other. Well, that explained a lot. I slipped away and left them to it, a huge smile on my face. I sang as I worked. It was going to be a good day; I could feel it.

  12.3 Anita

  Jon arrived on time, strolling up to the parked van while I sat on the tailgate eating one of Colette’s fabulous mushroom tartlets. I scrambled down and ran to him, giving him a huge hug. He kissed me, and I took his hand to show him the jumping course. My class was due to start at two thirty. Clare was competing in the same class, while Danny’s event was the last one of the day.

  I told Jon about finding Danny and Colette together in the van. He made all the right polite noises, but I could tell he wasn’t particularly interested. Instead, he asked me about the jumps and the layout, and if I fancied my chances. He was being so sweet. He really didn’t seem to mind that he was probably like a fish out of water here.