Whisky Throttle (Throttle Series, #1)

twenty-seven

Calla

"Were you trying to kill me?" I ask, flinging my helmet to the ground. "Now I can see why my parents haven't marked that trail! That a vigorous ride. One of the worst, actually."

Maddox chuckles, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face in my neck. A shiver cascades down my spine, but a wave of concern builds in my stomach. As much as I enjoy seeing Maddox happy, he seems too happy. Almost careless. It concerns me. Despite the way our relationship has progressed, we still have to face reality. The bruises aren't on his face for aesthetics. "Last time I rode that trail, it wasn't as washed-out and rocky." My body tenses when his lips touch the hollow of my throat, causing me to dig my nails into his forearms. It's dangerous to give a man power, but I'm enraptured whenever he's close to me. "You were stellar on the trail, Calls," he murmurs.

His lips are a whisper against my skin, teasing me and tempting me for more. After our conversation earlier, my qualms have intensified. If we can discuss our sex lives, where does that put us? I fear I'm looking into this too much. But with the closeness of his body and the touch of his lips, I can't eradicate the questions from my mind. If tension escalates between us, how far are we going to go? Has sex with me crossed his mind? Until now, I've never processed the thought of exposing my vulnerability to someone in such an intimate way. For as long as I can remember, I've been focused on my grades and becoming a conservation officer. I never thought I'd have a boyfriend until after I graduated post-secondary school.

"Of course I was," I scoff, silencing my internal battle. "I'm a phenomenal rider and don't you forget it."

Maddox chuckles. The rush of hot breath against my throat is almost enough to weaken my knees. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Before I succumb to my emotions, Maddox steps away to give me some breathing room. I hope he can't tell how flustered I am, and I hope my gaze isn't heated. It would be embarrassing for him to know how curious I am about what it would feel like to have his naked body weight atop mine.

"I'm going to grab the supplies for dinner." His eyes shift to my trailer. "Do you want to cook inside tonight?"

"I thought you were making dinner for me," I reply, cocking a brow. "You know, after taking me on such a rough trail."

He glances at me, a twinkle in his green eyes. "If I teach you how to make these tacos, then you'll have something to do on those freezing winter nights in Edmonton. You won't be living off the typical university student diet of ramen and Kraft Dinner, either."

My lips twist into a smile. "Fair enough. I'll get the dishes and stuff ready. Is there anything specific we need?"

Maddox's green eyes flitter from my feet to my face as a smile curves his mouth. "Nah. We're good," he winks.

A light blush creeps across my cheeks. Thankfully, he doesn't see the colour—he's too busy collecting his gear to notice. Deciding I better do the same in case it rains tonight, I follow suit. For the past couple of weeks now, Maddox has been keeping his motocross gear with mine, safely locked in the bin under the trailer. The same goes for his bike; he's been locking it up beside mine at night. I'm tempted to use that as an excuse to invite him to stay in my trailer from now on. It's something I've been wanting to bring up with him since the incident with Travis. I'm just not entirely sure how I'm supposed to do that without offending him.