Need for Speed (The Elite Book 2) Read online

  “We can’t afford to have any accidents, now can we? So shut up and give me your key.”

  One thing I was grateful for was that he’d thought to get my wallet and keys out of my locker for me. I’d have to change the combination when I got back to keep the nosy fucker out, but for now I was thankful I wouldn’t have to go get them myself. Just moving from the required hospital wheelchair into the taxi and now to my room was enough pain and exhaustion, but I wasn’t about to give Solo the satisfaction that maybe he was right about me needing help.

  He got the door open and had me inside in record time, but when he kicked the door shut behind us, I realized he wasn’t planning on going anywhere.

  “Damn, who brought the balloons from the hospital?” I said, batting the long strands of ribbon out of the way as he walked me to my bed. There seemed to be even more filling the room now, as well as the vases of flowers. “Don’t tell me you managed all these on your bike.”

  “I’m guessing your parents are responsible for the breaking and entering.” Once he’d lowered me onto the bed, he walked to the windows and pushed the curtains open, letting in June gloom in all its glory. It would be sunny soon, though, always breaking through the grey after noon or so.

  “So. What are you hungry for?”

  “You really don’t need to do this. I can feed myself.”

  “Oh? You gonna hop on your bike and go get something? Walk over to the mess hall?” Solo snorted. “I don’t think so.”

  “I’ll just order something.”

  Solo snapped his fingers. “Yes, we’ll order something. Great idea.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and began typing. “I know nothing will sound as appetizing as gourmet Jell-O and unspecified meat, but surely there’s something you can stomach.”

  “Ugh. Anything sounds better than that.” Even though my throat was still sore, I’d happily eat glass over whatever meat they gave me for dinner last night. I was determined to get out of the hospital, though, so I’d eaten every last bite like it was the best thing I’d ever tasted.

  “We’ve got pizza, Chinese, Mexican—” Solo looked up and waggled his brows at the mention of our first sort-of date where food ended up not being on the menu. “Hmm, maybe too soon for that. What about Thai?”

  My stomach rumbled. “Oh God, I’d kill for some red curry.”

  “Red curry it is.” As he placed the order on his phone, I took advantage of his attention being elsewhere to look over him. I may have looked like a mess and in desperate need of a shower, but Solo looked even more gorgeous than ever. His hair was styled today, just a little bit of a spike at the front, and he wore the small hoops he favored on his days off. He was a sexy package, one I’d want more of if my body would cooperate, but that was strictly off-limits for a few more days at least, according to the doctor. I’d work with a physical therapist soon, and they’d be able to assess how fast or slow I was progressing, and considering I needed the all-clear for any chance of continuing the NAFTA program, I planned to push myself.

  But for today, I was content to sit on this bed and not do a damn thing.

  “Done.” Solo set his phone on the dresser and then leaned back on it. “You tired or up for something?”

  “Both? Depends on what you mean by ‘up for.’”

  “Look at you, you little flirt. Trying to break the rules, are we?”

  I laughed and shook my head. “That’s not exactly what I meant.”

  “So you’re saying you’re not thinking of me naked…”

  “Solo—”

  “Can’t blame you if you were. I mean, if it helps, I’ll lose the pants. Shirt or pants? Your choice.”

  As he reached for the bottom of his shirt, I held my hand out. “Don’t you fucking dare get naked right now. You’re supposed to be here to help me, not torture me.”

  He lifted his shirt a little higher so I could see a sliver of his tanned abs. “This isn’t helping?”

  “No.” I groaned, and Solo laughed, dropping his hands.

  “Well, I guess I can keep my clothes on. For now. Wouldn’t want the delivery person to get an eyeful of this and poison your food out of jealousy.”

  I stared at Solo and could only shake my head. “Has anyone ever told you you’re ridiculous?”

  “Eh, only several times a day. Why?”

  “Just making sure. It’d be a shame if you didn’t realize how entertaining you are sometimes.”

  “Oh, I see what’s happening here. This is where you tell me you really did enjoy my sky penis. It’s okay, you can admit it. Just the two of us here.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You need a new story. That one’s getting old.”

  “Is that a dare? A challenge? Because you know me, I’m always up for a challenge.”

  “You’re always up for anything.”

  Solo eyed me for a second and then pursed his full, pouty lips. Lips that had kissed and sucked every naked inch of me just a few days ago.

  “See, now that I’d have to disagree with. These days, there’s only one thing I get up for…”

  When I made no move to stop him or urge him to continue, Solo ran his eyes over me, and it was like flames licking over my skin.

  “Shame he’s not able to enjoy it just now, though.”

  I swallowed and shifted on the bed, because hell, if Solo’s mission was to distract me from my pounding head, he’d succeeded. Now I just had an insistent throb between my thighs.

  “You okay over there? Not feeling any pain, are you?”

  His smug smirk told me that Solo knew exactly what afflicted me, and that the only pain involved was the ache in my balls.

  “You’re evil, you know that, right?”

  Solo shrugged, that smirk morphing into a full-on smile. “I think it’s more like I’m hot and you’re horny, so you’re lashing out. But that’s okay. I forgive you.”

  Since he was right, I didn’t bother denying it, and instead scanned the room, trying to look at anything other than him. As I took in the balloons and flowers—and was that a stuffed animal?—something he’d said when we first got here came hurtling back full force.

  “Did you say my parents brought this all back from the hospital?”

  Solo got to his feet, walked over to one of the balloons, and poked at it. “I mean, I’m guessing. The guys are all down at the beach today, and I didn’t bring them over here, so that leaves your folks. Let’s be real: no one is going to say no to your father if he demands entry to your place.”

  That was true, but shit, I hadn’t even thought of it. Of course my father would want to see me, damn it. I wondered who’d called him. Well, pretty much any of my instructors was a good guess. There was no way Captain Hughes’s son ejected from a plane and he didn’t get the first call.

  “Did you see him? Did he come and see me in the hospital?”

  Solo’s mouth opened, but before he could answer, I shook my head.

  “That’s right, you weren’t there.” Fuck, seeing my father was the last thing I wanted to deal with, and as I tried to think of a good way to postpone the inevitable, I noticed Solo had gotten quiet all of a sudden. I glanced over and noted the teasing light from earlier had disappeared, and in its place was something much more serious. “Solo, you okay?”

  6 Solo

  WELL, DIDN’T I feel like a royal asshole. Here I’d thought I was being so helpful this morning in getting Panther home and situated, and one off-hand comment from him had reminded me what a fucking coward I’d been when he needed me most.

  Royal asshole, right here.

  “Solo?”

  “Huh?” I looked to where Panther was frowning at me.

  “Are you okay?”

  I nodded, not wanting to admit that I was just thinking about what a total douchebag I’d been in staying away from him when he’d been lying in the hospital after one of the most terrifying things a human being could ever go through. No point in reminding him I was a total tool.

  “I’m good. Just hungry.”

  Panther eyed me for a beat, and I knew he didn’t buy my story for a second, so I walked to the window and looked outside to see if our food would miraculously appear.

  “I get why you weren’t there, you know.”

  I looked over my shoulder to see him watching me like one might a skittish animal.

  “It’s okay.”

  I scoffed and shook my head. “Please don’t do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Make excuses for me.” I twisted my lips as I turned to lean up against the wall. “I should’ve been there. I wanted to be there. I went crazy when your plane went down. But then—” I pulled myself up short, and when Panther just sat there staring at me with those bruised and bloodshot eyes, I let out a breath and turned back to the window. “I just should’ve been there.”

  I heard Panther whisper my name like a plea, but luckily for me, the Grubhub driver pulled up out the front of our rooms at that exact moment.

  Without another word, I pulled open the door and escaped out into the fresh air where I could take a minute to breathe, where I could get my head on straight, and when I re-entered his room with my arms full of food, I plastered on a smile and steered the conversation where I wanted it to go.

  Far, far away from the ghost and nightmares that had come back to haunt me the day his plane had plummeted into the Pacific.

  SEVERAL HOURS LATER, as the sun began to set and night settled in, I looked over the top of my hand of cards to where Panther sat on the bed staring at the five he’d been dealt. For the last half-hour, the cagey bastard had managed to win every hand, leaving me twenty dollars poorer and with a new appreciation for what a damn good bluffer he was.

  “Um, after that five there, I’m out of money,” I pointed out.


  Panther raised a brow. “And that’s my problem how?” I watched his face like a hawk, trying to spot any kind of tell. I got nothing; the guy was made of fucking marble. “I meet your five and raise you ten. As for what you bet now, those earrings would be a good memento of how I kicked your ass if you ask me.”

  “You think so, do you?”

  Panther looked at his cards. “I really do. Maybe I’ll even get a piercing.”

  My lips twitched, because there was no way in hell Panther would ever get a piercing. It just wasn’t him. But if he wanted to play, I’d play.

  Looking back to my cards, I tried to school my features, but it was hard to do when I only had a pair of eights. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

  “Okay, so let me see…” I rubbed my chin. “I meet your ten with my way more expensive earrings, and raise you tonight. Sleeping on your bed instead of the floor.”

  If I’d hoped for some sort of response, maybe eyes widening in alarm, cheeks flushing from shock, or his cock hardening in excitement over my demand—because, yeah, I looked—I got nothing. Absolutely nothing.

  Instead, Panther looked back to his cards and then eyed me with an inscrutable expression. “Deal. Now show your hand.”

  With much more confidence than I actually had in my cards, I spread them out on the bed covers and hoped like hell this was the one time Panther’s little bluffing game was for nothing. He eyed my pair of eights, then looked back to me, and when he tossed his cards on the bed and said, “I sure hope the floor is comfy,” I groaned.

  “What the fuck?”

  “It’s called a full house. That means it kicks your measly cards’ ass.”

  “I know what a fucking full house is,” I grumbled, as Panther rounded up the cards.

  “Another game? Or is the sting of defeat too much to bear?”

  “You’re already putting a claim on my earrings. I’m not sure what else I have left to give. Well, that you could take right now, anyway.” When I winked, Panther threw the entire deck against my chest, the cards splattering everywhere.

  “Whoops, some landed on the floor. Maybe you can make your pallet while you’re down there.”

  “You’re enjoying this too much. If you weren’t black and blue, I’d—”

  “You really don’t need to finish that sentence.” Panther yawned and then stretched his arms out to the sides, wincing only slightly.

  “Time to put you to bed.”

  “I’m already in bed.”

  “Fine. Time to put me in your bed.”

  Panther chuckled and threw one of his pillows my way. “Nice try.”

  I’d already gone to my room to grab the sheet and blanket off my bed, knowing I wouldn’t be sleeping on my or anyone’s bed tonight.

  “You really don’t have to sleep on the floor,” Panther said, causing my ears to prick up. “You could sleep in your room.”

  I sighed, rolling my eyes as I laid the sheet out on the floor. “Stop trying to get rid of me. It’s hurting my feelings.”

  “Sure it is.” As Panther yawned again, already under his blanket and looking like he’d pass out any second, I peeled off my shirt and kicked off my jeans.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Getting ready for bed.”

  “Stop taking your clothes off.”

  “Uh, I can’t sleep in jeans. Or a shirt. You should be glad I’m keeping these on.” I gestured toward my boxer briefs, and Panther covered his face with a pillow.

  “Just turn out the fucking light.”

  “Bossy, bossy.” I grinned and clicked off the lamp, then I dropped down beside the bed to my makeshift pallet. “By the way, how did you know when I was bluffing? There’s no way you’re just that good.”

  “Easy. Your left eyebrow twitches when you lie.”

  “What?” I reached up to touch it. “No, it doesn’t.”

  “It does. Makes you easy to read.”

  Shit. Hadn’t Gucci told me something like that before? I seriously needed to tape that fucker down before it gave away all my secrets.

  “Solo?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Stop thinking about it and go to bed.”

  “Damn. I told you—bossy, bossy.”

  “Solo—”

  “You sure you don’t need me to warm up your bed?”

  “I’d rather you just go to sleep.”

  “In your bed?”

  Panther let out a long, irritated sigh that made me smile. “Shut your face and I won’t kick you out of here, how about that?”

  “Not like you could right now, but…okay.” I fluffed the pillow under my head and, when it still wasn’t enough, folded it in half. Then I closed my eyes and dreamed of all the ways I could torment Panther tomorrow—and win back my money.

  7 Panther

  KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

  In my dream, I was in the cockpit of my plane, getting ready to take off when someone knocked on the canopy. I looked around, trying to see who it was, but there was no one there.

  Knock knock knock.

  Wait…no one was knocking on the canopy. And I wasn’t dreaming.

  I cracked my eyes open to see Solo sitting up on the floor beside my bed, his blanket tangled around his legs.

  “You expecting company this early?” he asked, his voice thick with sleep as he rubbed his eyes. Just the sight of him half-naked and so close was enough to send the erection I’d woken up with into throbbing levels.

  Until the knocking on my door started up again.

  “I’ll get it.” I kicked the sheet off, but as I went to sit up, Solo was already getting to his feet.

  “Nah, I got it.” His eyes shot down to my hips, and when he saw what I was sporting, he groaned. “Fuck. Just…cover yourself.” As he unlocked the door, he muttered, “Words I never thought I’d say.”

  I lay back down as he opened the door to deal with whoever had come to call so early, but when I heard my parents’ voices, I shot straight back up.

  Oh fuck. I stared at Solo in horror. He hadn’t bothered throwing anything on over his boxer briefs, which meant he was currently shooting the shit with my parents in his underwear.

  Shit. He had to keep them out. This would look worse than it was—

  Solo opened the door wide and gestured for my parents to come on in, like there was no reason to keep them out. Like he wasn’t half-naked and I was still in bed, and—

  “Oh. I thought we had the wrong room, but here you are.” My mother hesitated in the doorway and then stepped inside, careful not to touch the pile of bedding on the ground.

  “Let me get that out of the way.” Solo tossed the pillow on the bed, scooped up the sheets, and then set about picking up his discarded clothes. I noticed my father hadn’t moved from his spot just outside the door, watching Solo’s every move like a hawk. Probably wondering why he was here, why he was naked, and why he’d obviously stayed the night.

  Shoot me. Shoot me now.

  Mom bit her lip as she sat on the edge of the bed beside me, her eyes scanning over my face like she was assessing the state of my injuries.

  “It looks worse than it is,” I said, letting her take that double meaning whichever way she chose. I meant it both ways, but she chose to focus on me while my father continued to stare Solo down.

  “Oh baby,” she said, her chin quivering as she lightly touched my face.

  I could feel the tension in the room, so thick you could cut it with a steak knife. Solo cleared his throat where he stood in the corner of the room holding his clothes and blankets over his practically naked body, though he didn’t seem uncomfortable about that fact at all.

  “You good?” he asked me, and when I nodded, he returned the gesture. “Okay, well, I guess I’ll give you all some privacy. I’ll be next door not listening through the thin wall, so don’t say anything I wouldn’t.” He grinned as he slipped out of the room, but when he saw the steely expression on my father’s face, it dropped slightly. “I’ll see you around, Captain Hughes.”

  My father raised an eyebrow. “Hopefully not as…much of you.”

  Solo chuckled. “Right.”

  As soon as Solo was out of sight, my father finally stepped inside and shut the door firmly behind him.

  Here it comes…

  “I thought I told you not to associate with that young man.”