Need for Speed (The Elite Book 2) Read online

  “Yeah. That first night, in the bar?”

  “Hmm, where you were waiting for limp dick?”

  “Limp—” Panther’s mouth fell open, but then he chuckled. “When I was waiting for my date. I couldn’t stop looking at you, wanting what you were so obviously offering—”

  “Hey, I told you, not subtle.”

  “So you did. But then, just when I was going to give in, I felt these…” Panther stroked his fingertips over my tags again. “And that was it—there was no way I was going to get involved with you.”

  “How’d that work out for you?”

  Panther let go of the metal and trailed his fingers down my naked chest. “Well, you’re in my bed. So, like I said, you made me notice you when I really didn’t want to. And you made me care because you’re you.”

  “Grant…” I sighed into the dark room, as Panther scooted a little closer to me. My pulse was racing as he somehow managed to once again turn this conversation from himself to me, and I was left feeling vulnerable and exposed, in ways I never had before. “I don’t do this kind of thing.”

  “Lie in bed with a man? Now, we both know that’s a lie.”

  “Get close. I don’t do…this.” I gestured to his fingers drawing patterns over my skin. “I don’t tell people about my thoughts and feelings. I don’t tell them about my parents and brother. All this emotional stuff? I don’t do it.”

  Panther drew his hand back, his eyes still pinned to mine, but there was no anger there, no hurt. “Well, you know where the door is. If you want to leave, leave. I’m not making you stay.”

  And damn it, even as every instinct in my body said to get up and get out, I rolled to my back and said, “But how would I know you were okay?”

  13 Panther

  NOT MUCH SURPRISED me anymore when it came to Solo, but the fact he didn’t jump out of the bed and run for the door when I offered him an out just about shocked me speechless.

  I wasn’t a fool; I knew Solo was the kind of guy who usually loved ’em and left ’em—hell, I was too. But somewhere over the course of a couple of weeks, my feelings for the man lying beside me had taken a dramatic turn.

  Chalk it up to almost dying, or maybe some really great fucking sex—it could have been either, but suddenly, all I wanted was to get to know Solo. I wanted to understand him, and I wanted him to understand me, and when he didn’t immediately hightail it for the door, I thought I just might get the chance.

  “You could check on me in the morning,” I finally said, though my gut already told me that Solo was going nowhere.

  He turned his head on the pillow. “But what if something happens between now and then?”

  “I could bang on the wall.”

  “What if you can’t reach the wall?”

  His immediate dismissal of every suggestion made me laugh. “I could throw something at it.”

  “Nah. You might be unconscious, then what?”

  I nodded. “You’re right. Maybe you should stay.”

  “Yeah.” Solo ran his eyes down over me. “I think that’s smart.”

  “And we’re nothing if not smart.”

  Solo reached for the sheet and tugged it down a little, revealing our naked torsos.

  “Very smart. I mean, I somehow wound up lying in bed with you half-naked. I’d say that makes me practically a genius.”

  I reached for Solo’s hand and drew it up over my heart. “Mateo?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I don’t do this either.” When Solo held my stare, I added, “Ever. This thing between us, I never thought it would be more than sex.”

  Solo scrunched his nose up. “Um, how about extremely hot fucking sex.”

  I chuckled, and my chest vibrated under our hands. “Well, that goes without saying.”

  “No, you should always feel free to say it.”

  “Okay, let me try again. I never thought this thing between us would be anything other than hot fucking sex.”

  “And here I didn’t even think that would ever be on the agenda. You were pretty adamant you hated my guts.”

  “Hate’s a strong word. More like frustration that I couldn’t have you.”

  “Ahh. So you think you can have me now?”

  With his hand still firmly planted on my chest, I grinned. “I think I already do.”

  Surprise briefly flitted through Solo’s eyes before he twisted his lips. “Who’s cocky and reckless now?” When I laughed, he said, “Don’t try to deny it. You’ve said this was a bad idea from the beginning.”

  “It is a bad idea.”

  “But you still wanna play with fire, huh?”

  I brought our hands up to my mouth and sucked his index finger between my lips, teasing just enough that embers smoldered in Solo’s eyes. “I want to play with you.”

  Solo dropped his face into the pillow. “Fuck yooou.”

  “I can’t. Doctor’s orders.”

  “Fuck your doctor.”

  “Can’t do that either.”

  Solo lifted his head, pinning me with a fierce stare. “You seem like you’re feeling better now.”

  “You’re a good distraction.”

  “Thanks for reminding me that I could be an even better one if not for doctor’s orders. You better make it up to me soon.”

  “Oh, so your greedy cock is my fault. Got it.”

  “No, my hard cock is.” Solo shook his head and began to move off the bed. “And on that note, I think we should go to sleep.”

  Before he slipped away completely, I squeezed his hand, tugging him back. “Where you going?”

  “I’m not leaving.”

  “I know, but…maybe you should stay. With me.” I patted the bed. “Here.”

  Solo raised an eyebrow but didn’t say a word to protest, slipping beneath the covers beside me so we were almost touching. As he adjusted his pillow, I reached for his hand again, drawing it flat against my chest, and then I closed my eyes.

  He’d chased the nightmares away for now, and maybe with him sleeping beside me, they’d stay gone for good.

  14 Solo

  “YOU SURE YOU’RE up for this?” I locked the door to the convertible as Panther rounded the car, somehow making even gym clothes look sexy. His bruises were slowly beginning to fade, and the whites of his eyes were back to normal—no more possessed red to be seen.

  “The doctor said I’m cleared for it.”

  “It’s only been a week.”

  “And classes start back next week. If I can’t make it through a workout, they’re sure as hell not gonna let me back in.”

  “If you wanted a workout, I could’ve helped you with that privately.” I grinned and pulled open the door to the gym on base, and as Panther passed by me, he said, “Who said I won’t need a private session later?”

  Ah, shit. I wanted to respond to that, really I did, but leave it to Houdini to cock-block by sidling up to Panther as we walked inside.

  “My man. Look at you. Back from the dead.” Houdini bumped fists with Panther and then noticed me bringing up the rear. “Aw hell. If you needed a ride, you could've asked. No need to slum it with this guy.”

  “He’s already had one major accident. No need to make it an even two.” I bumped Houdini’s shoulder hard and headed onto the floor, where it seemed like the other trainees had gotten a memo that we were coming, because they were all there.

  “What the fuck is this. A party?” I growled. All that was missing were balloons tied to the equipment.

  Gucci looked up from where he sat on the rowing machine, catching his breath. “What are you grumbling about?”

  “Everyone’s here.”

  “Where the hell else are we supposed to go?” When he caught sight of Panther over my shoulder, a knowing look crossed his face. “Ahh. Sorry, did you have reservations for two? Need us all to leave?”

  “Fuck off.”

  “Nah, I’ve got a few more rounds to do.” Then to Panther he said, “Good to see you back.”

  “Does he know?” Panther whispered.

  “Nah, he’s just screwing around.” I gestured toward the cardio equipment. “Let’s start on the treads.”

  We each took a treadmill, slowly picking the pace up every couple of minutes, and I kept one eye on Panther and the other on everyone else stealing glances our way. Some of them stopped by to see how Panther was doing and to throw a dig my way—which I returned, naturally—and I didn’t miss the questions in their eyes at why we’d come in together when we were usually at each other’s throats.

  “Shit.” He’d been steadily running for a few minutes, but Panther hit the decelerate button repeatedly, slowing down the pace to a walk. When he looked my way, I saw the frustration. “Everyone is gonna see.”

  I slowed down to match his pace. “See what?”

  “That I’m weak. That my body’s no good right now.” He rubbed his forehead, clearly annoyed at himself. “Did they all have to be here?”

  “Hey.” I hit the stop button and stepped onto the side of the treadmill, facing him. “You’ve never given two shits what anyone here thinks. Why start now?”

  “Because I’ve never been out of breath from running for five minutes.”

  “Yeah, that’s pretty pathetic. It’s not like you’ve gotten thrown out of a plane or been in the hospital or anything. Stop being such a goddamn slacker.”

  Panther tried to bite back a grin, but I could see it.

  “I hate cardio anyway. Let’s go work on your dick.” When Panther’s eyes rounded, I put my hand over my lips. “Did I say your dick? I meant your strength. Easy mistake.”

  “Or you’re just easy in general.”

  “Something I’m pretty sure you won’t be complaining about as soon as you get your”—I lowered my eyes below
the waistband of his shorts—“strength back.”

  “Quit it,” Panther muttered, but when I raised my eyes back to his, he licked at his lower lip.

  “Or?”

  “Or you and everyone else in this gym is going to see which part of my body needs zero help in the rehabilitation department.”

  I chuckled but let it go for now, because if I kept up with this line of conversation, Panther wouldn’t be the only one announcing what kind of workout he was interested in doing—and news flash, it had nothing to do with the equipment in this gym.

  “How about we go and check out the weights?” I suggested as I stepped down from the treadmill. “We’ll start off easy, and I’ll spot you.”

  Panther grabbed his towel and stepped down beside me. “Spot me, huh?”

  As we headed to the weights area, I shrugged. “Seemed the politest way to say ‘perv on you.’ Plus, you told me to quit it.”

  As we came to a stop by the chest-press machine, Panther eyed me. “This isn’t really the kind of machine that needs you to spot me.”

  “I know, but who says a couple of frenemies can’t do reps together?”

  “Frenemies?”

  “Well, everyone here thinks we hate each other. The least I can do is kick your ass and confirm I’m a heartless bastard competing with the injured comrade.”

  Panther snorted as he moved around to the back of the machine and set it to the weight he wanted. “But you’re not really?”

  “Of course I am. Don’t you know me at all?”

  Panther sat down and gripped the handles in front of him. “I know you better than you want me to, and if you ask me, you’re really standing here watching over me because you’re worried I might hurt myself. That means you care, by the way. In case you’re unfamiliar with the emotion.”

  My mouth fell open, but when nothing came out, Panther pushed the handles away from his chest, extending his arms, before slowly reversing in a smooth, controlled move.

  “I’m not unfamiliar,” I finally said. “More like…allergic.”

  15 Panther

  ALLERGIC MY ASS.

  Solo could act as big and tough as he wanted around everyone else, but when it came to the two of us, I knew better. Just like me, he was feeling things he’d never felt before, and there was no way it was just sex—that ship had sailed somewhere around the second night he’d stayed in my room. The night he’d ended up stretched out in my bed with his body entwined with mine.

  Yeah, this relationship—or whatever it was—was barreling along at breakneck speed, and though it was scary as hell, when it came to people like us, what other speed was there?

  As I stared at him in the mirrors, I caught sight of Gucci watching us from over on the rowing machine and said, “Your pal, Gucci. He know about us?”

  Solo had pushed aside the question earlier, but something about the way Gucci’s attention kept flicking between us made it pretty obvious he wasn’t watching to see if his friend was about to kick my ass on the weight machines.

  Solo raised his eyes, and when Gucci quickly looked away, he shook his head. “You gonna be pissed if I say yes?”

  “I’d be more pissed if you lied.”

  Solo twisted his lips, and then nodded. “Then yeah. I pretty much told him we banged that first night we met.”

  My arms collapsed into my chest, and the bar hit me a little harder than it should’ve as I whipped my head around to face Solo. “What did you just say?”

  “I told him we—”

  “Yeah, I got that part. But we didn’t.”

  Solo shrugged, his arrogant grin full of devilry. “He doesn’t know that.”

  “You are unbelievable.”

  “Thanks,” Solo said, and then leaned down, pretending to fiddle with the weights of the machine, but really it was so he could get close enough to whisper, “That’s what all the boys say.”

  I swore his eyes all but fucking twinkled at me. “There better not be any other fucking boys right now,” I said.

  “No?”

  “No.”

  “Hmm. Okay. Since you asked so nicely.”

  I barely contained the urge to reach out and grab him, but fuck it was hard—I was too—but he was so close and smelled so damn good.

  “You okay?”

  My eyes immediately lowered to his mouth, and I nodded. “Mhmm.”

  Solo straightened and then looked back to the two of us in the mirror. “What about you?”

  “Huh?”

  “What about you? Does anyone know about…?”

  My lips twitched as I pushed the handles out again. “Houdini thinks I hate you.”

  Solo snorted. “Oh yeah? Well, you hated me real good that night in the hotel. Several times over, if I recall.” His eyes shifted to the other side of the gym, where Houdini was running at a steady clip. “Maybe after this we could go back to your place and you could hate me some more.”

  “Jesus. That mouth of yours.” I slowly lowered the press as I finished my final rep, relieved that I’d at least gotten through that round without my arms shaking too bad. I stood up and bumped by Solo as he took my place behind the press, playing up the hate thing for anyone watching.

  “Yeah? Wanna fuck it shut?” Solo smirked as he began to lift at a faster clip, though he didn’t bother moving the weight higher, maybe in an effort not to make me feel bad about how quickly my arms had forgotten how to lift.

  “Someone has to. And I’d prefer that someone was me.”

  “Ahh, feeling possessive? How about I check my calendar and get back to you. So many men to do, so little time.”

  “Solo…” I practically growled, and he laughed.

  “You’re not looking pissed off enough. Pretend I just said something horrible.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “Your mom’s ridiculous.”

  I rolled my eyes. “What are you, ten?”

  “When I’m hard.” Solo waggled his brows as he finished the first set of reps. “But you already know that.”

  Before I could respond, Houdini walked up and threw his arm around my shoulder. “If Solo’s givin’ you a hard time, please give me your blessing to knock his head right off his body.”

  “Me? Give someone a hard time?” Solo snorted as he started his second round, and then his eyes shifted to mine. “Only if they’re lucky.”

  “Well, I’m stealin’ my boy here so he doesn’t have to deal with the likes of you. Feel free to go harass someone else.”

  “I’ll consider it.”

  “Biceps next?” Houdini asked, and I nodded.

  “Be there in a sec.”

  When Houdini was out of earshot, Solo stopped the press and leaned forward. He wasn’t even breaking a sweat, his tanned face still looking as though he’d just stepped out of his apartment.

  His lips curled up as reached for my water bottle and took a long swallow. When he handed it back, he said, “You can go for now. But Panther? Don’t think I won’t come and steal you back later.”

  16 Solo

  NEVER HAD A gym session been so fucking torturous. But after an hour of watching Panther sweat and work on getting that phenomenal body of his back into shape, I knew the true meaning of the word.

  My body ached—well, one part of it in particular—and when Panther finally stopped by the treadmill I’d decided to try to run out my frustrations on, to tell me he was ready to leave, I’d all but jumped off it and raced him to the damn door.

  The trip back to the barracks had been made in silence, a tension-filled silence that had my blood humming and my balls aching, and judging by the scorching once-overs Panther had been giving me, I was willing to lay bets we were ready to work our bodies out in private.

  As I pulled the car to a stop in front of our rooms, I had to remind myself that Panther was still recovering from being blasted into midair. I needed to take this slow, and just when I thought I may have a hope in hell at succeeding, Panther looked at me and blew that idea clear out of my head.

  “I can’t wait to see you naked again.”

  I groaned and shifted in my seat, my head falling back against the headrest.

  “I’ve been thinking about it ever since you told me I could fuck your mouth shut again.”

  “Jesus.” I whipped my head around, searching the immediate area to see if anyone was close by, and Panther started to laugh.