CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR TABATHA

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

TABATHA

I can't explain what kind of high Dash's kiss has put me on. I was not expecting him to show up there. I knew he was up at the track with my father. My mother and I had lunch and then she had to leave when we returned to their place. I was just about to leave when he walked into the kitchen. I thought I was gonna have a heart attack. I hadn't seen or heard from him in so long. But that didn't matter. The time apart wasn't helping the slow ache that I had in my chest for him. Just smelling him had my knees weak. His arms wrapped around me had me coming undone. It was all too much yet not enough at the same time. And that kiss…God, it tilted my world upside down in a good way. Took my breath away. That man has a lot of power over me, and I don't think that either one of us understands what that means, but I'm tired of questioning it. My father raised me to say what I feel when I feel it. Rodger made me keep those feelings inside. But I finally realize that it's okay to love. To be vulnerable. So I'm gonna cut myself open and lay it all out on the table for Dash to see. He said he loves me and I love him. Now I'm gonna show it.

I get home and run up to my room. I had stayed the first few days at my parents' after the Rodger incident. I was afraid to come home. The smell of blood. The memory of what had happened. Little did I know that my mother had hired a team to come in and rip up the carpet and the floors. She had most of the entryway and stairs redone for me. And oddly enough, it helped.

I just get out of my shower when I hear my doorbell ring. "Coming," I yell, running down the stairs and wrapping the towel tighter around me. As soon as I open the door, two arms wrap tightly around me. "You took a shower without me." Dash frowns.

I wrinkle my nose as I sniff just joking around with him. I know he's been sweating at the track with my dad all day, but to me, he smells amazing. "I can take another one."

"That's what I wanted to hear," he says as he buries his face in my neck. And then I feel his hands on my thighs and he lifts me up in the air, causing me to lose my towel. His lips land on mine, and he kisses me the entire way up the stairs and to my bathroom. He sets me down on my feet long enough to reach over to turn the water on and then I'm pulling him into me again. He lifts me and places me on the counter as I yank his shirt up over his head. Then I get to work on his jeans and he shakes them off along with his boxers. His hardness presses up against my thigh, and I start panting. It's been too long.

His hands grab my face and force me to look up at him as he stands between my legs. "I just want you to know that I don't expect this…"

"I do!" I say interrupting him, and I go to reach down to grab his hard dick. But he reaches down and grabs my wrists before I can get to it.

"I'm being serious."

"Me, too," I say looking into his eyes. "You're all I've thought about. You're all I've dreamed about. I need you, Dash. I need you to fuck me. Please." I'm to that point of begging. I want him! I need him! I'm tired of pretending like I don't.

He releases my wrist and his hands find their way into my hair. I close my eyes when he tightens them, making my skin break out in goosebumps. "Do you have any idea how fucking sexy you sound when you say that?" he asks against my lips. "Tell me again. Tell me how much you need me."

"I need you," I say immediately. "Quit making me wait and fuck me."

He lets go of my hair and grabs my right arm. He yanks me off the counter and my legs threaten to give out on me, but he grabs a hold and spins me around.

He holds my back to his front and his hand comes up and wraps around my throat. He forces me to look straight ahead at us in my bathroom mirror. I can see the steam spilling over the top of the shower since the water is still on. "So beautiful," he says, getting my attention as his eyes slowly run up and down my naked body in the mirror. His free hand comes around and cups my pussy. I suck in a deep breath as I move up onto my tiptoes.

My pussy throbs and I spread my legs, needing more. He smiles at me in the mirror. "Always in a hurry." He takes his fingers and spreads my lips allowing him to push a finger into me. "Do I make you this wet?" he asks with a raised brow.

I nod.

"Tell me," he demands.

"Yes." I hiss in a breath as he tightens his hand around my throat. I love when he's like this. It was so different with Rodger than it is with Dash. He makes me feel wanted. Not used.

"Well, then I think I need to do something about it."

His hand leaves my throat and places it on my back. He pushes me forward and I put my hands on the countertop. His one hand stays between my legs and he adds another finger. I moan as I drop my head forward and take in a deep breath.

"Oh, no," he says. "You're going to watch." His removes his fingers, and he lifts my head. I stare at him standing behind me in the mirror. "I want you to see how beautiful you are when you come."

***

I stand in my kitchen as I try to cook Dash breakfast. I've lived here for three years, and I can probably count on one hand how many times I have used the kitchen to cook something. It's not because I'm lazy or prefer to eat out, it's just that I don't know how to cook. My mother never taught me; I'm not sure she even knows how. Growing up, we had chefs.

I woke up this morning and saw Dash sleeping next to me, his long shaggy hair covering his forehead. I reached over, kissed his warm face, and then got out of bed, wanting to do something special for him. And what else says I love you better than breakfast in bed?

Too bad it's not going as planned because I've already burned two pancakes. I managed to pull the third one off before it burned, but it's not done.

I raise my hands in the air trying to fan the smoke out of my face and then I hear the smoke detector in the kitchen going off. "Shit!" I grab a towel off the counter and yank a chair from the kitchen table. I place it under the smoke detector and start fanning. By the time it shuts off, my arms are tired from being lifted above my head.

"What is happening in here?" Dash calls out as he walks into the kitchen. He waves his hand in front of his face as he looks around.

I jump up off the chair and sit down in it. Defeated. "I was trying to cook you breakfast, but I failed."

He laughs, and I narrow my eyes on him. He coughs to try to stop it. "You don't have to cook me breakfast."

"I know. I was just trying to be nice."

"Aww…" He reaches down and pulls me to stand, wrapping his arms around me. "That's so sweet."

I pucker my lips, and he gives me a soft kiss. "But it looks like we're going out for breakfast or I'm gonna starve to death."

I pull back and playfully slap him on his bare chest, which makes him laugh even harder.

I walk away from him and over to the counter to answer my now ringing phone. "Hey, girl," I say with a silly smile on my face as I watch Dash shake his head at my attempt of cooking.

"Oh, my God, Tabatha," Jackie screeches. "Have you seen the news?" she all but screams in my ear.

"No," I respond frowning. I try not to watch the news. It's so depressing. And last I heard, my and Rodger's incident was still a very heavy topic.

"Turn on the TV," she says in a rush. "It's on almost every channel."

"What is?" I ask not even bothering to move. Dash stands across from me, leaning back against the other countertop as he watches me carefully. My mouth waters as my eyes roam over his body. The only thing he has on is a pair of black boxers.

"Dash. You and Dash. Pictures have been released of you guys kissing up at the track. People are saying it's why Rodger did what he did. Because you were cheating on him with Dash."

"Pictures?" The only pictures I can remember ever being taken are the ones that the guy tried to blackmail us with. "How could they have been released?" I ask out loud.

"The hell if I know. No one cares who took them or how they got released. Just the story behind you two."

My eyes scan Dash's face, but there isn't one wrinkle. Not one frown. Not one sign of concern of the situation on his face. "I'll call you back." She starts to ramble, but I hang up on her. "I know you could hear her. Why don't you look surprised? Or mad?"

"How do you want me to look?"

I narrow my eyes on him. "That didn't answer my question."

He goes to open his mouth when my phone rings again. I go to press ignore thinking it's Jackie, but my father's name lights up my phone. "Hello?"

"Is he with you?" he demands, and I know he means Dash.

"Yes."

"Put his ass on the phone." I place the phone out in front of me and Dash takes it.

"Hello, Mr. Knight," he says politely. I tilt my head to the side as I analyze him, and he still looks calm as can be. Shouldn't he care that someone has violated us by releasing pictures?

"I've been calling your phone, boy," I hear my father growl.

"It's not on me at the moment, sir," he responds.

"Well, find it and get your ass over to my house. And bring my daughter with you."

"Yes, sir," he says before he hangs up.

"Dash…"

"We'll grab breakfast on the way to your parents' house. Get dressed," he insists then leans over and kisses me on the forehead.

I quickly throw all the dishes into the sink and then run upstairs to change into something more appropriate than a pair of cotton shorts and one of Dash's t-shirts. Dash is already walking out the door while I rush to slip my tennis shoes on. So I grab a ponytail holder and run after him.

The car drive over to my parents' house is extremely quiet. After about five minutes into it, I realize he isn't going to talk so I reach over and turn on the radio while I put my hair up into a ponytail. But the closer to their house we get, the more nervous I get. My father sounded pissed, and well, I can't decide how I feel about it. Just weeks ago, I was saying that we should release them ourselves. The boy would have no leverage if the pictures were released. Now they are. What does that do for us?

We walk in and head straight to my father's office. I allow Dash to sit down first, and then I sit down beside him. He places his left arm over the back of the couch and pulls me closer into this side.

"Why is this such a big deal?" I'm the first one to speak. "It's good that they are out, right? Now that kid can't use them as leverage."

My father's black eyes travel from Dash to me. "Have you not turned on the TV?"

I shake my head. Why do people keep asking me that? Jackie asked the same thing. "Why?" They can't be nudes, can they? "Are they not of us kissing at the track?" I ask as I start to panic. "Are they more…intimate pictures?"

He bangs his fist on the desk. "Have you taken more intimate pictures?" he demands.

"No, sir," Dash says immediately, and I shake my head quickly.

My father lets out a long breath of relief. "The point is what they are saying about you." He looks at me.

"What could they possibly be saying? Dash and I are together. Who cares if the world knows?"

"What I care about is your image. They are saying that you have been seeing Dash for a while now and that is why Rodger ‘attacked' you."

It takes me a few seconds to understand what he is saying, but once it sinks in, I let out a laugh that has Dash and my father both looking at me like I'm crazy. "Who cares what the public thinks. They are going to think whatever they want." I shrug carelessly.

My father rummages through some papers on his desk. "Well, I care, and I'm going to find out who is responsible for this. I will take care of it."

"I did it."

My head snaps to look over at Dash so fast that I get a pain in my neck. "You what?" I ask as I rub it.

"What?" my father snaps.

Dash looks across the room to him. "I released them," he says with no remorse.

"Why would you do that?" he demands.

Dash turns to look at me. He gives me a big smile as he reaches out and takes my hand. "Because I promised your daughter that I was gonna prove to her that I loved her. And I thought the best way to do that was to shout it to the world."

Oh, my God. My heart just melted. He did tell me he would prove it, and by proving it, he allowed the world to see it.

"How…What…You mean to tell me that you released these pics on a dare?"

"No. It wasn't a dare." He takes a deep breath. "We both have secrets. We both have a past. I wanted to show the woman that I love off to the world." I smile. "And I agree with her. Who cares what the people think. She and I know the truth, and that's all that matters to me."

My father pushes his chair back and comes to stand in front of his desk. "So, you're saying you love her?"

Dash stands from the couch and bows his chest out but places his hands in his front pockets of his jeans. I take a quick look at how hot his ass looks in them. "Yes, but you already know that. And if you're mad at me over the pictures, I understand why. I did it behind your back. But if you're about to tell me that I need to pick a side—racing or her. I pick her. Because, yes, I love her."

Hearing him say those words to my father has me smiling like a huge idiot. I jump up from the couch and loop my arm into his. My father looks over at me with hard eyes; I try to hide my smile, but it's just not possible.

"Is this how you feel about him?" Before I can answer he adds, "I didn't know it was this serious." He places his arms over his chest and leans back against his desk.

"Yes," I say simply, "it is that serious."

He looks away from me to look over at Dash for a few seconds. He finally uncrosses his arms and reaches out his hand to Dash. "Okay. Then. I expect this won't affect your racing?"

"No, sir." Dash responds as he places his hand in my father's to shake.

My father takes his hand from Dash and walks back to sit at his desk. "I'm going to make a call. Maybe we can spin this in our direction." He starts to go through papers on his desk, and I give a sideways glance at Dash. He's staring at me with a smile on his face. "You two will do an interview…"

"No," I say in a panicked voice. "I can't give an interview." I'm horrible with interviews. I mean, I never even gave one for Rodger. His father always wanted us to do one, but I always said no. That was one thing Rodger never pushed, and I'm pretty sure it was because he knew I would just make the world think that he was dating an idiot.

"You'll be okay," Dash says running his hand down my back.

I shake my head quickly. "You don't understand; I can't even give oral reports in school. I get terrified."

"You've never had a problem with giving me oral," he whispers, and I shove him. He laughs. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Why do we need to do an interview?" I whine.

"Because we need to clear the air. Your pics are public, yes. But now we need a headline to go with those pics. Plus, it will get Dash's name out there."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Dash asks.

"The more you're in the public, the more people will watch you race. Motorcycle racing isn't as popular as like say…football. The more people who see you will mean more who will cheer for you. Plus, everyone loves a love story."

"So, you wanna use Dash?" I ask in a rush. "Daddy…How could you?"

He holds his hand up. "The interview will only be about your relationship. You guys wanna go public with it? This is how it needs to happen."

I take a deep breath and look over at Dash. The smile on his face helps reassure me that I can do anything.