Falling off the cliff, p.35
FALLING OFF THE CLIFF, page 35
Kamari answered on the third ring. “Hey, pretty boy.” There was a pause, then a sound of cutlery colliding. “Hang on a sec.”
He couldn’t help but smile when she video-called him. Her face appeared on his screen, though she wasn’t looking at her phone. Seeing her, even with thousands of kilometres standing between them, felt like a breath of fresh air. A cocoon of solace embracing him. He shifted in the bed, propping an arm behind his head as he watched her talk to someone. Her humongous glasses were falling down her button nose, and her hair was tied into a bun—she was about to eat dinner, he supposed.
Finally, green met silver. “Hey, hotshot.”
“Hi, pretty girl.” His voice was rough, hoarse. “Who are you with?”
She raised her phone and turned to show the people behind her who were busy in the kitchen. “Kieran, and that’s Tillie,”—she pointed to a brunette standing in front of the stove—“his fiancée. Indy and Diana are here, too. We’re just having dinner.”
“What are you having?”
“I made lasagna and a tiramisu for dessert.”
His brows raised. “You’ll have to cook for me one day.”
She winked. He still wasn’t used to that playful, taunting side of her, but he loved it. “That can be arranged.”
He cleared his throat. “Did you all watch the race?”
A sad smile touched her lips. “Yeah. Wait.”
She walked away from the living room and entered, what he supposed was, her bedroom. She took a seat on her windowsill, and when she looked at Thiago, he noticed the gleam of anguish swimming along the edges of her irises.
She sighed heavily. “How are you feeling?”
“My neck is a bit sore, but I’ve been through worse. The G-force is insane when we crash. I mean, the crash wasn’t even that bad, but you get me.”
Kamari brought her knees up to her chest and leaned her chin atop one of them. “I got scared, honestly.”
“For me?”
“No, for the car.”
He rolled his eyes, amused by her sardonic tone. He was certain he could build a whole castle out of all the sarcasm she’d been throwing at him. “The car’s fine.”
She was staring absentmindedly at something ahead of her. “Felt like my heart stopped beating when I saw your car go into the wall. It looked brutal.”
His lips tipped into a smile. “You were worried about me.”
“Was not.”
“Was too.”
“Maybe a little.” She started nibbling on her lower lip, concern flashing in her forest green eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Thiago sighed. “Physically, I’m fine. But mentally? I feel like shit. I had it, Kam. I would’ve finished P2 or P3, and now I’m, like, so far behind Huxley in the drivers’ standings. I hate being the pessimistic dude, but right now it feels like I won’t be able to win the championship.”
“There’s always next week, and the four races after that. You can bounce back, Thiago. You always do. You’re an impressive driver. Look at your weekend: you struggled during FP1 and FP2, qualified fifth and managed to gain two positions at the race start. It’s okay.”
The lump constricting his airway was uncomfortable, but he managed to swallow it. “You always have the right words to say.”
A beat of silence. Then, her voice softened into a feathery melody. “Keep dancing through your storm.”
He frowned. “Is that something from your grandma?”
She nodded subtly. “Good guess. She’d say this to me when I would struggle to push through hard times. I have a tattoo of it.”
His eyes flashed with surprise. “Really? Where?”
“My ribcage.”
“I haven’t seen it.”
Her cheeks flushed. “You were too busy doing something else. But anyway, keep dancing through your storm, Thiago. The tempest eventually settles down. I’ll hold your hand the whole time.”
He smiled. “Thank you, moonbeam.”
“I’ve got you,” she murmured softly.
Heartbeats passed by, and he couldn’t detach his gaze from her. She was the most exquisite woman he’d ever laid eyes on, and he wondered what he had done for the heavens to send an angel like her into his life.
“Kam?”
She pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. “Yes?”
His jaw tightened. “I know I shouldn’t, but I really miss you.”
He watched as her features softened whilst she dropped her gaze to the ground. She chewed the inside of her cheek as though she was refraining herself from saying something. In the meantime, he could feel his heart race, his stomach churn, preparing himself for the rejection.
“Thiago…”
“I know,” he said, voice cracking. “I know. I can’t help it.”
He heard Kamari breathe out, tremulously, and he didn’t want to scare her away. Didn’t want to lose her because he couldn’t control his feelings.
“Tell me about Kieran’s party,” he pressed then, shifting onto his side and putting the phone against a pillow to free his hand.
She was silent for a heartbeat, her expression closed off for an unknown reason. “It was fun.”
“Yeah?”
And as Kamari went on about the party she had spent hours organising, he couldn’t help but smile until his cheekbones hurt and until he could feel his heart fill itself with her—her voice, her smile, her spirit. He listened and listened, never letting his grin falter, and she talked and talked until he finally fell asleep to the sound of her voice.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
📍LONDON, ENGLAND
“So, Mister Valencia, you’re on pole. Are you feeling confident for tomorrow’s race?”
Kamari heard shuffling on the other side of the line, like he was moving around in his bed.
The husky timbre of his voice was muffled by the call. “It’s going to rain, and wet races are always crazy. I’m definitely excited.”
She tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder as she arranged her coffee table, making sure the candle was perfectly centred. “You’ll be careful, right?”
He chuckled. “You act like you don’t care about me but you’re as concerned as my mother. I will be very careful, Kam. I’m good in the rain.”
She hummed. “Yes, I saw it during qualifying.”
“Look at you,” he said, smiling audibly through his tone. “Being all interested in F1 and watching every chance you get.”
“I did a thing, actually.” She straightened herself and walked towards her kitchen, feeling like a glass of wine would be much appreciated after this long, exhausting week. “Wanna know about it?”
“Of course. Tell me everything.”
She opened her fridge to take out the bottle of white wine Indy had left. “I’ll have to show you when you come by, but I made this sort of catalogue with F1 slang, information about the tracks you race on, regulations I should know about and all.”
A beat passed. His words were strangled in his throat when he said, “You’re joking?”
“Absolutely not. I just feel like you’re embarrassed to be seen with someone who knows nothing about motorsports, and F1 especially.”
“Kam,” he groaned. “I could never be embarrassed. You’re a literal treasure, the most fucking beautiful woman to walk the paddock. I’m very happy you’re finding more and more interest in my world.”
She was glad they weren’t video calling because the blush coating her cheekbones was scarlet.
“I owe you that.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“Well, I wanted to.”
“Thank you,” he whispered. She could imagine the way his throat would work as he swallowed, the way his features would soften into tenderness. “It really means a lot.”
She opened a cabinet and took a wine glass out. “I think it’s ten p.m for you, so I’m going to let you go to sleep. You have a long day ahead of you.”
“Wait.” She heard him move. “What are you doing right now?”
“Pouring myself some wine. Why?”
A second of silence passed. “I’m not tired.”
Had his voice turned huskier?
She stopped in her tracks as she was ready to uncap the bottle, a frown on her brows. “Why? What’s on your mind?”
“You.”
Her heartbeat sped up. “Me?”
“Yeah,” he breathed. “You, Kam.”
She leaned against the counter, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She could feel her body become warm. “What about me?”
His tone was gruff. Demanding. Punishing. “Go into your room.”
She felt like she couldn’t control her own body anymore. Once she was in her room, she closed the door and leaned against it. “Done.”
“Lie down on your bed.”
She kicked her slippers off and sat against a mountain of pillows, anticipation coiling inside her stomach.
“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he admitted gruffly. “Your soft skin, the way you taste, your body, the sound of your moans.”
Oh.
“Are you touching yourself, Thiago?”
“Not yet,” he said hoarsely. “But I’m so fucking hard just by thinking of you.”
She pressed her thighs together. “Go ahead. Touch yourself for me, pretty boy.”
She heard his heavy breathing through the phone as she imagined him sliding his hand into his boxer briefs.
“Tell me how you think of me,” she asked in a sultry whisper.
“Right now, I’m imagining you sitting on my face and riding it. I’d be grabbing your perfect arse, I’d be devouring you until you came hard.”
Her chest heaved. Closing her eyes, she tried to think of how it would feel to have his lips on her again. His hands. His teeth.
“Kam?”
She sucked in a breath. “Yes?”
“FaceTime me right now. I want to try something.”
She knew what was coming, and just the thought of it made her core slick with arousal.
He instantly answered the call, and all she could see was his handsome face and the flush on his cheekbones. She almost smiled when his features brightened at the sight of her, despite the dark regard he had given her.
“Set your phone down and strip for me.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Say please.”
His jaw tightened. “Please, Kam. Be a good girl and take your clothes off.”
She smirked. “I love it when you beg.”
“Brat.”
She clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. “Careful, or I’m ending the call.”
He threw his head back and groaned in frustration. “Sorry.”
“That’s what I thought.”
The way he looked at her gave her a spark of confidence she didn’t know she possessed. He was praising her with his intense scrutiny, was worshipping her.
Grabbing a pillow, she set her phone against it, offering him a view of her, still sitting in bed. She shifted onto her knees and pulled her jumper up.
She heard Thiago suck in a breath. “Did you wear this for a particular reason?”
Kamari looked at herself in the small rectangle in the upper right corner, smirking at the sight of her breasts nearly spilling out of her white lace bra.
“Just for myself.”
He rubbed his jaw, eyes wandering over her chest. “God, you are the hottest woman alive.”
The sound of his verbal applause gave her assurance. Made her feel powerful.
She tugged her cotton shorts down, showing him the matching underwear as she lied down, prying her legs apart. She let her phone rest on the bed, offering him a full view of her body, but then decided to shift to lie on her side, grazing her nail on the outline of her bra.
He was biting on his lower lip, trying to keep his breaths even and quiet.
“Show me, Thiago.”
A whimper fled past his lips—perhaps because of her authoritative tone or because he was already edging himself. He flipped the camera around, and she stopped breathing for a second. His veiny hand was wrapped around the base of his long, thick shaft, stroking it slowly.
“Keep going,” she demanded. “Think of me riding you.”
“Fuck,” he breathed. “That’s unfair. Touch yourself too, baby.”
She had never done this before—self-gratifying in front of someone else. But the thrill of experiencing new things with Thiago made frissons jolt through her body.
Palming her breasts through the lacy fabric of her bra, she could already feel her peaked nipples straining against the flimsy piece of clothing. She heard Thiago’s staggered breaths echo, causing her to clench her thighs together and seek friction. She watched as he pleasured himself, slowly, torturously, to make the moment last.
She turned to lie on her back, one hand tugging the cup of her bra to the side to expose her breast.
His breath hitched. “I love your tits. They’re perfect.”
She cupped her cleavage. “They’re kind of small.”
“They’re really fucking perfect, Kam. A handful. Soft. Perky. Fucking adore them. Imagine my hands on you—all over you.”
She closed her eyes, trailing her other hand down her stomach.
“Right now I’m thinking of taking you from behind,” he said. “You’d be on all fours, squirming and writhing under my touch, begging for my cock to fill you up.”
Her fingers ran along her folds over her underwear, already damp from excitement. “God, the mouth you have, Valencia.”
She could see the smirk on his face. “What about it?”
“I want it on me. Your tongue especially.”
He groaned, and she glanced at her phone to see his pace had picked up. “I can’t fucking wait to see you.”
Dragging her underwear to the side, she gathered her arousal on the tip of her middle finger before circling her clit with it.
“Show me your perfect cunt, Kam.”
She moved, spreading her legs in front of the camera, and leaned back on a hand. She went back to circling her clit with two fingers, her motions already fast as she needed to release the pent-up tension.
“Perfect,” he praised sultrily. “You’re so wet. So sweet.”
She moved her hips, throwing her head back when the pleasure started intensifying, breathless gasps flying past her lips.
“I’m going to be thinking about you like this, touching yourself for me, thinking of me, every time I jerk off.”
Her breaths were bated, heavy. “What do you usually think about?”
“You. Always you. But now I have a visual image to help me come harder.” A groan caught inside his throat when he swiped his thumb over the leaking head. “Do you think about me?”
She picked up her pace. “More than I care to admit.”
A soft groan rose from his throat. “I can’t wait to fuck you.”
“Thiago,” she moaned quietly. “Show me your face. I want to see you when you come.”
“Fuck.” He flipped the camera, and she circled her clit hard, fast. His cheeks were flushed, his lips parted, a small crease between his brows evident. “Say my name again.”
She rolled her hips against her hand. “Thiago.”
“F-fuck,” he whimpered. The sound of his bliss made her legs shake, made stars whiten her vision.
He came with a hoarse moan, throwing his head back whilst his mouth fell agape. His brows knitted even further, unwavering pleasure etched on his features.
The sounds of his quiet whimpers sent her into the pinnacle of pleasure as she unravelled. Shaking, she fell on her back, soft mewls echoing in her room. Riding down from her high, she pinched a nipple to intensify the pleasure, hips bucking and fingers working in small circles until she stopped spasming.
She lay there, listening to both her heaving breaths and Thiago’s as she blinked until the small stars vanished.
“You are definitely the sexiest woman I know,” she heard him rasp out after a moment. “Mine.”
Kamari scoffed softly, shaking her head whilst adjusting her underwear. She grabbed her phone to look at Thiago, her breath catching when she saw utter awe and adoration in his once lustful gaze.
“Whatever pleases you,” she teased, knowing all too well where her heart was gravitating.
He grinned broadly. “Stubborn witch, aren’t you?”
She chuckled. “That’s why you like me.”
His voice softened as he said, “I fucking adore you, Kamari. So much.”
Her heart was battering so hard that she felt like it would explode. His gaze was tender, bright, telling her everything she needed to know.
“Thiago?”
“Yes, baby?”
“Come home soon.”
CHAPTER FORTY
📍SUZUKA, JAPAN
The rain didn’t stop pouring down for over an hour. Thiago had rarely seen a deluge so violent that they had to delay the start of the race.
Warm coat atop his racing gear and headphones on, he sat on the floor of the garage, bopping his head to the rhythm of the music as everyone waited for the weather conditions to get better.
Cal came to crouch down in front of him, obliging Thiago to pause his music and drag his earphones down.
“There’s only a slight drizzle now so they’re saying they’re going to start the race in fifteen minutes. You’ll probably start behind the safety car for a few laps to dry the track out.”
“Okay.”
Needing to be wrapped in his own bubble for a few more minutes, he put his music back on. Thiago was aware everything was at stake now. There were five races left and he was currently fifth in the drivers’ standings. He hadn’t talked contract renewal with Simon Romano yet nor hadn’t been approached by another team for a possible deal. He wasn’t sure what he was doing wrong, but he wouldn’t give up.
The next song instantly made him think of Kamari—The Archer by Taylor Swift. He took a screenshot and sent it to her, before skipping to the next song, needing an uplifting rhythm to help him find the right mindset.
@kamari.monroe
