Accelerated Passion (24 page)

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is an absolute pleasure to have you all here with us in this beautiful room in this beautiful city. Let me first thank Doha for hosting our annual Formula One Award Ceremony.”

There was a ripple of applause.

“This has been an incredible year for the sport we all love. The competition never so close and the cars never so advanced. It begs the question…can they go any faster?”

“Of course!” someone heckled from the audience.

“Always!” Another shout.

“Well, it does seem to be the course of human nature to always build bigger, go higher, travel deeper, move faster, so I guess we’ll keep on making turbocharged history on the track.” He smiled. “Now I’m not going to keep you. There are several more speeches to be made and awards to be handed out, but, first, before that, I have the honor of presenting this years FIA Formula One World Drivers’ Championship trophy, which goes to…” He looked around the room and set his hand on a huge silver cup that sat by the microphone. “As you all know, it goes to Dean Cudditch and McLaren.”

The guests seated at Frankie’s table erupted in applause, as did the rest of the audience.

This was the moment they’d been waiting for.

He turned to her with a grin. The smile on his face was priceless and beautiful.

She captured his cheeks and kissed him. Hard.

The crowd got louder.

He was still beaming when she released him.

“Go, go and get your award,” she said, joining in the wild clapping.

He stood, straightened his tux jacket, and flexed and unflexed his fingers. He then strode to the stage, his long legs pacing between the large round tables. Several people stood to clap him on the back. He took the steps two at a time, almost bouncing onto the stage, then turned and waved, the wide smile still in place.

He shook hands with the president of FIA and took his award.

The guests around Frankie’s table stood, their clapping harder than ever.

He raised the cup high in the air, a flutter of ticker tape fell over him, and the car and the spotlights flicked back and forth.

“Whoop!” Frankie shouted as her palms began to sting from clapping.

The rest of the audience had joined suit and were all standing.

She glanced at Farrah, who was at a table to the right. He, too, was standing. He had a half smile on his face, but it wasn’t a full-blown grin.

Finally, the ticker tape settled, and so did the audience.

“Thank you,” Dean said, setting the cup down next to the microphone. He wrapped his hands around the wooden podium. “To FIA for this award, it means a lot to me, and also to McLaren for giving me the opportunity to become World Champion once more.”

Frankie picked up her drink and took a sip. She wondered if he’d rehearsed a speech in his head. They hadn’t discussed it.

“I would also like to thank Farrah for being such an incredible sportsman, but you know that. He won this award last year and has a string of titles to his name, but…” He paused. “Without him, I wouldn’t be standing here. Why? Because a man needs competition, and he needs quality competition, someone who pushes it to the limit, demands the best I’ve got to give in order to take first place. Without Farrah and his team, I can honestly say I wouldn’t be here now.” He pointed in the direction of the Ferrari team. “Thanks, mate.”

Farrah’s smile turned into a broad grin, and he held up his glass and nodded.

Dean smiled. “And, of course, I wouldn’t be here without my team. They’re the best. Talented, committed, hard-working. One in particular is exceptionally beautiful, too.”

The crowd laughed, some clapped, and all turned to Frankie.

She felt the heat rise on her cheeks and clasped her hands on her lap beneath the table.

“Frankie Wright, and, for the record, it’s dangerous to call her Francesca.” He laughed. “Has one of the best engineering brains I’ve ever come across in Formula One. I’ll be honest when I found out my new lead mechanic was a girl, I was a little wary. I mean, come on, what do girls know about Formula One?”

“Hey!” shouted another female in the audience.

Dean laughed. “Yeah, I know, right. That was me showing how little I knew about girls, and I thought I knew a lot.”

Another bout of laughter.

“But Frankie proved me wrong within a very short space of time. Now, not only is she with me when I’m on the track, helping with those all important tweaks to the system, she’s also become one of the most important people in my life.” Again, he picked up the shiny award. “So thank you, Frankie, for coming into my world and showing me what it’s really all about…love.”

Frankie’s chest tightened. A warning prickle attacked her eyes, and her throat went cloggy. Emotion welled within her. She loved this man so much. He’d told her he loved her, too, but now he’d shared that with the whole planet.

Everyone took to their feet again as Dean headed down from the stage and back to his seat.

Frankie’s knees were weak, but it was okay because she felt like she was floating on happiness.

When he reached the table, he set down his cup by his wine glass then kissed her cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She gripped his hand and squeezed it hard.

What they shared was so special, so unique, and there was no way on earth she was letting it go.

The rest of the ceremony went by in a blur of champagne, speeches, and handshakes. Frankie broke away as the night was coming to an end to take photographs of the car, which still sat on the stage surrounded by colorful ticker tape.

“Hey, there you are.” Dean wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her bare shoulder. “I was looking for you.”

“I couldn’t miss taking a picture of our baby.”

“Mmm, looks good.” He nipped her earlobe with his teeth. “Wouldn’t mind fucking you over it again, up there on the stage.”

“That would be one hell of a photo opportunity for the reporters here.” She spun within his arms.

“I wouldn’t even notice them once we got started. You do that to me, make me forget the rest of the world even exists.” He swept his lips over hers. “It’s just you. I just need you.”

“I know the feeling.” She flattened her hands on the lapels of his tux. Being in love was the most wonderful state to be in she’d ever known.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here. We’ve done enough socializing. I just want to be alone, naked, with you.”

“I like the way you think, Mr. Cudditch.”

He grinned and took her hand.

After pausing to retrieve his award and her purse, they headed outside to a waiting limo. The sky was black, and the stars shone like fine silver stitches sewn into dense velvet.

Dean paused to shake hands and pose with a few lingering fans. He took the time to chat and obviously made it worth their long wait to see the drivers.

Frankie was happy to step back. The air was a fraction cooler, and her head slightly muzzy from drink. A few moments of quiet would do her good.  She couldn’t remember when she’d last felt happier, but she was lucky, that feeling came over her more and more these days.

Since she’d met Dean.

Eventually, he sauntered her way, looking every inch the world champion that he was and with his award held casually at his side.

She stepped up to meet him.

“Sorry,” he said. “For making you wait.”

“Don’t be silly. Those guys loved meeting you.”

“They were cool.” He released his bow tie then shoved it into his pocket. He then undid the top button of his shirt. “It’s not cool out here, though.”

“I know. Let’s head back to the hotel.”

They rode in the same limo that had brought them, snuggled up in the back, the big trophy on Dean’s lap.

He slid his hand behind her, his fingers catching on the knot at the base of her neck that held her outfit secure.

“Careful,” she said, “undo that, and it will all fall away.” She pressed her hand to her chest.

“Will it now?” He raised his eyebrows.

She smiled and glanced at the driver, who stared straight ahead, but she could see part of his face in the rear view mirror. “Yes.”

He breezed his lips over her cheek, his breath warm. “Good to know, though.”

A shot of desire flooded her veins. Their arrival at the hotel, and their room, couldn’t come soon enough.

It seemed Dean felt the same way because, as they rode the elevator, he pulled her close, his erection evident through his trousers.

“I need you,” he said into the shell of her ear.

A delicious wave of sensation went over her scalp, down her neck and spine.

I need you, too.” Damn, she was getting wet for him. She hoped they’d just go straight for the action with no messing about.

He caught her mouth in a passion-infused kiss, sweeping his tongue against hers.

She rubbed against him, and he groaned, pushed her backward so her shoulders hit the cool glass.

“I need you so bad, it hurts,” he murmured through their kisses.

“I want you to fuck me,” she said, cupping his cock and squeezing. “Soon.”

He groaned again.

“Is that what you’re going to do?” she asked.

“Hell, yeah, until we can’t even remember our own names.”

Ping.

The doors opened.

He squeezed her ass then broke the kiss.

Staring in at them was a bell boy with a neat black hat, holding a tray scattered with used plates. His mouth was slightly open.

“Good evening,” Dean said then swallowed.

Frankie pressed her lips together, suppressing a grin.

Dean stepped away and took her hand. He pulled her from the elevator.

“Er, yes, good evening, sir,” the bell boy said, staring after them.

Frankie giggled and sped up to keep pace with Dean, who strode down the corridor.

He stopped at the entrance to their suite, his breaths coming hard and fast. He shoved the keycard in. The light flashed red.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered, jamming it in again. Another red light.

Frankie took the card and repeated the action, slower. The display flicked to green. “A little less haste,” she said.

“Sorry, not in my nature.” He clicked down the handle then pushed at the door so hard, it hit the wall. “Get in here, woman,” he said, dragging in her in and setting his trophy on the floor.

Next thing Frankie knew, she was up against the wall. The room was dark, and the door shut with a bang. She dropped her purse.

Dean grabbed her wrists and hoisted her arms over her head, pinned them there with just one of his hands.

“I want to test a theory,” he said, kissing his way down her neck.

She squirmed with pleasure at the feel of his sharp stubble. “What theory?”

“This.” He fumbled for a second with the knot on her halter then tugged.

She was aware of it loosening around her chest then falling away so her naked breasts were exposed. Her nipples tightened in the cool air conditioning, and she pressed her thighs together as her pussy clenched.

“So far so good.” He moved back to admire his handiwork.

“I’m glad your theory testing is going well.” She wriggled her hips, and the material fell lower, then lower, and the top of her tiny white lacy thong was exposed.

“Mmm…” He gave the material a push, and it fell past her hips and pooled around her ankles.

Quickly, she kicked it away, her arms still pinned above her head and her breasts rising and falling rapidly with her excited breaths.

Dean swept his tongue over his bottom lip. His eyes sparkled, and his body heat radiated onto her. “Jesus, give me strength.” One-handedly, he undid the button and zipper on his suit pants. He shoved at them, roughly, then pulled out his erection. “If I’d known that’s all I had to do, that’s all you had on under that…”

“I’ve still got too much on.”

“Easily rectified.” He released her hands and pushed at her thong. Within a second, she was naked, yet he was still fully suited.

He gripped her waist and hoisted her upwards. She wrapped her legs around his waist, scrunching the material of his jacket.

The wall was cool and hard on her back, but she was hot, feverish. All that mattered was getting as close to Dean as possible. She clung to his shoulders and angled her pelvis.

The head of his cock nudged her entrance.

“You ready?”

“Yes…yes.”

He pushed in. A fast, urgent ride that trapped her between him and the wall.

She gasped as air was pushed from her lungs and shut her eyes as bliss swamped her. His cock always created such a delicious dense feeling. She’d never get enough of him filling her. More. More. More.

“This is where…I want to be…” he said then caught her mouth in a wild kiss.

She matched it and hung on as he pounded into her, over and over. His body was catching her clit, and the ride to climax built quickly. She fisted the material of his jacket and ran her other hand over his hair.

He broke the kiss and buried his face against her neck. “Oh, God…”

She knew he was nearly there. So was she.

“Fuck…” he gasped.

“Come with…me.”

She allowed her orgasm to peak. It pulled her upward, sideways, sent white-hot darts of ecstasy to her fingers and toes and everywhere in between. She held her breath as she floated in bliss, and her pussy clamped around his cock.

His chest pressed into hers as he gave a final thrust then came with her. “Ah…yeah…fuck…” He gripped her ass cheeks and pulled her harder onto him as another wave of release burst from his cock.

A full-body tremble attacked him, and she held him tighter, squeezed her thighs around his torso. She remembered to breathe and sucked in air that was laced with his cologne and the scent of their sex.

“That was…” He raised his head and looked at her. He was breathing hard. “Marry me.”

“What?” Her head spun. Had she heard him right?

“Marry me…” He shook his head and frowned. “I can’t live without you. You’re the one.” He withdrew his hand from where he’d been palming her right buttock and pushed her hair from her face. “I want more than a fling, a girlfriend. I want you in my life, forever, forever and a day, if I can.”

“But…?” They’d only been an official item for four months. Sure, she loved him, but…