“Come on, Georgia,” Lily chimed in. “I know you and Luca don’t have a close… well,anything… but hey, if you’re going to fake a relationship with anyone on the grid, at least they picked the most attractive driver. There’s no denying it, that man is sex on wheels—literally.”
“Can we not talk about my teammate in that way?”
Lily just smirked, licking her lips exaggeratedly. Henri looked like he might physically combust. If there was one thing Lily was exceptional at, it was getting under my brother’s skin.
“Regardless, I’ll be there for the planned coffee date on Sunday before the race,” Henri insisted. “You aren’t in this alone, Peaches.”
“Thanks. I need to head down. Supposed to meet Luca downstairs at seven.”
Lily snickered, glancing at the time. “It’s five past already.”
“Cheer up, Georgia!” Henri pulled me into a warm hug. “This’ll get easier.”
When I arrived downstairs, I spotted Luca at the entrance of the hotel, leaning against his purple Lamborghini. He was engrossed in his phone, scrolling through it absentmindedly. He looked up the moment I cleared my throat, his eyes sweeping over me from head to toe, lingering just a second too long. If I hadn’t been acutely aware of him at that moment, I might have missed the slight darkening of his eyes.
“Georgia, good of you to show,” he said dryly.
“Can’t put a time on beautification, Luca.” I casually looked at my watch. I was only ten minutes late.
The drive to the restaurant was quiet. Uncomfortably so. I wondered if he remembered that night in Monaco, the date he bailed on. I thought about bringing it up. But then we pulled up to the restaurant, and the moment passed.
After so many years, it didn’t seem worth bringing it up. We were such different people now.
Luca handed his keys to the valet and hurriedly opened my door. Offering me his hand, I reluctantly took it, if only because getting out of a sports car that low to the ground with heels was next to impossible. The Italian casually brushed off my mumbled thanks, and we followed the hostess to our table.
Curious eyes watched us as we trailed through the restaurant, and I suddenly felt Luca’s hand gently resting on the small of my back, commanding me forward. The soft touch sent a jolt of electricity down my spine as goosebumps appeared.
Traitor, I reprimanded my body.
We took our seats at a small, intimate corner booth at the back. If Luca noticed everyone’s prying eyes, he didn’t show it. Instead, he dove straight into the menu, clearly starving from a full day of training. Truth be told, if I wasn’t so anxious, I would have been equally as ravenous. Within minutes, a waiter approached and asked us for our drink order.
“Sparkling water.” Luca looked at me as if I had just ordered poison.
“We’ll take a bottle of the merlot,” he added. The waiter described the daily specials, then left us to peruse the extensive menu.
I drummed my fingers on the polished wooden table. “I don’t drink during race weeks. Well, not untilafterthe race.” Luca stared at me like I’d just told him the earth was flat: dumbfounded.
“If we’re going to survive this hoax,” his lips curled into a smirk, “you might want to reconsider that habit.”
God, he was infuriating.
Luca snapped the menu shut, edging closer to me. “You know, it’s your fault we’re in this mess.”
“My fault?” I shot back. Just as I shifted, Luca casually slung his arm over my shoulder, anchoring me in place. He wasn’t entirely wrong, but like hell was I taking all the blame.
“You’re the one that leaned in for the kiss.”
“Well, you didn’t exactly pull away,” I retorted.
The nerve of this man.
Luca’s grip on my shoulders tightened and his fingers traced slow, teasing circles on my arm. His gaze bored into mine, intense and searching, lips curved into a sly smile as he leaned in closer, his warm breath tickling my skin. To the average onlooker, we looked like a couple casually having an intimate conversation, not a bickering pair of rivals.
“What are you doing?” I hissed, attempting to shake off his firm grip.
“Being your boyfriend,” he said, straight-faced. “You know, what you wanted last Sunday, whenyoukissedme.” Luca licked his lips as he continued to stare down at me with intensity, and for a moment, I wondered if he’d even thought about our kiss. Wondered if he’d also felt that electric pull between us back in Barcelona.
Probably doesn’t even remember it.A thought that left me with just a tad bit of disappointment. Ever since Luca had abandoned me in Monaco several years ago, a part of me wanted him to know what he’d missed out on.
