He heard a footstep in the corridor and moved to block the way, putting his finger to his lips. ‘Don’t wake her.’
Shane looked startled. But then Massimo didn’t usually growl at him.
‘She can have five more minutes. No one needs to know,’ he added with a gentler whisper.
‘Of course.’ Shane immediately turned, but was clearly stunned that the CEO of Hearnshawe Racing was watching a mechanic literally sleep on the job.
Massimo resumed his watch over her, barely unable to cage the temptation rising within him. She was clearly working too hard. It had been a tough few weeks for everyone, but none of the other mechanics had fallen asleep in a busy corridor less than an hour before a race. She shouldn’t be this pale, either. And he shouldn’t be craving the impossible. He was fed up—with Conrad’s crash, the stress of deals he needed to do, Lily’s exhaustion. It was too much.
She finally stirred and he silently stepped back, returning to the stream of people waiting for him in the suite. But that sad tilt to her mouth lingered in his mind.
During the race Conrad made up several places from the back of the field, proving his talent and the speed of the car and rewarding the effort of the team who’d worked through the night. Emiliano was easily within the top ten. But Massimo kept thinking about Lily. Was she unwell? Were the long hours getting to her? Was she lonely with this lifestyle? Was that why she’d been tempted to have that stolen moment with a stranger? Had it been a secret need expressed—a physical release that she had no other time for? Sheshouldhave more. She should have some lucky guy waiting at home to help her unwind.
Massimo gritted his teeth at the thought. He felt unreasonably jealous just seeing other mechanics talk to her. Relationships within the company were discouraged, but maybe he’d finally forget her if shewereinvolved with someone else.
‘We should have drinks or something,’ he murmured to Andre after the race. ‘A mid-season celebration to thank the travel team for all their hard work.’
Andre gaped, unable to mask his surprise. ‘Okay, when are you thinking?’
‘Before the break would be good. Singapore?’ Far away from Hearnshawe headquarters. Maybe he might actually see her smile from a distance. ‘It’ll be hot. They’ll need some relief. Could be a reward once the setup is complete on Wednesday night?’
‘Drivers won’t be there,’ Andre pointed out.
‘That’s a good thing.’ Massimo quelled his jealousy again. ‘Surely, there’s a singer wanting pit lane access who’ll perform?’
‘I’ll get onto it right away.’
Chapter Five
Singapore
LILY TRIED TOfocus on the verdant greenery, not her conflicting feelings. She’d checked the footage from the past few years and Singapore was the one race Massimo never attended, so she could relax and enjoy the week. They’d arrived yesterday to give them time to acclimatise and had spent the afternoon exploring before dining at the hotel. It was glorious—she’d been fascinated by the contrast of the soaring modern skyscrapers and the decoratively ornate temples. But Singapore was the most physically gruelling race on the P1 Global calendar. There were several layers of added complexity. It was a street track, not a purpose-built circuit, so overtaking was difficult and there weren’t just barriers, but solid walls that left even less room for error. Then there was the heat and humidity—the sessions and race were actually held at night when it was slightly cooler. Lily never experienced temperatures like this. No wonder several of the drivers flew in last thing and went straight to air-conditioned hotels, emerging enveloped in ice packs and constantly taking on liquids just in time to get into the cars.
Lily needed to prepare better for the race weeks in general. She’d fully embarrassed herself by falling asleep in the corridor not long before the race in Italy. It was appalling. She’d not worked as late as some of the others that night and they’d still managed to stay awake. Fortunately, she didn’t think she’d been out long and no one said anything when she went back. But only ten minutes into the prep in the pit lane, her stomach tilted, churning the meagre breakfast she’d managed at the hotel. Coping with the hot weather, she was not.
‘Are you okay?’ Shane glared at her.
‘Yes,’ she muttered. Vision swimming, she was seeing two Shanes and neither looked happy. ‘I’m fine.’
Her boss pointed to the door. ‘Out. Now. You’re not infecting the rest of us.’
‘No, it’s not a bug,’ she argued. ‘It’s something I’ve eaten or maybe it’s the heat.’
‘We all ate at the same restaurant last night and we’re all okay. Scram back to the hotel and get some rest. If you’re better later, come to the party, otherwise quarantine in your hotel room, understood?’
‘I don’t need to come to the party.’
‘Everyoneneeds to come to the party,’ Shane muttered. ‘It’s team bonding. Go now. I need you well. This week is tough enough.’
He was right and others were watching. No one else wanted to be sick and she definitely wouldn’t want to infect the drivers if it was a bug. Which it wasn’t. But it couldn’t be food poisoning, because Shane was right about them eating at the same restaurant. It was just the heat. She needed an intensive recovery plan. Electrolytes, painkillers and a brief nap in her air-conditioned hotel room.
She slept for five hours straight and felt better on waking. Relieved, she showered and dressed in the dress she’d brought with her for the party. She’d not had a night out inyears. Basically ever. And it would be a work eventwithoutMassimo. That was good, right? She paired her dress with strappy sandals; its length made her look taller than she was. It was too hot to wear her hair down, so she swept it into a bun and then put on the thin sterling silver pendant she’d bought when she’d made it to P1 Global. She was late, but definitely still showing up.
The Hearnshawe party was in one of the elite entertainment facilities next to the Singapore Flyer. Lanterns lit the way and the sky was a stunning colour, but the air was so close and warm she had to walk slowly. Frankly, after only five minutes outside she felt rocky again. It wasdefinitelyheat related. She would need an ice pack in the garage tomorrow. Except she didn’t only feeltired, she also felt nauseated—an echo of the constant queasiness she’d felt a couple of weeks ago. Which was weird. What sort of bug caused intermittent symptoms like that?
Her brain slowly whirred and for the first time in weeks she let herself focus on her body—trying to feel in tune with it. Not only was there that damned endless ache for Massimo, there was also something else. Something deeply sensitive, something terrifying. Suddenly dizzy, she spun, consumed with the need to escape, but slammed into something hard. Firm hands hit her shoulders.Familiarhands that softened and shaped, holding her gently. She jerked her head up.
‘What are you doing here?’ she squeaked.
