‘You want to drive?’ he muttered breathlessly.
‘I want toplay.’
His body melted as she moved closer. He ran his hand through her long, glossy hair and she shimmied, teasing it over his lap. She was wild and sweet and yes, so playful as she tormented him with long pulls of her small hands and deep sucks of her hot mouth. His head fell back as she did what she wanted with him. What he ached for. Shuddering, he closed his eyes, but it didn’t protect him from the unfolding intimacy. This wasn’t play; it waspersonal. So deeply, intensely, profoundly special. She took no mere taste of cake, but something far more substantial. Something dangerous. He groaned, shifting his hips, unable to bear it as all control slipped from him. He needed this to be less. Less intense. Less caring. Less sweet. But it was too late. He fisted his hands in her hair, unable to warn her any other way. But she didn’t stop. No, she tightened her grip and sucked him deeper until he thrust too hard, groaning as he pulsed with furious bursts of euphoria.
He collapsed back, unable to move. It was only at her soft chuckle that he opened his eyes. She was still on her knees, looking directly up at him. Her dreamy, frankly smug expression energised him like a damned defibrillator. His muscles jerked and he swiftly reached forward, grasping her waist to lift her onto his lap. Her soft gasp turned him inside out.
‘Aren’t you out of gas?’ she squeaked as she straddled him and realised that one part of him had roared right back to life.
He really should be. He swept his hands over her hips. ‘Apparently, my engine is solar-powered andyouare the sun.’
Her smile blossomed—unguarded and open and suddenly he was the triumphant one. He swept his hands beneath her dress, lifting it. She raised her arms and he whisked it off. He leaned close, kissing her creamy skin. She was so responsive. She didn’t bother taking off her panties; she just knelt up enough to pull them to the side before sliding down on him hard and to the hilt.
‘So hot,’ he growled.
She was a dynamo. A petite passion bomb who unleashed a maelstrom of energy and emotion and infected him with the same. Her impact should never be underestimated. He needed to plunder, to possess, but she’d claimed control again already. Claimed him in a way he couldn’t stop and didn’t want to. Her muscles milked him—her silken heat invoking waves of pleasure. He should be dead already—heart attack. Instead, he was motivated to make it every damned bit as good for her.
After, as they breathed hard, the final moments of the race commentary rang in the room. She turned her head, her hair hiding her face from him, and looked at the screen as the podium celebration began. Massimo didn’t release her and after a moment she relaxed.
‘How did you end up being his guardian?’ she asked as on the screen Emiliano was drenched in champagne. ‘Doesn’t he have family in Italy?’
He should welcome her curiosity as a win; instead, he felt edgy. He didn’t discuss his family, but he had to answer her; honesty in this might help her trust him.
‘His mother is in Italy, yes. Her husband was my mother’s brother. There’s wider family, too.’ He drew a breath. ‘Emiliano has precocious talent, you’ve seen it.’
‘Yes.’
‘There was so much extra pressure because he comes from a line of drivers. He showed his potential when he was very young and his father was unbelievably fast.’
‘Was?’ Her voice dropped. ‘Don’t tell me it was an accident.’
‘No,’ he assured her swiftly.
He knew she understood the immense,endlessagony of an accident, but Massimo had the unbearable guilt of causing one, too.
‘Cancer,’ he clarified. ‘Undetectable until it was too late. A lot of unscrupulous and pushy players circled around Emiliano, wanting to lock him into contracts. His mother and I agreed it was better to have him with me at Hearnshawe. I promised him that if he continued with his education, I’d build him the fastest car to ever hit the grid. I wanted him to be in a place where he could be protected, rather than pushed too soon.’
Lily sat back and looked him square in the eyes. ‘He was on the grid the day he turned eighteen. How much sooner could he make it?’
‘It’s later than the rival teams would have had him,’ he pointed out wryly. They’d wanted to get special dispensation. At the time he wanted to take it.’
‘But you didn’t let that happen?’
‘Believe it or not, I’m too cautious.’ He smiled. ‘Emiliano wants to go fast in everything. ‘There are still times when I have to step in. A lot of temptations are thrown at him.’
Guilt rippled. It had been because of Emiliano’s vulnerability that he’d been on that cargo plane. But she never, ever needed to know that. It was irrelevant now.
‘I don’t want him taken advantage of,’ he sighed. ‘I would do anything to help him.’
He’d put in good support for Emiliano. Trainer. Psychologist. Nutritionist. The kid had thrived at his English estate and honestly, Massimo had figured he would take over the entire company eventually. Maybe he still would if this child didn’t want to. Massimo intended to do the same for Lily and the baby. Housekeeper, nanny all the help she needed. He was very good at employing the absolute best.
‘But you keep your distance from him during race weekends.’ She tucked her hair behind her ears.
Had she noticed that? ‘It’s better for him to be focused,’ he explained. ‘Not feel additional pressure by having me breathing down his neck.’
She shook her head slightly and her eyes softened. ‘You’re stressed watching him. Every time. But it’s so much safer than it used to be.’
‘I don’t need you to reassure me, Lily,’ he muttered edgily. ‘You do know I lobbied for the latest safety changes.’
