“Nothing’s wrong with it. Turn around.”
Nico did. The singular strip that hung over her shoulder crossed her back and attached to an O-ring set very low, leaving almost her entire back bare.
“Wow,” Charles exclaimed. “It’s very, very …”
Nico faced him. “Very what?”
“Very cherchez la femme la shark a la Drink and Dive.”
Nico frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
“Don’t get me wrong, you look gorgeous. It’s just, I haven’t seen you done up like this since—well, you know—only without the wig.”
Nico began looking around the room, making a pretense of searching for her purse. “Well, why not? This is big. I want to celebrate. Why shouldn’t I do myself up special for a special evening?”
“You can stop pretending to look for your purse to avoid looking me in the eye. It’s right there on the bed—right in front of you—you’re staring right at it.”
“I’m not trying to avoid looking at you.”
“Okay, then look at me.”
Nico drew a deep breath and faced Charles, lifting her chin. “Satisfied?”
“No,” Charles said, “because you’re not being honest with me. But I guess I can hardly expect you to be when you’re not being honest with yourself. The way you’re acting right now, Nico, I swear the only thing stopping you from donning that platinum wig is the fact that you didn’t pack it.”
“What are you talking about? I’m not planning on sharking someone at poker or pool. Why would I? Even in the past, when I still did that, I never did it to anyone even remotely connected to the racing world.”
“Other than that night at Drink and Dive.”
Nico sighed as she plunked down on the bed.
“Okay, that’s true. But I didn’t know Rocco back then. Remember the things he was saying on social media? The annoying, arrogant, asshole, prick? I wouldn’t do it now. For what possible reason? I don’t want to go back to doing that. I’m not that woman. I’m the woman who just made it to her first podium in Formula 1. So, why would I— That makes no sense.”
Charles sat down beside her. “It makes perfect sense. You’ve developed feelings for the man. Come on, admit it. That kiss wasn’t just to irk Carolyn Wickham.”
Nico remained silent. She’d intended to be that woman outside Drink and Dive when she’d kissed him. But as his lips met hers, she realized something was different. It was her kissing him—not that platinum blonde. And toward the end there, it had begun to feel like she was losing control and it was him kissing her.
What must he be thinking? He must have been stunned. For her just to grab him and kiss him like that?
It didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t mean anything. She had to make certain he knew she understood that.
It. Didn’t. Mean. Anything.
“You care about him, Nico. And that scares you to death. You want to destroy any chance of anything starting between the two of you.”
Nico shook her head. “Not true!”
“It is true.”
“Okay, maybe, just maybe I’m attracted to the man, but so what?”
“It’s more than that. You’re forgetting I know you. You’re also forgetting I saw you up on that podium. One might almost think you were happier for him than you were for yourself.”
“What?! That’s ridiculous!”
“I saidalmost.”
Feeling agitated, Nico stood up and began to pace. “Look, suppose it’s true, what you’re saying, and mind you, I’m not saying it is. But if it were and I have developed feelings for him, then it’s better I put a stop to it right now. He doesn’t have those kinds of feelings for me. And if he did, that would only make things worse. We’re finally doing well as a team. That’s why Dario said those things he did at the masquerade party when he thought I was Rocco. He knows anything more than friendly teammates off the track would screw us on it. Even Celeste is worried about it. You can’t be team members and, whatever you would call it, at the same time.”
