Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Athena
Looking up at him, his blue eyes dance with mine as a stupid, hot, slow smirk tugs on his lips. Water droplets run down his ridiculously toned torso, his abs rippling under his skin. All I could think of was how much I wanted to trace my tongue over him, over every single inch of his hot, wet skin.
I had never had thoughts like this, so why now?
His velvet voice snaps me out of my hypnotic state when he asks me how I got on.
“Fine,” I bite, snapping my mouth shut.
I rise from my seat as I bend at the knee slightly, scooping up my laptop and notepad before I rush out of the door.
I want to be away from him as quickly as possible; it’s all I can think of.
I need the distance between us because he is suffocating me with his stupid, handsome face and that slow smirk that has my insides tingling.
Footing the bottom step leading out the gym, I begin my climb. I am out of breath by the time I reach the top. I wouldn’t say I am particularly unfit, but rushing away from the hot race driver definitely didn’t help.
I catch Nora as she walks into the lobby, looking as sleek and professional as ever. She is talking into her phone, her perfect brows furrowed, her eyes darted down. She walks past me and straight into the lift.
I was hoping to catch her attention, but she looked engrossed and if it’s a work thing, I didn’t want to interrupt.
I was still waiting to see whether there was an update whether Edel was allowed to follow us around, but as of yet, I hadn’t heard anything.
It probably wasn’t the best time to ask when race week is literally kicking off in two days but still, I wanted to ask.
The sound of footsteps approaching has me moving quickly before I tuck myself behind a large plant in the lobby. My back is pressed against the wall, my eyes pinned to the ceiling.
“Athena?” Nora’s voice floats around the room, the echo bouncing and I want to shrink.
“Oh.” A nervous laugh vibrates out of me. “Hi.” I hold my hand up to give a poor attempt at a wave.
She scopes me as she walks towards me, her phone still in her palm. “Why are you hiding behind this….” She pauses, her footsteps stalling as she turns her attention to the plant next to me. “This bush?”
“Thought I saw a fan.”
Dirty liar. What was wrong with me.
“And why is that a bad thing?” The scowl from her brows softens and I watch as her lips turn slightly into a smile.
“I look like crap.” I am a terrible liar, and I wince when the words leave my mouth.
She turns her head to the sound of Royce’s voice before her eyes are burning into mine with a knowing smile. “Are you hiding from Royce?”
A heavy sigh leaves me as I look at my feet.
“Oh my God, you are,” she says quietly but through a laugh. “Wait.” She straightens herself up. “Did something happen?”
I shake my head violently. “No, my God, no,” I hiss just as Royce and Dane walk past and I honestly want the ground to swallow me up.
“Err…” He steps over with an amused look on his face and my cheeks are burning.
“Royce.” Nora smiles, twisting around to look at him before she shrinks back next to me.
“Nora.” He tries hard to fight that gorgeous smile.
Silence creeps between the three of us.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he whispers through a laugh.
“Athena thought she saw a fan,” Nora explains.
“Oh, really?” One of his brows lifts and I know he knows I am full of crap.
“Yup,” I chip in, “and I look like horrendous, so y’know…” I trail off and Nora nods next to me.
“Right.” He folds his hand into his pocket.
My heart is slamming against my ribs. Nora side-eyes me and I shrug my shoulders.
“I think maybe next time you should choose a better hiding spot, Athena.” With that he walks off.
Nora stares me down as I begin to walk towards the lift.
“Nothing happened!” I say more defensively than I would have liked.
“Okay.” She rolls her lips and presses the button for the lift.
“It didn’t.”
“Okay.” She holds her hands up in defence and I roll my eyes.
“You okay?” I find myself asking her after a beat or two.
“Yeah, just work stuff, but all good.”
“Cool,” I mutter as the doors ping open on my floor. I give her a smile then step out of the lift and walk towards my room.
My phone vibrates and I glance down.
Royce
I didn’t think you looked horrendous.
My cheeks flame.
“Oh, Athena,” Nora calls out.
I stall, locking my phone screen. Turning, I see her half hanging out the lift.
“Your friend is welcome to hang out with you whilst you’re here. She’ll just need to sort her initial flight out and then she can bunk in your room with you.” Her smile widens.
“Thank you so much.” I spin, holding my hand across my heart and my lips pressing into a huge grin before I close myself in my room.
I decide to order in room service once I’m settled, then run a bath and start making some notes on this new book.
I didn’t want to write it, but I am here now, following an F1 driver around the world to try and piece a romance novel together.
I have no idea on the plot, but I know I want them to have an epic love.
Like always. I rooted for their happily ever after.
Sinking into the tub, the bubbles cover my skin as I push play on my phone and watch Gilmore Girls. I could have spent hours in here, I felt tired and achy. The urge to nap was strong but I fought it off.
Sitting on my bed, still wrapped in the warm, fluffy white towel, I pick up the phone and order myself burger and chips.
I need a chilled night. Ana?s had messaged about us getting together but I said I would let them know a little later once I had made a dent in my notes.
I really don’t want to give up on my dream, but I feel like it is slipping further from my grasp as each day passes.
Sighing, I click on the TV and flick through until I find something to watch.
A knock at the door has me muting the television and I know it can’t be room service. Pushing up, I pace towards the door and peek through the peephole and see Royce.
Damn it.
Unchaining the door, I pull it open ever so slightly, being mindful that I am still in a towel. “Yes?” My tone is sharp.
“Just checking to see if you’ve calmed down from earlier.” A boyish grin presses against his lips as he edges closer towards me.
“Erm?” I roll my lips. “I was calm.” I furrow my brow.
“You seemed a little flustered.”
“Because you were walking around with hardly any clothes on. I didn’t know where to look! It was awkward as hell.” I drop my head and look at my toes.
“Well, that was on you. I told you to come earlier.” I don’t miss the curt edge to his words.
“I was working.”
“You should have been following me around and working, not doing whatever you were doing in here.” He waves his hand in front of him.
“I was on a call with my agent. It’s not only you I have to speak to.” I pout as he steps forward.
“When you’re with me, it’s only me.” His voice is low and causes my skin to scatter in goosebumps.
Lifting my face, my eyes link with his and my heart skips a beat.
“Can I come in?” he asks, voice soft, with almost a plead to his tone.
“I’m not dressed,” I whisper as an excuse.
“Get dressed then, I won’t peek.”
I sigh then glance over my shoulder at my notepad. “I have room service coming, I need to work…” I trail off as I turn to face him and he gives me the best puppy dog eyes I have ever seen.
I was so weak. He was going to have me wrapped around his finger within the next day or so.
“An hour,” I grumble, pushing the door wide and walking back into my room. “Don’t look at me,” I snap, grabbing my pyjamas from the end of the bad and slamming the bathroom door.
“Pinkie promise,” he shouts through the walls.
I roll my eyes; I can’t help but let a slither of a smirk cross my lips.
A short while later, I’m sitting on the bed, legs crossed underneath me as I tuck into my cheeseburger and chips. I offer to share it with Royce, but he politely declines saying he was on a strict diet. I feel bad for him, but he doesn’t seem to mind.
He lays on his back, flicking through my old notepad. “There is a lot of ideas in here.”
“Yup.” I try and grab it off him, but he moves it out of reach then gives me a soft head shake.
“I’m not finished.” He scowls at me before he goes back to reading.
Sighing, I swipe a chip through ketchup and pop it into my mouth.
“Are these all the books you have written?”
“No.” I move the plate to the bedside unit. “Most of those ideas don’t make it out of the notebook,” I admit and my stomach knots
“Why?” he asks, genuinely curious.
I lift a shoulder, locking my fingers together. Royce rolls on his side, propping his head up with his hand, the notepad now lying beside him.
“They’re not good enough,” I admit and I feel the ache in my chest.
“I don’t believe that.”
I half laugh. “Trust me, I think I just had a fluke moment. I don’t think my books are good enough.” I nod at the words that seep out of me. It feels weird admitting that out loud.
“You like to put yourself down, don’t you?”
I sniff as a sad smile pulls at my lips. “When you’ve had parents who constantly remind you that you’re a failure, then it’s hard to believe anything else.”
I watch as his lips turn down at the corner and I hate that he is giving me a sympathetic look, like he feels bad for me. That’s not what I wanted.
“Don’t look at me like that, I am fine.” I lean forward and push his shoulder, so he rolls on his back. “I don’t want pity; it was just the hand I was dealt.”
“That’s not nice, though,” he mumbles.
“There were kids a lot worse off than me. I had a very privileged childhood, my parents worked hard to get to where they are, but that lifestyle comes with downfalls. I was one of those. They put so much time and money into my education just for me to fail everything. They wanted me to be a trophy wife, married off to someone in their circle and I didn’t want to do it, so I broke the mould. ”