Chapter Four #3
Massimo exhaled sharply in relief. He stood as he watched Conrad climb out of the wreckage. He’d go straight to the medical centre and meet Conrad there.
He flexed his shoulders, trying to relax, but his own memory flashed.
He remembered spinning like that, but the surface he’d been on had been slippery and wet.
He’d not been in a P1 car, but a junior-level single-seater kart going nowhere near as fast as what Conrad had been travelling.
Even so, the damage had been immense. Fortunately, there had been no rain here today.
Conrad’s rear wheels had locked up and while it was a slow collision, the impact still had severely damaged the car.
Massimo knew that if Conrad was okay and cleared by the doctors, he would still want to race tomorrow.
Which meant Lily faced a long night of repairs with the other mechanics.
He’d not seen her since she’d come to the café in Austria.
He’d looked into her eyes—a kaleidoscope of green, brown and gold before she’d blinked and backed away.
He’d kept the required distance but had sent her the almonds.
She’d looked like she needed the nutrition, but he hoped he’d provoked her memory as well.
His memory of her was driving him insane.
Did she think of those moments on the plane as he so damned often did?
He was never going to know because she acted as if he didn’t exist. For Massimo Hearnshawe, this was something of a novelty.
She never looked at him, which he knew, because he couldn’t stop looking at her.
He was increasingly drawn nearer when it should be getting easier to stay away.
Where that night he’d appreciated his anonymity, now his apparent invisibility was an irritant.
Of course she was within her rights not to want him, except he didn’t want to think that was the case.
Surely, he’d not dreamed that heat in her eyes.
He worked through the night, shortening his action list in the hotel room, trying not to think about Lily working through piecing Conrad’s car back together. He couldn’t allow this distraction to ruin everything, not when he’d finally gotten Hearnshawe Racing to be capable of winning.
In the morning he worked in the VIP suite, keeping an eye on the prerace coverage, hoping for a glimpse into the garage that didn’t come.
With a growl he pushed away from his desk and went in search of coffee.
He needed a break from the intensity of back-to-back meetings broken by intrusive thoughts regarding Lily.
He stalked to the team café. Someone had left a bunch of Hearnshawe uniforms in a pile on a chair in the corridor.
But as he passed, the pile moved. He stopped, stunned to see it wasn’t a pile of clothing at all, but a small figure curled up on the chair.
Lily Jones was fast asleep. He stared down at her, unable to breathe in case he woke her, unable to drag himself away.
Her skin was as creamy as ever, if anything more translucent, but her fine features seemed sharper.
Her long lashes rested on those delicate high cheekbones and there were shadows and hollows that were new.
Her full lips were slightly turned down, almost as pale as the rest of her.
His fingertips tingled; the desire to trace her features was almost irresistible.
Massimo curled his fingers into fists. He knew exactly how he could bring her colour back, but she was no fairy-tale princess needing waking with a kiss, and he was no Prince Charming.
He wanted her fully awake and wholly willing when he kissed her again.
Not that it could ever happen. Bracing, he leaned back against the opposite wall.
Keeping his distance from her as he’d promised he would, but equally unable to leave her alone.
Not when she was this vulnerable. Hell, he had such a damned fixation on her.
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?
She should have 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 she were involved 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.’