Chapter 7
LUKE
At eight sharp, I knock on the door to her bus, hoping she’ll be the one to answer. It’s not a problem if anyone else answers. I don’t care if anyone sees me with Jessica.
She, however, doesn’t seem eager to be seen with me. Another thing I find intriguing about this woman is that, whereas most girls like to go to restaurants where they know they’ll be seen and possibly photographed, Jessica doesn’t even want to look at me when someone else is watching us.
Earlier in the paddock, when I approached her, she kept looking around, afraid someone might see me standing there talking to her.
It’s equally frustrating and refreshing.
The door opens, and Jessica rushes out of the bus.
“Eager to see me, princess?” I ask with a smile, taking in her outfit.
She looks gorgeous in dark jeans, her heels, and a top that reveals her black bra underneath. She looks as stunning as always, and I feel my cock hardening just at the sight of her.
“I don’t want anyone to see us together.” I don’t comment, but I place my hand at the small of her back, guiding her to the passenger seat of my BMW i8.
“Nice ride,” she says before sliding in.
When she’s settled, I head to the driver’s seat and start the car.
As soon as we’re in the tight space of my vehicle, I catch the scent of her intoxicating perfume, a mix of vanilla and something else.
The aroma fills my senses, quickening my pulse and spinning my thoughts into a whirlwind of desire.
I start driving toward our destination, just waiting for her to begin the interrogation.
Sure enough, the reporter in her surfaces, and I smile.
“So, where are we going?” she asks almost immediately.
I didn’t give her much information earlier when I told her to be ready at eight.
I get the impression that Jessica likes to have control, and I plan to strip some of it from her.
She may be sceptical, but I’m planning to peel back her layers and get to know her better.
“Will you be mad, more than usual, if I say it’s a surprise?” I reply, glancing at her and noticing a slight smile on her lips. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but she seems different somehow. Like she’s let her guard down a little.
I like it.
I thought she might even fight me about getting in the car with me, but so far, she seems slightly less hostile than earlier.
“You can have your surprise if you tell me why I’m here,” she says with less confidence.
She’s not the only one feeling out of sorts here.
All evening, I’ve been wondering if this is a good idea at all.
She’s a reporter, and I’m a celebrity.
She could easily take advantage of me, but Jessica seems like one of the most genuine people I’ve met in a while. She’s the opposite of most people in this industry, except for my friends and family.
Usually, people are eager to be seen with me or get a moment of my attention.
Jessica, on the other hand, treats me like any other man, and it’s refreshing.
Ultimately, I decided that I couldn’t stay away without exploring our connection further.
“I’m taking you out on a date. Keep up, princess. I thought you were smarter than that.” She playfully hits my arm before leaning back in her seat.
“You know what I mean, smart ass. Why am I the one in this car and not someone who hasn’t insulted you twice or maybe three times in the last twenty-four hours?”
Because your fire is part of the reason I can’t get you out of my head. Because you obviously don’t want anything from me like others do. Because you’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.
The list is long, but I know telling her would scare her away, so I just say,
“I’m trying to show you that pushing me away will only make me push that much harder, but I thought we would do this on your terms today.” She seems content with my answer for now, and I add,
“Besides, I told you we weren’t done, and I never break my promises.” She considers what I just told her, but doesn’t comment, so I ask her about her internship.
She happily talks about how great it has been, even teasing me about a driver who won’t leave her alone.
Everyone has been welcoming her in the paddock, and she shines when talking about all the excitement she’s now part of. Star News is a great platform to start your career in media, and I’m sure Jessica has worked hard to earn that spot.
They’re a small, respected team that reports on facts rather than gossip. As the competition for major stories has intensified, Star News has never compromised its integrity.
“Don’t you want to be more in front of the camera, though?” I’ve been watching her and her team, and I’ve noticed that Jessica mainly stands behind the camera during interviews.
Being as beautiful and knowledgeable as she is, they would benefit from putting her in front of the camera, I’m sure of it.
“I’m certain I’ll get there in time, but for now I’m really happy with how everything is turning out.” I’m confident Jessica will succeed in this field; she has the drive and ambition to do great things in her life.
The way she carries herself with confidence, yet also with modesty for her opportunities and the people she meets along the way, is admirable.
She talks about Star News and its team with awe and gratitude in her voice.
“How about you, hotshot? How is it sitting behind the wheel of a car going 300-400 km per hour?” she asks me, and I see my opening.
“You think I’m hot?” I smirk and look over at her just as she rolls her eyes at me. I’m no stranger to compliments, but having Jessica acknowledge my looks and what she thinks gives a boost I haven’t felt before.
“Of course, that’s the only part you heard.” She surprises me again by not being shy or awkward, but just owning our attraction to one another. I chuckle before giving my answer.
“It’s exhilarating, and my dream come true.
I always felt that this is the place I want to be: behind the wheel, pushing myself to the limits of what feels possible, while also being part of a bigger team working towards the same goal.
” I continue telling Jessica that even though I’m alone in the car, it feels like a team effort whenever we bring home a win or a good result.
I started in the sister team to BMW when I first got my break into F1.
As soon as they saw potential in me, they gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, and I never looked back. I signed with BMW, a top team, and although the results haven’t yet put us at the top, we’re getting closer every day.
We can all sense it and feel it coming.
When we win that championship, it will be the result of several years of hard work and teamwork.
We are nearing the outskirts of the city, and I turn the car to start climbing some hills that overlook Baku City.
“Yeah, and your team certainly liked winning toward the end of last season.” She knows the grid like the back of her hand. Another thing I’ve noticed about her: she’s got the beauty but also the brains. Having someone who understands the dynamics of F1 and how this world works is refreshing.
“Yeah, I like winning in all sorts of things,” I tell her, and she chuckles at that.
I’m being really cheesy with her, but I just can’t help myself. It feels natural being around her, so effortless and good.
We arrive at the spot I’ve picked out, and I take a small black scarf to tie around her eyes.
“Really, Casanova? You’re going to blindfold me?” I chuckle.
“I don’t trust that you won’t peek.” She turns away from me and lets me tie the scarf around her head. Her hair feels soft in my hands, and she lets out a small sigh as I tighten the scarf. I step out of the car and feel my nerves spike.
When was the last time I wanted to impress a girl this badly?
I can’t remember a time when I was this nervous, which is saying a lot, given what I do for a living.
Usually, I would take a girl to a fancy restaurant, and that would be it. Many times, they wouldn’t even want a full date, just some time in bed with a F1 driver.
But I knew with Jessica, I needed to try a different approach if I wanted to get to know her better.
The most important thing is giving us privacy.
I also want to show her that I’m sorry about the whole douche act I’ve put up with her in our first meetings.
I want her to get to know me and for me to get to know her.
I help her out of the car and start guiding her with one hand on her back and the other holding her hand. I’m caressing her hand gently and notice goosebumps on her arms.
“Cold?” I ask, and she shakes her head, making me smile.
It’s good to see that she’s feeling just as affected as I am.
We reach the spot, and I slowly remove the scarf from her eyes. She quietly gasps when she sees what I’ve set up.
There are sandwiches, crackers, cheese, strawberries, chocolate, and many other snacks laid out in a basket. Beneath it are plenty of blankets and pillows, and the city lights of Baku cast a romantic glow.
A romantic picnic with good food, drinks, and a romantic atmosphere. I skipped the roses this time and decided to try something else.
“Oh wow, Luke, I don’t know what to say. This is wonderful.” I exhale a relieved breath, knowing she likes it. I hoped she would, but you can never be certain, and I really wanted her to like it.
Part of me was nervous it might be too much too soon. Her reaction calms my nerves, and we sit down, settling in comfortably on the blankets and pillows. I hand her one of the sandwiches as she gets comfortable, wrapped in a blanket over her legs.
“Let’s play a game,” I say, my voice husky from looking at her. Jessica’s eyes widen, and I get the feeling she thinks I mean something quite different.
“Relax, it’s not sexual; we’ll wait with that at least until date number three.” I wink at her, and she relaxes.
“Okay, what kind of game then?”
“We each ask a question, and the other has to answer the same question.” She narrows her eyes slightly before agreeing to the game as we start going back and forth.
At first, it’s the typical stuff.
I learn that Jessica’s favourite colour is red, no surprise there. Red is quickly becoming a favourite of mine as well.
She has one brother who is three years older than she is. Her parents love each other, making her a hopeless romantic waiting for the right man to sweep her off her feet, just like her dad did with her mom.
She enjoys running and doing yoga to clear her mind, but if she really wants to release some tension, she books a kickboxing class at the nearest gym.
The image of a sweaty Jessica working out her stress in a kickboxing class made me feel some type of way, but I’m trying to be a gentleman and calm my libido.
I tell her that my favourite colour is black, which irritated her, as “black isn’t really a colour,” so I have to pick a new favourite colour. I chose green, just like her beautiful eyes.
I tell her about my little sister Lily, who will visit in about three weeks when we are racing in Australia. Like Jessica’s parents, my parents are still happily married and living in Monaco, where I stay when I’m not on the road.
We gradually start exploring more in-depth conversations, and Jessica tells me that her original dream was to create her own sports magazine.
When she started college, she realized that the dream seemed too far off, but sports journalism and reporting would be enough for now.
Maybe in the future, when she’s made her mark, she’ll branch out and make her own magazine.
I tell her that I wanted to be a baker when I was little, which makes her laugh because the idea of me baking seems absurd to her.
“How old were you?”
“Like 24,” I say, and she laughs even harder.
I actually enjoy baking; it relaxes me and is one of the hobbies I can do while on the road.
When we calm down, I tell her that I got into carting when I was around eight years old and never looked back.
“Do you ever want to be something or someone else?” She curiously asks me.
“It all depends. Most of the time, I feel grateful for the life I have and the opportunities I’ve had to follow my dreams. Other times, when I want to impress a certain reporter whilst having microphones stuck in my face, I want to be normal,” I tell her, and she smiles softly.
“Sure sounds like quite the reporter.” She jokes, and I just say,
“You have no idea.”