Chapter 18
Peter
“What?” Molly asks, and I realise I’ve been staring at her again.
This seems to be my new normal routine.
Staring at her, dazed that someone like her is giving me a chance.
She’s just wearing one of my T-shirts, making coffee for us whilst I sit on one of the barstools, admiring her.
Showing up at her bus two nights ago feels like the best decision I’ve made in a while.
She brings me calm after living in a storm for far too long.
Before, I could only be in this state when I was sitting behind the wheel of a racing car. Now, I’m able to feel at peace simply by being in her presence.
It doesn’t matter if we’re doing something domestic, like making coffee now, or watching a movie on the couch.
As expected, our sex is intense and incredible but being able to enjoy the aftermath with cuddling—talking until the sun starts to rise about anything and everything—that’s not something I’ve ever envisioned for myself.
Having that feels extra special.
Molly comes over with a cup for me, and I grab her around the waist, pulling her to me and kissing her.
She sighs against my lips.
“Thank you for being you,” I tell her, needing her to know that she’s made such a difference in my life in a short time.
If she hadn’t been there after my dad showed up, I don’t know what I would have done.
I was already in a dark place, and that would only become darker if I didn’t seek her out.
She looks at me, dragging a hand through my hair.
“Thank you for letting me in,” she whispers, pressing her lips to mine again.
Another new thing for me, the desperation to kiss her.
I’ve never cared too much for kissing, but with her, I’m starved for another taste as soon as we part from one another.
I just know I’ll keep on evolving with this woman.
～
I’m just finishing my run when I see a store that catches my attention. Making my way inside I see rows of supplies for drawing, painting and creative arts.
I wonder if Molly likes to paint as well or prefers sketching.
As I browse through the rows, I curse for not paying more attention to the specific supplies she had in her room back on the bus.
Wanting to get her something but also wanting it to be right.
A sales assistant comes over and asks me if I’d like any help.
Another first—saying yes to one of these people—whom I usually turn away.
It’s not like I go shopping a lot either.
I describe the sketches Molly makes as best I can, and he shows me to a different section that seems more like her materials.
He helps me pick out a selection before I pay for it and head back to the hotel.
When I enter the suite, she’s occupied with putting our lunch into the stove.
“Hi, do you want to take a shower before we eat?”
She looks over at me, and when she sees the bag in my head, her brows furrow.
Then a look of horror crosses her face as she realises I may have seen her sketches.
“Oh, fuck no, did you look in my book?”
She brings both of her hands to her face, groaning as I chuckle at her and make my way over to her.
When I’m close enough, I peel back her hands, looking down at her. “Didn’t know you were obsessed with me, sweetheart.”
She rests her head against my chest, mortified due to me seeing all her sketches.
“God. This is embarrassing,” she mutters.
She’s thankfully not mad at me for snooping; I just couldn’t help myself.
I pull back from her, lifting her head with a finger under her chin.
“It’s alright though, I’m kind of obsessed with you too.”
That seems to shake her out of the embarrassment as she lets out a breath, shaking her head at this whole thing.
“They’re beautiful, Molly. And honestly, seeing them and how you see me, it was the last push I needed to take that step with you.”
Browsing through her book was like an out-of-body experience, letting me see how she sees me.
“Casanova, you really are such a romantic, aren’t you?” she says, peeking down into the bag I’m still carrying.
I give it to her, and her joy is infectious as she brings out all the things I’ve bought for her.
“Peter, this is very thoughtful of you. Thank you.”
I’ll buy the whole fucking store if it means I’ll get to see the awe on her face again.
She places it all out on the table, goes straight to work, and tries the new pencils whilst I do what I do best: sit back and admire her.
～
Three days of absolute bliss are coming to an end.
Reality is knocking: the race weekend is approaching, and our team meetings and press duties are filling up.
“I don’t want you to go.”
I’ve become one clingy mother fucker these past days, not getting enough of Molly and our routine.
We’ve mostly been huddled up in the hotel room, ordering food. She’s been sketching and working on her computer whilst I’ve done my workouts and caught up with Arthur on the phone.
He’s spoken to most media outlets about my bruise, telling them the whole thing was traumatic and to let me be.
I’m not convinced some of them will be able to contain their questions when the opportunity arises at our driver’s conference, but hopefully the pressure will be lifted.
“A cuddler and a clinger,” Molly teases me, and I pinch her butt.
“You’ve been enjoying every second,” I tell her, dragging her against my body.
“I have.”
When we haven’t been working, we’ve put most surfaces in this room to other uses.
I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve had sex, only caring about how freaking amazing we fit together and how it only gets better.
I kiss her, and it quickly turns heated.
“Peter, we really don’t have time for this,” she murmurs against my lips.
“Oh, baby, you know we can make it quick.” I smirk at her, and she rolls her eyes.
We’ve done it all.
Slow.
Fast.
Up against the walls.
Down on the floor.
But she is right, we’re already running late, and I don’t want to be late to my meeting with Arthur.
After one last lingering kiss in the elevator, we make our way to my car and start our journey to the paddock.
I’m a little nervous, not knowing what he’ll tell me in regard to my relationship with his daughter.
Molly talked to him on the phone, and it’s safe to say he was surprised when she told him that we’re not really fake at all.
It’s not like he knew we had already kissed like our lives depended on it when he proposed the fake-dating plan.
Therefore, this must all be a shock to him, and I’m sure I’m in for a scolding about not hurting his daughter.
When I park my car, I lean over to Molly. “One last kiss. In case your father kills me,” I murmur, and she snorts.
“You’ll be fine.”
I close the gap between us, soaking up our last moment alone for a while.
When we’re both breathless, Molly pulls away and gets out of the car. I drive over to one of the parking spots near our garage and offices, quickly making my way inside and knocking on Arthur’s door.
Nerves.
Also a sensation I’m not used to, but quickly is becoming very familiar with as Arthur tells me to come in.
I sit down in one of the chairs opposite him, and even though I’ve done this numerous times before, it feels different now.
Now, I’m with his daughter, and he knows of my family history.
“How is the cheek?”
Luckily, the bruising has calmed down, and the cut on my lip has closed.
Molly almost put down a no-kissing rule since it kept opening up during our sex marathon, but we found common ground when I told her that I could use some of her creams or whatever women have for these things.
There was no chance in hell I wouldn’t kiss her, so we went to the pharmacy and got what we needed, which quickly patched things up.
“It’s getting better, doesn’t hurt much.”
Arthur regards me, the many questions of my family history probably swirling in his mind.
Then he seems to remember his own family, and he takes on a sterner look.
Here we go.
“Good. Now, what is this thing you have with my daughter?”
The situation feels like being fifteen and going to prom again, when my date’s father told me to have her home by ten and that there was to be no funny business.
At the age of twenty-eight, it doesn’t feel any less daunting knowing I have the utmost respect for this man.
“I like Molly very much, sir. I have for a while, to be honest, but I wasn’t really planning to act on my feelings.”
I blow out a breath before continuing.
“Then, the incident with my father happened, and she felt like the safest place for me to go, and it changed things for me.”
As always, I go for the truth.
He’ll hopefully see that I’m serious about this, about her.
When I mention her being a safe place for me, he gets a fond smile on his face, looking like a proud father.
Not that I really know what that looks like, but I imagine it’s similar to Arthur in this moment.
“I see.”
Christ.
Can’t he say something more than that?
The seconds tick on, the silence stretching as I sit there, wondering what he thinks about my confession.
I’m contemplating what to say when Arthur speaks again.
“I trust you to keep her happy and to not call me sir ever again.”
A chuckle escapes him, and I feel my own smile tug as the pressure in my chest lifts.
“Noted.”
～
I’ve been waiting all day for a moment to sneak off to see Molly, but it’s been hectic.
Straight after my meeting with Arthur, I headed to the first practice, and it’s been one thing after another.
Luckily, the pressure and questions from the media haven’t been as smothering as I’ve feared.
They seem to have gotten Arthur’s message to leave me alone.
I’m still in my racing suit when I make my way over to Star News. Molly is chatting away with Steve, and I grab her around the waist before pulling her back against my chest.
I’ll never tire of having this woman in my arms, and the delighted laugh she lets out when I spin her around makes my heart thump.
“Casanova, how was practice?” she asks when I put her down, spinning around to face me.
I press my lips hard against hers before answering. “Baby, didn’t you see my name on top of the board?”
She rolls her eyes at me and my ego.
“It was good. Hopefully pole position tomorrow,” I say.
The season has started with several teams and drivers securing a win, but if I take home enough points this weekend, I’ll be the one leading the championship.
It would be good to put Audi back on top where we belong.
“If you secure the championship lead, we’ll have a reason to celebrate on Sunday,” Molly says, her arms resting around my back.
“Any day is a reason to celebrate,” I tell her, making her chuckle and teasing me about being her casanova.
For this woman, I’ll be whatever she wants.
～
I park my car after finishing Qualifying. I ended up in P3, which is a good result, but ideally, I would like the pole position.
None other than my biggest competitor, Luke Hastings, snatched that up today.
I take off my helmet and grab a water before I make my way over to Luke.
“Congratulations, man,” I say, reaching out for a handshake.
At first, Luke stares dumbfounded at me. I stand there with my hand outstretched, waiting for him to grab it. Finally, he takes hold of my hand, shakes it, and gives me a smile.
“I think this is the first time you’ve congratulated me on anything, Centimo.” His tone is playful, which I’m grateful for.
To be honest, I can’t remember much of last season.
I was fuelled by anger, frustration, and bad choices.
I was probably an arrogant prick most of the time, always taking my anger out on the people around me rather than dealing with it myself.
“Well, don’t get used to it,” I say, my own tone playful as Luke shakes his head and chuckles.
I plan on taking that championship title back this year.
In order to do so, I’ll have to beat him, but this year I’m planning on doing it fair and square.