Chapter 1 #3
“I’m glad it’s helping there too.” Ingrid paused because she didn’t know how to bring up the subject. “What do you know about Erik?”
“Oh, he and Antoine have known each other since karting days with Mark and Nico. You probably knew that, though. They’re like brothers.
Probably the only true friend that Erik has in F1.
He used to protect Antoine when they made any racist comments about him.
He comes off quite arrogant, and I think you would say, showy?
But he isn’t really into all this media stuff. Why do you ask?”
“I’ve just bumped into him a few times this weekend.”
“Oh, and he’s very popular with the girls, and the boys! Is that why you’re asking?” She smiled at Ingrid.
“No! He’s too young for me!”
Ingrid felt herself blush and quickly took a sip of her wine.
“I love the guy, but I don’t think he’s had a girlfriend that has lasted longer than a few months.”
“No, no, really, I’m not interested,” Ingrid said quickly. “We just both seem to enjoy finding quiet spots to think.”
At this point, Antoine joined them; he was walking in with Erik and Mark. They were all staying at the same hotel, but Ingrid and Erik had somehow not bumped into each other until that point.
“Mark, have you met Ingrid yet?” Antoine asked as he put his arm around Daniela.
“I haven’t had the pleasure yet. Nice to meet you.” He shook her hand.
Erik took the opportunity to greet Ingrid with a kiss on the cheek. He wasn’t sure if it would be welcome, but they had met several times now, so he felt it was normal to do so. Plus, it was always good to one-up Mark. Ingrid was taken aback.
“When did the two of you meet?” Antoine looked confused.
“You introduced us before FP1,” Erik said in his calm voice. “We’ve bumped into each other since then.”
The others started chatting amongst themselves.
“Thank you for my pole,” Erik whispered in Ingrid’s ear when he knew they weren’t looking. Tingles ran across her body. “Now what do I give you in return?”
Ingrid turned her head slightly and realised just how close his head still was to hers. Their cheeks brushed, and she could think of many things that he could give to her in return.
“I’ll have to think about it,” she whispered, turning her head again just enough so she could feel his stubble against her cheek.
Erik returned to his room. Bianca was waiting for him in a negligée. As per usual, she was on her phone. They had been dating for over six months. It was starting to get boring for Erik.
“Honey, please go like my photos from today.” She said as he dropped his bag down on the chair.
Following instructions, he took out his phone, went to her Instagram profile, and clicked on the heart without looking at what she had posted.
“Thank you.” She said in that grating voice and hopped off the bed to kiss him.
Erik wondered if Ingrid wore a negligée. No, she probably wore something practical like shorts and a T-shirt. Her skin was also probably untouched by fillers or Botox. Ingrid’s breasts were probably natural, too. Oh, those breasts that he really wanted to touch.
“Congrats on your pole, how are we going to celebrate?” Bianca said in that grating voice again.
“I don’t know, what do you have in mind?”
She started to unbutton his jeans. Erik was a man. He had a hot woman in front of him. He wasn’t going to say no. Plus, he was still attracted to Bianca in some ways. “I think that’s a good start.”
Erik kissed her and put his hand between her thighs. She started to moan. Erik couldn’t get Ingrid out of his head. They fell back on the bed.
“Are you going to win tomorrow, baby?” Bianca said as she pulled him inside her.
He started going faster and deeper.
“Yes.”
“Go fast.”
“I will.”
“Faster. I want a winner.”
Erik closed his eyes and imagined Ingrid’s voice and cheek against his at these words. He couldn’t help it. He didn’t know what was wrong with him. He wanted to stop himself, but he came anyway.
Bianca leaned up. “That was quick.”
“Sorry, I think I was holding it in all afternoon. Let me treat you.”
After he was done, he took another shower. Alone with his thoughts, it was Ingrid on his mind. Her room was somewhere in this building. What was she doing? Was she thinking about him like he’d just been thinking about her?
Ingrid was wide awake. The interaction at the bar was clear in her mind.
She was thinking similarly to Erik, but not acting on it.
She wouldn’t allow herself to because she wouldn’t be able to face him the next day.
Preaching control and focus to clients, then losing it herself over someone she’d just met, wasn’t exactly what she wanted to model.
It was a big day tomorrow, so she took her sleep supplement and tried to let go of the feeling of Erik’s cheek against hers.
The tingling whisper in her ear. The ideas that came into her mind of how he could repay her.
Replaying that moment together wasn’t helping.
Instead, she lay there watching old interviews with him on YouTube. Eventually, she fell asleep.