“Get used to that, baby girl, because you’re about to be watched a whole lot more,” she says, opening the door and stepping out, but she doesn’t move, she waits.
“Eyes on me.” His voice snaps my head up. “You’ve got this. Follow my lead, and I promise I won’t let you go.”
I nod.
“Okay?”
“Okay,” I whisper just as Royce exits and meets me at my side. Opening my door, he holds his hand out and my fingers fit perfectly between them.
“Eyes on me,” he mouths, reminding me.
He leads me, a protective arm swooping around my waist as he holds me close. Nora walks ahead of us as fans scream at him. He gives them the odd wave and smile. They’re holding out photos of him, shirts, caps… anything that is his, they have.
Stepping into the lobby, I exhale a shaky breath.
“Good girl,” he whispers into my hair as he places a kiss where his lips brush.
My insides flame as we walk to the lift. Nora gives me a small smile, and a sigh passes her lips.
“I think this is going to work out just fine,” she admits, stepping into the lift and we follow, all turning around to face the doors.
Royce smiles down at me, his fingers loosening from mine as he slowly steps away. My stomach drops as nerves present themselves, whirling around in my tummy. Suddenly, I feel like I have made a terrible mistake.
A groan escapeswhen my alarm screams at me, it’s Monday and race week. Royce had his schedule emailed to me last night and I studied it for far longer than I needed to. I stayed out of Royce’s way over the weekend, we agreed to keep our distance when we didn’t need to be together.
This is just a contract. Temporary. I fought with myself all Friday evening once I was home whether this is the right thing to do. After a lot of talking myself down and hundreds of unsent voice notes to Edel, I decide to use this opportunity for me, as much as Royce was using it for himself.
I have a career riding on this, too. If we are going to play the part, then I am about to put on the best damn show. Fake it till you make it, and all that… and that’s exactly what I am going to do.
We both need to play dirty, we need to be a team in this, and there is no way I am backing down.
Hi PaddockHotties, Paddock Hot Goss here it’s race week. Are we excited to be back? Hot dating news, seems we have a new girl on the arm of the notorious playboy, Royce Lexington… How long until he gets bored and dumps her? Text in your answers xoxox.
Chapter Eleven
Royce
Monday morning is soonupon us and I feel nervous, but I’m not sure why. The new season is always exciting, but this one is tainted with anxiety. Maybe it’s because of my new teammate, maybe it’s because I am closer to achieving what I have dreamed of since I was a little boy. Or maybe it was because I am about to see Athena for the first time since we signed the contracts stating that we were boyfriend and girlfriend, all to help me.
Walking down the corridor with Dane, I listen as he talks about working on upper body strength and cardio this week ahead of the race. I nod, hearing but not really taking much in of what he is saying.
We ride the lift to Athena’s floor and within seconds, I am standing outside, knocking the back of my finger against the wooden door. Dane looks at me, brows furrowed ever so slightly, his forehead creased. He stands taller than me. Six-foot-one, if I had to guess with broad shoulders and thick legs.
When I was a kid, I always wanted to be tall and muscly but being on the shorter side worked in my favour, I suppose. After all, how many overly tall F1 drivers do you see? Most of them, like me, are built different. I am uncomfortable in that tiny pit of the car, so I can’t imagine how Dane would feel.
My heart drums against my chest when I think back to the kids that used to bully me in school because I was short. It bothered me massively, and maybe, if I dug deep enough, it probably still does.
I am pulled from my thoughts when she opens the door, her scent drowning me as a soft breeze from her aircon drifts our way. Sunshine and rain. That’s how she smells. I can’t explain it other than a warm summer afternoon, the hot rays have beat down all day until grey clouds roll in, blanketing the sky and that fine, warm summer rain cascades down.
“Morning.” Her eyes volley between me and Dane.
“Morning.” I smile back, stepping aside so she can walk out. “How are you feeling?” I find myself asking her as we walk down towards the lobby.
“Yeah okay, how about you? Excited?”
“For?” I pause as we wait for the lift.
“New season.”
