I want to be his safe space.
“It sounds like our brothers would get along,” I say jokingly.
Asher mulls this over while chewing some eggs. “They’re both Machiavellian as fuck, but yours would goto the ends of the world to protect you. Mine is only out for himself.”
My heart breaks for him. I can’t stand the distance between us anymore, so I push my plate closer and scoot my chair until it’s pressing against his. “They’ll probably both spend their lives alone as punishment for being such jerks.” I say it lightly, but part of me worries about Hunter. In some ways, he has his shit together in ways that I never will, but in others, he’s mostly isolated from the world.
“I used to think that I’d spend my life alone as punishment for being such an asshole.” Asher gazes at me, and I hear the words he doesn’t speak.Until you.
I do my best not to melt into a puddle. My endeavor is a miserable failure.
“I don’t mind your rough edges. So long as you never insinuate that a woman shouldn’t be in F1 again, and you don’t insult my abilities.”
“I won’t,” he says seriously. “I promise.”
I soften. “Then we’ll be alright.”
And that’s when I realize I’m in serious,deepshit… because I might be starting to fall for the surly driver who does a stellar job at hiding his heart of gold.
Chapter Forty-One
Victoria
After breakfast, Asher drops me off back home, allowing me to forgo the walk of shame. We meet in headquarters an hour later, where he does an admirable job pretending like he wasn’t fucking my brains out of my body last night. I, on the other hand, flush and blush every time I see him.
Only concern over our preparedness for the next race keeps me in check. My algorithm is still processing the data on other teams I’ve fed it, but it should be ready in time for the next race. It’ll be far more advanced in giving accurate and well-rounded suggestions, so I’ll have less options to choose from… but it still won’t be perfect.
I’m screwing around on my tablet in the cafeteria when Asher joins me, plopping into the seat across from me.
I set my tablet down and arch and eyebrow at him. “This is new.” Translation:what are you doinghere? Act normal!
Asher offers me a dazzling smile. Heat gathers at my core. “I figured there’s no harm in spending time with my favorite intern.”
“I’m youronlyintern.”
“You’re myonly, period.”
My breath catches in my throat. His words wriggle their way under my armor more effectively than mind-blowing sex ever could. “Sometimes, you say things that sweep me off my feet,” I admit softly.
His smile turns roguish. “Then it’s a good thing you’re sitting down. And if you weren’t, I’d catch you.”
He pulls something from his pocket,my phone, and slides it across the table to me. “Good as new.”
I pick it up, turning it over in my hand. The screen is shiny and free of any fissions.
“Thank you,” I say, a touch awkwardly. I’m still uncomfortable accepting the present from him, but I pick it up and power it on. There are a few texts from Hunter about the rapidly approaching engagement party, and… shit, I have to stop blowing Delilah and Keith off.
The bet Delilah told me about feels like a lifetime ago. Technically shedidwin because I held out on full-blown sex for a week…
“Anytime.” Asher leans forward. “How long are you going to insist we try to keep this on the downlow?”
Nerves string me tight. I knew this conversation was coming sooner or later, and I’m still somehow unprepared for it. “Um…”
“Victoria. People are already catching on, and more will catch on as time goes on. It’s better not to let them get concrete proof before we go public.”
I fiddle with a piece of my hair. He’s right, but… “The optics aren’t good. It’ll look like I fucked—”
“Don’t. Finish. That. Sentence.” Asher’s tone morphs from reasonable to furious in the span of a heartbeat. “You did notfuckyour way anywhere. You are the reason I’ve started doing well in races, and I’m more than happy to publicly state that and praise your work. If peoplestillwant to think the worst after that, let them. Fuck them. They’re irrelevant.”
