“I think he’s got the greatestculoI’ve ever seen on a man,” she chimes in, and I let out a shocked laugh.
“Okay, can we stop talking about my boyfriend’s ass when he’s in the kitchen making us dinner?” I don’t mean to say it like that, but Mamma and Nonna both raise their hands in mock surrender.
“Okay, okay, no need to get defensive,” Nonna teases with a bright smile and squeezes my side. I burst into a fit of giggling, and before I know it, Mamma starts tickling me too.
“Enough,” I beg, and they release me.
“Go see if Leonard needs some help,” Mamma tells me, leaning back on the couch with a tired smile on her face.
I’m on my feet and playfully glaring at her before they carry me toward the kitchen. Leonard’s muscular frame appears in my line of sight, and I close the distance between us until I can wrap my arms around him from behind. His scent fills my nose, warm and delicious, and the heat of his body sends a wave of calm through my system. We slept over at Nonna’s house last night, which means he’s wearing some of my Nonno’s old clothes. I can smell a hint of him on the fabric.
“Dinner is almost ready,” he assures me, but I turn him around to bring my hands to each side of his face.
“I’m happy you’re here,” I blurt out, and he leans down to give me a single kiss.
“So am I, Starling. Thank you for sharing this part of your life with me,” he says, kissing me again and again and then one more time. I melt against him completely. “Are you hungry?” he asks, and I nod, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth. “Good. I hope your Nonna and Mamma will like what I’ve prepared. I know vegan food isn’t everyone’s thing,” Leonard says and squeezes my hips to bring me closer.
“I didn’t think I’d like it, but you’re a decent cook,” I tease, and he lets his hands drop to my ass, squeezing it until I gasp.
“You should be nicer to me, otherwise I might add a little too much salt to your plate,” he replies, and I let out a mocking gasp.
“You wouldn’t.” Leonard leans down until his lips are against mine.
“I would,” he says before biting down on my bottom lip and letting out an approving groan when he has to hold me up with his hands. “Stop distracting me. I need to finish dinner,” he says and releases me. Instead of leaving the kitchen and him alone, I wrap my arms around him from behind again.
Being close to him isn’t something I should give in to whenever my body demands it. I shouldn’t start depending on the comfort of his touch, the warmth of his skin, or the feelings in my stomach whenever I hear him laugh, chuckle, or simply just inhale. Two decades. That’s how long I’ve known this man. I hated him for as long, but it’s right what they say. Love and hate is a fine line. I always thought it was easy to go from loving someone to hating them, but it turns out it’s much easier to go from thinking you hate them to developing other feelings. More positive feelings.
God, my head is spinning. As a matter of fact, everything is spinning, and I have no idea how to ground myself when Leonard has me falling without a parachute.
“Leonard?” I say, and he places his hands over mine where they rest on his stomach.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“I kind of like you,” I admit, which is absolutely fucking terrifying.
“Chiara?” he asks in response, making me smile.
“Yes, Champ?”
“You’re everything to me.”
Well, fuck.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN
leonard
I’m getting sick and tired of it. Jonathan continues to play dirty, pushing me off the track whenever he feels like it, crashing into me, complaining to the team that they’re favouring me, and endless more things while I am the one who suffers. I’m in third place now because he forced me off the track halfway through the race, when I was leading, and he couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t overtake me any other way, so he fucked me over. I’ve been in communication with my team about it, but Jonathan won’t be receiving a penalty for what he’s done. Of course not. The FIA loves to favour him for some reason I will never be able to understand.
By the time the last lap comes around, I’m cooking in my anger. I will have to speak to my team immediately after the race. This can’t keep happening. I’m still leading the championship by far, today’s events won’t change that, but if he continues this, I will lose, and I will do so unjustly. I’ve lost before. I don’t mind it, it’s part of racing. It’s also a great source of growth and learning for me. But this? This is unacceptable, and I won’t stand for it. Knowing my team principal, he won’t either.
Robert Fuchs is the best team principal to have ever walked this earth. He won’t allow Jonathan to pull this shit anymore. Sportsmanship is one of the most important things in our sport. Jonathan’s behaviour is the opposite of sportsmanship. Obviously, the last conversation with him hasn’t changed anything. I will say something this time, and he’s not going to like it. Maybe I will bring Chiara as my backup. He’s scared of her, and I’d love to see him squirm. All she’ll have to do is glare at him and that man will be pissing his pants.
I drive to the third place sign after the race is finished, trying to swallow down my anger and seem professional. It feels impossible until I set my eyes on Chiara standing with the rest of my team, an unfamiliar feeling spreading through my chest. I’ve seen other driver’s girlfriends do this before, standing with the team while they wait for their boyfriends to pull off their helmets and go celebrate with them. They kiss them for the whole world to see, and the urge to do the same tugs at my soul. I try to resist as I climb out of my car, try to fight against every fibre of my being pulling me toward her, but then I realise I don’t want to fight it. As a matter of fact, I haven’t wanted anything as much as I want to kiss her right now, in front of everyone, to show them she’s mine.
My limbs are tired and heavy as I stand next to my car. I tear my gloves off and make quick work of my helmet, moving over to where my team is. Chiara is standing in the second row, but I briefly give my team, along with Quinn, a high five, just like always, before reaching for Starling and bringing her to the very front. There’s no smile on her face, like usually when she’s among people, but as soon as I flash her the slightest of grins, her face lights up. I bring my hand to cup her face, unsure if she’s okay with making our relationship public already, but Chiara steps onto her tiptoes for me, closing her eyes as she waits for a kiss.
I don’t fucking hesitate.
