“I should have, but I only went on Instagram that day to message you. If I’d taken a second to scroll… I would have known.”
Her lips parted slightly, like she didn’t know what to do with that.
My hand was still brushing hers. I could’ve taken it, held it. God, I wanted to, but we were on a fucking F1 sponsor float surrounded by half the sport, all the drivers on the grid, and every brand rep with a lens, so I didn’t.
Instead, I said, “Next time your birthday comes around, we’ll celebrate properly. Pistachios and all.”
She huffed a soft laugh, but it cracked in the middle. “I’ll hold you to that.”
“You better.”
Just like that, I was fucking ruined again, because she wasn’t invisible to me. She never had been, and I’d never let her feel that way again, even if I had to smile through every fake PR stunt Monaco could throw at us.
I didn’t meanto get so vulnerable, but Callum has a way of bringing that side out. It was a nice change—but not exactly the right setting for it, and definitely not the right time. We were halfway up the hill overlooking the harbor, the Monte Carlo sun bouncing off every polished surface. My phone buzzed every few minutes with updates from the team, the back of my neck damp with sweat and tension. I was still grappling with the meeting I’d just gotten out of with the officials, and flirting with this man—this beautiful, smug, maddening man—was the last thing I should be doing.
But… he’d started it. And I’d never been great at following the rules, anyway.
“So, what’s with the outfit?” he asked me suddenly, eyes sweeping over me. In the Monaco daylight, they matched the color of the sky—so damn beautiful and captivating. It wasn’t fair for him to look this way.
I glanced down at my outfit. I was in my baby blue special team kit, khaki shorts, and white sneakers. It was simple and work appropriate for the event today, and I wanted to be comfortable. “What’s wrong with it? Do I… do I not look okay?”
Oh, God. If a man was pointing out my clothing choices, I was royally fucked and had lost all sense of fashion. I didn’t deserve to be in the public eye like this.
“You look like a tour guide.”
Of all the things he could’ve said, that was what he went with?
I blinked at him, then down at myself again. Now all I could see was an off-duty museum intern giving free tours of disappointment. Go figure. That seemed to be the story of my life. And now I was filled with a near crippling sense of insecurity.
“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to sound casual, but something about the way his eyes dragged over me made my skin burn. And not from sexual tension, but from embarrassment.
He tilted his head like he didn’t mean to offend me, as if the words had tumbled out of his stupidly pretty mouth before his brain caught up. “Just… you’re usually in jeans or a skirt. This is a different look. Like you’re about to offer a walking tour of Monte Carlo.”
I stared at him. How had this man earned a reputation of being a playboy? Oh, right, he was so attractive, he probably barely had to utter a word before women were spreading their legs for him. The thought made me scowl, because I knew just how smooth-talking and filthy his mouth could be,and that was what he decided to compliment me with?Scratch that, this wasn’t a compliment. This was ajoke. It had to be.
“Sorry I didn’t show up in thigh-highs and a come-fuck-me smile. Next time I’ll bring the heels and a laminated map in case it rains.”
Callum’s eyes widened just a fraction, as if he realized he’d fucked up and wasn’t sure if I was about to eviscerate him or laugh. Which, fair, because yeah, that pissed me off. I was happy to see him, but not if he was going to insult me.
Before he could decide how to respond, Kimi appeared at my side like an agent of chaos summoned at the perfect time. “You two look like you’re having a good time,” he announced, slinging an arm across my shoulders and leaning dramatically on me. “Didn’t realize Vanguard and Luminis were doing a merger.”
Marco joined from the other side, grinning like the cheeky asshole he was. “They’re both too pretty. It’s a distraction. The FIA is going to fine us all for hazardous levels of sexual chemistry.”
“No sexual chemistry here,” I quipped flippantly.
Callum’s gaze slowly tracked Kimi’s arm, and I saw the flicker of something in his eyes. Not anger, and not jealousy, exactly. Just... something sharp and possessive that made my stomach flip.
“Right.” Marco snickered. “And the sky isn’t blue.”
I rolled my eyes and shoved Kimi off me with a laugh. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“Nope. Not with us all being stuck on this float,” Kimi said, tousling my hair like a little sister. I swatted at his hand.
“Don’t touch. My hair takes me forever to do.”
Kimi scoffed. “Such a girl.”
I caught Callum watching the interaction with a weird expression—part amusement, part storm brewing behind his eyes. An idea popped in my head, and I decided to be a little diabolical.
