Oh my God. Those are two signs that are perfectly suited for each other.
“You know what it means, though. I can tell.”
I blink. He’s so incredibly observant. More than any other man I’ve ever met.
“Astrology-wise, we’re a good match,” I say. “If you believe in that kind of thing.”
His eyes lock on mine. Butterflies dance in my stomach.
“I do now,” he says.
Ooh!
“I believe I met you for a reason,” Caleb says. “I barely know you, and you’ve already changed me. Because of you, I’m trusting someone in the media. I never thought that would be possible.”
“I never thought I’d sit here with an F1 driver on a date,” I admit. “That was a distinct line I never thought I’d cross. But when I’m with you like this, I see you asCaleb. Not the driver, not the Collings Motors heir, but the man who made me a friendship bracelet and likes kangaroos and hates to lose padel games to Xavier. This should be wrong. But I don’t see how it can be when I feel this way about being here with you.”
The only sound in the room now is the jazzy background music playing from Caleb’s phone as we sit with each other’s words. I canfeelthe chemistry between us, it’s so palpable.
He rises from his seat. “We should go. It’s really late.”
I nod in agreement, hating that this evening is coming to an end. I slip my heels back on, and as soon as I’m finished, Calebextends his hand to me. I put my hand in his, and he pulls me up. We’re now mere inches apart from each other, and he’s still holding my hand in his. Then Caleb lets go of my hand to trail his fingers down to the friendship bracelet on my wrist. I suck in a breath as I feel his fingertips brush over the beads.
“I need to see you again,” he says. “But I know how the media can be, and I’m going to do everything in my power to protect you whilst we get to know each other.”
His jaw is set. His eyes are determined. I suddenly have a sexy alpha male standing in front of me.
And while hotel conference rooms are known for subzero temperatures, I’m feeling very, very hot.
“Thank you,” I say.
“Come to the qualifying and the race this weekend. I’ll get you a pass so you can be in the garage. We can say you are going to hang out with Catherine. You just did an interview with me, and you spent time in our garage in Miami, so if you are with her, I can’t see it raising red flags.”
He hooks his thumb underneath the bracelet, and I feel his calloused skin brushing directly on mine, causing me to grow hot. “I would like that. And I’ll tell everyone Catherine invited me.”
“Good,” he says. “Now the next thing.”
“Yes?” I ask, practically holding my breath.
“Have dinner with me next week. In Monaco.”
I stare at him, stunned. Caleb has just asked me out for a dinner date.
IN MONACO.
I have to repeat the question, just to make sure this isn’t a bizarre fever dream or something.
“Have dinner with you in Monaco?”
“That was the invitation, yes,” Caleb says.
“But I’m not going to Monaco. The Downforce Network hasn’t booked me for anything else besides this weekend in Italy.”
I wait for Caleb to digest this. I’m sure it never crossed his mind that I wouldn’t be at the Monaco Grand Prix.
“You’ll be there,” he says confidently.
Okay, so it didn’t cross his mind but for a completely different reason. He’s confident I WILL be there, even if it hasn’t been arranged yet.