“I have a confession,” I tell him.
“Go on.”
“I would have gone anywhere you asked me tonight, before knowing how you kiss,” I say seriously. “I wanted to be with you.”
Caleb’s expression grows serious. Then he dips his head and kisses me again. This kiss is completely different. It’s slow. Sweet. Exploring me in a whole new way.
And I want more of it.
He breaks the kiss. “Come on. I have something to show you.” Caleb takes my hand and leads me around the terrace, and to my surprise, I find there’s a whole other side.
With a pool surrounded by a wall of tall plants strategically placed for privacy.
“The pool,” he says simply.
“Oh, you even have cacti!” I say, looking at one end of the pool.
“I didn’t think that would be the big selling point, but yes, I have cacti,” he says dryly.
I giggle at that, and he chuckles.
“Isla?”
“Yeah?”
Caleb is silent for a moment before speaking, and I wonder what he’s thinking so carefully about.
“Thank you for taking so many risks for me,” he finally says. “The risk is all on your part. Don’t think I don’t understand that, because I do.”
I take in his words. I’m touched that he feels the need to acknowledge this to me.
“And I will do whatever it takes to protect you—and your privacy—from the media and the public,” he says, sounding determined.
I move around so I’m not standing beside him, but in front of him. Caleb puts his hands on my waist again, and I put mine on his forearms. “I know dating me has challenges that dating other women doesn’t come with,” I say. “You’re going to have to sacrifice doing things—at least for the time being—like going out to dinner or getting a coffee in public, so we can keep this between us and our friends. I can’t take the risk of The Downforce Network getting wind of this while we’re getting to know each other.”
“There’s more than that,” Caleb says. “Fans on social media can be ruthless. They’ll write horrible things about you simply because you’re with me—and that’s without you working for The Downforce Network. Your position will make all of that a thousand times worse.”
I think about things I’ve seen online about some of the wives and girlfriends of drivers. People can be ruthless. Cruel. I’ve even seen death threats, which is so sick and disturbing, I can barely get my head around someone even typing that.
And they will turn their poison on me for being a racing reporter who landed one of the hottest drivers in Formula 1.They will say I got this job to get to him. Or that I used him to get my position at The Downforce Network.
I swallow. The fallout will be awful. But my thoughts don’t waver as I stare up at Caleb.
He’s a risk worth taking.No matter how big it is.
* * *
I stare at the arrangement of food Caleb has put out on the kitchen island and my jaw drops open. I’ve never seen a more exquisite selection of sushi and sashimi in my life. That includes nice restaurants in Miami.
But it’s just another way this evening is perfect. When we were talking one night, I told Caleb I was craving sushi, and how it is one of my very favorite things to eat, so what does the man do? He invites me over and gives me a surprise sushi dinner.
“This is almost too pretty to eat,” I say, studying the spread laid out before me.
“No, you have to eat it,” Caleb says, handing me a set of chopsticks. “This is from my favorite place in Monte Carlo, and it’s brilliant. It’s so fresh, it practically melts in your mouth.”
“I will trust your endorsement.” I pick up a plate and study my options. “Okay, I recognize salmon, yellowtail, and tuna sashimi.” I point my chopsticks at an unfamiliar piece of fish. “What is that?”
“Red mullet,” Caleb says, putting some on his plate.