Page 113 of Overtake
She searches his face. “You’d really be fine with that? Not knowing?”
“Petra.” He smiles. “I’ve not known for eleven years. I can survive a little longer while you sort through your feelings.”
The tension in her shoulders finally eases. She turns and settles back against his chest, and he wraps his arms around her, holding her close in the warm water.
She lifts his fingers to her mouth and whispers, “Thank you,” against them.
“For what?”
“For understanding that I need to be sure.”
He kisses her damp shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere, Petra Hayter. Take all the time you need.”
“But what if I decide no? What if I can’t?”
“Then that’s how it will be.” He rests his chin on her shoulder now. He smirks. “And I will never let you beat me on track again.”
She laughs and the sound makes him happy.
CHAPTER THIRTY
GRAN PREMIO DE LA CIUDAD DE MÉXICO | TUESDAY
Morning light filtersthrough the hotel curtains as Nico stretches. The space beside him in bed is empty and he sits up, momentarily worried that Petra’s made her decision without giving him more time to prove their worth as a couple. Then he hears movement in the bathroom and shakes his head at his own idiocy. She’s still here. Of course she is. She wouldn’t leave without making him work a helluva lot harder. Petra isn’t a quitter. Never has been, never will be.
Even though she can’t say she loves him, Nico knows he’ll win that race. He’s lasted this long and brought her this far. Crossing the finish line with Petra Hayter is just a matter of endurance and consistency.
Those he excels at.
She emerges from the bathroom wearing his blue and red FuegoFrío sponsor shirt and a pair of his sweatpants, both hanging low on her narrow hips. Her thick, dark hair is pulled back in a ponytail and her face is freshly washed. The sight of her wearing his clothes probably shouldn’t affect him this much, but...
¡Dios!
“Borrowed these.” She gestures at the clothes while already on her phone. “I’m not taking the walk of shame in last night’s dress.”
She looks strong and confident, already shifting into race weekend mode despite everything that’s changed between them.
“Vale.” Nico props up on an elbow, admiring the view. “But you won’t fool anyone.”
“I know.” She’s scanning her phone, no doubt reviewing schedule changes and engineering briefs. “We’ve got work to do, Bunny Boy.”
He loves the way she compartmentalizes, switching from lover to driver without missing a beat. Petra attacks every aspect of life with the same dedication she brings to racing. That’s her strength and her weakness. It made her a champion. But it also drove her self-destruction when they were teens.
“I have an engineering meeting in an hour.” She pockets her phone and comes to the bed. She leans down and kisses him in a way that makes him want to make her late for that meeting. She pulls back a little, and there’s that playfulness he loves so much in her eyes. “I bet you do too.”
“If I don’t check my schedule, I have plausible deniability.”
She snorts and straightens. “Bullshit.”
Nico grins. “Lunch with me?”
“Can’t.” Petra rolls her eyes and looks like she’s caught between homicidal and suicidal. “I have an interview with Graham’s media team.”
“Ah.” He wraps his arms around her waist. “That’s going to be shit.”
Her beautiful lips curl into a snarl. “Mm. They’re making the rounds so expect to be called up next.”
“Mierda.”Nico hates that contractual obligation. Media and cameras always in their faces is his least favorite thing about F1.And with all that’s happened in recent weeks—Singapore, Wyn, him and her—the interview questions will be loaded.
