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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

NICO AND ROCCO

W hat do you think?” Nico asked Charles as she stood before him in a dusky violet-gray one-shoulder floor-length gown.

Charles didn’t say anything. Not exactly the reaction she’d been hoping for.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Nothing’s wrong with it. Turn around.”

Nico did. The singular strip that hung over her shoulder crossed her back and attached to an O-ring set very low, leaving almost her entire back bare.

“Wow,” Charles exclaimed. “It’s very, very …”

Nico faced him. “Very what?”

“Very cherchez la femme la shark a la Drink and Dive.”

Nico frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

“Don’t get me wrong, you look gorgeous. It’s just, I haven’t seen you done up like this since—well, you know—only without the wig.”

Nico began looking around the room, making a pretense of searching for her purse. “Well, why not? This is big. I want to celebrate. Why shouldn’t I do myself up special for a special evening?”

“You can stop pretending to look for your purse to avoid looking me in the eye. It’s right there on the bed—right in front of you—you’re staring right at it.”

“I’m not trying to avoid looking at you.”

“Okay, then look at me.”

Nico drew a deep breath and faced Charles, lifting her chin. “Satisfied?”

“No,” Charles said, “because you’re not being honest with me. But I guess I can hardly expect you to be when you’re not being honest with yourself. The way you’re acting right now, Nico, I swear the only thing stopping you from donning that platinum wig is the fact that you didn’t pack it.”

“What are you talking about? I’m not planning on sharking someone at poker or pool. Why would I? Even in the past, when I still did that, I never did it to anyone even remotely connected to the racing world.”

“Other than that night at Drink and Dive.”

Nico sighed as she plunked down on the bed.

“Okay, that’s true. But I didn’t know Rocco back then.

Remember the things he was saying on social media?

The annoying, arrogant, asshole, prick? I wouldn’t do it now.

For what possible reason? I don’t want to go back to doing that.

I’m not that woman. I’m the woman who just made it to her first podium in Formula 1. So, why would I— That makes no sense.”

Charles sat down beside her. “It makes perfect sense. You’ve developed feelings for the man. Come on, admit it. That kiss wasn’t just to irk Carolyn Wickham.”

Nico remained silent. She’d intended to be that woman outside Drink and Dive when she’d kissed him.

But as his lips met hers, she realized something was different.

It was her kissing him—not that platinum blonde.

And toward the end there, it had begun to feel like she was losing control and it was him kissing her.

What must he be thinking? He must have been stunned. For her just to grab him and kiss him like that?

It didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t mean anything. She had to make certain he knew she understood that.

It. Didn’t. Mean. Anything.

“You care about him, Nico. And that scares you to death. You want to destroy any chance of anything starting between the two of you.”

Nico shook her head. “Not true!”

“It is true.”

“Okay, maybe, just maybe I’m attracted to the man, but so what?”

“It’s more than that. You’re forgetting I know you. You’re also forgetting I saw you up on that podium. One might almost think you were happier for him than you were for yourself.”

“What?! That’s ridiculous!”

“I said almost .”

Feeling agitated, Nico stood up and began to pace.

“Look, suppose it’s true, what you’re saying, and mind you, I’m not saying it is.

But if it were and I have developed feelings for him, then it’s better I put a stop to it right now.

He doesn’t have those kinds of feelings for me.

And if he did, that would only make things worse.

We’re finally doing well as a team. That’s why Dario said those things he did at the masquerade party when he thought I was Rocco.

He knows anything more than friendly teammates off the track would screw us on it.

Even Celeste is worried about it. You can’t be team members and, whatever you would call it, at the same time. ”

“A couple? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Lovers? In love? Those are some of the things you might call it. And who says?”

“What about just friends? Women and men can be friends. Look at us.”

“That’s different. And you know it. Why ask you to join him in that village for Carnival? He wanted you with him.”

“So, what? I want you and Templeton with me.”

“Yeah, but you don’t want to kiss us. Not like that.”

“No, I don’t. You’re right. And let’s remember it’s me that wanted to kiss him in that alleyway. Not the other way around.”

“Uh-uh. He wanted to kiss you. I can tell by the way you described that scene. I can see it. He would have if his nieces hadn’t showed up.”

Nico sighed, rolling her eyes.

“Poor man. He must have it bad. He didn’t even care that you had a moustache!”

“You’re reading into this. Also, are you forgetting what I told you happened in that village?

It might have been Mickey who pulled me away.

” Nico held up her palm like a traffic cop when Charles opened his mouth.

“And before you say something to the effect that I give the man too much power. That’s exactly what I plan on not doing.

Don’t you get it? If he’s around and he sees that I have feelings for Rocco, he might try to get at me through him. ”

“How?”

“I don’t know how. And I don’t want to find out how.”

Charles narrowed his eyes. Nico did likewise.

“And what about him inviting you to come to the town he grew up in and stay with his family? A man doesn’t do that if he doesn’t have feelings for a woman.”

“He didn’t invite me. His nieces did. And I’ve already told them I have plans.”

“What plans?”

“Hanging out with you and Templeton. We’ll go out, eat junk food, coffee ice cream, and chocolate. Invent new cocktails and watch movies. It’ll be fun.”

“He’s made no mention of your joining him for a visit?”

“No. Just because his nieces want me to visit doesn’t mean he does.”

“He hasn’t mentioned it because he thinks you have plans.”

“He can’t know that. We haven’t talked about what we’re doing over the break.”

“His nieces told him.”

“You don’t know that.” Nico stood up. “Are we going or what?”

Charles groaned. “Okay.”

They walked silently down the hallway and into the elevator.

Charles looked her up and down as they descended. “You really are in grifter mode.”

Exasperated, Nico huffed. “Just because I’m made up like I would be if I were going to con someone doesn’t mean that’s what I intend on doing.”

Charles sighed as the elevator doors opened. “Guess there’s no need to when you’ve already conned yourself.”

Rocco leaned against a marble column in the Salle Empire. Three arched windows opened out onto a large terrace that overlooked Casino Square and a portion of the circuit they’d raced earlier today.

He watched, waiting for the moment he would find her alone.

She stood with a group of people, her hair swept up into a bun on top of her head.

The dress hugged every turn her body took.

He blinked when she turned and he saw her from behind—naked, exposed.

His eyes drifted from her shoulders to the arch of her back, sliding down that olive flesh to her ass.

He swallowed, pulling his collar away from his throat.

He wasn’t even certain what he would say to her, but he knew whatever it was, he wouldn’t say it with anyone else around.

He bit his lower lip. He could still taste her, and her scent still lingered.

It couldn’t be on his clothes, given he’d changed, not even on his skin, given he’d showered.

It must be lingering in his memory, but it was so powerful, it invaded more than his mind, it invaded his body.

So that even when he wasn’t thinking of it, it was here; he couldn’t shake it.

He hadn’t wanted to let go of her. He wouldn’t have if she hadn’t pushed him away. Did he linger in her the way she did in him? How could he not? After a kiss like that.

He turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Carolyn.

“I really did mean it, you know.”

He frowned. “Mean what?”

“Congratulations. It took me back, seeing you command those streets in the rain. Like it was years ago.”

Nodding, he swallowed, attempting a smile.

“I feel as though I should apologize for that little scene afterward. But it’s not easy to see that kind of public display with someone you once—you still—care about.

And, in my defense, I thought, seeing how awkward it was up on that podium, I guess I thought, you weren’t really—well, you know. But I suppose I was wrong.”

“We aren’t together. Like that.”

“Really? When she kissed you like she did …”

“She was just trying to show you up, that’s all.”

“Well, that she did. On the track as well as off it.”

Rocco chuckled, smiling at her, and in that moment recapturing some memory of what he’d liked about Carolyn, recalling why he’d fallen for the woman.

“Is that what she’s doing now?” Carolyn asked, gazing at something over Rocco’s shoulder.

Rocco turned to see Leo Clarke with Nico.

They looked good together. Even he had to admit it. Clarke’s elegant features complemented Nico’s dramatic ones. She touched his arm as she laughed at something he’d said. Why had she never done that with him?

His eyes shifted to Clarke. The man’s eyes glinted—he was looking at her like he—

Is he interested in her?

He leaned in and whispered something in her ear.

She better not blush. Don’t. Blush.

He waited. And watched. And then sighed.

She didn’t.

She did, however, lean in and whisper something back.

Her eyes were sparkling, but he didn’t see that window of light, did he? No, he didn’t see it. He was 100 percent certain. His heart thudded in his chest as though it no longer knew how to beat in a steady rhythm.

Maybe 85 percent certain .