Page 45 of Lights Out (Love in the Paddock #1)

He groans. “Stop it. We’ve gone round on this before, Isla. I might have opened the door a little wider for you, but you are the one who got through it.”

“It’s more like you ripped the door off the hinges for me, but whatever.”

“Whatever,” he repeats, chuckling softly.

Before long, breakfast is delivered, and I go downstairs to retrieve it. We eat at my tiny table for two and discuss what our plans are for the day. Caleb has some workouts scheduled with his trainer. I have lots of shopping to get done.

“Why don’t you come to my place tonight,” he says, taking a sip of his latte. “I’ll figure out a discreet way to get you in.”

“I can’t,” I say regretfully. “I have my first meeting tomorrow at The Downforce Network at eight-thirty, and I don’t even want to take a chance of being late.”

A determined look enters his eyes. “Dinner, then?”

I nod. “I agree to dinner.”

“Sex?” he asks, his mouth curving into a mischievous but knowing smile.

I burst out laughing. “Duh. Yes.”

Now a full smile lights up his face, and I find myself smiling, too. I love that he shows me this playful side. I wonder whether Catherine could coax that out of him if she were the one filming social media content for Collings Motors.

Caleb asks Catherine to pick him up, and once she’s in the lobby, I give her access to come upstairs.

Before long she’s knocking, and I get up to let her in.

As soon as I pull open the door, I take her in.

Her long black hair tumbles past her shoulders, and her big blue eyes shine brightly back at me.

Today she’s dressed in a gauzy white button-down with a white tank underneath and jeans.

“Hello,” I say. “Come on in.”

“Hi,” she says cheerfully.

As I close the door behind her, I inhale her scent. It’s bright and summery, like a juicy orange.

“I love your perfume,” I say.

“Oh, thank you. It’s from a bespoke perfumer in Knightsbridge. She will even work with you one-on-one to create a new scent.”

“Is that the same place you get your shampoo?” I ask Caleb, remembering this from our interview.

“Yep. Same shop,” he confirms.

“Really? I need to go to this place.”

“I can take you if you want,” Catherine offers. “But warning, I can spend hours playing with perfume.”

“Same,” I say.

Caleb gets up from the kitchen table. “I can see I’m not needed here.”

“No. You’re not,” Catherine says.

He grins at her, and I love the fact that they are so close.

“We need to go. You need to get ready for training,” she continues. “I’ll drop you at your place. Ben will meet you there.”

Ben is Caleb’s personal trainer, and he travels with Caleb wherever he goes so he can stay in peak physical condition.

Caleb nods. “Okay.” Then he turns to me. “I have a gym in my penthouse here. Ben trains me at home. But I’ll text you later about tonight.”

“Okay.”

He bends down and drops a quick kiss on my lips. “Later.”

“Later,” I say, smiling up at him.

Then I say goodbye to Catherine, and they are both out the door. The apartment feels so much bigger and quieter without Caleb’s presence in it.

I grab my phone off the kitchen table to see if I have any new messages.

I know I won’t hear from Hadleigh or my parents for hours, as London is five hours ahead of Miami.

I wander into the bathroom, setting my phone on the marble countertop, and turn on the shower.

I really need to clear my head. I’m still off from the long flight and staying up late last night with Caleb.

Buzz!

My phone vibrates against the marble surface. I glance down and see I already have a text from Caleb:

I’ll have Ben work extra hard on the neck muscles today just for you.

Ooh! I quickly text him back:

I will reward you for that tonight.

Caleb Collings is typing …

I will hold you to that.

I smile and put the phone down. I take a long, hot shower, then slip out and grab one of the germ-filled towels Hadleigh is repelled by and wrap it around my body. I pick up a washcloth and wipe the fog from the mirror, catching a glimpse of my reflection.

I look different.

My eyes are sparkling, and my cheeks grow pink when I think of what happened with Caleb last night. Is my skin actually glowing? Or does the ever-present smile on my face give me a new glow?

Whatever it is, I feel—and look—more radiant because of Caleb.

I get ready, drying my hair and putting on my makeup. I begin to think about where to start with my day, and suddenly I’m intimidated. I’m in a new country. Nothing is familiar to me. I don’t even know where to begin. I don’t have a car. How will I even get groceries home? What stores are good?

These thoughts are rolling around in my head when my phone buzzes again. I glance down at the screen, and to my surprise, I see it’s Catherine:

Hey, I just dropped Caleb off. He said you have some shopping to do today, and I was wondering if I could help you at all. Shopping is my second favourite sport outside of Formula 1.

Relief spills through me. This is perfect. Catherine is sharp, organized, and knows London. She can direct me on places to go and help me get my bearings in this new city. I eagerly text her back:

OMG that would be AMAZING. Yes, please! And thank you so much for offering to help me!

Catherine Collings is typing …

Great! Are you ready? I can come back up to White City and pick you up.

I text her back that I will be ready. Then another text drops in from her:

Perfect. And this is a win-win for both of us. I can help you get settled in London, but the bigger win is for me, because I have a chance to get to know you better and check out the woman who is trying to crack the code on my brother.

I put down the phone. I suddenly realize this is more than shopping. Catherine is the person Caleb is closest to in the whole world. They’ve gone through a lot together. Caleb respects her and values her opinion. They work together. Travel together.

They are more than incredibly close. They share a tight bond.

I know Caleb will ask her what she thinks of me after our time together. Her opinion matters to him. And if Catherine doesn’t like me?

What she thinks might just matter to Caleb, too.