Book 1: Leap of Faith -Charles Leclerc

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: May 28th, 2023

May passed by like the blink of an eye. Caroline was starting to get crazy busy with work, a distraction that she welcomed with open arms. She had briefly talked to Charles after the past two races, neither of which she could attend. Caroline felt the anxiety about the whole situation wash away knowing that he wasn't even in the same country as her, letting her avoid all of the complicated thoughts and emotions. She was hopeful that she would be able to go to Miami and maybe see her friends, but she wasn't needed. So she continued to work and establish a solid foundation in her new home.

It was now the morning of the Monaco GP, the crown jewel in the lineup of races. Charles had been able to secure her VIP paddock tickets, assuring her that it was no problem. In their conversations they still hadn't talked about the night they spent together or the feelings that lingered between them. Caroline felt like things were back to normal as she wandered around Monaco in the morning, watching everyone frantically moving around to prepare for the race. It was a perfect day, much like the rest of the days in spring in the south of France. She found herself wandering towards the Ferrari garage, as if pulled by some magnetic force. At this point, Charles was first in the driver's championship, but Max was close behind him by about 20 points. She knew how much Charles had wanted this championship as he dedicated most of his life to it, so she secretly cursed the Dutchman.

After flashing her pass to the guards, she walked into the Ferrari garage, quickly spotting Charles doing his pre-race ritual in the corner. Her heart immediately started beating faster, making her more than aware of her feelings for him at that moment. She ignored them, as she usually did, willing herself to stop. Denial was an old friend to Caroline. Charles had an intense and concentrated look on his face, one that she had only seen in a rather compromised position. She was contemplating the idea of going up to talk to him but didn't want to pull his focus. She opted to stand in the back, observing everyone getting the car ready like worker bees in a hive.

Charles looked up from his phone and scanned the room around him, taking in the electric energy that lingered in the air. He lived for that energy on race days, always a precursor to a great race. His eyes had to do a double take as they landed on Caroline, leaning against the back wall of the garage. She was wearing a light green sundress that accentuated her waist, and her hair was pulled up into a clip on her head. He watched her tuck a few strands behind her ear as she scanned the garage, her eyes eventually landing on him. Charles smiled immediately as their eyes locked, watching her do the same. He couldn't stop his feet from walking him over to her, enveloping her in a hug.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to distract you from your pre-race rituals. I was just so excited to be inside the Ferrari garage. It's so amazing here, this whole experience has been amazing," she said, placing one hand on his arm. Charles thought about how distracting she really was to him, as he hadn't been able to stop replaying that night in his mind. He found himself distracted from every obligation he had over the past few weeks. He thought about her soft skin and warm lips during strategy meetings and the way her back arched while he pinned her to his mattress during media duties. Carlos would often have to nudge him with an elbow to bring him back to reality.

"You're all good, would you like a tour?" he said, gesturing for her to follow him through the garage. Caroline's face lit up at this offer, causing Charles to smile. He led her through the garage, introducing her to all of the teams. He took the liberty of studying the expressions on her face the whole time, feeling a sense of pride that he was able to make her smile and feel joy just by showing her a glimpse into his life. Charles realized just how much he had missed her over the past weeks while they were apart. When the tour came to an end, the pair found their place at the back of the garage once again. Caroline couldn't stop eyeing him, thinking about how sexy he looked in his fireproofs as he let the suit hang off his hips. She was practically forcing her eyes to stay on his face as he explained anything and everything to her.