The Austrian Grand Prix weekend was the first weekend since Japan where Alessandra felt like she could really concentrate better on her job, and even keep an open mind and somewhat of a positive outlook with what's happening with her father. She felt lighter, she felt calmer, things she hasn't felt in a long time because from the moment she woke up until the moment she slept, whenever she wasn't focused on her work, all she thought about was her father. Honestly, if she knew that telling one person what she was going through with her dad, she would have done it ages ago, and she secretly knew that it would be Toto the person that would know.
She did feel slightly guilty that she told Toto that the grudge she had towards him wasn't going to drop anytime soon because she opened her heart out to him, but she knew that she did the right thing for herself. She couldn't afford forgiving what he said and then get hurt again, with everything that was going on in her life the last thing she needed was to get hurt again.
She wasn't a monster, she was still civil with Toto, and that was proven when she entered the paddock an hour after he had dropped her off at the hotel. She was with the guys outside of the Ferrari motor home when she saw him exit his team's motor home, and he quickly spotted her in the middle of the group of drivers, exchanging a quick wave and a small smile before getting back to what they were doing.
They had the occasional chat throughout the weekend whenever they bumped into each other, and none of them mentioned what happened on Thursday night, acting like nothing happened which was what Alessandra wanted. She was fully focused on the weekend, analysing the new data that was being gathered from the upgrades, pleased to see that the car was performing how they hoped it would and that the chance to challenge Mercedes and Redbull for the win.
Saturday was a tough day for the Maranello based team, as even though Free Practice 3 showed that Ferrari had the better quali pace and race pace, for some reason that was not executed during qualifying, which had Charles and Lewis starting P4 and p6 respectively. Because of this, Alessandra spent the whole evening video calling the team back at Gestione Sportiva to try and figure out why quali went as horrible as it did and what was the ideal set up for the race to try and optimise during the race.
Going into Sunday, Alessandra had faith in her team and her drivers that they could get the best out of the situation and get a good result if everything went well. She was calm and collected, not showing an ounce of stress around Toto, who had a gloating smirk around Alessandra as this drivers qualified in pole and third place, and Max was second. He was purposefully doing it to annoy her, and try and get a reaction out of her, like they always did especially the season before.
But Alessandra did not cave into his antics and showed no weakness, and at the end of the race, it was her standing on the podium with Charles and Lewis with a gloating smirk, winking down at Toto and showing him that she's the one who came on top again. Seeing his discreet scowl under the podium gave her satisfaction, the cherry on the cake after a tough weekend both professionally and personally, and she had him to thank for that.
Up next, it was the British Grand Prix, and Alessandra was particularly excited for this race as it was Lewis's first home race as a Ferrari driver. And because of that, her and Lewis had a couple of events planned in the city before they headed to Silverstone. Lewis still kept his apartment in London, even after moving to Italy, so he hosted his teammate and his boss for the couple of days they were spending in the city, which was something the Brit never did, because his teammates also always resided in the country and never had to stay over, but he enjoyed having Alessandra and Charles over. It made the events more bearable and it got the three even closer, being together in an environment away from the track or the factory for the first time in a while.
Alessandra was craving to head to a musical, a thing she always loved to do whenever she was in the city, but she was limited with time, and the two days she had in London were fully booked, so she couldn't. She was gutted, but then, whilst she was sat alone in one of Lewis's guest bedrooms, she remembered how when she was invited to see the Phantom of the Opera the year before, and she had to share the royal box with Toto. Her mind decided to relive that night, replaying it like a movie as she remembered how she felt, like it was yesterday. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself when she realised that never in her wildest dreams would she had thought that months after watching one of, if not the most, romantic musical, sat in the dark royal box, with Toto right by her side, spending the whole show leaning close to ask Alessandra questions about the musical he had no knowledge about, but she had plenty, the two would actually end up fucking in Paris.
She remembered the conversation they had when they got back to the hotel, remembering the slight jealousy she felt when she thought Toto had a woman waiting for him, and the relief on his face when she told him that there was no man waiting in her room. She wondered what would have happened that night if she accepted Toto's request to have a drink with him in his room. Would she have been strong enough to keep the sexual tension at bay being in his room with a drink in her system? Or would the result be the same as Paris after the Gala night? She knew she did the right thing to refuse Toto's invitation that night, she knew she couldn't afford to get herself into any messes especially when she was halfway through her first year as a team principal, and more-so that she never thought of Toto being anything other than her rival and found him attractive, but never had the thought of pursuing him.
2024 was going down as the year where Alessandra felt every possible emotion to exist, and felt ways she didn't know how to describe. She felt confident in her team and drivers for the season, she felt anger and hatred towards the man that makes her feel ways no man ever made her feel before, his touch still felt on her skin for days on end, the ways her body crave for him even when the last thing she wants to do is be in the same room as him. She's going through endless stress and sadness with her dad's situation whilst she felt tired of having to keep this strong façade in front of him and her team. Alessandra's one who's very in control of her thoughts and her emotions, even when she went through the tough moments and losses, but this was an all-new challenge, and one of the most challenging things of all was that the man who's caused her so much anger whilst making her feel so good and so alive, the man who's touch she craves badly, but also wants to be away from him.
The three then headed to Silverstone late Wednesday night, checking into the hotel them and the team were staying in and separated for the first time in three days as they got into their own rooms. Alessandra unpacked and took a shower before changing into a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt, then headed on the balcony. The weather was cool, which felt nice against the Alessandra's skin as she hoped that sleep would accumulate her, but she felt awake. She knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep anytime soon, and she couldn't force herself even if she tried, so she grabbed her phone and room key, put a cap over her head and the reading glasses over her eyes before making her way out of her room.
She went by the pool, sighing gratefully that there was no one in sight as she walked towards one of the deck chairs, putting the hood over her head as she laid down. She took out the cigarettes from the pocket of her hoodie, placed one between her lips and lit it, closing her eyes as she felt the warm nicotine burn the back of her throat as she inhaled, then opened her eyes as she exhaled, watching the smoke cascade over her face, slowly disappearing with the wind as her eyes then fell on the stars that shone in the clear sky. She chuckled to herself, knowing that most probably, this was the only night without rain, as probability of rain during the weekend has increased throughout the week.
With every puff she took, her mind started drifting into various thoughts, about the team, about her dad, about the life she was living. She had so much to be proud for, living a life beyond her wildest dreams. Ever since she could remember, from the first time she learned that the smell she never seemed to hate whenever she was at the factory was oil for the car, mixed with sounds of metal and engines which she adored, she knew she wanted to be an engineer. And when she became an engineer, she was the happiest, never thought that life could get better, and when she thought she reached her peak when becoming a chief track engineer, receiving many offers from other teams, hearing big engineers in Formula 1 talk about how she was the future, she was then given the biggest responsibility in a Formula 1 team, and brought back the glory and victory that her hometown has missed.
It was the biggest challenge she's even taken on, but she loved nothing more than taking on something that felt impossible, and every obstacle that came with it. She also took the challenge of watching and standing by her father as he fought the disorder, a challenge totally different from what her job threw at her. With every high and low she's experienced in life, she's always felt fulfilled, that she had everything she wanted, no regrets. But as she grew older, and she was approaching her thirties, she knew that there was one thing in life that she didn't have, something she never truly experienced, something that has always left a void, a void she always chose to ignore, but now became harder to.
And as she was about to ignore the thought of the only void she never had filled, soft laughter echoed in the air, which made Alessandra turn her head up into the direction of where it was coming from. A small smile made its way to her lips when she spotted Charles on the balcony, with his arms wrapped around Alexandra's waist, holding her close to him with their heads thrown back as they laughed, before sharing a sweet kiss. She looked away, her eyes back on the stars as she thought about how she never experienced a love like that before, and wondered if she will ever experience that kind of love.
She never dwelled on being alone romantically, frankly she loved being independent and be able to focus on her job without having a significant other whining her ear that she's too busy with her work or gets his ego bruised because she's doing a hell of a job in a man's world. But she did want to be loved, love someone unconditionally, have someone to wake up to, someone to support her wild life around the world. She thought about why she's never been in a serious relationship before, and even though her job could be a probable factor, she started wondering if maybe she was the problem, maybe she wasn't one that someone could love her like that, maybe she was intimidating, maybe she was self absorbed and she didn't know.
As she thought about it, her mind decided to remind her of Toto's existence, and that he was only a few minutes away from her if she jumped in her car and drove to Brackley. She didn't know why he appeared in her mind, and why the sudden desire to just find him in Brackley as she thought about wanting to be in a relationship. The idea of being with him romantically was absurd, because apart from the fact that even if she wanted to she couldn't be with him, she didn't think of him that way. At least that's what she thought as vivid images of how life would look like if she was with him romantically played in her mind, and butterflies fluttered in her stomach, whilst she felt a way she felt whenever she was with him, but never knew what it was.
She shook those thoughts away, not daring to let herself fall down the rabbit whole of an imaginary world, smashing the cigarette butt in the ashtray as the crave for a drink started forming. She stood up, hoping that when she comes back out near the pool, it would be as empty as she found it. She kept her head down slightly as she walked back inside, not wanting to be recognised by anyone as she navigated through the hotel, and into the bar, which was somewhat quiet on Wednesday night, apart from the couple of tables that were occupied and were speaking quite loudly, and a handful at the bar. She didn't bother looking to see if she could spot any familiar faces belonging to members of her team or of other teams as she walked at the end of the bar and leaned against the marble top.
One of the reasons why Toto loved Silverstone was because he could spend the week staying in the comfort of his own home, and the commute to the track was very short. He also had the advantage that if something happened to the car, or needed to speak with the team members based at the factory, he'd drive there and talk to them in person, instead of having to communicate through video chats and emails. He always preferred communicating with his team face to face, in the same room, rather than through computers.
But however, Toto had to travel to Silverstone a day earlier than usual. A few members from Mercedes flew for the race from Germany, and were staying at a hotel close to the track, and they had planned for a dinner meeting at the hotel they were staying at so he had to spend the evening there. It was a good dinner, meeting possible prospects who could make the move from Germany to Brackley, but it was a long and very informative dinner, which is why after these members went back up to their rooms after dinner, Toto decided to head to the bar at the hotel, desperate for a drink before heading back home and have a couple of hours sleep before having to be at the factory early in the morning before media day.
His best move of the night was going to Silverstone by taxi, because he knew that he'd have a few drinks during the dinner, and now as he sat at the bar, holding a crystal glass filled with 30-year old whiskey, he can drink it, and maybe another one, as he enjoyed the peace and the soft jazz music that the bar was playing, letting himself slowly lose his senses for a moment.
"Can I have a Pornstar Martini please?" The all too familiar voice, spoken in such a soft tone which send a wave of warmth through his veins, brought him back to reality. His eyes widened, frozen in his spot, but his head slowly turned to the right, and near him was a figure he knew all too well, her legs bare, the hoodie seeming a couple of sizes too big, a cap on her head and the hood over it.
He couldn't keep his eyes off her as she leaned against the bar, her body slightly sideways, but not facing him. He couldn't get himself to look away, or to say a word to get his attention, just watched her tap her fingers on the marble top with dark brown shades and golden hues, gently to the beat of the music. It was when the bartender walked towards her with her favourite pink drink he turned his head away, focusing his attention on his glass which was almost empty, hearing her thank him, followed by the sound of the card machine and her footsteps which slowly faded. He turned his head slightly once more, finding the spot she occupied seconds ago vacant, and when he looked around, he spotted her walking through the hotel, in the direction of the pool.
When he finished his whiskey, a gush of courage washed over him, ordering another glass of whiskey and got off the stool, paid for his drink and walked in the same direction his rival team principal went. The hotel was close to empty, and those that were around didn't seem to recognise him, making him wonder what time it was but didn't bother to check, feeling like he was on some sort of mission, and that was to see Alessandra. He got to the entrance which lead to the outdoor pool, and he quickly spotted her, laying down on a lounge chair, the drink in one hand and a cigarette in another, her head bopping gently which made him realise that she was listening to music.
He stood there for a moment, just watching her at peace, taking a sip or a drag every now and then, and he knew he should leave her alone, but a part of him was telling him to go and join her, even though he didn't have any reason to. He knew better than to disturb her peace, especially after hearing what she's been going through the past few months, but he couldn't help it as his legs had a mind of his own and made his way towards her.
As Alessandra enjoyed the taste of the cocktail and the cigarette mixing together on her tastebuds, whilst enjoying the music that was blasting in her ears after putting the headphones in, she suddenly felt like she wasn't alone. She didn't know if she was imagining it, but whatever ruined her peace felt oddly familiar, her body started tingling at the all too familiarity but couldn't put her finger on it. She turned her head, her body jumping on the lounge seat as next to her was sat the last person she expected in the hotel, or in Silverstone at that hour.
"Jesus Christ," she muttered, her heart racing in her chest as she looked at him with wide eyes, pausing her music as she put the glass on the small table between the two of them, "are you actually trying to give me a heart attack!?"
"No, of course not!" He quickly replied, shaking his head as he let out a nervous chuckle, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"Yeah well, you did," she said, rolling her eyes as she took out the airpods and put them back in the case, tucking them back in her hoodie, "what are you even doing here anyway, Toto? Don't you live like 10 minutes away?"
"Yeah I do," he shrugged as he took a sip of the whiskey, "but some people from the factory in Germany are attending the race and are staying here, and I had a meeting dinner here."
"Ah, now I understand why you're all dressed up," Alessandra said as she grabbed her glass and took another sip, eyeing his attire which consisted of beige khaki pants, a white button up with the first few buttons at the top undone, exposing his neck and chest, and a navy blue blazer, cursing to herself at how handsome he looks, "and you decided to stay, instead of going back to the comfort of your own home?"
"Wanted to have a drink before going back to Brackley and face reality," he answered, "what about you? How come you're out here and not in your room?" Toto was sat with his body fully facing Alessandra, his arms on his knees, hands holding the glass as he looked at her with curiosity. She shrugged her shoulders as she took a drag from her cigarette.
"Didn't feel like staying in my room, and when I saw this area empty I took the opportunity and just relaxed here for a bit," she said, "and I was enjoying my peace and quiet, before you came!"
"Is that why you've got the cap and hoodie over your head?" he chuckled, "you're trying to not get recognised?"
"Yes, and it was working well," she shot back, a sassy pout over her lips, "how did you even recognise me anyway?"
"Honestly?" He asked, giving her a soft smile, "I recognised your voice when you were ordering the Pornstar Martini."
Alessandra felt heat rise to her cheeks, the thought of the man in front of her recognising her just by the sound of her voice caused the flutters to come back in her stomach. She turned her head slightly, not wanting him to see her so flustered as she took another drag of her cigarette, then looked back at him with a cocky eyebrow.
"So you saw me at the bar, and then you decided to follow me out here?" she started, a small smirk making its way on her lips, "kind of stalker-ish, don't you think?"
Now it was Toto's turn to have his cheeks turn red, giving Alessandra a goofy smile as he ran a hand through his hair, which had tussled a bit because of the gushes of wind. She let out a chuckle, shaking her head slightly when she noticed that he suddenly became embarrassed for jokingly calling him out.
"Alright then," he said, trying to keep his dominant demeanour, "I'll head back to Brackley then, leave you in peace!"
"Oh stop it, I was kidding," she laughed as he started standing up, reaching out to grab his arm to stop him. The two looked at where Alessandra placed her hand, on his wrist, the touch sending a strong electrical bolt through their nerves, which sent shivers down their spines. Alessandra tried to hide the feeling by letting out a chuckle, tugging him slightly to get him to sit back down, "you can stay."
Toto sat back down, his eyes travelling between her eyes, which even behind her reading glasses looked big and blue, down to her hand, which was still wrapped around his wrist in a perfect fit. But that hold lasted short when Alessandra took her hand off him, and his wrist suddenly felt empty, letting out a sigh which felt of defeat as he gave her a smile, watching her lean back in the lounge chair once more.
"Summer's break coming up," Toto started, "got any plans for it?"
"Apart from the FIA Summer ball that Stefano decided to do for another year, I've got a couple of trips planned out," she replied, turning her head to the side to look at him, "and we've got Luna's baptism, which I've been planning for a while now."
"Oh, you're planning the party?" Toto asked, quirking an amused eyebrow at her, "I know that Federica and Matteo gave us the date so those who have to travel to Italy know when to be there, they haven't sent the official invites, and I don't know where the party's going to be!"
"Well, the party's actually happening at my house," she answered, giving him a wide grin, "which is why I'm planning the party, plus I want them to just focus on Luna, especially on a very important day for her!"
Toto nodded, trying to fight the smile wanting to make its way on his face at the thought of being back in her house again, and for the first time it will not just be coming and going, but he'll spend the day there for the party. There was something about the thought of him being back in Maranello, in Alessandra's home, a place she found most sanctuary in, that burned a fire in him.
"I guess I'm making a return to Maranello then," he chuckled, "do I need to enter the town incognito?"
"This time no," she laughed, "everyone knows you're Luna's god father, so they're going to be expecting you in Maranello. But they'll probably put Gestione on extra high alert in case you decide to sneak in and try and get a peak at what we're doing!"
"You're talking as if we're Mclaren," he scoffed, which made Alessandra laugh loudly, covering her mouth with her hands to muffle the laughter, which got Toto laughing with her, "plus, I have full faith in my team and the car we've got, we don't need any data from you."
"Alright then," she said, the smirk returning on her face, "but I can take you to the automotive factory, maybe you could get a new Ferrari!"
"You won't stop until I get a Ferrari in my collection, won't you?" He asked, rolling his eyes as he watched her nod her head at him.
"I told you, your collection is kinda bland," she replied, shrugging her shoulders as she gave him an innocent grin, "you need a Ferrari to really bring it to life." He just chuckled, shaking his head at her persistence, but he was also admiring her for it.
The two just continued talking for the rest of the evening, chatting about how they felt the first half of the season passed quickly, looking back at the races and discussed each other's good result. Their drinks were empty, but they didn't bother to go back another run, as they were so absorbed in their conversation. For a moment, they were living in a world where it was just them, nobody else in it, and the familiarity of each other was all that they needed at that moment.
Toto then glanced at his watch, eyes widening slightly when he saw how late it had gotten. Alessandra noticed it too when she saw the look on his face after checking his watch, grabbing her phone to check herself, also surprised at how fast time flew, almost being 1 in the morning.
"Oh wow," she said, letting out a soft chuckle, "didn't realise how late it is!"
"Me neither," he replied, giving her a gentle smile as he watched her reach her hands up as she stretched her body, "I should start head back home." Alessandra nodded, and the two stood up.
"Got your car parked close by?" She asked as they slowly made their way towards the door which would lead them inside the hotel.
"Nope, taxi. I knew I'd have a few drinks, so I didn't want to drive," he said, "I'll just go to the reception and book a taxi from there."
Alessandra was craving her bed as they walked inside, but she knew that after the many times Toto's given her rides back home or in Vienna, that she should at least return the favour. She took a quick glance around the area, almost letting out a sigh of relief when she saw no one around, then turned back to look at Toto.
"Come with me," she said, which earned her a confused look from the Austrian, "I need to go and grab my keys, but I'll take you to Brackley."
"You don't have to Ale," he replied, giving her a gentle smile, "you're literally a step away from your bed, and Brackley's only a few minutes away."
"Just shut up and come up with me to grab my keys," she said, her voice snapping slightly as she started making her way to the elevator, "stop being so stubborn."
"That's kind of rich coming from you," he shot back as he followed her, the two entering the empty elevator and watched as Alessandra pressed the button of her designated floor, "how many times were you stubborn whenever I asked to give you a lift?"
He sucked on his bottom lip as he watched Alessandra roll her eyes at him, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned against the wall of the elevator. He tucked his hands in the pocket of his pants, feeling his body become overwhelmed with the crave he had for her, his body aching to have hers right on his, and he was fighting every fibre within him not to hold her against the wall and get a taste of her, right there, right at that moment.
Alessandra could feel the all to familiar sexual tension hover over her, her body tingling, like a magnet that just wants to get attached to the metal close by. She lifted her head, resting it against the wall as she looked up at her rival team principal, her heart hitching in her throat when she found him looking at her with dark eyes, a gaze so hard it could make her snap in two. She was holding everything back, she wanted to feel his lips on her skin again, taste him and ravish him, but she promised herself that she wouldn't cross that line again, because she deserved better after he hurt her. But they still looked at each other, waiting for one of them to make the first move.
The Italian let out a shaky breathe when the elevator doors opened at her floor, pushing her hand through the pocket of her hoodie as she scurried out of the elevator, suddenly feeling out of breathe, like she was suffocating as she made her way to her room, with Toto walking a few feet behind her.
"So," Toto started after he followed her inside her room, closing the door behind him. He kept his distance as she walked around, knowing that if he got any closer he'd throw her on the bed and take her right there. He eyed the few bits of her stuff around the room, but still looked clean, "what car do you have for the weekend?"
"Why?" She chuckled as she grabbed her key, turning towards him with a cocked eyebrow, "do you have a specific model you want to get driven in tonight?"
Toto rolled his eyes at her sassiness, which earned him a soft chuckle as she walked towards him, watching her turn the key around her index finger as she stopped in front of him. She looked up at him, the smugness on her face replaced with a soft glance at him as the two stood in the middle of the room, once again in their own little world, with the sexual tension rising as their minds kept poking to them that the bed was centimetres away, and all they needed to do was let themselves go to each other.
But they held their ground, because they knew that it would get too messy, and Alessandra wanted to keep her personal dignity, and not let herself be weak around him just because she missed the way her nerve endings burned at his touch. Alessandra walked passed him, with Toto following her out the room, the two went back inside the elevator, and Alessandra scanned her key card against the dial, then pressed the button which would take them to the underground parking.
They stood in silence as they made their trip down, the sexual tension still present, but they were avoiding each other's eye contact, almost as if they were at a point where they didn't trust themselves around each other.
The parking lot was dead silent, only the sounds of their footsteps echoing as they walked towards the red Ferrari Enzo. The rival's car of choice for the weekend surprised the Mercedes team principal, having expected a more modern Ferrari, rather than a beautiful classic. He stood by the car as he watched Alessandra open her side, the butterfly rising up which gave it a spectacular effect as she slid in. He lifted up the passenger door and got in, the two pulling the doors down as the sound of the V12 blasted through, a sound both of them adored, and felt the chills down their spine whilst Alessandra started to make her way out of the underground garage after telling Toto to put his address in the GPS.
No words were spoken during the short ride to Brackley, only the faint sound of the music amidst the booming engine as Alessandra drove down the empty streets. The silence between them was comfortable, but the sexual tension still bothered them, eyeing the two in the car to see who would break first. Toto's hands were itching to grab her leg, draw meaningless patterns on her bare legs, feel the smoothness of her skin under his touch.
But he knew that Alessandra didn't want him to push it, and that he should not try his luck just because the two fucked senselessly at Le Mans. He couldn't help the way his body felt, and he was slowly becoming impatient, and slowly losing control of his senses.
The Austrian let out a silent sigh of relief, and disappointment, when Alessandra started slowing down as she drove through the street which he resides in, having hoped that he would have mustered up the courage before they arrived. What Toto didn't know as the GPS announced that they have reached their destination and Alessandra was pulling up in front of the gorgeous estate, is that as much as Alessandra was trying to hold her ground, and not let herself succumb to her sexual desires so quickly, she hoped that Toto would hold her thigh like he did back in Austria, or in Bologna, give her body some sort of satisfaction if she had his large hand on the inside of her bare thigh.
Alessandra glanced at the entrance of his house, having only seen a couple of pictures which Toto had shown her when he was deciding which house to buy the year before, a gorgeous property surrounded by a large scale of land, the trees forming behind the two story Victorian house. She killed the engine when she drove through the driveway, letting her hands drop on her lap as she slowly turned to look at him. She found him looking at her with a soft smile, the lights from his porch flickered on his eyes, causing the golden hues in them to shine. The look he was giving made her insides feel warm, like a blanket wrapping around her, but not enough to fully warm her, because she knew that it was his touch that would fully warm her.
"Want to come in?" He asked, "I can make us some coffee or maybe hot chocolate if you don't want any caffeine."
"I think I should head back," she chuckled, "we've got lots of media duties in a few hours!"
"If your first media duty is the pen, then it's starting later than usual," Toto replied, a smirk making its way on his lips.
"No wonder you decided to stay out," she said, her voice sounding amused as she quirked an eyebrow at him, "you can sleep in!"
"Well, I can't really sleep in when the plan was to go to the factory before the track," he shot back, a lopsided grin on his lips as he looked down at her, "come on, just have a coffee, and then I'll let you go."
Alessandra shook her head slightly as she turned her gaze away from him, laying her head on the seat and stared at his house as she thought about why she should not go inside to have coffee. Her body was crying at her to go in and forget about coffee, let him ravish every single inch of him, but she knew very well, and she promised herself that she would not let herself get so far with him, because she was still angry and hurt, even whilst acting civil and being somewhat the better person. She didn't know if she could trust herself to be around him without ending up in his bed, but it was hard to say no for a coffee, especially as she felt his gaze burning on the side of her face.
It was just coffee. She was strong enough to stop herself from going further.
"Alright fine," she breathed as she turned to look at him once more, watching his lips turn into a wide grin at her answer, "but I'm heading back after one coffee. I need to get a proper good night sleep even though our media duties are starting late."
"Just one coffee," he nodded, placing his hand on the door handle, "now come on."
The two got out of the car after Alessandra put her cigarettes and airpods in the cup holder, and she trailed behind him as they got to the front door, becoming engulfed by the warmth when they entered the house. The earthy tones decorated the main hallway and the living room, and when Alessandra let her eyes wonder around, they fell on the host, who has just taken off his blazer, hanging it on the rack before rolling up the sleeves to his elbows, revealing the prominent veins on his forearm. She tried to look away as she walked behind him but then her eyes fell on his back, his shoulders wide and the shirt tightened around his muscles as he moved his arms, feeling the tip of her fingers tingling as she wanted dig her nails in his back.
He led her to the kitchen, motioning with his hand for her to take a seat on the plush stools around the kitchen island, which she did, putting her elbows on the marble top and rested her chin on the palm of her hands as she watched him navigate through the kitchen, a small sigh escaping her lips as she enjoyed the sight of him preparing coffee. She was used to make her own coffee back at home, unless she had one of the guys over and made her some if they woke up before her, but she felt her heart skip a beat watching Toto being so domestic in his own home.
Toto brought the two cups filled with warm coffee to the beautiful woman sat in the kitchen of his British residence, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he watched her push the hood off her head, then grabbed the tongue of her cap, revealing her curls when she took it off and put it at the side. She ran a hand through the curls as she looked up at him, giving him a soft smile when she saw him approach her with two mugs, taking the one he held towards her with her both hands, thanking him as she lifted the cup to her lips, her taste buds engulfed with the taste of caffeine, and a moan almost slipped out when she tasted the caramel in the midst of it.
"God, the caramel makes it better," she said, placing the mug on the island after a couple of sips, "you remembered how I liked my coffee?"
"I mean it's no biggie," he shrugged, trying to keep the cool and confident mask on even though he did remember exactly how the woman sat in front of him preferred her coffee, "I happened to have caramel, but I thought it was too cold tonight for an iced coffee."
"I mean I can still drink an iced coffee at -3 degree weather in the Dolomites," she chuckled, "but this coffee is great, thank you!"
"No problem," he replied, giving her a smile as he took another step closer, wanting to feel her closeness, but not push his luck, "temperatures are going to drop quite a bit this weekend."
"Is this your way of asking me to come over for some warm coffee if it gets cold in Silverstone?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow at him as she turned her body round to fully face him, a few feet away, but he was still towering over her.
"I can offer better ways to warm you up than coffee," his statement, along with the smirk that made its way on his lips as he took another step towards her, earned him an eyeroll from the Italian as a wave of warmth rushed to her lower abdomen. She can almost physically hear her body cry at her to give in once more, but she knew she wouldn't be as weak as Le Mans again.
"In your dreams, Torger," she scoffed, taking another sip of her coffee as she jumped off the stool, needing to keep her distance as his scent engulfing her was slowly starting to fog her mind, "you know what you have to do to get another round of Le Mans, but I know you well enough to know how much of a hard-headed ego maniac you are to admit it. But oh well, suffer!"
Toto knew what Alessandra was referring to as he watched her prance around his kitchen, feeling the anger build up very slowly at the reminder of their fight, and how she kept saying that he's the one lying when for him, it was her who lied to him, but the lust was even stronger and suppressed the anger so hard that it vanished seconds later. He rolled her eyes as when she stopped by the counter, letting her back lean against it as she grabbed her phone with her free hand, her long, bare legs stretched slightly under her, the shorts she had on barely visible as the oversized hoodie covered them.
He walked around the kitchen island, his mug empty as he made his way to the sink, trying to distract himself from the woman, who seemed to be focused on whatever was on her phone instead of his presence, by cleaning the mug. What Toto didn't know as he aggressively rubbed the sponge over the mug was that Alessandra was looking at him from the corner of her eyes, forgetting that she was in the middle of a conversation with the guys and ignoring the messages that kept coming through.
She wanted the gap to close, she wanted to feel him against her, but she didn't want to fully go down the rabbit hole, and she was also in the mood to tease him, make him suffer after she remembered, and reminded him, of what he did in January. So she pushed her body off the counter, and walked towards the kitchen island, placing the mug on top of the marble before pushing her body up to sit on it.
Toto heard the slight commotion happening behind him, and when he turned his head after drying the mug and put it back in its place, his breathe hitched in his throat when he found her sat on the edge of the kitchen island, mug still in both of her hands as she gave him an innocent smile before bringing it up to her lips, their gazes locked as she took the last few sips of it. He threw the dish towel he was dyring his hands with next to the sink and slowly made his way towards him, stopping right in front of her legs, which were crossed on top of each other.
He put his hands on top of the cool marble, on each side of her legs, leaning his body forward as he slowly inched closer to her. Her blue eyes were bright under the lights, nibbling on her bottom lip when she felt the tip of his fingers ghost over her leg, swallowing the cry she wanted to let out as her body begged that he'd touch her skin. She watched a strand of his hair fall over his head, and she reached her hand out, taking the strand between her finger and curled it around, before pushing her hand through his soft raven hair, feeling the fire in the pit of her stomach burning when he let out a soft moan, watching his eyes flutter as she ran a hand through his hair once more.
A sigh left Alessandra's lips when his hand finally fell on her bare leg, electricity shooting through her nerves, her head leaning back slightly as she enjoyed the way he trailed his hand up and down her leg, but it wasn't enough for her, she wanted him closer. And she knew that he wanted that too, because the moment she parted her legs, he was standing between them, his 6"5 physique towering over her, and the hand that was still on the marble top now fell on her waist, tugging her slightly closer to him.
His lips fell on hers, the magnetic force between them taking over as their chests were against each other whilst their lips moved together in perfect sync, gentle, but full of passion. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as his tongue ran over her bottom lip, and when she parted her lips, his tongue was exploring hers, whilst the hand on her waist explored her abdomen under her hoodie. She knew that in other circumstances, she would have gladly let him take her on the counter, and if her body was another person, they would have kicked Alessandra's ass for keeping her guard up far enough that she wouldn't take it further.
Her hands trailed down his chest, her fingers over the buttons on his shirt, fighting the smirk that wanted to make its way on her lips as she kissed him, because she knew that as she slowly unbuttoned his shirt, he would think that she caved and was willing to take it all the way. The hard erection against her covered crotch was the confirmation she needed that her plan was working. She pushed the shirt open when she undid the last button, letting her nails graze over his toned abdomen as the kiss slowly started becoming even more heated, which also heated her sacred area between her legs and felt her panties slowly becoming damp. She knew that she'd have to pay for the need of satisfaction on her own back at the hotel, because even though she was going to torture the man hovering over her, she's slowly torturing herself in the process.
She knew Toto was starting to become needy as he slowly started to thrust his hips against hers, and the movement against her mouth was becoming sloppier. She felt the hand that was drawing meaningless patterns on her legs trail towards the top of her shorts, and the hand exploring her abdomen going down the same route. And right as he was about to grip onto the button that kept her shorts shut, she took his bottom lip between her teeth, listening to the loud moan he let out when she pulled on it slightly, and when she let go, she leaned her head back, placing her hands on his chest.
Toto's eyes widened when he realised that she wasn't going to continue, from the devious smirk on her lips, to her pushing on his chest, which made him tumble back slightly. She jumped off the marble top, walked around the kitchen island and grabbed her cap, placed it over her head which was then followed by putting the hood over it.
"Thanks for the coffee Toto," she said nonchalantly, as if she did not leave the man with the hard erection and eyes wide in shock standing on the other side of the kitchen, "I'll see you tomorrow." Before he could say anything, she disappeared out of the kitchen, hearing her footsteps fade followed by the sound of the front door slamming shut. A loud groan of annoyance left his mouth when he heard the Ferrari outside his house rev up, glancing down at the large erection under his pants, which was becoming painful as he though Alessandra would be the one to take care of it for him, slamming his hand against the counter slightly before making his way to his room, taking care of the problem his arch rival created, and left him with.
The race weekend in Silverstone was nothing short of entertaining and demanding, but this year Alessandra had to endure the annoyed looks from the Mercedes team principal, expressing to her in a non-verbal way that he was clearly not happy that she left his home with a bad case of blue balls. She only grinned widely at him, pleased that her devious plan was executed like she hoped, even discreetly blowing him a kiss in a sarcastic manner, which only annoyed him more. But yet, a sick part of him was turned on by her torturous teasing, even though he had to fight himself to concentrate on the questions being asked in the media pen, with Alessandra right by his side.
To commemorate Lewis's first home grand prix with Ferrari, the man who snatched pole on Saturday took Alessandra on a hot lap in the new Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale, giving the fans a show a few hours before the race as the car sped through the track, showing everyone how insanely fast Ferrari's latest member of the XX programme was. After four laps filled with loud laughs and asking each other questions about how they became friends, to what's their lives now as they were in the same team, Lewis stopped the car on the grid, and asked for Alessandra to drive him around for a couple of laps, which took her by surprise, but quickly agreed.
Toto was standing against the pit wall, having given a guest a hot lap before the Ferrari duo took to the track. He watched Lewis and Alessandra get out of the car when he pulled up on the grid, having watched the livestream from the screen on his team's pitwall, and he was surprised and confused when he watched Alessandra take the driver's seat, and Lewis got comfortable on the passenger side. And for the next few minutes, he watched intently Alessandra drive a car that was considered to be one of the fastest road legal cars to ever be produced. And after sharing rides with her for the past few years, but especially those from the year before and even a few nights ago, watching the way she licks her bottom lip in concentration in the corners, but then breaks out in wide smiles and soft laughs in the straights, they have become his favourite thing to witness.
The race brought many emotions as Lewis crossed the line first, standing on the top step of the podium with the British flag wrapped around his shoulders, Charles on the second step and Alessandra on the constructor's step, with George finishing the podium. For the first time since Eddie Irvine, the combination of the British and Italian anthems were heard in Silverstone, marking history and watching the moment so many people who loved Formula 1 thought would never happen, Lewis Hamilton, winning with Ferrari, on home soil.
Alessandra couldn't be prouder that the team had managed to execute a perfect weekend after it looked to be a difficult one for them during the free practice sessions, and Lewis only managing to get pole because he was the only one who managed to do somewhat of a decent lap before Yuki crashed as it started to rain, and the session did not continue. The team celebrated at the hotel after the race, and the day after, her and the drivers were making their way back in London to head to an event Alessandra has been truly looking forward to the last year.
ººº
Wimbledon was a world like no other, rich in history, pushed through sophistication and the immense talent that was offered on the court. It was the best tennis tournament of the season, always producing moments that were unforgetful, and being able to witness it live was an experience like no other. And having the royal treatment on the final? Now that was a treat.
And that was a treat for the Ferrari clan, who were walking through the grounds of the notorious and historic place, where dreamers became legends and their names were written among the stars of tennis. It was everything a tennis player wished for, and for those who were spectators, they wished to see their favourites become the best of the best at this very tournament. For some spectators, Wimbledon was the only grand slam that mattered to them.
"The atmosphere feels insane," Mick said as they all waved at the photographers that were calling their names, "Ale, was it like this last year?"
"It was quite insane, but this feels even more," she replied, before stopping for some fans who asked for pictures and autographs, "I think it's because we've got an Italian in the final!"
"And Italians always create the best atmosphere," Arthur jumped in, sending a wink to Alessandra, which made her chuckle, "I can't believe we missed it last year!"
"Okay, so what's exactly the plan when in Wimbledon?" Lewis asked, "because from what I heard, being invited in the royal box there's some stuff going on!"
"I've never been in the royal box, so your guess is as good as mine," Alessandra chuckled, "but I know that we have lunch before the match, which is nice."
The group continued talking as they made their way to the entrance that would take them to the Royal lounge, all of them looking around at the beautifully decorated area, filled with familiar faces belonging to celebrities and athletes. A host came up to them, welcoming them to Wimbledon and giving them a quick tour of the bar that consisted of free flowing drinks for the event, before showing them to their table where they will have lunch.
"Ale I have been meaning to tell you since I saw you," Alexandra started as they all sat down, "but you look so stunning and powerful!"
"Champagne is your colour," Laila continued, giving the Italian a wide grin as Mick put her arm around her, "it really brings out your eyes!"
"Well, you girls look absolutely beautiful too," the team principal replied as she took off the oversized creme blazer off her shoulders, eyeing Alexandra's floral dress, Laila's light blue jumpsuit and Carla's creme and black tweed two piece, "I do prefer champagne when it's being sprayed on me!"
"That's when it's really your colour," Charles grinned, which got the whole table laughing, "it's all of our colour, really!"
"You got that right," Lewis chuckled, "speaking of champagne, how about we get us a bottle to start us off?"
Everyone agreed and Lewis stood up, making his way to the bar. Everyone quickly started conversing about who could win the tournament between Matteo and Novak. Alessandra was excited for the match, particularly because Matteo was one of her friends growing up, and she knew him well enough to know that he wants revenge for his Wimbledon final back in 2021. He was facing the same opponent, so the determination will be even higher. Her eyes wondered around, thinking about who will the celebrities support, the consecutive number 1 player, or the underdog who had terrible luck with injuries the past couple of years.
Lewis came back with many flutes and a large Moet, handing the bottle to Charles, who opened it as the Brit handed out the glasses. They were quickly filled up, raised in the air and clincked together in cheers.
"Alessandra, I need to ask you something that's been itching in my mind for the past five days," Mick started as he put the glass down.
"Alright then," Alessandra shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest as she grinned smugly at him, "what's been bothering your pretty mind, Schumacher?"
"Why was Toto looking all annoyed at your all weekend?" Alessandra's smugness quickly dissolved at the mention of the Austrian who she couldn't get herself to forgive, and her needs are suffering in the process, whilst the others around the table tried to stifle their snickers, "and don't tell me you didn't notice because I saw you giving him a wide grin every time he looked at you, like you're rubbing it in his face that you won something from him!"
The other drivers were quick to jump in and say that they all noticed too, and when she met Charles's eyes, she watched the way he gave her a discreet stern look, as if to ask her what did she do. She didn't say anything, just shrugged her shoulders at them, which earned her various eye rolls.
"I don't know, he looked like he had his panties in a twist," she replied, nibbling on the inside of her cheek as she hated lying, "why are you even asking me about him? It's not even a race week so I can finally be away from him."
"Yeah, that's quickly cut short I'm afraid," Lewis said, "because he just walked in with George and Esteban."
Alessandra's head quickly snapped her head in the direction of the entrance, and lord and behold, as Lewis pointed out, the 6"5 physique of the Austrian was easy to spot amidst the room which gotten fuller since their arrival. She let out a silent groan, not just out of annoyance that once again she had to find him at an event that did not involve the sport that was their common ground, but because he looked so good in the navy blue double breasted suit, making him look like the most powerful man in the room, with a white shirt and a blue tie. George and Esteban were behind him with their significant others, dressed in similar attire and stunning dresses, the group making their way to the bar, not having noticed their rivals sat down.
"And we can add that to the tally," Mick said as he leaned towards Charles, the drivers letting out quiet laughs which earned them a hard gaze from their boss, "or did you know that he was coming here?"
"Of course I didn't," she hissed, "and stop being idiots, can we decide what we want to eat? Maybe we can get to our seats soon?" They chuckled, nodding at her as they averted their attention to the menus in front of them, which Alessandra tried to use as a distraction but she couldn't help looking over her menu, and at the man at the bar.
Toto watched as George was quick to order a bottle of champagne before the host manage to utter out which table they're sat in, quirking an eyebrow in amusement at how eager his drivers were for the bubbly as the Brit popped the bottle open and Esteban was quick to stretch his arm out towards him with the empty glass right at the bottle.
He's never had the opportunity to attend the final in Wimbledon, or any other game at the grass courts for the matter. He was looking forward to it, having grown an interest to tennis for the past year, and he felt privileged that him and his drivers were invited to watch the match at the most prestigious area of the court.
He leaned against the bar after his drivers handed him a glass of champagne, exchanging cheers with the group he was part off for the day, and pushed the sunglasses over his head, letting his eyes take a good look around. He had spotted some familiar famous faces when he entered, knowing beforehand how the final always has a high attendance of A-class celebrities who seem to respect the sport, as per what George told him.
What George failed to tell his boss - even though George did not know - was that his eyes would fall on a table filled with familiar faces he sees for the majority of the week, and one face in particular was the same face that taunted and teased him, and he was still bitter at how she left him days ago. His drivers were so absorbed into the conversation they were in with their girlfriends that they did not even bother to notice that the boss was not taking part because he was too busy gawking at how beautiful Alessandra looked.
She was sat in the middle, dressed in a champagne coloured silk button up, top three buttons undone, revealing the swell of her breast modestly, but still managed to make his mouth water. The sleeves were rolled up neatly up to her elbow, spotting some of her tattoos which decorated her arm. His eyes travelled from her eyes, which were big and bright as her mouth formed into a loud smile whilst talking with her table, down to her wrist, and amidst the the dainty gold jewelry she had on her wrist, he quickly spotted the bracelet he gifted her over a year ago, the red contrasting with the gold, but it was a way to stick out have be seen by everyone.
His heart skips a beat at the thought that even after what he said to her, and the arguments they had, she never took it off. It was that one particular detail that gave Toto some sort of serenity, and even hope after January, because every time he looks down at her wrist, he finds the bracelet there.
As Toto followed the group when they went to take a seat, he wondered what was Alessandra's motive to leave him with an aching, throbbing dick on Wednesday night, and how he was too flustered and annoyed to have a proper conversation with her throughout the rest of the weekend. He knew that she was a tease, but he never thought she'd be the one to let him suffer like she did. He managed to tear his gaze away from her for a short moment as they ordered, and tried to join in the conversation at the table, but he had become so fixated on his rival, who was eating whilst laughing with her friends, the sound of her laughter ringing softly through his ears, sending a wave of warmth rushing through his veins.
"Max just messaged me," Charles said as the Ferrari table enjoyed their dessert, "he wants to know if we want to do something with him and Daniel after the match."
"I mean, why not," Alessandra replied, shrugging her shoulders as she gave him a smile, "will Christian let them go after the match, is the real question."
"Already asked him that," the Monegasque chuckled, "he said that him and Dan are planning to slide away from him, and meet us in the city."
"Well, tell them to let us know how that goes," Lewis said, taking a sip of the champagne, "we're already going to be in the city, they just need to know if they're successful getting out of Milton Keynes."
As Charles tapped on his phone to reply to Max, Alessandra turned around slightly in her chair, looking around the area, which became more vacant as people were already making their way to their seats. There was 30 minutes until the match started, which is why her and the group were taking it lightly to go sit down, enjoy the last bit of champagne and relaxation before she got deep into the game as she supported her friend. She wasn't a neutral, so this wasn't going to be a relaxing match for her, she's always passionate when it comes to supporting her favourite people.
Her eyes fell on the table containing the Mercedes clan, with the boss himself sat between his drivers and their significant others, all chatting amongst themselves and also enjoying their desserts. She didn't seem to catch his eye, and she didn't know if it was because he didn't notice her presence, or because he was still annoyed at her and was trying to avoid her. She didn't want to care, she knew that her teasing would hurt his ego, and she didn't want to focus on him, her childhood friend was playing the match of his life, and that's all she wanted to focus on.
Luckily, a needed distraction walked through the door, and Alessandra ran a quick hand through her hair, excusing herself to the group as she pushed her chair back, all of them nodding in excitement when they saw who she was going to greet.
"If I knew that you were in attendance, I would have come here sooner," the Swiss said as the two met in the middle, giving her his signature soft smile, "it's good to see you again, Alessandra."
"You too, Roger," Alessandra grinned as he pulled her in a hug, "still enjoying retirement?"
"Yeah, having the free time to focus on the family and the foundations is always nice," he answered when they pulled away, "but the heart still beats for tennis, and I just can't seem to keep away from Wimbledon!"
"Wimbledon's a beautiful place and you've got your legendary story written all over it," she said, "I know I'm always looking forward to the tournament, and get heartbroken whenever I couldn't attend."
"Perfectly understandable, I remember when I was injured and couldn't continue the tournament, but I would still attend just to watch the spectacle," he chuckled, "now, how about we grab a quick drink and talk about your friend being in the final?"
"I would love too," she nodded, "how about you come and say hi to the group before?" Roger agreed, and followed the Ferrari boss to her table.
Toto was sat with his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the encounter between Alessandra and Roger Federer, and watching him greet her drivers and their significant others, chatting for a moment and shared a laugh before the boss and the retired tennis legend made their way to the bar. His eyes fell on the way she looked so sophisticated in the wide white pants, which still hugged her curves beautifully and made her legs look long. The curve of her ass popped out as she leaned against the bar, hands itching just to get a squeeze of it. He was tempted to go up to them at the bar, feeling the slight acidic feeling burn in the pit of his stomach as he watched the two laugh closely, but he knew that Roger was married, and Alessandra was a big fan of his, and there was nothing more than a blooming friendship from their proper encounter last season. So he decided to be a better person and leave them be.
Alessandra concluded her chat with her tennis idol when their hosts came and told them that they needed to head to their seats, the two exchanging a hug and hoped to see each other soon before they went their separate ways. Alessandra grabbed her blazer, throwing it on her shoulder once more as her and her group followed the host out to the court. Alessandra was sat down in the middle of the first row of the Royal box, with Charles, Alexandra and Lewis at her side, and Arthur, Mick and their girls behind. She looked at her left, seeing the same amount of seats they occupied empty, and a tugging feeling in her hinted at who could be the occupants of those seats, and share a box for another time.
She tried to push it away, hoping that some celebrities or higher up personalities would come and join them, but when she looked up, her eyes rolled at the back of her head as she watched her rival enter the royal box, and from the look he gave her, he wasn't expecting to share the box with her either. Her eyes followed his moves, stretching his blazer for a moment before sitting down right next to her, barely acknowledging that Esteban and George said hello to her as they went to exchange handshakes with the other drivers before getting into their seats.
"I should have known that we'd end up in the same box," Toto muttered as he leaned his head slightly towards her, "it should have clicked the moment I saw you in the Royal area."
"Oh, so you did see me then," She said, turning her head to look at him, hiding her eyes behind her glasses, but could easily spot the quirked eyebrow, "so I take it you're still ignoring me, then?"
"I was not ignoring you," Toto scoffed, shaking his head slightly as he rolled his eyes, although Alessandra couldn't see as he also had glasses on, "not everything's about you, you know!"
"Okay, you're right," she said, putting her hands up in defence, "your annoyed face was present the whole weekend!"
Toto let out a loud grumble under his breathe as the drivers enjoyed the bickering between their bosses, and were chuckling like teenagers behind them, which earned them eyerolls from their bosses.
"I think we can include this as part of the tally as well," Mick said, "because is one thing to be in Wimbledon, but it's another to be sat in the same Royal box!"
"What's this about a tally?" George asked, leaning back to look forward at the Ferrari drivers as Mick handed him his phone, "the AleToto Coincidence tally?"
"What in the world is that?" Esteban asked, letting out a laugh as he glanced down at the phone in George's hands, "and there's many marked? What did Alessandra and Toto do?!"
"That is how many times Alessandra and Toto were at the same place at the same time coincidentally," Charles explained, "we didn't think about it much the first few times, but when we saw how frequent these coincidences were happening, we had to put a tally to see how high the number would go!"
"And the number's insanely high," George said, giving his boss the side eye, "have they always be coincidental?"
"Believe it or not, yes," Toto groaned, "now, can we please stop talking about a stupid tally, and focus on the match that's about to start?!"
"Sorry boss," Esteban chuckled, turning to the Ferrari clan, "are you guys neutral, or supporting anyone?"
"Alessandra's childhood friend is playing in the final," Arthur jumped in, "so we're all supporting his chance of redemption!"
"Is that the one you introduced me to last year in Monaco? And was at Monza, too?" Alessandra nodded at Toto's question, trying to fight the smile that wanted to make its way on his face at the fact that even though his job entails to meet new people almost every weekend, he still remembered her friend, "he's taking part in this final?"
"Yeah, Matteo's made it to the final again," she beamed, "second final in Wimbledon, and same opponent as 2021."
"Did he lose the match back in 2021?" Toto asked, "is that why he wants redemption?"
"Yeah," Lewis replied, joining in the conversation, "from the bits we saw throughout the tournament, he's been absolutely solid. So this could actually be a really good game!"
"Well, we're looking forward to it," George grinned, "but I hope one of you guys have a decent idea of the sport, because we're not really experts in it!"
"Yeah, I've never played, and I can't even remember the last time I watched a tennis match," Carmen said, a soft smile on her lips, "I'd love some tips if anyone's got some!"
"Well, we have Alessandra as our expert," Toto jumped in, "she taught me plenty about tennis last year."
"Oh really?" Mick asked, his voice dropping an octave in amusement as he gave the two a mischievous look, "she thought you plenty?"
The two team principals rolled their eyes at the German before glancing at each other, their hearts beating faster in their chest as even though they were both wearing glasses, they could feel their gaze locking. The Italian felt her cheeks heat up slightly, her body buzzing that they were going to spend the next few hours sat right by each other, and so did Toto, who's hand was aching just to grab her thigh and keep it there for the duration of the match, be as close to her as the drivers were to their partners.
He knew that they weren't a couple, and they had no romantic feelings for each other, but he knew that even with the situation they were privately in, if they weren't such public figures and rivals within their sport, he would probably express physical touch publicly, hand on her lap, arm around her shoulder. But all he could do was keep his hands to himself, and pray to god that Alessandra would not taunt him, or he wouldn't know how to control himself.
Everyone's attention turned to the centre of the court when a loud announcement sounded through the court, and from the corner of Toto's eyes, he could see Alessandra tried to keep a calm and cool composure whilst she moved to the edge of her seat when her friend made his way to centre court. Apart from the slight bounce of her knee, her could sense her inner Italian passion wanting to come out, and be the loudest and supporting person for Matteo, but she had to hold back, because Wimbledon was not the place to act that way, and she knew that.
"How badly do you want to scream your support for Matteo right now?" Toto asked as he leaned his head towards hers, his voice in a whisper so no one could hear them.
"Fuck off," Alessandra grumbled as she turned her head towards him, "you know, I preferred you when you were ignoring me for leaving you in that state back at your house."
"Oh, so you actually did that on purpose?" He asked, eyes widening slightly, which Alessandra caught when she watched both his eyebrows rise behind his black sunglasses, "I was hoping you had to rush out and weren't so cruel to leave me with a horrible fucking case of blue balls!"
"Well, what can I say," she said as she pushed her large black sunglasses down to the tip of her nose, revealing her big blue eyes, which had a mischievous glance in them that matched the smirk on her lips, "I wanted to make you suffer."
A low growl escaped Toto's lips as she sent him a wink, pushing her glasses back to her eyes as she leaned back in her chair, the smirk taunting the Austrian as he also leaned away, slouching slightly in his chair, crossing his arms as he tried to keep a confident demeanour. He was annoyed at Alessandra, especially now that she confirmed what he hoped she didn't do, but as much as her purposefully making him suffer annoyed him, he did find it attractive on her, like a game of hard to get, and she was showing that she could easily wrap him around her little finger. He was slowly losing his ground around her, and he didn't know if he was ready to give in or not yet.
"Hey, Ale," both team principals turned their heads to the side, finding Carmen leaning slightly forward, expressing her signature soft smile, "what can you tell me about the players playing?"
"So, Novak Djokovic's probably the best tennis player of all time, especially with the insane season he had last year and considering his age too. He's very strong, he's very disciplined, and he tends to come out on top during finals most of the time," Alessandra started, taking a quick glance at the court, watching her friend prepare before turning back to Carmen, "his opponent is Matteo Berrettini, who's come back from a very tough season last year, and had some finals that were quite surprising, as honestly, from the Italian tennis players, we had expected Jannik to be in the final today. But I know Matteo, and I know how strong and resilient he is, and he will fight until the very end to win, especially because this final is his chance to get redemption for the final he lost against Novak here in 2021."
"Oh wow," Carmen replied, nodding her head, "he's going all in if he really wants redemption then!"
"He always goes all in, whatever match he's playing," Alessandra said, "but I know that he's going to treat today as the match that will define his whole career."
"How does Matteo deal with that?" Toto asked, which got Alessandra looking up at him in curiosity at his question, "you know, the pressure of wanting to win something so badly, even though you're up against someone who's so much better than you."
"Matteo pours his heart at soul during training, and he always keeps a cool mindset even though he has a very specific goal which could seem impossible in the eyes of some people," she explained, "he deals with pressure fine, his hardships were his injuries, and even those he pushed through. So I know he'll be just fine, and I believe that he can do it."
Toto nodded, deciding not to ask any further questions as he listened to Alessandra explain to Carmen a bit more about the two tennis players, and he glanced at his drivers, watching how they listened to Alessandra attentively with their full interest. He knew that Alessandra had a way of keeping people focused on her as she spoke, and whenever she spoke about something she loved, she had a sense of passion in her words, that would easily draw anyone in. Toto would know, because he's been a victim of being drawn into Alessandra and the way she spoke more than once, he could spend hours listening to her and he wouldn't get bored.
Alessandra leaned back in her seat after she explained, and answered some questions the Mercedes clan had, placing her hands on her lap as she watched the two tennis players stand behind the line, and it was Novak who was serving first after the coin toss went in his favour. She took a deep breathe as the Serbian bounced the ball a few times on the floor, knowing that in the next hours, she's going to witness her friend play one of the most, if not the most, important match of his life.
The first two sets have been played, and throughout those sets, Alessandra was hyper focused on the game, analysing every move both players made, and understanding the choices of her friend's decisions on the court, all whilst internally stressing out now that both players have won a set each. There was a 15 minute intermission until the next set started, and the Ferrari reserve drivers hurried back in the lounge area to get everyone some drinks, whilst Alessandra let out a sigh, letting her tensed body lay back in her chair as she ran a hand through her hair.
When her back hit the backrest of the chair, she felt something against her shoulders, which she knew wasn't the chair, and when she turned her head slightly, she found Toto's arm resting on top of her chair, and she rolled her eyes slightly, but she couldn't care less, she let her body relax on his arm. She looked up at him when she felt him tap her shoulder, chuckling as he raised his glasses over his head, giving her an amused look.
"You good?" He asked, "you've been tense for almost two hours!"
"I can't help it," she groaned, "I want Matteo to win so bad, and I can't relax unless he gets that win, or the match finishes!"
"Well, there's a bit over 10 minutes left in the break," he chuckled, trying to ignore the way his body started feeling on fire at the closeness in public, even though to anyone around it seem like a harmless action, especially because he's had his arm behind her during press conferences many times, "you should try to relax, especially because the next sets are going to determine it all."
"You're so very helpful Torger," she said, her voice laced with sarcasm as she rolled her eyes at him, which made him chuckle even more, "you should give advice for a living, you'd change people's lives!"
The group of drivers and their partners were hearing the conversation, and couldn't help the laughs slipping their mouths at the banter being thrown by the team principals. Charles was laughing along too, but he was the only one who noticed the closeness of bosses, a detail he'd point out because he's the only one that knew about what was going on between the two, and he wondered if there were things he didn't know, especially because moments ago Alessandra seemed annoyed by his presence, and him by hers. He decided to let it be, because he knew that Toto was right about Alessandra being tense because she wanted her friend to win.
The match continues, and it was turning into a long one, as neither players managed to break each other to finish off the set. A couple of hours passed, and they were equal on two sets, and were playing the final set that would determine the outcome of the final. Alessandra was set on the edge of her seat, her knees bouncing as she leaned forward, her eye static on the ball as her head moved side to side, mumbling the moves Matteo was doing.
Toto could hear the faint mumbling, and turned away from the match, glancing at his rival team principal who was leaned forward, elbows resting on her bouncing legs, fidgeting with his bracelet on her wrist and watched her mouth move. He discreetly moved his head in her direction, and he could clearly what she was mumbling, and he realised quickly what she was saying, she was saying every tennis move, terminologies that he learnt from her when she was explaining to his drivers, and to him. He fought the smile that wanted to make its way on his lips, enjoying witnessing Alessandra so knowledgeable and passionate about another sport she loved dearly.
"C'mon Matte," Alessandra said, "break this match."
"One point?" Charles asked, glancing at his boss, "is that all he needs?"
"Yeah, he gets the brake point," she nodded, "and he wins this."
Matteo was bouncing the ball, preparing for the serve, and she knew that her friend had a killer serve, a strong and fast serve which could be what gives him the win. She froze in her spot when she watched the ball rise up, gripping onto her knees as she felt time slow watching the Italian strike the ball, landing in the box on Djokovic's side, and for a moment she thought that the Serbian was gonna catch the ball. But he didn't.
Alessandra was on her feet, punching the air with tears glistening her eyes as she watched her friend fall on his knees in shock and pure happiness. She turned towards Charles when she felt him grab her arm, and they pulled each other in a tight hug in celebration as the court filled with loud cheers. She was over the moon for her friend, knowing that he got his first grand slam under his belt, and won it in style and flare, the Italian way.
"That was insane!" Charles exclaimed as he pulled away, but still held Alessandra by her shoulders, "what did we just witness!?"
"We witnessed greatness!" Alessandra was smiling widely as she replied, "God, I'm so happy for Matteo!"
"We all are," Mick grinned as he squeezed her shoulders, "That was seriously the best thing I've watched."
Alessandra looked around her, the smile on her face getting wider when she watched her drivers and their girlfriends all hug each other in celebration, and so did the Mercedes clan as she watched Toto pat his drivers, like they've won a race.
He then turned around, smiling at the happiness and pride radiating from his arch rival. He took a step forward, placing a hand on her arm as he looked down at her. He watched her quickly wipe under her eyes behind her sunglasses, realising that she was crying, which made him pull her towards her. It took Alessandra by surprise, but she couldn't care less at that moment as she wrapped an arm around his back, letting herself lean to his side for a moment, enjoying his embrace as the two looked at the tennis players, exchanging a quick hug before going in their seats, and the court was preparing for the trophy ceremony.
"He did a fantastic job," Toto said, giving his rival a gentle squeeze on her arm, "a match of the ages!"
Alessandra could only nod as the two slipped out of each other's grasp, and simultaneously, they saw their drivers holding their partners, and as they watched the trophy ceremony and listened to the speeches made by the tennis players, they shared one thought. They wished they were still holding each other as they enjoyed the moment for Alessandra's friend.
Their hosts came up to them when the ceremony finished, asking if they wished to visit the champion and congratulate him. They were all quick accept, and Alessandra was the first one out of the royal box, a spring in her step as they followed the hosts through the tunnels of the court. They arrived at the Champion's room, and they were asked to wait a moment to check if the Wimbledon champion would like to meet some guests, and when the hosts let them in, Matteo's eyes widened at the sight of his childhood friend, dropping the towel he had in his hands and tackled her in a hug.
"I am so, so proud of you Matte!" Alessandra exclaimed as she held onto the tennis player, "you did it! You got redemption for 2021!"
"Is this what it felt like when you won the championship last year?" He asked when he pulled away, "I cannot believe that I won one of the tournaments of my dreams! Like it doesn't feel real!"
"Yeah, that's how it felt at first," she grinned as she put a hand on his shoulder, "it will take time to soak in, but you've got more tournaments ahead of you that you need to win! Your season is far from over!"
"Oh I know," he chuckled, "but I don't think there's anything that could top this!"
"Winning the ATP Finals on home soil maybe?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.
"Okay that would be a big one too," he shrugged, a wide smile on his face as he looked behind his friend, barely noticing that there was another team principal and a whole group of drivers behind her, "Oh, I didn't realise you guys were here! I'm so sorry!"
"Don't apologise, Alessandra was going crazy the whole match, we knew how important this was for both of you," Charles replied as he went towards the champion, "congratulations on the win, man! That was sensational!"
"Thanks Charles, and it's good to see you again," Matteo said as the two did a quick handshake, "so many new people! Ale, did you bring the whole grid?!"
"I just brought my drivers," she chuckled, "but the Mercedes clan were also invited for the match!" Alessandra properly introduced everyone to her friend. Matteo knew who they were, especially Lewis and Mick, but he never met most of them before.
"Good to see you again, Matteo," Toto said as he was the last to greet the Italian, "stellar performance out there. You deserved that win!"
"Appreciate that Toto," Matteo grinned as he shook hands with the Mercedes team principal, "hope Alessandra isn't making your life too hard out at the track!"
"You have no idea," Toto replied, which made the whole room erupt in laughs as he turned his head to look at his rival, who had a knowing smirk on her face, "but I'm giving her a hard time too."
"Don't think I would expect anything less from both of you," the player chuckled once more, "but seriously, thank you guys for coming and for the support, it truly means the world!"
"We really enjoyed watching you," George smiled, "I'd love to catch you play again soon!"
A photographer entered the room and asked everyone to stand around the champion and pose for a picture, and then asked each team to take a picture separately. Matteo asked for a picture with just Alessandra, and then the photographers asked for one last picture, one with just the team principals and the champions.
The two team principals gave each other an amused look at the request, but were quick to comply as Alessandra put the sunglasses that were over her head in her bag and handed it to Charles, adjusting the blazer that rested on her shoulders as she walked towards Matteo once more. She ran a hand through her hair as she watched Toto adjust his blazer whilst he walked in their direction, standing on the right side of the champion. Whilst Toto stood close to Matteo with his hands behind his back, Alessandra wrapped her arm around Matteo's shoulder, her hand making contact with Toto's arm, which sent electricity shooting through their veins, and the air suddenly felt thick above them.
When the photo was taken, Toto congratulated the champion once more before walking towards his drivers, turning his head slightly to watch Alessandra hug Matteo and once again expressing her congratulations and promising to try and meet up whenever they're in Monaco. Everyone waved goodbye to the Italian tennis player as they made their way out of the room, and out of the court.
Photographers were all snapping pictures of the two teams as they slowly walked through the premises. Some photographers were coming forward, requesting pictures of the separate teams.
"Alessandra, Toto," one photographer said after another one asked a picture of the formula 1 drivers, "can we get a picture of just the two of you together?"
Both groups looked at their bosses in amusement as Alessandra and Toto glanced at each other, shrugging their shoulders as they accepted their request for the pictures. The drivers and their partners were quick to move to the side as they watched the team principals stand close together.
"What are you doing?" Charles asked, chuckling at Mick who brought his phone out and started taking pictures as Alessandra and Toto wrapped an arm around each other's waists and smiled at the cameras, "you're photographing them too?"
"I'm sending these to Max," the German said, "he's gonna be so mad he's missing this!"
"Speaking off," Charles said, bringing his phone out from his blazer, "we need to see what they're doing?"
"Ask him if they managed to escape Horner," Lewis joined in, "and if we're going to dinner later."
"Are you guys heading to London?" George asked as he overheard them, "do you need a lift?"
"We've got our own cars, and yeah we're heading to London," Charles nodded, "we're planning on meeting Max, Daniel and Carlos for dinner there. You should join us if you want!"
"Yeah," Lewis agreed, "and if you guys don't want to drive to Brackley, you can spend the night at my place!"
"We've got our own place, and Esteban's actually go his own place there too," George smiled, "but yeah, we'll join you guys for dinner."
"We'll ask Toto if he wants to join too," Esteban said, and everyone turned towards their bosses, who were still posing for more photographers who joined the mix. "They really look like a power couple don't they?"
"They seriously do," Arthur chuckled, "shame they're rivals."
Alessandra couldn't help the chuckle that left her lips as more photographers joined when they thought they could leave, as a wave of warmth rushed through her when Toto, with his hand firmly on the dip of her waist, discreetly pulled her closer to his side.
"What's so funny?" Toto asked as he looked down at her, a smile tugging on his lips when she looked up at him, her blue eyes beaming.
"I feel like I'm on some sort of red carpet with all these pictures getting taken," she replied, "and I won't lie, after a match that lasted almost 5 hours, I'm quite famished."
"Me too," he grinned, turning his attention towards the photographers as he politely put his hand up, "thanks everyone!"
The photographers were quick to stop taking pictures and thank the bosses as they slowly detached from each other, not before Toto gave Alessandra a few taps on the small of her back before fully letting go. They walked towards their clans, rolling their eyes at the amused looks they're getting from them.
"That looked like fun," Mick smirked as they continued walking, "looking like some royal couple!"
"You're an idiot," Alessandra chuckled, "so, are we ready to head back?"
"We were waiting you, your royal highnesses," Charles shot back, which earned him a playful slap from his boss, and a head shake of faux disappointment from the rival team principal, who was standing behind Alessandra, "also, the Red Bull boys managed to escape Horner! They're meeting us in London!"
"Oh, we've also invited these guys and they're tagging along," Lewis said, pointing to the Mercedes drivers before turning to Toto, "you should join us for dinner, Toto!"
"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Toto replied, "but the drive to Brackley would be long so late in the evening."
"You can stay at my place," Lewis shrugged, "you've stayed before, and I think it's better than staying with couples. Plus, Ale and Charles are staying over!"
"A slumber party with the Ferrari clan then," Toto chuckled, glancing at Alessandra, who was looking at her driver, no idea what her facial expression was to the Brit's idea, "that sounds interesting."
Alessandra was trying to ignore the sudden nerves fluttering in her stomach at the thought of Toto spending the night under the same roof as her, knowing very well that the last time they were under the same roof, she was sat on Toto's counter as they made out. She knew that could not happen, she couldn't risk getting caught by her drivers, especially because Charles is still angry at Toto for the hurtful things he said to his best friend. She needed to keep herself in control and grounded, a task that was always so easy for Alessandra, now deemed difficult because of the tangled mess she got herself into, and that tangled mess is called Toto Wolff.
"Would you guys be okay with Toto spending the night?" Lewis asked, turning to his teammate and boss.
"It's no problem Lewis," Alessandra replied, ignoring the skeptical look Charles was giving her when she looked at him from the corner of her eyes, "we're all mature adults, we can all handle a night with the rival."
Toto wanted to shoot back with a remark, but he held back because he would have exposed him and Alessandra, so he looked at Lewis, who was giving him a questioning look, waiting for an answer from his ex boss.
"I'll guess I need to do some quick shopping when we're in the city," Toto chuckled, nodding his head, "I'll stay the night. Thanks Lewis!"
Alessandra looked up at Toto, giving him a knowing look that if he thought something was happening, he thought wrong. He knew what message she was trying to send him with her look, giving her a slight nod of the head, even though he wanted to tell her never say never because they never know when it comes to both of them in the same room.
The two teams went in their separate cars and drove up to the city, the Mercedes boss making a quick detour to buy some clothes whilst the others met up with the Red Bull clan. Toto joined them a bit later, his seat being right next to Alessandra's and the three rival teams enjoyed a wonderful evening as friends, telling each other their favourite parts of the match, and Max would not hold back as he showed everyone the pictures Mick sent him of the two team principals, and gave them mischievous looks about it.
The Ferrari clan and Toto arrived at Lewis's apartment later in the evening, and Alessandra and Charles were quick to hide in their rooms whilst Lewis showed Toto the room he's staying for the night. Alessandra jumped in the shower, washing the long day off her and swapped her Wimbledon attire to a silk two piece pyjama. Charles had passed by moments ago to wish Alessandra goodnight, and the apartment fell silent, but Alessandra couldn't sleep, she was sat wide awake, and her throat became quenched.
She let out a sigh, shuffling through the room as she gently opened the door, not wanting to wake anyone up as she made her way through the apartment. She walked in the kitchen, switching on the lights as she went and grabbed a water bottle from the fridge. She then leaned against the counter as she unscrewed the cap, letting out a sigh before taking a good sip, running a hand through her hair as she wished she could just fall asleep.
Toto couldn't sleep either, laying on the bed facing up with a hand under his head as his eyes became fixated on the darkness on the ceiling, a blank canvas but for some reason it attracted his attention. The cause of his lack of tiredness is his body aching for the woman sleeping in the room across the hall from him, knowing that he's only a few meters away from her reach, and it was killing him that he couldn't do anything. He wouldn't risk it, with her drivers in the other rooms, but his urge and hunger was strong, he could almost feel every nerve of his body activate and feel her against him.
He let out a low groan as he sat up straight, stretching his hand for the water bottle as he wanted to wet his throat which got dry from the air conditioning. He looked to the side when he couldn't feel anything, cursing to himself when he realised he forgot to take a water bottle with him before he went to sleep.
He got out of bed, pausing for a moment to see if he can hear any movements, but when he saw that it was quiet, he thought that everyone's gone to sleep already, so he didn't bother putting a shirt on as he made his way out of his room. Just as he was about to arrive in the kitchen, he saw the lights dim, and he cursed himself that it could be because Lewis forgot to switch them off, or someone was awake, and he started feeling embarrassed, but he had made it to the kitchen, all he needed was a bottle of water and he'll be back in his room.
Right before he reached the entrance, his eyes fell on the figure in the kitchen, his heart fluttering in his chest when he saw that it was Alessandra who was in the kitchen, staring into open space as she sipped on her water. She was dressed in a creme silk button up with matching shorts, her long legs bare and crossed, and he noticed that the first button of the shirt was undone.
He cleared his throat, and he watched Alessandra's head snap towards his direction, eyes wide when they fell on him, and he couldn't help the smirk forming on his face when he watched her eyes trail down his naked upper body. And now he doesn't regret leaving his room shirtless.
"Uh," Alessandra was cursing herself as she stuttered, whilst trying to tear her eyes off the naked abdomen which made her body buzz in the agony of the crave she felt for him, "I thought everyone was asleep."
"I thought so too," he replied, letting out a nervous chuckle as he walked towards a fridge, "I just got thirsty, forgot to take water with me in the room."
"Yeah, same" she said, raising her own bottle, "couldn't sleep and got really thirsty."
Toto got the bottle out of the fridge, and turned to look at her as he closed the door. She looked up at him, and their gaze locked, the tension they felt back at Wimbledon coming back, but this time it was heavier, and almost rumbling above them. They were threading dangerous waters, and Alessandra felt her heart speeding when he started making his way over to him. She could almost feel his skin against hers at how close he was standing in front of her, placing his free hand right by her on the counter.
"We're not doing anything," she said, her voice trying to sound confident above her racing heart rate which she was scared Toto could hear, "especially here, not with Charles and Lewis around."
"I wouldn't dare," he chuckled, shaking his head slightly, "not after how you left me in Brackley."
"I told you," she smirked, giving in to her crave to feel him as she placed her hand on his abdomen, her fingers tapping on his skin, "I wanted to make you suffer."
"And you succeeded," he replied, his voice dropping, which send a shiver down her spine, "you will pay for that someday."
"Someday," she shrugged, giving him a mischievous grin which earned her an eye roll, "but certainly not tonight."
"Well, can I at least do this?" He asked, placing the hand that was on the counter on her waist, pulling her closer to him, a hair's length between them.
Alessandra sighed, nodding her head as she leaned towards him, letting her weight rest on him as he fully wrapped his arms around her. She wrapped hers around his waist, taking in the closeness as they held each other, the sound of his heart beating against her face, her skin against his as she trailed her nails on his back in meaningless patterns.
They stayed there for a moment before they pulled back, Toto's hand pushing a strand of hair that fell on Alessandra's face, behind her ear, and she couldn't help the soft smile that cascaded on her lips as she looked up at him. She got on her toes, placing her lips on his for a chast kiss, a short kiss but both could feel that there was something behind it, but they couldn't describe what that was. Toto returned the kiss, and the two then made their way out of the kitchen.
They stood in front of their doors, giving each other one last look, a small wave and mouthing good night to each other before they disappeared into their own rooms. They both made their way to their beds, putting the bottle on their bedside table before getting under the sheets, switching off the lights and slowly succumbed to the tiredness, as they wished that they were in the same bed, holding each other as they slept.
°°°
When I started this chapter, I was struggling massively to write it, having no inspiration for it and had the worst writers block. And yet here we are, with the longest chapter I've ever written!!
I'm sorry I didn't update sooner, but last year of my degree's been kicking my ass, and I'm having a record of mental breakdowns and giving up on it. But we try to push through!
Thank you guys for still sticking round, and unfortunately I cannot promise an update soon with all the exams and thesis shit I have to do, but I'll try my best to give you what you've been waiting for as a Christmas present!!
Happy winter break and happy pecco world champion and marco p3 in the championship to those who celebrate❤️
Love
~C🫶🏻