The Fire Inside (Sebastian Vettel)

10. The Date (2)

"You weren't lying when you said Mandy made the best cottage pie ever," Seb declared as he pushed his empty plate away from him. Emily laughed.

"You just wait for the apple crumble."

"They're going to have to make my car wider for Imola," he joked. Mandy came over to collect the plates.

"Everything alright for you kids?"

"It was amazing Mandy. Thank you so much," said Seb, sincerely.

"Whatever you cook is amazing" added Emily.

"Give me five minutes and I'll be back with your crumble."

"So, how are you feeling about Imola? A bit more confident?"

"I don't know, the new regulations have really fucked us over."

"Well, maybe if you go and see Formulino you might get some good luck," she said.

"Who the Hell is Formulino?" Emily burst out laughing.

"You might know him as the Imola Cat. You were awfully rude about him last season, or so I heard."

"That bloody cat. I'm not superstitious."

"Be nice Sebastian, it won't hurt you."

"I am nice. I can be very nice," he said, staring intently at her. Emily just stared back. She told herself so many different reasons why this was not a good idea. But still she wanted him. It would never work in the long run. They were from two different worlds.

She'd never been a one night stand kind of person but she'd never craved someone physically like she did this man. She had to decide what she was going to do. She was also terrified of getting physical. It had been a long time and her last time had been ...not the nicest. Things with Chris had ended sourly. She really didn't know if she was mentally ready, even if her body was screaming out for it.

Seb couldn't wait to get out of the cafe. He was feeling so horny. He wanted to peel her clothes off and show her exactly how much he wanted her. He really did need to calm down. He didn't want to scare her off. The way he was feeling it wouldn't be soft and gentle. He was trying to be the gentleman she deserved but it was getting more and more difficult.

"Here we go, two apple crumbles." Mandy said, placing the bowls on the table in front of them.

Emily tucked straight in. She had been looking forward to this ever since she'd called Mandy to ask if this evening was possible. Seb spooned some into his mouth. It was heavenly. Soon their bowls were clean.

"We should really be making a move," Emily said. "Let Mandy get home." Seb agreed. He waved Mandy over.

"That was just amazing Mandy. Thank you so much. We are going to make a move, so if I could settle the bill?" Mandy patted him on the shoulder.

"This one's on me." He tried to protest. "I insist, I'm grateful it gave me a chance to see my goddaughter. We don't always get a chance to see each other. All I ask is can I get your autograph for my husband, Phil?" Seb laughed and thanked her for her generosity.

He signed the back of the menu she provided him with. They stood up to leave. Emily hugged Mandy fondly.

"Thank you so much Mandy. It's been so good to see you."

"Don't leave it so long next time Emsy." She leant in closer and whispered in Emily's ear. "Damn girl, he's hot. If I was 25 years younger."

They reached the door and as they were about to head outside they noticed that it was pouring down with rain.

"Looks like we're going to have to make a run for it," said Emily.

"Race you," Seb told her. "3, 2, 1, go!" They both shot across the car park, heading for his DBX. They both got there at the same time.

The rain was that hard they were both soaked through already. Seb watched as the rain streamed down into Emily's cleavage. He couldn't stop himself. He pushed her up against the car and took her mouth in a deep and passionate kiss.

She kissed him back, their tongues both duelling for control. Both of them forgot the rain as they became lost in the kiss. Seb ran his hands up her body until they rested on her breasts. He gently squeezed them. She gasped and wrenched her mouth away from his, tilting her head back, allowing him access to her neck. He pressed feather light kisses all over her neck. Emily was feeling more and more aroused with every touch of his lips. She just couldn't stop herself.

Then all of a sudden Seb pulled away, running his hand through his soaking wet hair.

"We should get in the dry Emily." Something was wrong. He seemed to have changed moods in an instant. She got in the car and did up her belt.

"Seb..."

"Emily, let's just get you home. You're soaked through. " Emily kept quiet for the rest of the journey. He'd made it clear he didn't want to talk. Had she done something wrong? Was she that bad a kisser?

When Seb pulled up outside her house she got out of the car. She debated whether she should ask him in or not, but that decision was taken out of her hands.

"I'd best be off. I'll see you in Imola yeah?" he said out of his window. "Thanks for tonight. It was good to get out."

"Yeah, see you there. Goodnight Seb." Then he drove off into the night.

What the hell had happened there? One minute he'd been all over her. The next he'd switched off and become almost cold towards her. Yeah, maybe it was just as well. It wouldn't have been a good idea to sleep with him. They had to work together. Things would have been awkward. They would be awkward now too to be honest. Emily couldn't stop thinking about that kiss in the rain. It had been the most erotic experience of her life, which said something about her previous relationships. The sex would have been hot, but she guessed it just wasn't meant to be.

***

Seb cursed himself as he drove back to his hotel. He'd bottled it. He had been kissing the hell out of his dream woman and he'd bottled it. There were a number of reasons. He'd not wanted her to think that he was just after sex. That frustrated him as he was so desperate to take her.

Then there was a lack of self confidence. His marriage had knocked him down in that department. What if he couldn't satisfy her? He hadn't satisfied Carla. She'd gone elsewhere. And he was confused. What the hell did he want?

He didn't want to jump straight into a relationship. His marriage hadn't long ended and it was too soon to get serious. But he knew Emily deserved better than a fuck. She'd stopped being that fantasy and become a reality, a real person to him. She was as beautiful inside as she was on the outside.

The feelings their kiss had aroused him had scared the life out of him. He was not going to fall in love again. Love only hurt. It was better to deny himself now than get hurt or hurt her down the line.

Maybe he needed to find someone who was happy to just fuck. Emily wasn't that person, even though he wanted her more than anything he'd ever wanted in his life. She deserved someone who could offer her the world. And he couldn't do that yet. He didn't know when he ever could. If he ever could. He had to let her go.