Racing For Love

Chapter Twenty

A knock on the door makes me jump and I get up from the table, shutting my laptop as I can't imagine much work will happen now that Lorenzo is here. I've put on a bit of makeup and tied up my hair loosely so I at least look presentable as I open the door. As it swings open, I see him - he's stood there in a loose linen shirt and shorts - fuck, he is handsome. "Hi Lorenzo - come in." I manage as he walks into the living room, taking in his surroundings.

"This house - it belongs to your uncle, yes?" Lorenzo asks, his hand resting on the leather wingback Joe always used to sit in.

"Actually, it's mine now, but I've not really decorated since he...moved out." I admit, feeling weirdly protective over mine and Joe's things.

"I have a designer I can recommend. They have done all of my houses." He says and I decline, quickly changing the subject.

"Would you like a glass of wine? I have a white open, or there's red?"

"Of course! The famous Joe Stephens wine cellar. What's he got in there - can I have a look?"

"Um, sure - I guess. It's just round here." I show Lorenzo in and he looks appraisingly at the bottles, pulling some out and looking intently at the labels. I check the list on the bottle Jono pulled out earlier - making sure the inventory is up to date. I look at the note Joe left next to it: Delicious chilled with garlic/onion. Best enjoyed with good friends or lovers. I wonder if Jono saw this before he chose it, or just knew - I expect the latter, everyone's wine knowledge is better than mine.

"Shall we open this one?" Lorenzo asks. I had forgotten that he was here, lost in my thoughts of the afternoon, and look across to see him holding a dusty bottle of red.

"Um, i'll just check" I say, finding the bottle in Joe's list: Expensive, but not with the substance the value demands. Share with someone who thinks they know good wine, but is more worried about appearance. "Yes - I think that one's perfect" I say, taking it from Lorenzo and into the kitchen - I find the decanter and open the bottle, pouring it out and letting it breathe whilst I look for the red wine glasses - of course they're on a high shelf in the cupboard, and I reach up trying to get them.

"Here, I can help you" Lorenzo says from behind me, reaching up and brushing his body against my back, sending an electric shock of anticipation through my body.

"Lorenzo, about Monaco" I start, knowing that I need to get this over and done with. "I made a mistake coming to see you..." my voice tails off as Lorenzo reaches out to reach my hand.

"Do you mean after Qualifying Miss Annie? We both have a lot of work to do, and this distraction...we must keep it away from work. But when we are in private, I think it is good?" As he speaks, he pulls me close so that my chest is touching his. My mind distracted as I feel his warmth seep through my dress. His hand wraps around my jaw and he tips my head up so my eyes make contact with his. "I am not ready to say goodbye to this. I don't think you are either."

My resolve melts as I look into Lorenzo's eyes. I think it's clear that his focus was affected by what was going on with us in Monaco, and I can't help but feel guilty that what we were doing might have cost him the win he needed. We both have too much as stake so I know we won't end up in that situation again. Instead of giving up on whatever's between us, I go back to our original agreement. "I don't want to cause problems for you at work, Lorenzo. I know how important this year is. We just need to keep this away from the racetrack."

I know that this isn't a long term solution, but whilst I have Joe to deal with and work to focus on, something casual works for me, and is a nice distraction without any commitment.

"I agree with you. Now can we sit down and enjoy this wine whilst we have some time together?" he says as he kisses me quickly before picking up the glasses and taking them across into the living room. As I follow him, I put all thoughts of Jono out of my mind - he's not even an option, so I need to stop thinking about him in that way. This is the perfect way to do so, and I sit next to Lorenzo as he hands me a glass.

"Saluti" he says as he chinks his glass with mine before taking a large gulp. "Delizioso" he says and I stifle a giggle remembering Uncle Joe's comment on the bottle. I realise it doesn't matter if I don't have a deep connection with Lorenzo, as long as we have a connection in a different way and i'm going to prove that later this evening. I take a sip of the wine too and smile.

It doesn't take long before Lorenzo moves closer to me, taking our wine glasses and putting them on the table so his hands are free to reach out, finding my waist and pulling me into him. I kiss him softly at first, cosy in my home surroundings and not wanting to rush the evening ahead. We kiss for some time - Lorenzo is a master, turning soft pecks into long luxurious kisses and my lips are sore as he eventually releases my mouth. I sit up to take a sip of wine and suggest we put something on the TV, settling on some random sitcom before I lean back against Lorenzo's torso, and he wraps his arm around me.

As we watch, I feel his hand snake down to the hem of my dress, lifting it so that his hand is able to stroke up my thigh and across my underwear. He slips his fingers underneath the gusset and finds the soft, wet warmth underneath. My breath catches in my throat, but Lorenzo doesn't speak, his fingers stay where they are and he strokes softly as I get wetter and wetter under his touch. He intentionally doesn't move his hand, so whilst i'm aroused, I am unable to find any sort of release. I try shifting my hips, but Lorenzo's arm tightens keeping me in place, until I gasp his name "Lorenzo, will you please just fuck me?" It is the command he has been waiting for as he releases me and I walk upstairs taking his hand to follow me.

We get to my room and I push Lorenzo onto the bed, pulling at his trousers before straddling him. The build up to this was slow but now I need to feel him inside me, and he senses my urgency as I kiss him passionately. He pulls off my dress and underwear before rolling me off him and finding a condom in the drawer next to the bed. "Are you ready?" he mutters as I nod and pull him back down to me. He angles his hips and thrusts quickly into me. I wrap my legs around him drawing him closer as he kisses my neck - my nipples harden against his torso and his fingers brush against them as a breath catches in my throat. He continues to thrust deeply into me, my wetness slick against his shaft as I feel him bore deeper into me. "Loren-" I manage as my fingers grip his back tightly and I orgasm around him, feeling him tighten in the process as he joins me. "Oh Annie" he utters as he breathes a sigh of relief. I kiss him again before we move apart, both satiated in the moment before I get up and find my dressing gown. "I'm going to fetch that wine" I tell him before heading back downstairs. I have a feeling we're going to it with what I have planned for the night ahead...

***Author's Note***

Hello to those of you who've made it this far. What a week for Annie, eh? I hope you're still enjoying the story?

I'd love to see your thoughts on where you think the story is heading, or what you want to see next. I have a plan - I wonder if anyone can guess the twists and turns coming!

As always, thank you so much for reading. Please vote, comment and follow where you can - i'm eternally grateful.

Fliss xx