ma chérie | cl16

chapter thirty-one

The last two race weeks had flown by so quickly that Adeline hadn't even managed to process it. It had been a whirlwind of emotions, but each emotion had been filled with positivity and pure joy.

Enjoying Paris with Charles, sneaking into each other's hotel rooms in France and Hungary. Tasting lángos' from street carts with Pierre, running into some fans. Adeline couldn't believe that people were starting to recognize her, too, which made sneaking around with Charles a little harder. They had to be exceptionally discreet, which was something that Adeline was more than okay with. They truly had their own little bubble. No one knew—except for Pierre and Hazel.

That was why spending time together in Monaco sounded so exciting. Adeline had always been the type to plan everything in advance, to think everything through. But when Charles had invited her to Monaco, there had been no hesitation, even though the word spontaneous had never been in her dictionary. Yet, with Charles by her side, everything felt effortless. Easier than anything Adeline had ever experienced before.

In the first two days, Adeline and Charles didn't leave the apartment, they were simply enjoying each other's company. In the bathroom, kitchen, living room, and bedroom. Oh, and on the piano.

Even though Charles was on a summer break, he still had commitments—mostly meetings and daily training. In the meantime, Adeline had her own plans. She intended to explore the wonders of Monaco and also engage in some work via Zoom with Janice.

"You sure you don't wanna go to the gym with me?" Charles asked while putting on a white Puma T-shirt, making Adeline pout her lips in disappointment. The tight T-shirt was okay, but the image of shirtless Charles was way better.

"Positive. The only good thing about the gym would be staring at you working out," Adeline smirked at the Ferrari driver, her playful tone laced with a hint of mischief. She had to convince herself to stay focused and read reports from Janice's last hearing.

"You're absolutely allowed to do that, ma chérie," Charles whispered, closing the distance between himself and Adeline.

He gently lifted her chin with his hand, and his touch was intoxicating. As he leaned in for a kiss, Adeline could smell the captivating blend of bergamot, pink pepper, and vetiver. The combination of his scent and their kiss was utterly consuming. Adeline had to squeeze her thighs together, feeling a rush of excitement and warmth all over her body.

"Stop, or you'll actually convince me to go there with you," Adeline whispered with a laugh, her words blending into Charles' lips. In response, Charles shook his index finger with a twinkle in his eyes.

"No, you stay here and study the case. You're the smart one here," Charles said, a soft smile gracing his lips as he grabbed his water bottle.

Adeline raised her gaze from the laptop screen with a playful glint in her eyes. "Don't let your trainer exhaust you too much, though."

"Why? Do you have some plans with me?" Charles lifted an eyebrow with a smirk, watching Adeline adjust her blue light glasses on her nose.

"I told you I'm planning to do a lot of things with you," Adeline shrugged, taking a sip from her almost empty cup of doppio.

"And now you're making me stay here," Charles groaned, letting out a loud sigh. "But my trainer would kill me."

"I'll wait for you. I'll order some Chinese and finish this up," Adeline said, and Charles nodded in agreement.

"Alright then. And keep those glasses," Charles winked at Adeline, causing a blush to rise to her cheeks. She was certain that her face was turning a deep shade of crimson.