Intertwined | Charles Leclerc

CHAPTER 4

"Shut up, like actually shut up" Ruby turns to look at me as I look at her and then move to look outside the front doors to the hotel. There he is, leant against his car with one leg up looking just so effortless. He's dressed in a plain white shirt, with the top two buttons undo so you can just see his chest, red dress pants, that if it wasn't him wearing them I doubt anyone else could pull them off. He raises his hand and waves at me, then combs his fingers through his hair and ruffles the top making it look almost messy but it matches the effortlessness he's giving off. "Is that a Ferrari?" Aspen whispers with broad eyes nudging me in the side. I shrug, she should know I know nothing about cars, but this definitely looks expensive. "Bye girls, I love you!" I wave them off as they all stop in unison half way through the lobby as I carry on walking towards the front doors.

The front doors slide open as a smile broadens on his face, the warm air blowing through the front doors. For early August I'm still surprised at how warm it was. "Hey, how are you?" he says as he reaches his hand towards me, I put mine out to meet him for a handshake, instead he reaches around to my waist and pulls me in for a hug and pecks my left then my right cheek. I didn't expect this, so I quickly do the same, hoping he wouldn't notice that I was unprepared for his movements. "Shall we go?" He opens the passenger door and gestures his hand for me to get in. I nod and smile as I place my hand in his extended hand to help me in. He closes the door and walks around the back of the car and hops into the driver's side. I turn to look at him as he does and he gives me another smile as he closes the door, the smile shows off his dimple, how didn't I notice them before?

"So where are we going?" I ask nervously, I'm sitting in a bloody Ferrari, in Monaco with this absolutely gorgeous man, surely this is a fever dream and I'm going to wake up any second. "I know a place." As the engine roars to start and he pulls out of the front driveway. We drive through the streets and I feel myself just staring out, feeling the breeze from the open window. I can see him catching glances at me with the same smile still across his face, he handles the car with such ease and as we head up a small hill I see him focus on the road as the car pulls away with speed. Oh god I'm going to die in a car crash on this hill.

He obviously feels my unease as I can feel the car slowing a little as we wind up and out from the main city. "Sorry, I'll slow down for you" he chuckles as I look over at him and notice he's now got one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on the window. "We're going out of the city?" All the thoughts of the murder documentary start spinning in my mind. "There's a nice little place just at the top of the hill here, I think you'll like it."

We pull into the car park and see a bar adorned with fairy lights illuminating the footpath just outside, he parks up just in front. Before I can grab my bag from the footwell he's already opened my door for me and again extended his hand to help me out. I look up at him, those green piercing eyes staring into mine just like he did in the cafe. We're walking along the footpath to the door, I almost flinch as I feel his hand hold onto the small of my back sending an electric shock up my spine. This man makes me so nervous yet so excited. He holds the door open for me as we're greeted by a waiter just inside the doors.

"Mr Leclerc." he says as nodded and starts to walk inside, we follow him through the dimly lit bar and out the back sliding doors onto an empty terrace. The terrace overlooked the whole of Monte Carlo, the lights twinkling and reflecting on the sea. He ushers us to sit down, as we do Charles says something in French to the waiter, he nods and walks away. "So what do you think?" he smiles at me again, that smile. "This is incredible, it's gorgeous." I can't help but look away from him and soak in the view. "I'm glad you like it, it's one of my favourite places to come to." "It's beautiful, thank you." The waiter appears back at the table with a bottle of wine and two glasses and places them down, filling up each glass before quickly leaving again.