Book 1: Leap of Faith -Charles Leclerc

Chapter 15

Chapter 15: August 4th, 2023

Caroline settled on a tight black bodysuit with a plunging neckline and her favorite black leather pants. An all black outfit brought her back to her college days, making her feel more confident. She also had on her favorite black stiletto heels too, knowing that the Monaco club culture wouldn't appreciate her beat up Air Force One's. Caroline worked hard to keep herself in good shape, partially because as a physical therapist she knew how important it was, but also so that she could feel confident in her outfits like these. She was reluctant to change out of her sweats, partially dreading the night as it led up to the time to start getting ready. But after getting her makeup and hair done, putting on her outfit, she felt good. Really good.

She agreed to meet Carlos at the bench near her apartment, the irony of the location not lost on her. By the time she got there he was already waiting for her, staring at the view from where he sat. She took the moment to take in his light blue button up with sleeves rolled up to his muscular forearms. The golden sunshine made his eyes sparkle and his skin glow made him look like a greek god. His hair was being blown from the wind, which made him look even more like a model. He ran his left hand through it, trying to tame it back down with no avail. She laughed at his attempt, but it was cute nevertheless. Caroline noticed some nervous energy in her stomach about the night ahead with this famous, beautiful man.

"Care, just a friend. He said so himself. He's not the Ferrari driver that I want anyway," she thought, trying to calm herself down. Carlos turned to face her when he heard her heels clicking on the pavement.

"Hola! Woah..." he stopped through his introduction, taking in her outfit. Caroline posed confidently, doing a little spin.

"Damn, girl," he said, checking her out from head to toe.

"Damn yourself," Caroline replied, checking him out in the same way. His reaction made her smile, giving her an extra pep in her step as they walked to the club. She had her arm interlinked through his, mostly for stability through the cobblestone streets, but having this attractive man on her arm boosted her confidence even more. Caroline felt like a celebrity when they got to the club, passing through the whole line towards the entrance, feeling angry stares from the women behind her. Caroline blushed, knowing what they all thought she was doing with Carlos. She stood behind him timidly as he dapped up the bouncer, grabbed her waist, and pulled her in the club.

Shocked at the borderline intimate contact, Caroline met Carlos' eyes looking for an explanation. "Sorry about that, I had to show them that you're with me," he said, yelling in her ear over the loud music. He dropped his hand from her waist and grabbed her hand instead. As they weaved through the crowd, Caroline could feel everyone's eyes on them. They eventually made it to a small VIP booth. She noticed a couple of guys already lingering by the couch as she felt Carlos release her hand. The music was so loud Caroline could feel it in her bones, reminding her of many fun nights with her friends at the bars near their university. She looked over to see Carlos in an embrace with another guy that she quickly recognized as Lando.

"Ahhhhhh mate! So glad you made it!" Caroline overheard Lando yell. Unsure if he would recognize her, Caroline quickly turned her head to the drinks on the table. She had two while getting ready, so she was already feeling a little tipsy. She poured herself a glass of champagne and took a shot of tequila, grimacing as it burned down her throat. She grabbed the champagne glass and walked back over to Carlos and Lando. They looked so goofy dancing that Caroline had to laugh. Seeing the two best friends have fun made her miss her best friends. She approached the two, being mindful to keep her drink away from their flying limbs.

"Hi Lando! I'm Caroline, we worked togethe-" Caroline said, partially interrupting them.

"CAROLINE! I had no idea you'd be here! Come here," Lando exclaimed, pulling her into a hug. He smelled like fresh sheets and daisies. When she pulled back from the hug, she saw Carlos' face riddled with confusion.

"I filled in for Lando's trainer at Spa," she practically had to yell over the music.

"You know everyone these days. Just a regular on the paddock," Carlos responded, with a smile and a wink. Caroline smiled big, laughing at her friend's teasing comment.

In that time, Lando had filled up three shots, bringing them back to the group.

"Cheers," Lando said, handing out shots to Caroline and Carlos, "to a damn good summer break." The trio sat on the huge velvet couch and clinked their shots together. Caroline knocked back the shot as her mind flashed to Charles, who she knew wasn't in Monaco this weekend after he posted some Instagram stories in Italy. Thankful Carlos did not have the opportunity to invite him to their fun night, she downed her champagne. For the first time tonight she let herself relax, sinking into the couch next to Carlos.

**

An hour later, Caroline was fully drunk, having helped herself to more than enough champagne and tequila. Her rational brain knew this was a bad idea, but at this point, her rational brain was no more than a whisper. She didn't like to give up control often, but she needed to relax more than anything these days. She was on the dance floor, letting go of her mind and letting the music take over her body. Caroline, a competitive dancer for most of her life, knew how to get lost in music. She earned high praise in the few dance classes she took during her time studying abroad in Madrid. The rhythm of the music took over her hips, letting the muscle memory do its thing as she closed her eyes and sang along to the song that was playing. She knew she was a pretty decent dancer, but she turned around to see a surprised look on Carlos' face.

"What?! I have been dancing my whole life!" she said, underplaying her abilities. She heard herself slurring her words, realizing how drunk she actually was. Carlos pulled her close to him so that he could speak into her ear.

"You look so fucking good," he said in a serious tone, also slurring his words.

Caroline was very aware of his hands on her lower back, moving towards her hips as she continued to sway with the music. Before she realized it, he had spun her around so that her ass was pressed up against him, his hands guiding her hips. She thought back to the rounds of shots they had taken and the glasses of champagne that clearly made her judgment fuzzy. No inhibitions or no thoughts at this point, Caroline let herself press into him even more. He moved his hands up to her waist in response, her hips still swaying to the beat. She leaned her head back into his chest and started grinding on him ever so slightly. Carlos' breath hitched as he leaned his head down to meet her ear.

"You better stop that or we're gonna have a problem," he whispered.

Caroline smiled wickedly at his threat. She was living for the attention from this man. Charles was pushed to the back of her brain as she fully focused on Carlos' big hands running up and down her body. For the first time in a while, she felt sexy and desirable. Somewhere, in her sober brain, Caroline knew dancing with Carlos like this was a bad idea and that she wished the hands belonged to someone else. But she was in the mood to give up control and make a bad decision for once in her life. All she ever tried to do was do the right thing, following along the careful path she had laid out for herself since highschool. But here she was, in a club in Monaco, dancing on the one and only Carlos Sainz Jr, who also happened to be her only friend.

Her world turned more and more blurry as the alcohol kept creeping into her head. She put her hands on his, guiding his hands over her stomach so that she was fully wrapped in his arms. She craved physical touch, her skin missing the feeling since she was touched by Charles. She longed to replace the memory of his' hands with the feeling of someone else's.

Caroline quickly turned herself to face Carlos, locking her eyes on his big brown ones. Carlos saw something mischievous dance across her face with the smirk she was wearing. Was she daring him to make a move? Without a single word exchanged between them, they both knew what the other wanted. He stared at her with a heated intensity, his hands still gripping her hips, giving them a slight squeeze. The music thumped around them, as sweaty bodies continued to bump into them, but they were both unaware. Caroline stared at his plump lips, wondering how they would feel against hers. Carlos quickly grabbed her hand. He led the two of them towards the exit of the club, completely ignoring the goodbye he owed to all of his friends at the table. Carlos knew exactly what he needed to get his ex out of his head.