Book 2: Beginning Again -Carlos Sainz

Chapter 52

Marie accepted Caroline's invite to Abu Dhabi without actually realizing all that it would entail. The girl practically begged her, along with Carlos' puppy dog eyes and his subtle "I would love to see you there" comments. That's how Marie found herself in a hotel conference room, nervously looking back and forth to the clock. The meeting continued to drag on, just until Caroline texted that the limo was on its way. Like a stroke of magic, the meeting somehow wrapped up quick enough for Marie to stash her stuff away and get to the hotel doors before the limo arrived. She hopped in quickly, knowing they were already cutting it close on time.

"Hi!" Caroline squealed as she went in for a hug.

"Hi yourself, you look beautiful," Marie replied.

"You too, seriously, I need to raid your closet one day," Caroline said as she looked over Marie's business casual attire.

"I have a feeling Charles is going to keep you around for a while, so that is fine by me," Marie said as she watched Caroline blush.

"Well, I'm not really sure about that. But I will be around for my job, I'll make sure to pop by you and Carlos when I can," Caroline replied with a wink.

"Thank you for that, again," Marie said with sincerity. "It was truly a beautiful night and I know he couldn't have done it without you."

"He's a really good friend to me, and has been there at some pretty low points. Plus I could see how in love with you he was and I just... had to help a sister out," Caroline said with a smile before it dropped off her face. "Um, I do feel like I should just come out and tell you... a long time ago when we were both just a mess, Carlos and I, uh..."

"You guys slept together, yeah," Marie said with nonchalance.

"You... know about that?" Caroline replied with obvious embarrassment.

"Yeah, he told me at the dinner actually. I mean I can't be mad or anything, we were broken up. Once he told me it was you and how right after you jumped in for our relationship, I knew it wasn't anything serious. Plus, I see how Charles looks at you."

"Well I'm so glad we can be friends, I just had to make sure you knew and it wasn't a secret," Caroline said before chugging the rest of her champagne.

"Keep avoiding the topic, Care, I can wait the whole limo ride before we talk about you and Charles!" Marie said with a smirk.

Caroline gritted her teeth together and turned to face her friend. "Ok, so this is what I'm feeling."

**

Carlos loved the energy of a team at the last race of the year. Even more so that the championship was on the line between his teammate and one of his former teammates. Carlos hadn't seen Charles in a while, assuming he was not to be disturbed in prep mode. It was just about time for him to get ready to get into the car when two girls burst into the garage like a gust of wind. Carlos could feel the energy shift even before his body turned to see her. He looked her up and down, from neat up-do to her camel trouser pants. She looked like she had just come from work, which Carlos expected since she had told him she would be working most of the weekend. She was still looking at Caroline, laughing at something, while Carlos stared unashamedly. He stared as he walked right up to her and her eyes finally met his. He was a man entranced as he slid his hand behind her neck and pulled her lips to his. She was taken aback for a second before she put one hand on his chest and the other around his waist. Carlos gripped his hand tighter, adding more intensity to a kiss that definitely had people turning their heads. He finally softened his grip and released her, feeling her body go limp for a second. Her eyes met his once more and her mouth was still agape, mostly in shock. Before he moved his head he whispered in her ear, "Had to show 'em you're still mine."

Carlos looked to Caroline who was stifling a laugh under her hand.

"What?"

"You two are just really... funny," she said before reaching out for a hug. "You kissed her like you were about to pin her down and fuck her right here, right now," Caroline whispered.

"Yeah, I know. Power moves, big romantic gestures, all that," Carlos said with a smile. He looked back to a very pink-faced Marie and winked at her before returning to his team.

**

Marie cheered with Caroline as she watched her man cinch his first world title. At some point, Caroline had disappeared and reappeared with smudged lipstick and a pale face, telling the story of how her and Charles finally spilled their guts to each other. Marie wasn't surprised when her friend went AWOL to go hug her man amidst the crowd. Marie hung back in the garage, waiting for Carlos who had a decent race, finishing P4. She wandered over to his drivers room, opening the door once she saw that it was unlocked. She looked around the room, seeing that most of their pictures were gone and replaced with trophies or medals. She looked until a small rock caught her eye and she picked it up, turning it over in her hand. She had an almost identical one that she kept in her purse that she fished out to hold side by side.

"I always keep it with me," Carlos said as he closed the door behind him.

Marie, startled, almost dropped the rock. "You scared me. Yeah, I keep mine in my purse," she said as she put the rock back and smiled. "Great race out there."

"Eh, not great, but thank you. Sorry for ambushing you back there," Carlos said with a small chuckle. "I just... really wanted to kiss you."

"No apologies necessary, I mean I also... wanted it," Marie said as she continued looking at his trophies, avoiding eye contact.

"Have you thought any more about me? Us?" he said as he started to unzip his race suit.

Marie whipped her head around. "What are you doing?"

"I'm changing? I'm pretty sweaty," Carlos said as he stepped out of the suit, just in his fireproofs now.

Marie turned her head around and looked anywhere but there. "Oh, I'll go, I'm sorry," she said as she started to walk towards the exit. She was met with a strong hand around her arm that stopped her.

"It's nothing you haven't seen before," he said with a mischievous grin.

"You're just trying to seduce me," Marie said back with fake annoyance.

"You bet your perfect ass I am," he quipped back, looking down at her through his lashes.

Marie's brain hitched on his comment, giving her a raw sense of deja vu. It felt like a year ago all over again, with him making dirty comments to her in the secrecy of his driver's room. Suddenly, a wave of nausea crept up in her.

"I... have to go," she said as she pulled away from him. He let her arm slip through his fingers.

"Wait, what did I do?" he said, confusion ripe through furrowed brows.

Marie froze with her hand on the door, waiting for the energy to open it. She sighed as her fingers slipped off the cool metal.

"This... I mean I've lived this before. The secret, dirty comments and amazing but unexpected kisses. Everything feels like deja vu. I've seen this film before and I did not like the ending," Marie said as she turned to face Carlos. "I don't know how to explain it."

"No, I get it. I guess... I was just trying what worked the first time," he said as he uncomfortably ran a hand through his hair and looked down. "I am serious about this, Marie, I want you back. I'll do anything."

"Prove to me that this isn't the same as last time," Marie said as she crossed her arms.

"Ok, fine. Last time we started with a physical relationship, so this time, we take that part out," Carlos replied.

"So you're proposing... no sex?"

"I guess so," he said with an air of sadness. "I want to show you how serious I am about you and me, more than how it started last time. I still... love you."

Marie watched as he painfully expressed his emotions into words, seeing the way his eyes darted back and forth between hers, waiting for a reaction.

"Okay," she said softly, still watching his expression.

"Okay," he said as a smile started to form on his face. "Marie, will you go out with me on a date?"