A girl chasing her dream. A boy looking for the light.
When Florence Nyx started her internship at a Formula 1 paddock, she expected a lot. Fast cars. Exclusive impressions most people could only dream of. An entire array of skills she'd acquire...
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I slipped into my leather jacket and shook my hands, trying to relieve some of the post-race adrenaline that still rushed through my veins. Every inch of me felt electric from watching Phoenix on that podium, seeing how my mechanics had celebrated themselves and their driver with everything that they had.
This win was so important to every single member of the team, and Phoenix gave it to them by driving his heart out today.
Part of me wondered why he had insisted on doing this date tonight, considering the team would probably celebrate his efforts in the backstage lounge right about now.
But another part of me knew Phoenix had his own way of celebrating his efforts. I had no right to tell him how to do that.
And it was almost like I summoned him when three controlled knocks on my door made me glance at my watch: 7:47.
Phoenix was early.
I couldn't help but smirk at myself in the mirror as I studied my outfit; a white long-sleeve shirt paired with dark jeans and sneakers showing exactly what Phoenix wanted me to do. I wore what I felt like; Casual, but ready to run from his danger at any given moment.
Three more knocks resounded through the door, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I threw my wallet and phone into my small leather backpack and made my way toward the entrance.
"You know you're really..." My breath hitched as I opened the door. "...impatient."
Phoenix stood there, one hand in his jeans pocket while the other ran through his dark, disheveled hair. The crooked grin on his lips made my heart do a flip, and I swear I would've melted from the scorching desire in his gaze if I didn't feel igniting hot already.
"You're not surprised, are you?" Phoenix quipped, eyes roaming over my body. It wasn't sexist or degrading; it was appreciative, like he was trying to tell me he liked what he saw.
And fuck me. I really liked what I saw, too.
"You're stunning," he said, his voice low and husky.
I swallowed hard, trying my best to hide the effect his mere stare had on me, to no avail. My mouth was dry as the desert as I tried to think of something, anything, to say.
This didn't happen to me. Never. Not even with Phoenix. But something about his appearance today fried my brain, and it was extremely hard to catch up.
"You, too." I finally found the words, much to Phoenix's enjoyment. The way his lips twitched further up only made my heart melt more.
"You think so?" he asked and took a step toward me. Every inch of me tried to walk backward, tried to get some distance between the two of us... But it was no use. I stood planted to the ground, taking deep breaths as I glanced at his outfit.
It wasn't the jeans and sneakers that made him this heartbreakingly attractive. It also wasn't the dark t-shirt or the black leather jacket he wore. What made him so damn breathtaking tonight was his aura, the energy that rolled off of him in violent and nerve-wrecking waves. My entire body went into fight-or-flight mode, sending my nerve-endings on high alert like Phoenix was the greatest danger I'd faced all my life.
