‘They’re not really necessary,’ Matteo said. ‘I always wear a condom but I shan’t with you.’ He gave her a smile that had her thighs squeeze together at the top. ‘We don’t want a break in proceedings,’ Matteo said and in the most awkward of subjects still he made her smile. ‘No pit stops to change the rubber. We’ll just keep the momentum going.’
Pedro came over then. ‘Are you okay, Abby?’ He checked, no doubt, because her face was on fire.
‘I’m fine.’
‘Well,’ Matteo said in his best business voice. ‘I’ve given you a lot to think about, Abby. I’ll see you in Milan.’
It was a month away!
‘As I said,’ Matteo carried on. ‘I shan’t be breathing down your neck.’
He shook her hand, shook Pedro’s and then he was gone.
‘Matteo said I could have his jet at my disposal for a week if I bring in the Henley Cup,’ Pedro said. ‘He’s my man crush.’
Abby shot Pedro a look. ‘Hands off,’ she said and they both laughed.
It was the first time she’d laughed with a friend about something so basic and nice.
CHAPTER SEVEN
MATTEO DID EXACTLY as he had said he would and was completely hands off.
Abby was the recipient of several emails from some virtual assistant with flight itineraries and suchlike.
The contract was signed and countersigned.
Sheikh Kedah wanted to sponsor them too, but of all the amazing things that were happening, the one that had Abby reeling the most was that she was ankles in stirrups and having a pelvic exam and that she left the clinic with six shiny packets of contraceptive pills.
She still didn’t know what would happen between them.
And that wasn’t Abby being coy or naive. She was seriously crazy about Matteo but she was also seriously crazy about her work. Yes, the contract might be watertight but sniping at her sponsor she didn’t need.
And Abby would snipe.
Oh, the giddy high of being with Matteo would be wonderful, Abby knew, but she’d been clearly warned that it would only be temporary.
Abby was a sore loser; it was the reason she’d got as far as she had in the racing world.
Losing Matteo, or rather the flirting and friendship and fun of them...well, it was something she treasured and Abby wasn’t completely sure she wanted to mess with what they had.
And he was reckless.
The more she knew him, the more she read about him, the more debauched Matteo’s lifestyle appeared.
Still, it was bliss to know that the flights were covered, and with that weight off her mind the race ahead had never had greater attention.
Abby even found the time for coffee with her friend Bella one morning, while Matteo took Pedro out for that shopping spree. Given that Bella was an engineer on the Carter team they had a very strict no-inside-info rule, but it was lovely to catch up.
‘Are you still walking on air after Dubai?’ Bella grinned.
‘I think we’re all just trying to get our head in the game for Milan, but yes,’ Abby admitted. ‘It still feels brilliant.’
‘And how on earth did you land a Di Sione as a sponsor?’ Bella couldn’t help but pry. ‘I’m not sharing details but you must surely know that everyone is put out? Who wouldn’t want a Di Sione sponsor? Even one as wild as Matteo.’
Abby smiled. ‘Just luck. I think he likes taking risks and, given our new status, we’re the biggest risk of them all.’
‘I think he’s the risk rather than you,’ Bella said and rolled her eyes. ‘Front page again.’