CHARACTER DISCLAIMER:The characters herein are mine. Any resemblance to real or fictional people are strictly part of your imagination. Some places in the story are real and some are fictional.
LOVE/SEX WARNING/DISCLAIMER:This story depicts an explicit love/sexual relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it. If depictions of this nature disturb you, you may wish to read something other than this story.
Feedback: Always appreciated! kk3377@hotmail.com
LOCATION: Most are real but some are the product of my imagination. The story takes place in several countries, some I’ve been there, others I wish to go. ;)
THANK YOU: To my beta reader CW.
NEED FOR SPEED
By K.
Chapter 1 - Miami — 2007
It was almost a typical Sunday morning. Jackie was watching the world super bike championship on television just as we always did every other Sunday while I was making breakfast. The only difference between this Sunday and all the others was that the yellow and black helmet was nowhere to be seen on the screen.
As if reading my thoughts, the image on the screen changed from the actual race to the last one, replaying the accident. "The three-time world champion and this year’s leader, Chiara Capasso, had an accident last race in Germany, and is out of this race, but her doctors are assuring she will return in time for the next race, the last one of the season. Capasso was on her way to her fourth title, needing only a mere 5th place to assure the championship, when the British Michael Johnston, who was two laps behind, lost control of his bike in the moment Capasso was passing him for the third time. The two crashed and Capasso ended up with a broken wrist. With two races left, Capasso can win her fourth championship today if Paolo Datori finishes this race lower than fourth. Datori has the pole position and was the fastest in the warming up. I think the championship decision will be made next race, with Capasso back."
I felt my body tense again, just as it did two Sundays ago and every time the accident was shown. I know Chiara was fine. I had called her sister as soon as I saw Chiara falling from her bike and the doctors rushing to get to her because she wouldn’t get up. Carol assured me it was indeed just a broken wrist, but she was shattered as well. The accident brought bad memories. Even though it wasn’t her fault, Chiara believed that she committed a rookie mistake, which could make her lose the championship and no one in her family or on her team could change her mind. Carol also said the kid who caused the accident had a broken ego, as Chiara made sure he understood the consequences of his stupid action. Well, let’s just say the kid almost ended up with a broken nose. A smile crept onto my face as I remembered Chiara’s attitude toward stupidity. It wouldn’t be the first time she broke someone’s nose for being such an ass during a race.
We were in Laguna Seca, where another race for the world super bike championship was taking place. Jackie and I had flown from Miami that Friday morning and Chiara sent her brother Dino to pick us up at the airport. I was disappointed that she wasn’t there but with the upcoming race and because it was her second comeback season, the media was crazy about her. Who wouldn’t be crazy about a six-foot Italian, gorgeous dark blue eyes, amazing body and the only woman to win not only but three super bike world championship, the first before she was 20 years old? And, after "retiring" for 4 years, Chiara started racing again and the sponsors and media were all over her again. I did understand why she wasn’t there, but I couldn’t help being disappointed.
We went straight to the track, where the start-up qualifying was about to take place. As we got into the boxes, Chiara was already in the track. It was easy to spot her from far away in the track. The distinctive yellow and black colors of her Ducati, helmet and chaps would draw your attention from a distance. She flew by us, her speed close to 180 miles per hour as she graciously rode her Ducati through the curves of the track like an old lover. She belonged there.
Dino, Jackie and I were in front of a monitor accompanying her lap. Suddenly, someone that was in front of her lost control of his bike in one of the curves and fell. We saw Chiara slow down, jump from her bike and run to him. She told me later that particular curve is very dangerous to the pilots, not because of the curve itself, but because of the hard access it has for the emergency and medical personnel. As she was reaching him, some other rider almost ran over her, ignoring the fact that someone was in the ground and someone else was in the way to help. I felt my heart stop as Chiara jumped out of the way, landing in the middle of the track. Someone mentioned that all the other riders had either slowed down or were not in the track, but I was still worried. She managed to get up and get to the fallen rider, Damian was his name as she told me later and he was only 20 years old. Less than 10 seconds later, the emergency team arrived and took care of the fallen rider, who didn’t have a scratch, just was a little dizzy. After making sure the guy was in good hands, Chiara got into her bike and flew back into the boxes.
I was so relieved
to see her back in one piece that it took me a moment to realize what was happening.
Chiara had stopped her bike in the wrong box, she had stopped it in the adjacent
one. Her entire team was on her tail. I got there in time to see her all over
the guy. I couldn’t understand the words, she was yelling in Italian, but
the 6’4 feet guy looked like someone who was caught with his hand in the
cookie jar. By his body language and tension you could see that he was getting
angry with her, for giving him a very public reprimand and he was stupid enough
to try to hit her. That is how he ended up with a broken nose. It would be worse,
but Chiara’s team quickly held her, while his team was looking for clean
towels, ice and doctors to see his nose. While I was shocked at the whole scene,
I couldn't help but think
that the guy really deserved it … and she won her second title that year.
The screen changed again and now it was showing the last interview the network had with her. Her blue eyes looked at the camera and they seemed to go straight to my heart. I remember that reporter, he was an old friend and big fan of hers and, as he made Chiara smile, it made my heart ache. I loved that cocky smile, the one she always had on when someone was complimenting her or when she had just caught her prey, her new conquest. I had seen it so many times that I could recognize it anywhere.
The ringing of the phone seemed distant on my mind and my thoughts were brought back from fantasyland only when I heard Jackie mention her name.
"Oh my god, Chi. We were just watching you on TV. They were showing your accident again. Mom said you were ok, but I have to ask anyway. Are you alright? How long you are going to be out? " The brief moment of silence was soon broken as Jackie broke into a huge grin and asked Chiara when she would re-start her riding lessons. In the meantime, my body finally decided to obey my brain and took me to stand close by Jackie, who was holding the phone for me.
"I don’t even have to say who it is, right? She said the lessons will restart as soon as her wrist allows her to ride again. So, mom, when are we going to Italy?" Jackie grinned while handing me the phone, almost bouncing off the wall. Kids…
For a moment I was afraid to get the phone. It had been so long. I didn’t know what to say, what to do, so I decided to play it safe and fast.
"Chiara, you are in big trouble now. No way I’m letting Jackie go to Italy for riding lessons! I know how the Italian men behave. And the women."
"Oh, I’m hurt." I could just picture her with her hand over her heart and her face mocking at me. "You really think I would let that gorgeous photocopy of yours all alone in Italy? The biggest and scariest bodyguard I could find would escort her. Besides, you would have to be more afraid of your girl, tiger."
It really soothed my heart to hear her calling me by that. The nickname was the most endearing way she found to tell me that I meant a lot to her.
"So we have a little problem then, sweetie. She is here and you are in Italy, and she is not going to Italy by herself."
"Then a solution we will find, tiger. And, actually, I’m in Miami right now."
Shocked is not exactly the word I would describe for myself at that moment. I started to have all different feelings, from being happy to completely scared. I started spluttering words and could hardly speak out loud the questions popping into my head.
"You are here?? What are you doing here?"
"Yup, here I am. Since I can’t ride for a couple of days more, I decided to attend to a conference here and I would like to know if we could meet for lunch."
"Of course. Tomorrow?"
"It’s a date."
We talked a little after that, but Mike showed up to pick up Jackie and I had to hang up. Why do ex-husbands always have really bad timing?
Wow. Chiara had called. To say that her call was unexpected is the understatement of the century. It had been two years since we last talked to each other, and almost three since we last saw each other. It happens a lot when you live in different continents. Then, out of blue, she called and wanted to meet with me.
Ok, I was preparing myself to see her again. I know I had reacted badly and foolishly two years ago and I wanted our friendship to reach the level it was before the "incident". I had plans to go to Italy and see how her new company was doing, visit her ranch and family and see with my own eyes that she had moved on, as her sister claimed she had. And I even had an excuse. Jackie wanted to major in history and wanted to see the "Old World". Her dad and I would give the trip to Europe as a graduation gift. I had everything planned: a few days before returning from Europe, we would stop in Tuscany for a couple of nights and I was going to meet her.
Now she was here. God, I wondered what she wants to talk about. I had been accompanying her races through the newspapers and television. Heck, I had even subscribed to one of those specialized magazines. By the pictures, she was looking great, and always had some blonde girl attached to her, but her chances to win a fourth title were gone with her accident last month. She couldn't race anymore this season. I was so worried that I called her, but she was still in the hospital and her sister told me that everything was fine, but I was glad that I 'd see it with my own eyes.
***
I did it. After two years without talking to her, I finally had the courage to call. I can’t even count how many times I’ve been in Miami in these last two years and never called, never had the nerve, the courage. But now I had a reason to call her …I needed her back in my life. The company was taking an important step and I wanted her to be part of it. Actually, I needed her. Not only was she the perfect choice for the job, but I also needed her back in my life. Besides, this way I would always have a reason to call her or pay her a visit.
***