Chapter Text
There are victories that deserve proper celebration. When you surpass a team that dominates the field for 3 years, you simply have to celebrate. For a long time. Until around 11 a.m. the next day. Naturally, some pictures will surface on social media, an unintended side effect. The party in Monaco had social media blocked. Did anyone complain? Of course. Did I complain too? Sadly, yes. But that was mainly because of my smartphone addiction.
So when Lewis won in Austria, it was clear we had to celebrate as well. A grand celebration. But this time in Vienna, behind closed doors, with other famous individuals and select guests.
“No autographs today?” Lando asked, intrigued.
“Nope. I mean... it might happen that a couple of fans show up, but mostly none. And if they do, it’ll be manageable,” I assured him. Actresses, singers, and politicians weren’t the primary audience for F1.
“Yet my smartphone is blocked,” Lando sighed deeply. I sighed with him.
“Yeah, Miami’s never happening again. Ever.”
So we blended into the crowd. You could see surprised faces, recognition, or delight here and there, but no one asked for an autograph yet. And my group didn’t have a deep understanding of Austrian culture, which meant it was one of those anonymous evenings.
“Ehm... ja... eh... ich weiß nicht...”
“Doch! Wir sind schon hier, c’mon!”
This never gets old, the unsure fans who want to ask for a picture but don’t know how. I was watching two men; the younger one was looking at Lewis and Charles with happiness, while the older one seemed to be having as much fun as I was.
“Kann ich euch helfen?”
“Jo, Clemens will ein Foto mit Hamilton haben,” the older one winked at me, and my knees almost gave out.
“Lew?” But it wasn’t necessary because Lewis was already laughing with the young guy, and they were getting ready to take a picture.
“So, are you an American living in Austria for a long time or an Austrian who lived a long time in the USA?” asked the older one with interest, intrigued by my accent.
“Neither,” I shook my head. “But thanks, that’s kind,” I smiled at him.
We didn’t move much further in the conversation because Lewis and Clemens were laughing.
“Sorry, I’m not the target audience for Austropop,” Lewis was trying to explain why he didn’t recognize the young singer.
“Don’t worry about that, the gentlemen are musical actors,” I explained.
The older man raised his brow a little, smiling. “Well, well, well, what a surprise.”
“To my defense, I saw both of you just in the Falco musical...”
“OMG, that’s the guy you couldn’t stop talking about?!” Lando squealed in surprise.
“Thanks, Lando, for nothing,” I sighed dramatically, but I wanted to die. I wasn’t sure if I had really spent that much time talking about one particular singer.
“No, I didn’t mean the singers here, I meant the Falco guy,” Lando clarified, and I could breathe again. “But yeah, sure, you did say there was one hot fellow.”
My relief was premature.
“Who is it? We can arrange that, obviously,” Clemens said, beaming with enthusiasm.
“Not necessary, the ‘hottie’ is already talking with me,” I said, pointing at Alex.
To my surprise, he blushed. Clemens was clearly having the time of his life, smiling like a little kid getting a puppy. “Well, in that case... I’ll let you in on a little secret. Alex here was positively surprised when he saw you during the F1 race and he said—quoting—‘Why are the most sexy women in fields like this and not in theater?’”
Alex shrugged his shoulders, as if this was just a normal reaction. I was dying! But I was also ready to get as much out of this as possible. When would I get another opportunity?
I smiled sweetly. “Can we keep this interesting topic but move to the bar and leave all the saucy traitors here?” And for the first time in a long while, I prayed fervently to all the goddesses, hoping he would say yes. So I could spend more time in his company...
He didn’t hesitate. “That’s an amazing idea, let’s go!” He offered me his arm, and we left, dramatically.
“Sorry,” were his first words after we left.
I shook my head. “No need to apologize, my comment wasn’t the best either.”
He smiled. “I mean, it’s lovely to see that older men could be viewed like that by younger women.”
“Ehm… it’s possible that you misjudged my age?”
“I’m sorry?”
“I’m not as young as I seem to be,” I explained.
His eyes lit up with curiosity. “How young are we talking?”
“34.”
“What?!”
“What? Do you have standards like DiCaprio?”
He smirked. “No, not at all. But... wow. I really thought you were... 25 or 27 years old.”
“Don’t worry, although you could be my dad, you definitely can’t be my grandpa.”
“Oh wow, thank you! Now I feel much better.”
“What about my crippling daddy issues?” I teased.
He laughed heartily, his eyes crinkling at the corners. I couldn’t help myself and started to imagine him standing in front of me, myself kneeling, with my hands full... and most importantly with my mouth full...
“You’re unbelievable...” he said, shaking his head with a grin.
I shrugged my shoulders.
“Sandra, nice to meet you.”
“Alex, because we haven’t had the chance to be officially introduced yet,” he said and kissed my hand, his lips lingering a bit longer than necessary, sending a shiver down my spine.
Did I gasp for breath? Was I looking at him like I wanted to kiss him immediately? Yes. And yes. And he was enjoying it, of course.
“So, since we’ve been properly introduced, what about drinks?” I asked.
“Oh, that’s an amazing idea! What would you like, my lady?” He winked at me.
You . “Espresso martini.”
He looked at me with slight curiosity. “Not a fan of a good night’s sleep?”
“Oh, I knew that a night with you would be unforgettable, but I never imagined it would involve much sleeping.”
He was a decent enough person to blush, and he wasn’t alone. I felt myself on fire, whether it was from the alcohol, the dancing, the excitement, or the man in front of me—or everything at once. I didn’t want to lie to myself. Yes, Alex was older, in the age range of my parents, which would normally be a big no. Yes, I didn’t really know him, and he could be a mass murderer (thank you, true crime podcasts…). And yes, if we ended up in bed together, it might not turn out as I was imagining. But I didn’t care.
“Penny for your thoughts,” he smiled.
I shook my head. “Nothing important.”
He grimaced. “You were thinking about this whole idea, wondering if it’s worth it, right?”
I sighed heavily.
“No, it’s alright, no need to feel sorry or embarrassed,” he said, looking at his hands. “I’m having the same thoughts… that I could easily be your dad.”
“My god, that is so not funny,” I whined.
I watched his hand, slowly hovering above mine, and then finally, like a feather, covering it. We all read in shady books about earth-trembling feelings. My heart skipped a beat, and I felt hot in my face.
“So, do I understand correctly... that yes, I’m hot, but that’s it?” I teased.
His eyes lit up with sparkles. “You’re not going to give up, are you?”
“Once upon a time, a British actor asked me the same question, and I gave the same answer I’m about to give now—it’s not in my nature to give up.”
“Soft spot for actors?”
“Soft spot for Brits.”
“Ouch.”
“And for elderly gentlemen?” I ventured.
“OUCH! And after that, I should throw myself at you?”
"Exactly. Preferably yesterday,” I said, with a dramatic wink.
“Sandra…”
“Look, Alex! I don’t want forever love, marriage, children… future. I want a one-night stand. One night, or not the whole night, just the sex. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Suddenly, his shoes became extremely interesting. He didn’t look at me as he said, “You do have the courage...”
I wasn’t pleased. “Look, now I feel sad, and that’s far from fun. I was looking for a flirt, for some fun, and then wanted to take you home with me. But yes, of course, if the age difference is that important, if you’re married, or for whatever reason you have... if this is a no, then please say it.”
“No, there’s… I’m not married.”
I waited, but Alex didn’t say anything more.
“Cool, cool, cool. Thanks for the drink and have a lovely evening,” I said, pecking his cheek. I felt an overwhelming wave of disappointment and frustration. Maybe this was a good outcome, maybe I should learn to shut up. My sprinting thoughts were halted by Alex as he caught my hand.
“Don’t leave, please…”
I looked at him, surprised.
“Yes, we both may have reasons to walk away right now… but life would be boring if we only did the regular things.”
He drew me closer. His hand on the small of my back set me on fire. The touch was light, giving me a chance to leave. But I didn’t want to leave; I wanted to stay. I looked into his eyes, blue and green, suddenly aware of our surroundings.
“May I kiss you…?” Alex whispered.
I exhaled as if I had been holding my breath. “Yes, please…”
And then we finally, finally kissed. His stubbly chin tickled me, but his lips were soft.
Beer. Oh no, beer. He smelled and tasted of beer. I hate beer.
He looked at me with surprise. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t like beer,” I explained.
“And that explains why you’re not Austrian.”
“Joke’s on you, it’s even worse—I’m Czech.”
“Did they kick you out of the country because you don’t drink the national treasure?”
“Ha... ha... ha. Anyway, what about the passionate night?”
“I never promised a passionate night.”
“Alright, I’ll find a solution somewhere else,” I said, attempting to leave. But Alex held me firmly.
He pulled me back, his grip tight but not uncomfortable, his eyes dark with intent.
“No! Where do you think you’re going? So you’re looking for a passionate night, hmm? Do you have any wishes, any fantasies…?” His voice was low, a husky whisper that sent shivers down my spine.
I leaned closer to him, my lips brushing his ear as I whispered, “Spanking, blowjob, deep throat, sex that leaves my brain against the wall and you... inside me…”
He groaned softly and pressed himself against me. “Cheeky and beautiful… you’re going to be the death of me.”
“No way, that’s not my kink!” I teased.
He smiled softly. “My place or yours?” he asked while paying for our drinks.
“Mine, definitely mine. We don’t need to destroy your borrowed flat, do we?”
“Makes sense.”
“I have to say goodbye to my kindergarten.”
“What?”
“Lando and co.”
“Ah.”
I turned, finding Lando and the rest of our group still engrossed in their conversations. I walked over, feeling Alex's eyes on me the entire time, his gaze a tangible force.
“Hey, I’m heading out,” I announced. I reached out to Lewis. “Can we talk, please?”
He looked at me, a knowing grin spreading across his face. “Of course.”
“So, we’re going to my place and yes, I don’t know him. How often should I let you know that I’m still alive?”
Lewis looked at me thoughtfully. “Wouldn’t a hotel be a better idea?”
“Actually, yes… it would. But where am I going to get a room at this hour?”
“You’re asking this question?”
“Ok, you’re right. Let’s get us a hotel room,” I pulled out my smartphone and thought about the place with big mirror walls by the bed. Where was it? Ah yes, of course, Hotel Sacher. It was my lucky day; they had free rooms. But when I tried to book one, it didn’t go through.
“So I’m gonna call them. How often, Lewis?”
“Every 3 hours, please! And have fun,” he kissed me on my brow.
Alex was watching us intently. “Everything alright?”
“Yes,” I sang. “We’re going to Hotel Sacher. Have you been?”
“Never.”
“Beautiful, let’s change that.”
We finally made it out of the club. We stepped into the night, the cool air doing little to quell the heat between us.
“I’ll make a reservation there, so when we arrive, it goes as quickly as possible.”
He nodded. “We’re 10 minutes away from the Opera; can we walk?”
“For sure,” I gave him another peck on his cheek, feeling the heat between us intensify.
“Good evening, Hotel Sacher Vienna, Linda speaking. What can I do for you?”
“Hello Linda, this is sandra. I would love to make a reservation for tonight. I tried through your webpage, but for some reason, it didn’t work. Could you please help me?”
“Of course, Miss Sandra. I’m sorry you had problems there. So, let’s make a new reservation.”
“Beautiful,” I was relieved.
We were waiting at a red light, and Alex decided to use the time—he kissed my neck, his lips hot and demanding. I had a hard time not moaning loudly. It must have been obvious because he firmly squeezed my ass, making my breath hitch.
“Under which name is it going to be?”
“Sandra Nowak,” I answered, trying to focus on regular breathing, feeling his touch send sparks through my body.
“How long are you staying with us?”
“Just for tonight, we’ll leave tomorrow by 12.”
“I understand. Would you maybe like to have a late checkout?”
“Oh, give me a sec,” I covered the phone. “Do we want a late checkout?” I asked Alex, his tongue drawing a wet line on my neck artery, making my knees weak.
“Yes, we want a late checkout,” his breath tickled the wet spot. “And can we have the room till Saturday morning, please?”
I didn’t ask, didn’t protest.
“So, Linda, we would like to stay till Saturday and take late checkout as well. Is that possible?”
Linda was happy. “But of course, Miss Sandra. So that means two nights and a late checkout. With breakfast?”
“Yes,” I exhaled when Alex bit my neck, the sensation sending a jolt of desire straight to my core. “And wellness.”
“Perfect. So that’s included as well. The room is for two or…?”
“Yes, for two, and we’re going to pay by card. If possible, a room on a higher floor, but it’s not necessary. Any allergies…,” I looked at Alex, who just shook his head. “We’re good.”
“Amazing! So, two nights for two guests with breakfast and late checkout. Ideally a higher floor,” the receptionist was typing something, and I took the opportunity to grab Alex’s erection, trapped in tight jeans. He groaned loudly, and I wanted to throw my phone away and take him right there.
“Linda, listen, we’ll be there shortly. Let’s continue in 4 minutes.”
“But of course, Miss Sandra. See you in a bit!”
I ended the call and looked intently at the man in front of me, desire blazing in my eyes.
“I want you. Now.”
His eyes sparkled with hunger. “It was your idea to get a room. I was ready for a quickie in the bathroom.”
“Bathroom? You think I’ll waste such an opportunity in a bathroom? Never!”
I grabbed his hand and led him towards the famous Viennese building, our bodies humming with anticipation.