Eyes on the prize- Sebastian Vettel

21. The L word

Joey had just landed in Milan, ready for another week at the paddock. She was excited to know she would be flying straight to Dublin the following Monday and she couldn't wait to give her friend a big hug. She was still concerned about him trying to contact Sebastian, but the German hadn't mentioned anything to her yet. Joey was planning on asking him if he wanted to join her in Ireland, but she knew his schedule was as busy as ever.

Joey collected her rental car keys from the desk and walked out in the scorching Italian heat. Seb had invited her to stay with him in the villa he always rented when racing in Monza. She arrived a short while later and buzzed the doorbell.

'Hello?' Seb's voice crackled through the speaker.

'It's me, open up, please! I'm melting already' Joey replied.

She slowly and carefully drove on the gravelled drive and found Sebastian waiting for her at the end of it. He was wearing a pair of soccer shorts and a plain shirt. His lightly tanned skin was glistening in the sun and his smile was beaming on his face. Joey couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked. 

'Hey you' she greeted him, with a kiss. 'Damn it's hot here, you didn't warn me it would be hot'

'What did you expect? It's summer, in Italy' he chuckled. 'We have a pool, come in' he grabbed her luggage.

The villa was way bigger than Joey expected. She knew Britta and Antti would be there too, but the place was even too big for four people. She couldn't believe Seb had refused any money from her, the place must have cost him quite a bit.

'What's up, Jo?' He asked, curiously.

'Money. I need to give you some.' She mumbled. 'Well done, Joey. Now he is gonna think you're just crazy' she spoke to herself.

'O...K…?!' He asked, confused. 'Did you break something on the way in?' He joked.

'No… no' she started looking through her purse. 'I… this place… I can't… what's your account number?'

'Joey.' He gently grabbed her hand to stop her fumbling through her cards. 'Stop, please. It's OK. I don't mean to sound big headed, but I don't need the money. I want to spend time with you away from the paddock or the driver hotels. I know Britta and Antti will be here, but they agreed to give us a day by ourselves so I'm getting us pizza tonight.' 

'You caught my interest with the last word' she smiled. 'Are you sure?'

'About pizza? This is Italy, I'm not getting you a fish and chips' he smirked. 'I'm sure. Don't worry.' He reassured her. 

'You know I don't like feeling like I owe people money' she told him.

'And I also know you're paying off your mortgage, and your dad's. And helping out your brother when he needs it' he stated. Joey damned herself for having shared too much with the man. 'So it's fine, please just relax and, maybe, give me a kiss to thank me?'

Joey smiled and lifted herself on her tiptoes to gently press her lips on his. 

'Thank you' she whispered. 'You're amazing'

'I know' he chuckled. 'So… want to chill by the pool?'

'Please, I'm melting'

'That's the effect I have on people' Seb said, smirking. 

'True' she kissed him once more. 'I'll go get changed' she started walking towards what was going to be their bedroom.

'You got that green bikini by any chance?' Seb asked, suggestively.

'Keep it in your pants, Vettel. I'm germs' she replied.

'Like that ever stops me' he chuckled.

After a relaxing afternoon in the sun, Seb and Joey had enjoyed their pizza in the warmth of the garden. They had chatted, laughed and enjoyed what, for once, felt like a normal night for two people who were dating.
Joey knew Seb had been bursting to ask about Leon, but he had given her the time and space she needed before sharing their story with him. Joey ended up explaining what had happened between them and how life had seemed to just be too good to be true: sharing the passion for motorsports and being able to support each other at races had been amazing, but as soon as his results had stopped coming in he had started blaming her for it.
'Leon is the reason I did swear off racing drivers' she had concluded. 'Our egos get in the way'
'I won't let that happen to us, Jo, you know it' Seb had replied.

Joey had also finally decided to ask Seb if he would have liked to join her in Ireland the following week, but the German had to decline due to a busy week of work at Maranello. Joey could hardly hide her disappointment, but it was maybe for the best. She had spent so much time with him that she had gotten used to having him by her side. They had only been dating for a few months and she knew she had got hurt before by throwing herself into relationships too quickly.

Sure, nobody had been like Seb, nor anybody had been so loved by the friends and family who had met him but she knew she needed to pace herself.

'What's on your mind, Süße?' Sebastian asked her, turning around to look her in the eyes. They were cuddled up together on the garden wicker furniture, Seb had been absent mindedly playing with her hair and she had almost fallen asleep in his arms a few times.

'Nothing much' she lied. 'I'm just… happy' she stated, this time telling the truth.

'I am too' he said with a smile. 'You're amazing'

'I know' she chuckled before pushing her lips on the German's.

Seb pulled her closer to him, making the kiss deeper and less chaste. What happened next went on in a flash, one minute they were making out in the garden, the next they were lying naked in bed. Joey was resting her head on Seb's chest, who was trying to return his breathing to normal.

'Jo?' He said, after a long breath in.

'Yes, Seb?'

'I…' he started. 'I really like you. Like reeeally like you. More than I liked anyone before' he paused for a moment. 'And you don't have to say anything back, I know I can be quite impulsive sometimes. But… yeah, where am I going with this you might be wondering'

'Yeah, I'm a little confused over here' she chuckled.

'I… love you' he finally said.

'He loves me? He, Sebastian Vettel, loves me?' Joey thought. Her jaw had just dropped, she didn't know what to say.

'Seb..' she started.

'Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything' he interrupted her, blushing. 'I'm sorry'

'Shut up.' She pushed her index on his mouth 'please' she added, realising she was sounding quite rude. 'I wasn't expecting that, that's all. Seb, I haven't been in a proper relationship in so long, I'm rusty. I… haven't used that word in such a long time, except with my family. I never thought someone like you could even like someone like me.' She confessed. 'All my life I looked at other people's relationships, jealous of what I never seemed to be able to keep. Now, I realise I only hadn't met the right person yet.' She took a deep breath herself to steady her shaky hands. 'I think I have loved you since the first day I met you. You're amazing, you're thoughtful, you're caring, you have been there for most of my lows this year and you didn't have to. You have been there when I had nobody else to talk to, you came to Ireland with me, you kept my grandad company, you listened to his stories about the war, stories about my nan and my mum. Nobody had ever taken me for me. Everyone tried to change me. You protected me when Leon was trying it on me… and I could go on for hours'

'Just say it' he whispered, his eyes locked on hers.

'I love you.' She eventually said, after a long pause. 'I love you, Sebastian Vettel. And nobody can make me think otherwise'

Seb's face brightened up in a big smile. She loved him! She loved him back. He hadn't completely made a fool of himself with her. He hadn't moved too quickly and ruined everything. He could, finally, be happy.