Amber & Honey ~ [DR3]

4. Friendly

Tysm for all the reads and support! I would really love some comments just to see if you guys are liking it? ❤️

Condensation trickles down the side of my iced coffee as I slide my sunglasses back over my eyes. It's not the most comfortable, but equally it's not the most uncomfortable place I've sat around a racing paddock. The mini sun lounger seemed like the perfect spot for me to perch myself as Lando joins a meeting with the race team, prepping strategy for the race and all of its events tomorrow.

Kindly, Lando said I could remain at the hotel today if I wanted to, but I decided to join him, taking the opportunity to nose around the garages. Unfortunately, I forgot that everyone here but me has a job to do. So it left me to go off to explore the paddock on my own until I found these lovely set of seats close to the McLaren garage. I've been sat here quietly scrolling through my phone in the sun hoping to at least tan a little in the spare time.

I've been in Bahrain with Lando for just over a week now. We first arrived last Wednesday in preparation for testing and now each team is gearing up for the first Grand Prix of the season. There's been a certain nervous buzz around the track for the last few days, and as much as Lando would deny it and say he's excited for the season to start back up, I know he's nervous too. Not only for the race but the toll it will take on his body. First race back is always the worst. Eventhough training takes place in the off season, nothing can quite prepare your body for almost two hours in the car. There's usually a lot of stiff bodies around.

As the resident unemployed person here, I've been trying to make it my job to relax my brother. When he isn't training, working with the team or on the phone with Luisinha, I'd been organising fun outings, dinners or spending the night just watching movies from our childhood. It helped me that I could at least feel semi-useful around here.

I reach for my coffee, taking a sip & allowing the condensation to drip on to my exposed thighs. The cool drops feel great under the hot sun. I'm slowly starting to wish that I had stayed behind at the hotel to sit by the pool all day.

"Amber Norris." My head flies in the direction of my name wide eyed. Shocked that anyone here even knows my name. When I see who said it though I almost spit out my drink.

"Daniel Ricciardo." I say his name slowly, trying to settle myself after the shock of his sudden appearance. If I'm going to survive the next few months I'll need to pull myself together around him. It had been 5 days since Daniel and myself's last run in, but, clearly, I can't avoid him forever. I can feel my nerves standing on edge with his appearance.

Daniel throws himself down on the lounger beside mine, he's not dressed in his team uniform today, only (quite short) shorts and an oversized t shirt. He looks comfortable. I'm by contrast feeling very uncomfortable by his arrival in my little corner of the paddock.

"So you kept something quiet." Daniel says quietly, I can't tell if he's annoyed or not. I take a deep breath, determined to keep my cool.

"I told you I was there with my brother." I state simply, a small shrug. Daniel huffs out at my defence. It's a weak argument, he knows it and I know it.

"You never told me you were there because your brother is my teammate!" Daniel snaps quietly, his sunglasses covering this eyes which once stared so deeply into mine they made me breathless. Daniels naked body over mine, his rough hands grazing over my sides and down to my ass. I shake my head at the flashback, I can't think like that.

I swallow hard, refusing to be intimidated by him. "You didn't ask." I say simply. Which was true, he didn't. "I told you I was there with my brother." I repeat. I try my best to remain confident but the facade is beginning to slip. We both know how easy it would've been for me to drop into the conversation that I was Lando, his teammate's, sister.