The Red, The Silver, and The Girl Who Liked Both

Drunken Confessions

I don't remember when I closed my eyes, but when they opened Max was pulling a blanket over me. He smiled and offered a cup of coffee, I shake my head but he sat me up anyway.

"Drink, Horner, you're driving me crazy with the snoring," Max grinned as he hands me the coffee.

"'S not strong enough," I flop back onto the cushions and nearly spill the coffee. Max catches it from my drunken hands and sighs overly dramatically.

"Horner," he says again and I open my eyes.

"Verstappen," I slur back with a giggle.

Max gives up and sets the coffee on the table and sits next to me. I flop onto his lap and look up at him. I smile wildly and slap my hand on his face.

"You're pretty for a Dutchman," I giggle maniacally. Max acts hurt and catches my hand between his own. He presses a sensible kiss on my knuckles but suddenly pulls a face.

"You're drunk," he exclaims softly, all joking gone from his face.

"Yeah?" I reply slowly, obviously, he didn't notice up until this point, "Silly boy."

"I can't be with you when you're drunk, you need to go back to Hamilton," Max sighs.

"Hamilton? Pffshh he's that dead American isn't he?" I laugh again, "I'm British, remember?"

"No," Max sighs again and swallows heavily, "Lewis."

"Oh him," I turn my head to the side and look at the door, it's kinda swimmy.

"You drank too much," Max says gently, pushing a few strands of my hair out of my eyes.

"I drank as much as you," I retort, but then I laugh again and my pretense of joking anger is all gone.

"Tsunoda stopped us," Max sighs again, but the light has gone from his eyes. That sobers me up fairly quickly. I sit up fast but fall back down only to Max's shoulder.

"Max," I mumble into his shirt.

"Hm?"

"I think I love you."

Max sucks in a breath really fast and releases it slowly, "You're drunk, you don't know what you're saying."

"No it's true," I grumble back, "Since the beginning of this season."

"Horner," Max says seriously, "Then why are you dating Lewis?"

"Cause you had your own thing and he's attractive," I laugh. I can't be serious anymore with all the fuzzy feelings in my head.

"You're drunk," Max replies simply and then picks me up.

"Whoa whoa, Maxie where are we going?" I sigh into his well-worn shirt.

"Bed, mine," Max says shortly.

"Wow, I didn't think I'd get laid tonight."

"You're not getting laid, Vickie, I'm taking you to bed and I'm going to sleep on the couch."

Max carries me down the short hall and gently rests me down on the bed. I curl up into his sheets and close my eyes, they smell really damn good. Like tires and gloves and the only way Max can.

"Stay, Max," I whisper, opening my eyes just a hair to look at him.

"Vickie I can't. It's not fair to Lewis," Max replies and I huff.

"He's not here."

"You're not a cheater and I'm not taking advantage of you while drunk."

"Please. I'll keep my hands to myself."