Amore Mio - Daniel Ricciardo

10

Perth was beautiful just like Daniel had said. The city part looked like the average city, but as they reached the country side where Daniel's home was it was absolutely breathtaking.

"Wow, this is beautiful," Noemi said to Daniel.

"I told you," Daniel joked flashing her his usual smile before placing his hand in hers. He rubbed circles on her thumb with his. She placed her other hand on top of his encasing his hand in both of hers.

"Are you going to introduce me to your family as your girlfriend?" Noemi asked curiously.

"Yes, if that's alright with you?"

"That is absolutely okay with me." She paused, "Does that mean we're like ... you know ... actually together? Or just still friends who make out and now almost have sex?" She asked lowering her head in embarrassment.

"I don't know." Daniel added. They both sighed, knowing that they should put a label on what their relationship was, but with everything this relationship was risking, they didn't want to.

"Did you mean what you said last night?" Noemi asked.

"What?" He paused, "Me saying that I love you?"

"Yes."

"Of course I meant it Noemi," He stopped and took a deep breath, "I don't know if you've realized but I was not in a good spot at all the beginning of this season, mentally and performance wise." He looked over at her, his pupils so dilated his normally brown eyes appeared black now, "You pulled me out of that, I'm starting to perform better, and for the first time in a long time, I actually enjoy my job and I enjoy being alive." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight, "Noemi, I love you more than I can even comprehend, and I want to fucking marry you."

Noemi gasped, "Daniel, I don't think i'm ready to get ma-"

He cut her off, "Not right now of course, of course not, but eventually, I would love that."

"I would too honestly." Noemi responded, they both smiled at each other over the shared want for marriage in the future. It was early in their relationship, very early, but there was something, a feeling, that they both knew, Noemi started laughing, "God, I really thought you were proposing to me right here." They both laughed at her assumption, and suddenly the awkwardness of the earlier conversation was gone.

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Daniel's home was large, just as Noemi had expected, afterall his salary was multimillion dollars. It was a ranch style home in the Australian country side, it and looks straight out of a movie. The inside was furnished with wooden tones and green shade that gave the interior an extremely homey feeling. The air was stiff inside due to the lack of people in the house for the past few months.
Daniel immediately turned on a fan and opened a  few windows to get the air circulating throughout the home, he walked over to the thermostat at set on the air conditioning. He lit a candle in the kitchen to try and get the smell of dust to dissolve.

"I see why you miss home a lot," Noemi laughed, taking off her shoes at the door.

"Yup," He sighed before sitting down on the couch.

"Where should I put my bags?" She asks.

Daniel got up from the couch, "The spare room is down here," He began walking down a hallway, showing her a spare room in the house, "You can put your stuff here." He watched as Noemi set her stuff down in the room, "You wanna see our room?" He asked with a hint of humor in his voice.

"Mhm," Noemi hummed happily.

They walked back down the hallway, and up the steps. There was a large master bedroom that Noemi assumed was where Daniel usually slept. Attached was a bathroom and walk in closet. There was a shelf housing a few trophies from Daniel's wins as well pole position and driver of the day awards.
Noemi walked over to the shelf examining it, 2019 was the pole award and so was the driver of the day award. 2020 winning trophy, and a 2022 winning trophy from his last year at McLaren. Inside on of the trophies was a bunch of friendship bracelets fans had made him with all sorts of phrases. It was sweet Daniel kept them.

"You like the shelf?" He asked.

"Mhm, I hope to have one of these someday." Noemi pointed at the first place Monza trophy.

Daniel walked up behind her, wrapping his hand around her waist, "You'll get a home race win eventually." He said confidently.

"Yeah I will."

Noemi walked over to his closet to begin inspecting his clothes out of curiosity. A whole portion was dedicated to his clothing brand Enchante, she pulled a hanger off the rack to see the design on a shirt better, "Awe this is cute." She said, the design was two people sitting in a car with the mountains in the background, "I might have to buy this one," She giggled.

"Do we think you wearing my clothing brand in the paddock would be a good idea?"

"I honestly think it would be good," She put the shirt back, "After all, friends support eachother, and we're friends to everyone else besides ourselves and Lando."

"True" Daniel shrugged, "I reckon neither of us are in the mood to go to the grocers tonight, so what do you say we order something to be delivered for dinner?"

"I like that idea for sure." Noemi responded, getting a laugh out of Daniel.

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As Daniel and Noemi settled down to go to bed Noemi took a shower rinsing all of the travel off of her finally. She dressed herself in a pair of pajama pants with NASCARs printed on them gifted to her by her American NASCAR racer friend Toni. She wore a black tank top on top.

"Very nice pants," Daniel smirked as she walked out of the bathroom.

"Thanks! They were a gift." Noemi climbed into bed with Daniel who was already under the covers, she curled up into his arms already drifting off into sleep, right before she fell into sleep, she felt Daniel place a tender kiss on her forehead and hold her a little tighter.

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1045 Words <3