Sitting In Traffic | Formula 1

Chapter 81- Growing up is _____

Riley smiled into the kiss Max surprised her with, pushing in before he pulled away which was fairly quick. She wanted to hold his face there and prolong the kiss, to pull Max closer to her after everything that's started coming up in the past 24 hours. They both knew someone had to of gotten it on camera, and if not it was captured in the background of Lando's interview. Riley's cheeks were rosy as she felt the sting of Max's kiss on her lips still.

"We need to talk later" Max leaned into her ear to say so she was the only one who heard with everyone around.

"Don't say it like that" Riley pulled away to tell him. "We're fine" She pecked his lips one last time, feeling him press one on her cheek afterwards.

"About this morning though," He said, "I'll meet you at the hotel,"

"You don't want to ride together?" Riley asked him confusedly, already seeing someone coming over to get him. Riley was overthinking it. The worst of worst but what Max had to say was nothing bad at all. She was ready to scold herself if she got attached too fast. Especially after everything she told him that past week.

"I'll be awhile" Max told her, seeing a smile on her face but nerves in her eyes. "I'll meet you there"

"Ok" She nodded, giving Max the cue to walk away. Riley wanted to take a few steps backwards into the crowd, to hide from the cameras now that everyone knows she's there.

"Riley" His Grandmother turned around, waving her hand for Riley to come closer.

"Yes ma'am" She took a step closer, standing directly next to her.

"I don't think I've ever seen him more in love"

~~~

Riley and Max didn't have a chance to talk at the hotel. He came back so late that Riley had to pack his bags and meet him downstairs. Neither of them talked in the taxi where someone else could overhear the conversation. So they waited until they boarded his jet.

The tension was still lingering between the two of them. Not as sickening as that morning and the night prior where very few words were spoken unless knives. Riley sat in her usual seat that she had claimed over the past year. Max was talking with the pilot when Daniel hopped on the jet as-well. Which only meant Riley and Max had to whisper while talking.

Or not at all. Daniel sat down across from Riley, not thinking her and Max needed space. They had been gone for weeks minus their short lived pit stop in Monaco.

"Are we sitting here" Max plopped down in the seat next to Riley, letting out a breath he's held in after running around quickly all day.

"It's where she's been sitting since Miami last year" Daniel told Max, everyone knew that. No one bothered to try and take that seat if it was known Riley was flying.

"I like being behind the wing" Riley had one leg propped on her seat while she faced Max more. She held his hand once he offered it in her lap, getting comfortable for the short flight to Nice. She was nervous, knowing she had to talk to Max but instead was fidgeting with his hand.

"Was after Miami really the first time you flew with us?" Max looked at Riley, he knew she was in her head right now.

"Yeah" She nodded, "Before that I was with Logan so.."

She hated admitting it. Riley had broke up with Logan that weekend and then hopped on Max's jet to go to Monaco.

"I honestly forgot you dated Logan" Daniel said, "You guys always screamed platonic"