riley sargeant has been around racing her entire life. with her older brother logan being a formula racer, she was thrown into the world against her will but started to find a love for it. while her brother was a racer, she went a different route...
The sun was what woke me up before my alarm. We had forgotten to close the blinds last night during our marathon of really crappy movies. But as I turned, I realized that someone was laying on my arm. I looked over to see Riley curled into my side, fast asleep in my jumper.
I smiled but it was quickly ruined by the guilt. Part of me knew that we hadn't done anything but for some reason, to see her like this. In my bed, in my clothes. All it brought back was the memories of what would usually happen to have a girl in this position. I didn't want that with Riley. I wanted the soft things and the sweetness of having something real.
But maybe that's what this was. I had the option of being that person I was and I continuously chose not to. I chose to do the sweet things. I chose to take it slow, even if I had wanted to make her mine within the first few weeks. I was taking the time to learn her and see who she could be with and without me. She was in my bed because I'd been there when she needed me emotionally. I had sat and listened when she needed me to. I was the shoulder she leaned her head on when she needed to cry. I was there. Through all of it.
Charles had been wrong. This was the right way to do it. Keeping Riley close gave me the chance to know her and fall for all those little things that no one else got to see. And that was what made all of this real.
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"You have issues, mate."
I rolled my eyes as if he could see me. "It's not that. I just need to know how to do this perfectly. Riley deserves that."
"She likes Taylor Swift, right? Go look and see if there's a song that can help or something."
"That's not a bad idea."
"You know her better than me. I'm just here to help you stop overthinking. I'm sure whatever you do will be perfect."
"You are no help." I scrolled through Riley's master playlist. I knew her favorite album was 1989 and so I went there first. "Mate."
"Huh?"
"There is a bloody song called How You Get The Girl."
I could hear Max laughing and I just shook my head. There was no way, there was no fucking way.
"Oh mate, that's perfect."
"Taylor Swift has everything."
"Maybe we should have started listening to her earlier."
"The lyrics are literally a step by step. What the fuck..."
Max started laughing again and this time I couldn't help but do the same. I had it. I had it perfectly planned out by bloody Taylor Swift. It was so stupid and yet, it was perfect.
"I think you have your plan."
I shook my head. "Well, then Miami, here we come."
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"Why must you constantly post bad pictures of me?"
She laughed, shaking her head. "Everyone posts such good photos of you, I need to put the balance back in place."
I flipped her off as I put the car in park which only caused her to giggle a bit more. I couldn't help but shake my head at her as I got out of the car, walking around to open the door for her. She took my hand as we got out, thanking me.
"Free practice."
"Are we putting bets in?"
"Go for it, charm."
She thought for a second as we walked through the paddock. We were running a bit behind and so neither of us stopped today.
"Top five."
"For both?"
She nodded. "You've been doing good so yeah. Top five."
"I can pull that off."
She held my arm as we walked into the garage. I separated from her to go change and she went right over to Izzy. They started talking and moving around the garage more than the engineers. There would be media I would have to deal with later and they were probably planning that out for Oscar and I.
"You're later than usual."
"I had to make a call for some plans."
Oscar raised his eyebrows at me as I tucked into the backroom. He was already changed and I made sure to keep the door crack so I could hear him.
"You're going to make a move on Riley?"
"Hopefully. I want to do it in Miami."
"Look at you go."
I rolled my eyes as I pulled on my suit, adjusting so it hung around my waist without falling. Oscar was sitting on the couch, smirking like he was happy about this master plan.
"Do you think it's a good idea? Genuinely, Osc. I know it's technically not against the rules but I don't want to put her at risk for anything."
"I think..." He trailed off for a second. "This is different for her than for you. You won't lose anything, you have to remember that. Her job, her dignity. And if you do go through with it, which I support because you both look so happy, you have to practically go to war for her every day."
"I know-"
"I don't think you do. Most of the fans will hate her the second you get together and make it something public. You have to be there for her, Lando. Not just physically but emotionally and constantly reassure her. Because as strong as she is, it will get to her."
"I plan to." It was firmer than I'd expected. "Osc, you might not fully believe the words that come out of my mouth. But I will. I will make sure that no one takes anything else away from her. She doesn't deserve that. Riley deserves the world and then some. And hell, I'm still fighting with that stupid little sentence in my head that tells me I am the worst possible person for her, that I couldn't ever be enough. But I am doing that because she is everything to me."
He nodded with that knowing smile like he was trying to get that out of me. "Then I say go for it. At least I can stop dealing with the weirdness between you two. I hate this part of relationships."
