When it Rains | Daniel Ricciardo

Chapter 29 - Sickly Sweet

ALEXIA POV

As much as I hate to admit it, I knew I had acted like a spoiled brat when I stormed off, the fact that Daniel had come after me had definitely come as a surprise, a good surprise, but I honestly didn't think he would leave the whole group to see if I was okay. 

When he hugged me everything, all my doubts about this trip had instantly melted away. It had been so long since we had been this close so I secretly savoured the way his arms felt around me and how his cologne overwhelmed my senses. It was as if the clouds had finally cleared from a storm and had made way for the sun to shine through.

Not a word was uttered as we scoffed down, well at least I was scoffing, the food. I didn't realize how hungry I was until the plate had landed in front of me. I looked up and Jamie was frowning at me. "What, I just realised I haven't eaten since last night?" feigning hurt as I brought another loaded fork back to my mouth.

"I didn't say a word, princess." He continued to play innocent... Hearing that fucking nickname again had sent me back to silence. I didn't reply, with a disingenuous smile I silently tried to keep the freshly healed wounds from ripping open again. 

This evening was not about to become a 'pity-the-poor-beaten-broken-puppy' I had become, I closed my eyes and when I opened them Danny was looking at me, asking if I was okay without saying a word - he knew what had happened.

It scared me. 

The way he knew me so well, how he paid attention to the social cues that could slightly trigger me and knew how to comfort me without belittling me. 

To him my feelings were justified and I think what scared me the most was that it felt so good, his acceptance like a drug I was instantly hooked on and couldn't see a future without. I felt my heart stretch with a new capacity of admiration for this man who had stumbled into my life and choked on the fact that he might not feel the same way, that I might never get to tell him what he's truly done for me in this short time... or show him.

Damn, what I would do to kiss him right now.

I looked away again, trying to hide the blush I'm sure had crept up on my face just thinking about being close to him and also to save myself from the imminent rejection, thickly laced in the air.

"So what do you do Alexa?" Cassandra muttered out, drawing Daniel's attention back to her - away from me...*eyeroll****

Nico snorted into his beer and Jamie hesitated to do the same when I shot him a look across the table. I smiled politely "It's Alex-i-a and I'm the team's social media guru/manager. Whatever you want to call it."

Her eyes turned into slits and the space between her eyebrows disappeared, "So you like follow them around, take pictures and stuff?" Sounding even dumber than she looked. 

This time Jamie did not hold it in and neither did Nico, they both burst out laughing - Nico spat out his beer and Jamie made that ridiculously childish "ohhhhh no she didn't", to which of course Daniel couldn't help himself, "Oh she did girlfriend, you better work!"

"Enough boys! I'm sure Cassandra means well. Yes, basically, but mostly I order them around and make them do entertaining things for the vlogs. Their fans really love it and they are a pleasure to work with most of the time.." I gave a pointed look to both Nico and Daniel who were still trying to recover from their "clever antic" - stupid boys.

"But mainly, she's just there to look pretty," Dan added, "and for us to annoy the shit out of," Nico finished. I couldn't help but laugh at the two of them.