Formula One - One-Shots Collection - Complete

53(PC) - Daniel Ricciardo

'Wanna make a connection, can't get no reception, leave a message after the tone'

Daniel stood at the bar, his arms leaning on the sticky surface but he didn't mind as his mind was elsewhere. His eyes looked over at the women he'd been spending all his time with recently. Paisley was one of the team of mechanics that worked on his vehicle but over time something more had developed between them. Tonight though, as everyone gathered at the Renault end of season celebration, Daniel could sense there was more to the blonde than he knew. 

Paisley giggled as she put her hand on Esteban's arm and smiled at him. "You are so funny," she beamed at him as she winked at him. 

Esteban looked at the young woman who was showing him some attention, it hadn't been the first time she had flirted with him. They had spent some time together earlier in the season. The Scottish mechanic worked for Daniel but she seemed to talk to everyone. Esteban especially liked the fact that she was someone who fitted his type of woman to a tee. 

"Paisley?" Daniel seemed to appear next to the woman as both herself and Esteban looked up at him. 

She smiled at the man who she had been working with for the past two years. "Hey, Daniel," she gave him a small nod. 

Daniel handed her a glass of white wine, the drink she had told him was her favourite. For a moment he watched as she hesitated before she took the glass from him. "Did you want to join me?" Daniel asked her as she held the glass tightly in her left hand. 

Esteban noticed her thinking about it, almost like she was full of doubt. 

"Okay," she answered before she looked back at Esteban. "We'll catch up later," she nodded before she got up and followed Daniel to the table he sat at. 

Paisley was uneasy as they sat alone at a table. 

Daniel placed his glass of scotch down before he looked up at the young woman. 

He'd seen her over and over, almost every day for the past four months. Tonight she looked even more beautiful than she usually did. She wore a midnight blue strapless dress which was down to her knees which was littered with small flecks of glitter. Her blonde hair was scraped back into a tight bun on the top of her head and her make up was perfect. Her soft blue eyes shined next to her dark dress and Daniel couldn't help but stare into them. 

"What's wrong?" She asked him, 

He hated how cute her voice was. He hated how pretty she was. He knew the next question might be one he'd regret, but he needed to know. 

No hesitation, Daniel went for it. "Just how many of my friends have you slept with?"

Paisley bit her bottom lip, her matte lipstick not moving an inch as she did it. "Daniel, we were never exclusive," she told him, making excuses for herself.

"I didn't think it was a conversation we needed to have." Daniel's voice was quiet as he leaned across the table and spoke to her. He didn't want everyone else knowing his business but he also didn't want to look like he was not enjoying himself. He smiled remembering people might be looking over. "We're both adults, I thought we might have been able to work this out between us." He took a deep breath, "So, how many?"

Her blue eyes rolled for a moment, "Me telling you isn't going to help. Who I sleep with is my business, Daniel. If you can't accept the fact that you are not the only man in my life, then," she shrugged her shoulders not even seeming to notice how her words affect the man before her. 

Daniel was shocked at her flippant she was about it all. "Esteban, have you slept with Esteban?"

Paisley glanced over at the other Renault driver then she looked back at Daniel. "Yes," she answered him like she hadn't done anything wrong. "Daniel, I am a single woman, I can sleep with whoever I choose."

Picking up his glass, Daniel put it to his lips and quickly drank the scotch in the glass. "You're right," he told her. He was sad that whatever he thought they had was over but he wasn't going to chase one woman who obviously didn't want a stable relationship. 

They both stood up at the same time, she picked up her glass and smiled at Daniel. "You are a great guy, Daniel," she told him before she walked away leaving him thinking about what just happened.