On Top of the World [Max Verstappen - Book 3]

17

As promised, see below for spice!

I had a migraine like all day yesterday and as a result didn't write at all yesterday for like the first time in I think 3 months lol...hopefully I feel better soon!

Enjoy and please vote and comment!
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"Hi," Max says softly when I step on the boat, having transported himself from the top deck to the bottom in the blink of an eye. I smile at him unsurely as I look around for Senna, who is very comfortable on boats especially this one from the amount of times we've been out with Charles. Roscoe might be a demon on a skateboard but Senna can surf...or at least sit on a board while I do baby waves. I'm still worried, however, I calm down when I see him on the sofa with Charles and Pierre, who gives me a quick wave.

"Hi," I say back, clutching onto the book in my hand tighter still which seems to get Max's attention.

"What are you reading?" He asks softly to break the tension and I turn the book over in my hand, looking at the cover.

"Pride and Prejudice..." I tell him, tilting it so he can see and his eyebrows raise.

"It's in Dutch..." he mutters surprised and I smile at him as I nod, walking further into the boat with him. "You can still speak it then?" He asks me in Dutch and I giggle nodding.

"It would take me a lifetime to forget...remember that month you wouldn't talk to me unless I spoke Dutch to help my vocabulary?" I ask him, staying in his native language to prove my point as I smiled at the memory and watched a similar soft glow cover his face.

"It worked, you picked it up and it seems it stuck," he said smugly as we got to the bar and I slid onto the stool next to where he stood and nodded.

"Well, it's like a broken clock. Right twice a day..." I say mockingly and he rolls his eyes, changing where he leans so as to not face me, nudging my shoulder with his jokingly. "So tomorrow is the big day? No going back?" I ask him and he lets out a sigh and nods, staring at the beer bottle in his hands as I thank the bartender as a matching one gets put in mine as well.

"You know...I didn't think I would be so scared," he says in a moment of raw honesty and I look at him surprised as I take a sip. "I'm glad you're here." He continues with his surprising revelations and I let an amused smile come over my face as I press the cold beer bottle to his forehead.

"Who are you and what have you done to Max?" I jest lightly and he shoves me lightly with his shoulder again, a boyish smile covering his face at my words.

"Someone got him drunk...my bet is Daniel," he says and I chuckle in agreement. We settle into a comfortable silence, something I was not expecting and when I look around it doesn't escape my notice that the party seems to have moved onto the bottom deck, while we're on the top with just the bartender standing and watching us awkwardly but also like we're rare birds. Max seems to notice this as well and pushes himself off the bar, wrapping a loose arm around my waist to pull me off my stool and lead me outside.

I don't object to the contact, finding a lot of comfort in his touch, a blast from the past as I let him guide me away from the noise of the party going on below, missing its guest of honour. I'm suddenly glad that I kept my coat and scarf on as we stand separate on the bow of the ship, both leaning against the railings as we look out at sea, feeling the cool November Monaco air brushing our cheeks. We take turns taking sips from our beers, a comfortable silence falling over us once more as the physical contact ceased the second he was happily convinced I was following without force. I kind of wish I had resisted a little more given how much I missed his contact, something I wasn't ashamed to admit to myself but wouldn't be caught dead saying out loud.