Guillaume (Rocky) Rocquelin whistled loudly as I entered the garage along side Emma, who had been thrilled to hear about my date with Seb. Two others that I knew to be known as Jonesy and Kyle also decided to join in making most of the garage turn to look at who they were whistling at. I'd felt ok in my navy skinny jeans and tight vest top this morning but now felt a little self conscious. I took a look at Suzie, Seb's car, while Emma found Christian as this morning I was to do a brief photo call with him for the team website. After that I had short chat scheduled in with Simon Lazenby from Sky Sports, they had heard about my role in the team which, quite frankly, was an unusual one but typical of a team like Red Bull. I wasn't looking forward to being in front a tv camera at all, I had sweaty palms and was already worrying about swearing and them having to bleep it out. I was only glad they were recording it for the qualifying show and not showing it live. After that I was to spend varying amounts of time posing with fans that had paid a lot of money for paddock access during certain times of the weekend.
"Beautiful isn't she?" Seb appeared at my side, his race overall sleeves loosely tied around his waist.
"Indeed she is." I agreed, taking in the length and line of the car's long sweeping nose.
"I just hope she doesn't turn out to be a beautiful nightmare." He rubbed the back of his neck, seeming a tad apprehensive. I turned to look at him, I couldn't stop my eyeballs from lowering and taking in the top half of his body. That white fireproof top did wonders for showing his figure. He obviously noticed me checking him out, as when my eyes returned to his he had this massive, almost smug grin on his face.
"Well I would give it a lucky rub but I don't want to jinx it." I said, without thinking.
"A lucky rub?" His brows raised. "I wouldn't expect you to do that on a first date, but you know, if you want to." He winked at me for effect.
"I meant the car!" I put my hand in front of my mouth, I could feel my face heating up, turning bright red. Seb laughed and put his hand on the small of my back.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist!" He said. "But, if you want to, the offers there."
"Ah, Harper." Christian approached us. "Taking a look at Suzie I see." He came to a stop next to me.
"Harper offered to give it a lucky rub." Seb said, trying not to laugh. Bastard.
"Well, if you think that'd help Seb to win this weekend then feel free. It could become a new pre race tradition." Christian replied. I really hoped he meant Seb's car, if he had caught on to the undertone of Seb's remark then he wasn't showing it. I could see Seb from the corner of my eye, leaning forward a little trying to catch my attention. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction, I was blushing enough as it was. "Shall we head back out to the paddock, they're ready in hospitality to do the photos?" He asked.
"Of course." I smiled and turned to follow Christian out, catching Seb's amused face as I left.
I checked my phone after coming out of the bathroom from having a shower. I had exchanged numbers with Seb before I left the circuit so that he could let me know when his meeting was over and when he'd be able pick me up. I felt kind of nervous and at the same time honoured to have his private mobile number. Although he was a very friendly and sometimes cheeky person to be around, I also knew he was a very private person. Very little was known or seen of his life away from racing. To have his number felt like a big thing. I had a text from him, my first one.
Seb V 🏁 : Hi, I'm now on my way bk to my hotel. Pick u up 8pm :) x
Me: Ok, I'm looking forward to it :D x
Seb V 🏁: After Suzie's performance today I might need that lucky rub! ;) x
Me: Obviously you mean the CAR! Lol x
Seb V 🏁: What else could I possibly mean? ;) x
I couldn't help but smile at his cheeky texts. I think he will be the fun I'm much in need of.
A couple of minutes before 8pm there was a knock on my door. My stomach flipped with excitement, I knew it'd be Sebastian. After spending half an hour going through the contents of my suit case (and leaving clothes literally everywhere) I'd finally decided on wearing a black off the shoulder top with a pale blush pink coloured skirt that was short but not what I'd call bum skimming short. I'd slipped on my favourite black strappy heels too, finishing off with a spritz of La Vie Est Belle fragrance. I quickly checked my appearance in the mirror before opening the door.
"Hello Harper." He smiled as he saw me. His eyes giving me a quick once over.
"Hi." I smiled back, I suddenly felt shy but at the same time as I looked at him I felt butterflies. "Let me just grab my bag and I'm ready."
"Did your suit case explode?" He asked as he stepped in and took in the bomb site that was my room.
"Oh, I'm not normally this messy." I felt myself blush as I picked up my bag, checking I had my mobile and room card. I joined him at the door where he stood waiting.
"You look amazing." He said, in an almost breathless way, this time those blue eyes of his roved up and down my body more slowly.
"Looking good yourself there Vettel." I tried to sound confident and not like a shy school girl. He did indeed look hotter than hot, he had on blue jeans (probably designer ones on his wages!) that were just the right cut, not too baggy looking, dark trainers and a white shirt that was left untucked with the first two or three buttons undone. He had on that divine smelling fragrance again. I was strictly a no shenanigans on a first date girl, but for him I'd be very tempted to break my own rule. Fuck.
"Thanks." He flashed that winning smile of his again. I shut the door and we headed to the lift. "It's feels good to have a few hours out after today."
"Yeah, I must admit the car looked difficult today, not like last year's." I hit the call button.
"You watch races at home?" He asked as the doors opened and we stepped inside.
"I have been yes." I watched as he hit the G button to take us down to the lobby, making me think of him hitting my own G button. Christ, I'm already at it. "It's going to be amazing to be a small part of it this year."
"Did you have a favourite driver last year?" His eyes locked with mine, a cheeky, almost cocky grin on his face.
"Mark Webber of course." I tried not to laugh as I said it, knowing full well myself that I'd actually been a Vettel fan for a while now. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that, though I think he can see straight through me.
"Webber, really?" He raised a brow at me. "Bullshit. Come on, I can see by your face that it's not him."
"So who do you think it is then?" I asked as the lift stopped and we stepped out.
"Well, I bet he's German." We headed outside.
"Yeah, your getting warmer." I teased.
"He's kind of blonde." He unlocked the white Infiniti FX50 he'd been given by the team to use.
"Warmer still." I said before I got in.
"He's young, fit." He carried on. "I am getting hot now?" He started the car.
"You are indeed."
"He's really good looking, drives very fast." He glanced at me and then back at the road as we left the hotel behind. "Am I getting hotter?"
"Incredibly." I couldn't resist it.
"He likes a lucky rub?" He glanced at me again.
"I believe so." I grinned.
"You will have to tell me, I can't guess."
"Hulkenberg." I giggled.
"Oh really?!" He laughed and started squeezing my leg just above my knee, where he seemed to guess I'd be really ticklish.
"Oh my god! Stop!!" I squealed and wriggled in my seat.
"Say it!" He laughed. "Tell me who it really is!"
"Ok, ok! Stop!" I can't imagine what it looked like to the van driver in the lane next to us. "It's you!!" I managed to get out inbetween laughing.
"I knew it!" He removed his hand, grinning like a loon.
He was right about the water front bar he took me to. It was actually on the sea front, not the lake at Albert Park. It was a fairly quiet, intimate feeling little place. Quite cosy but not in a way that felt like everyone was almost sitting on everyone else's laps. No one seemed to bat an eyelid at having the current F1 world champion amongst them. He found us a little corner to sit in, with a small high backed sofa and a low table in front of us, the window to our right looked out to the veranda and then the sea.
"I'll get us a drink, what would you like?" He asked as I sat down.
"Vodka and coke would be great, thanks." I smiled. He nodded his head and I got the chance to check out his behind in those jeans. Very nice it was too. After a couple of minutes he came back with my drink and a coke for himself. With qualifying tomorrow he was strictly on no alcohol what so ever. He sat down next to me and we quickly began to talk. He asked me about my family and where I was from so I filled him on my parents, Jacqui and Steve, and my older brother, Alexi and that I came from Norfolk, in East England. He seemed interested in how I'd come to be in formula one so I told him I'd got divorced last year and tried to leave it at that. I don't think he needs to know all the ins and outs of my divorce just yet. He told me about his family back in Germany, he had two older sisters and a younger brother who was also in to racing and wanted to do that in his future. I found out he lived in Switzerland and not Monaco as I'd expected and that he liked to get home to Germany to see his family as much as he could but with his schedule that wasn't too often. As he spoke I could clearly hear that he missed home, both Switzerland and Germany. Driving for Red Bull meant he spent a fair amount of time in his flat in Milton Keynes when he wasn't racing. The team owned four flats in a smart new block which they provided to their drivers so that the trainers and PAs had somewhere too. We soon realised it was getting late when the bar staff began to clean up the bar. We'd sat there talking until nearly midnight, I was shocked when I saw the time.
"I had no idea how late it was." Seb said as we headed back out to his car.
"You haven't got to be up too early tomorrow have you?" I asked, if he was tired tomorrow and it impacted his qualifying I'd feel like it was my fault.
"7.30am, but it'll be fine." He seemed to sense my worry as we stood and looked to cross the road to where his car was. I suddenly felt his hand take mine, I looked at him and felt that rush of butterflies again. He said nothing as we crossed and he unlocked the car, releasing my hand at the last possible moment. I got in and shut the door, we were back in our own little bubble again. "I've enjoyed tonight." He spoke softly, turning in his seat to face me.
"Me too." I smiled, feeling all shy again. He looked hesitant for a split second before moving in his seat and starting the engine. After a couple of minutes on the road, I saw him reach across to take my hand again. I felt as though my heart would explode, he was being so sweet.
"I'll walk you to your room." Seb smiled as we stopped outside my hotel.
"Honestly Seb, you don't need to. You'll be even later getting back and I don't want to keep you from your sleep." I really didn't want him to be any later getting back than he'd be already. I could imagine Britta and Antti having a fit over it.
"I insist, I want to make sure you get in safely." He cut the engine and got out of the car. I got out too and he took my hand again as we walked in to the lobby and got in to the lift. I was almost disappointed that we didn't have to wait for a lift as it would have extended my time with him by another minute or so. Yes, I getting smitten already. I pressed the 3 button wishing it had a 33 so we could stay in the lift for longer, or even better it breaking down so I could break my no shenanigans rule. Unfortunately the lift didn't break down and we got out at my floor. He still hadn't let go of my hand when we arrived at my door and I'd opened it.
"I've really enjoyed tonight Seb." I said as I glanced down at our entwined hands and then back up to his eyes.
"Maybe we can do this again soon?" He asked.
"I'd love to." I could feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest, I couldn't tear my eyes away from his.
"Good, I can't wait to take you out again." He took a step closer. Temptingly close. "Good night Harper." He murmured and leant in placing his lips on my cheek, tantalizingly close to my own. If I'd turned my head a fraction his way, we'd have kissed.
"Night Seb." I really didn't want to release his hand but I knew I had to. I stepped in to my doorway.
"Sweet dreams." He said before turning and walking away. I closed the door softly behind me and leant against it for a moment. Wow, just wow! Had I been dreaming? I'd just spent an evening with Sebastian, I'd got to know and see a side of him very few people knew. I felt those butterflies yet again. If anyone had told me a year ago at the start of my divorce proceedings that I'd have a date with Sebastian Vettel in Australia, I'd never have believed them. I couldn't wait to see him again tomorrow.