Daytona Baby [N.H]

6

Olivia Campbell

I fluttered my eyes half open when I felt my arm being lightly shaken. It took me a second, feeling completely disoriented, before I realized where I was.

"Liv, we have to go to the bus," Liam said softly, his hand still on my arm. I gave him a silent nod and didn't move. I just needed a few minutes to wake up, but within seconds Liam was pulling the sheets off me. I instinctively pulled my knees to my chest at the sudden exposure, forming my body into a ball. "I woke you up ten minutes ago and you said you were awake."

I groan, rolling over to my other side to show I really didn't care. Liam let out a sigh and I felt the bed dip behind me. Maybe he was finally going to give up and just go back to sleep, like I planned on doing. His fingers ran along my back gently, making me nestle more into my pillow with the corners of my lips tugging upwards. "C'mon Liv, you can sleep on the bus..." He spoke softly; I couldn't remember the last time I heard him talk like that.

The heaviness behind my eyes started to lift as I swallow to get rid of the dryness in my throat. "Time?" I murmur. "Actually, doesn't matter-" Rolling over to face Liam again, I force my eyes open. "It's too early, regardless."

Liam wordlessly tucked his arms under my back and thighs, scooping me up from the bed. He made sure to grab the bed sheet and wrap it around my waist, as I was only in my tee shirt and thong. Knowing I won this battle, I smile to myself as my eyes shut and my head falls against his shoulder.

"You're heavier than I remember." Liam mutters, but I could hear the playfulness in his voice.

"Good," I retorted. He only wanted to get a rise out of me and I wasn't giving him the satisfaction. My eyes were staying shut at least until the sun rises. "You need the workout." Liam's chest vibrated as he laughed; a wholehearted laugh that I didn't realize I missed as much as I did.

The walk from the penthouse to the bus, passed in a blur. One moment I heard the ding of the elevator and the next I heard a man greet Liam as he boarded the tour bus. I was close to dozing off again in Liam's arms until he lightly me set me down onto the mattress of his bunk bed.  Letting out a content sigh, I kick the sheet wrapped around me away and hear it fall to the ground as I stretch my legs out and roll onto my side. It didn't take long for Liam to climb in, closing the curtain for some privacy before I felt his chest against my back and his arms wrapping around my waist. Instinctively, my ass presses against him and I purposely shift a little extra to get comfortable. Liam's hand immediately grabs my hip to stop my movements and his head falls to the crook of my neck. "Stop. Like you said, it's too early."

"Just trying to get comfortable," I reply before we fall silent. We both wanted to fall asleep before anyone else got on the bus and cluttered the atmosphere with noise. Just as I was starting to think that might happen, I hear muffled voices becoming clearer as people started to climb onto the bus, oblivious to us trying to sleep.

"This is the last time I'm going to be able to say this, this year..." The Irish accent was unmistakable and painfully loud. "Daytona baby!" And despite it being five o'clock in the morning, I couldn't help the smile that was glued to my lips as I fell back asleep.

When I wake up again my eyes are no longer heavy, my head isn't as foggy and it's much brighter outside. I turn my head to catch Liam sitting up, legs hanging out over the bed as he carefully tried to detangle himself from me. Once he caught my eye his shoulders slumped and he made no attempt to be discreet. "Shit, sorry." He mumbled as he ripped the curtain back and stood up.

I blink rapidly as my eyes adjust and light floods into the bunk. "Where are you going?"

"I'll be in the lounge, with the boys. We've only got about an hour left."