Deep Breath | Daniel Ricciardo

Part Fourteen

🎵 Stay - Rihanna, Mikky Ekko 🎵

In that moment it felt like time had stopped. I felt his hands graze my waist. Shivers ran through my body, nothing else mattered in the moment other than his eyes, his touch. My skin burnt under his gaze, his hands sliding their way down to my thighs. A small gasp left my mouth, the sign he was waiting for.

He closed the gap, our lips meeting. It was gentle, so soft I wasn't entirely sure our lips were touching, I couldn't open my eyes. I moaned again and he pushed our bodies closer. I'd never been kissed like this, we grew hungry for each other in each passing second. The kiss more intense, more passionate. His taste was everything and more. My hands moved to his neck sliding through his hair. I was drunk on his touch. His tongue invading my mouth, dancing with mine. He let out a small moan and it seemed to pull me back into reality. Like I had suddenly realised what was happening I pulled away, out of breath looking into those deep brown eyes.

What were we doing, I tried to pull away but lost my footing. Slipping under the surface of the water. Graceful Lib! I felt his hands pull me back to the surface. That ridiculously huge grin across his face.

"Guess it's true what they say. Girls really do fall head over heels for me," he laughed. I couldn't help but smile, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

The reason why we were there crept back into my mind. "Your kind Daniel, but you don't even really know me. The baggage I carry isn't pretty." I wasn't really sure why I said it.

"You can't scare me off Princess!" He said, smiling. My body went tense and I pulled away.

"Don't call me that," the silence that followed was thick.

"Sorry I"

"It's fine," I interrupted. "Just... I've got some bad memories attached to it. It's stupid I shouldn't have said anything"

"I want you to share," Daniel replied in haste. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me."

Another lingering silence followed. I didn't know how to navigate this situation.

"What happened tonight? Why are you in the pool at stupid a clock torturing your body like that?"

It felt genuine, like he cared, while his taste still lingered in my mouth it made it harder to lie.

"I'm not as.. well what I mean is. I'm, I have." The words weren't forming like they should. I hadn't prepared to talk about this to anyone. I didn't exactly have a speech ready.

"I have some mental health struggles. I cope fine on the whole, I manage my anxiety, avoid any triggers. But coming into a new job just sort of reopened some old wounds." He didn't break eye contact as I spoke. There was no pity in his eyes, but his eyes had sadness in them.

"I had no idea" he added.

"How could you." I continued. "Look the days aren't bad, I love my work and I have a great group of people round me. It's the nights, when I'm alone that my body seems to give up fighting. When the darkness becomes unbearable, so I swim. Rather than fight the thoughts I swim."

Once I started I couldn't seem to stop. I laid everything out to him. Well more than enough for now. He held me in the water for some time.

"Stay with me," his voice soft. I look up into his eyes. "We'll get double rooms or adjoining ones so you don't have to be alone. I can be there, I want to be there when you need someone."

"You don't have to do that." I reply, "you don't need to worry about me."

"It's much too late for that Miss Libby." He smiled.