DNS 2

Chapter 9 - Shampoo

He's too calm. I really don't want to put things into his head if he hasn't considered the possibility that this could have been intentional - I don't think that's what he needs after today.

I'm exhausted. Physically yes, but mainly emotionally exhausted after today, and I'm so glad that I'm not alone right now.

I stand up and drop my towel to the floor before turning around, walking into the shower with Lando, I didn't want anything sexual whatsoever I just wanted closeness. As much as yes, I was wildly attracted to him - I just wanted a cuddle from him, and I think that's what we both needed after today. My god I had timed this badly, he's facing the wall washing shampoo from his hair and his eyes are tightly closed.

I don't know what part of me thought it was a good idea to put my arms around him from behind to cuddle him, but he jumped backwards not expecting it, slipping over pulling us both to the ground - shampoo seeping into his eyes.

I'm in so much pain but I can't stop laughing, what a mess this was. Both of us flailing around on the floor of this walk in shower like newborn seals while he frantically tries to wash the shampoo from his eyes.

"What is wrong with you." Now laughing with me after eventually clearing the shampoo from his eyes.

"I ask myself that more often than you might think Lando."

"Come here you idiot"

Stood above me he reaches out his hand, bringing me towards him before we wrap our arms around one another, besides the fact I was struggling for breath being held directly under the shower, it was exactly what I needed, a long tightly held cuddle.

I notice his eyes scanning my body as he pulls away from the hug, I felt so comfortable in front of him, even like this. Tracing down my rib cage over my bruises with his fingers, following the bruises down across my hip and thighs, before slightly turning me around to continue on his observation or whatever was happening right now, running his hand along the deep scars on the opposite side of my body from my more serious crash in F3.

Tears start filling my eyes and I don't know why, it's so overwhelming, I've caused so much damage to mg body and he might aswell have been looking at me under a microscope, grazing over every scar, I felt somehow bare, not naked bare - as a person bare, I felt vulnerable and ugly all of a sudden. That was before he brought his eyes back to mine, holding my face in his hand.

"Have you finished your investigation." I try and joke with him but he can see the tears in my eyes.

"For now."

He wipes away the tears forming in my eyes, "you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met Lilly, don't cry because you've had to be strong."

Saying things like this to me wasn't remotely helping me to stop crying, but the tears now at least were from raw happiness in a way - I really believe he feels what he says to me.

"Let's get dry and into bed before we have no skin left, I think a few more hours in those shoes and I'd have ended up with trench foot." He says turning around to pass me a towel. Ah yes, the ever so common trench foot - I forgot we were in world war 1 Lando.

I'm dry and cosy snuggled up in bed, doing that weird thing when you're clean and naked in fresh sheets kind of kicking my legs while laid down just enjoying the feeling of it on my skin, or maybe it's just me that does this?

"Is this everything you were wearing?" Pointing to the pile of my damp clothes in the corner.

"Yes that's it all and my coat on the back of the door."

"Ok I'm going to take our things down to dry cleaning so we have them for tomorrow, I won't be long." He thinks so much more logically than I do, I would have just woken up the next day and said 'oh shit we have no clothes.'

I'm smirking to myself laid in this bed thinking about how he's wandered off downstairs in nothing but the hotel robe and slippers that were in the wardrobe. No one would know he's naked under there, I mean he had no other choice but it's still funny thinking about it.

My internal laughter is interrupted by the sound of my phone ringing - of course.

It was Charles. I didn't want to speak to him right now so I ignore the call and go to message him instead. Now noticing he had already sent me five messages I'd not seen throughout the day.

Shit.

Oh fuck. Does this mean he's here?! My heart drops and I'm starting to completely panic now. Almost dropping my phone as I open the find my iPhone app to see where he is.

TWO MILES AWAY.

He's only 2 miles away from this hotel, and I'm here - with Lando.

Oh my god I have no clothes.

I don't think this could get any worse, I'm panicking so badly right now. I need to call Lando. His phone rings from the other side of the room, it's here. Brilliant. I let out a frustrated scream.

What if they run into each other downstairs?! Every possible scenario is firing through my head right now and there's nothing I can do to make this ok. It's all going to crumble.

Lando walks back in the room and the tiniest bit of relief floods over me - but there's something wrong. His face. He looks concerned, but he immediately notices my face and asks me what's wrong before I get the chance to ask him.

"Charles is here Lando. He's here now. He's going to be at the hotel in literally minutes."

"Ok and? I'm not really bothered but it's clear you are. What do you want to do?"

I don't know. I don't have any ideas or options, OR CLOTHES.

I sit down for a moment to try and catch my breath, my phone goes again - ding, ding, ding. Notifications one after another.

I can't begin to explain the feeling I have right now, but it's as if part of me had been ripped out allover again.

How do I manage to mess things up this badly. Over and over again.

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