Stay With Me- Lando Norris

24. Now we're at the starting line

Aimee may have just about made it through the race, but she didn't even try and put up a fight when Cisca had suggested she go lay down for a bit when they got back to Lando's apartment. She was never going to admit it to him, but he'd been right when he said it was going to be too much for her. She was exhausted and her leg hurt in a way it hadn't done since straight after surgery.

She'd gulped down a handful of painkillers and fidgeted around in bed, trying to get herself comfortable. She could hear Cisca in the kitchen, humming to herself as she moved around tidying up from the dinner they'd had the night before.

Aimee had obviously dozed off at some point because she woke with a start to find Lando creeping down the side of the bed with a glass of water and the room almost in darkness. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." He apologised quietly, placing the glass of water down on the bedside table. "How are you feeling?"

Aimee blinked at him sleepily, trying to get her brain to function through the haze of all the painkillers. "What time is it?"

He glanced at his watch. "Nearly eight."

"Why are you here? You should be out celebrating somewhere!" She shook her head at him.

"Mum and Dad had to go, they booked their flight back for tonight. I didn't want to leave you here alone." He shrugged, flopping down on the bed beside her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, I'm just tired." She brushed him off. "Go and get dressed and go out for god's sake, I'm asleep! You don't need to be here with me."

"It's fine, I really don't mind." He said softly, twisting to look at her.

"You might not mind, but I do!" She shook her head at him. "You've just won the Monaco Grand Prix, you can't celebrate that sat at home with me!"

His phone buzzed repeatedly in its spot on the bed between them where it had fallen out of his pocket. 

"They want to know where you are, don't they?" Aimee asked, looking over at him.

He gave her a sheepish smile back. She was right, he'd told Oscar and the others he'd meet them at the club because it was easier than explaining why he wasn't coming. 

"They'll be fine, they don't need me there to celebrate. It'll do Oscar good, force him out of his shell a little bit." Lando joked.

"If you don't go down there, then I am." Aimee rolled her eyes at him.

"No you're not! I'm not sure I've forgiven you for lying to me and then sneaking down to the track today!" Lando scolded her. "All that rubbish you were giving me about staying in bed this morning."

"I didn't want to miss your big win." Aimee shrugged. "You only get to win in Monaco for the first time, once.... and that's exactly why you should be out celebrating!"

His phone buzzed again. "If I go and have one drink with them will you leave me alone?" He offered.

"Two drinks, at least." She countered. "Come on, nothing is going to happen to me if you go out for the night. I'll be right here, fast asleep when you get back. Go and celebrate! Have an extra drink for me."

He looked at her for a long moment, indecision written all over his face. He wasn't brave enough to tell her that half the reason he didn't want to go celebrate with the team and his friends was the fact she wasn't going to be there. He knew it was a big moment, one that should be celebrated, but in reality, there was nowhere he'd rather be than lying on that bed talking to her. 

"Lando, come on!" She elbowed him again. 

"I'll be an hour, tops." He groaned, swinging his legs off the bed. He picked his phone up and shot off a quick message to Oscar to say he'd be on his way soon.

Aimee grinned, a look of accomplishment crossing her face at the fact that she'd won this particular battle. "Go, shower and get changed. You can't go out looking like that!"

He pulled a face and rolled his eyes but did as he was told, he was never going to win so he may as well just go along with it. If it would make her happy then he was willing to do pretty much anything anyway. 

His face turned scarlet when he popped back into the room to see if she needed anything before he left and she let out a low whistle. "Out to impress the ladies tonight are we." She joked. 

"My favourite lady is already right here." He joked with a wink. "Call me if you need anything. I won't be long, promise." He scuttled out of the room as the realisation of what he'd just said hit him. He'd been trying so hard to keep from saying anything stupid, knowing full well it was not the time for him to be declaring his ever-strengthening feelings to her.

He disappeared again, leaving Aimee alone to dissect his words as she lay in bed staring at the ceiling.