Risking it all (Lando Norris)

Chapter 32

Lily

The morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. I stirred awake, feeling the familiar comfort of Lando's presence beside me. A contented smile tugged at my lips as I turned to face him. 

He was still asleep, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, his features peaceful and relaxed. Moments like this made everything else fade away—the stress, the long hours, the pressure of racing. It was just us, together, in our own little bubble.

I couldn't resist the urge to reach out, my fingers lightly tracing the line of his jaw before brushing a few curls from his forehead. 

Leaning in closer, I placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, my lips lingering there for a moment before pulling back just enough to watch him.

His eyes fluttered open, and for a second, he looked disoriented, like he was still half lost in his dreams. But then his gaze met mine, and a sleepy smile spread across his face.

"Good morning, handsome," I whispered, my voice barely louder than a breath.

"Morning, love," he murmured back, his voice thick with sleep as he blinked up at me. "You look cute from this angle."

I chuckled softly, continuing to caress his face, my thumb brushing over his cheekbone. "I could say the same about you."

He shifted slightly, turning onto his side so that he was facing me more fully. "You know, waking up like this...it's kind of perfect."

"It is," I agreed, feeling a warm, fuzzy sensation spread through my chest. "I could get used to this."

He grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way that always made my heart skip a beat. "I think I already have. You're stuck with me now, Lily."

"Good," I replied, leaning in to kiss him again, this time on the lips. "Because I'm not planning on going anywhere."

For a few minutes, we stayed like that, exchanging lazy kisses and sweet nothings. It was a slow, gentle start to what was going to be a long and demanding day. But I wouldn't have traded this moment for anything.

Eventually, though, reality began to creep back in, and I knew it was time to get moving. As much as I wanted to stay curled up in bed with Lando, we had work to do. Today was the first day of practice for the Australian Grand Prix, and there was a lot on the line.

"Come on," I said, giving him a playful nudge. "We should get ready. Big day ahead."

He groaned dramatically, burying his face in the pillow for a moment before finally sitting up. "Why can't we just stay here all day? Who needs Formula 1 when we can just cuddle?"

I laughed, shaking my head as I climbed out of bed. "You're ridiculous."

"Ridiculously in love with you," he quipped, flashing me a cheeky grin.

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. "Smooth, Norris. Now, come on. We've got a long day ahead."

We both got ready in comfortable silence, the morning routine familiar and easy. I dressed in my McLaren team gear, making sure everything was in place for a long day at the track. Lando did the same, though he took his time, clearly in no rush to leave the comfort of our room.

Once we were both ready, we headed down to the hotel cafeteria for breakfast. It was still early, so the place wasn't too crowded yet. We grabbed a table by the window, where we could see the city of Melbourne slowly coming to life outside.

As we waited for our food, we fell into an easy conversation, the kind that just flowed naturally between us. We talked about everything and nothing, the topics shifting seamlessly from one to another.