Before you

25.

He opened the door only a few seconds later. He looked at me, as if he just saw a ghost.

"You're here" he mumbled.

"I am here" I nodded.

He blinked a few times, before grabbing my hand and pulling me in his arms. "I've missed you"

"I've missed you too" I smiled as I nuzzled my face in his neck. He smelled so good, I missed his smell, missed his arms around me.

I just missed him.

He put both of his hands on my cheeks and pressed his lips against mine. It was a quick kiss, something he did out of reflex.

It showed me how much he did miss me.

"So about that walk" I mumbled on his lips with a smile.

"You want me to show you the nicest places?" He smiled as well, pecked my lips again.

"Oh definitely" I pushed him in his apartment because if it was up to him, we wouldn't stop kissing.

He chuckled, put his shoes on and grabbed his stuff.

Monaco wasn't big, but it sure was beautiful. He took me to the harbor, where the lights came on just as we arrived.

He looked at me, as I was staring at the boats, the lights and the sea. It was beautiful.

"Beautiful, right?" He asked, brushed his fingers against my hand softly.

I held his hand, intertwined our fingers. "Yeah it is"

"So" he cleared his throat. "How long are you here for?"

"Here in Monaco, or with you in general?"

"B-both" he stuttered a little.

"A few days in Monaco and then we have to go to Baku, no?" I smiled as I turned to him.

"Are you..?" He tilted his head. "Are you coming with me?"

I nodded. "Of course I am"

He instantly smiled, squeezed my hand a little. "So does that mean that you want to try this?"

He was nervous about this. It was actually cute, I never really saw him nervous around me.
Mostly because we never opened up to each other.

With the exception when we were having sex.

"Try what?" I asked.

I know I shouldn't do this, but it was fun to tease him a little bit.

Besides, I already noticed he wasn't that great at talking about his feelings, so I wanted to push him a little.

"Like date me? Be exclusive? Have a lot of strings attached?" He said, didn't stop rubbing his thumb against the palm of my hand while he said it.

"Oh I want all the strings attached" I pulled him closer, looked up at him. "And you better be exclusive with me, yeah"

He smiled, bit his lip and looked at mine. "I guess I can't kiss you here?"

"I mean, you can if you want" I smirked, didn't have to tell him twice because he already put his hand on my cheek and kissed me.

Another quick kiss.

But it was wonderful. If this was a movie then there would be fireworks behind us and Can you feel the love would be playing.

That's how it felt at least.

After a beautiful walk around Monaco, we returned back to his apartment. Laid down on his couch together.

In the past, we already would've lost our clothes and would be fucking by now.

But right now, we were cuddling, watching tv.

My eyes drifted off to the pictures next to his television. The picture with Xanthi was still there, but now I knew who she was.

I understood why he kept a picture of them together. They shared something, were friends now and she was pretty amazing.

There were a few other pictures with his friends and team.

"You'll be on there soon as well" Lando said, noticed I was looking at the pictures instead of the tv.

"Oh will I?"

"Definitely" he kissed my cheek a few times. "In the center of them all"

And just like always when I was with him, my heart skipped a beat.