Lily Ralph, a 23-year-old Greek model, is strong-willed and independent. Growing up in an abusive household, she developed deep trust issues, making it hard for her to let people in. Despite her tough exterior, there's a vulnerability underneath, on...
Lando's kitchen was filled with the warm scent of fresh dough and herbs. The counter was covered in flour, and various pizza toppings were scattered around—tomatoes, mozzarella, pepperoni, basil, and even some pineapple, which Lily immediately refused to acknowledge.
Lando, standing at the counter with his sleeves rolled up, was grinning as he worked the dough. "You sure you've done this before?" he teased, glancing over at Lily, who was more focused on not getting flour all over her clothes than actually making the pizza.
Lily shot him a look, smirking. "Of course I have! I'm just... pacing myself." She wiped a bit of flour from her cheek with the back of her hand. "Besides, I don't think I've ever seen you this serious about food before."
He chuckled, tossing the dough into the air and catching it with ease. "Cooking is my secret talent, didn't you know?"
Lily raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Right. We'll see about that when these pizzas come out of the oven."
As they worked side by side, their movements became more natural, less playful banter and more comfortable teamwork. Lando chopped vegetables with surprising precision while Lily spread the sauce over the dough, occasionally stealing a glance at him when she thought he wasn't looking.
"Okay, so what's your perfect pizza?" Lando asked, spreading cheese over his creation.
Lily thought for a moment, tilting her head. "Something simple, but with a bit of a twist. Lots of cheese, tomatoes, basil... maybe some olives."
"No pineapple?" Lando grinned, reaching for the container of pineapple slices just to get a reaction out of her.
"Don't you dare," she warned, shaking her head with a laugh. "That's where I draw the line."
Lando laughed, putting the pineapple back down, but the mischievous gleam in his eye remained. "Alright, alright, no pineapple. But I'll let you in on a secret—my pizza is going to be better than yours."
"Oh, we're competing now?" Lily smirked, rolling her dough out more aggressively. "Fine, challenge accepted."
For the next few minutes, they worked in silence, both focused on making the perfect pizza. Lando occasionally glanced over at Lily, admiring the way she got lost in what she was doing, her hands moving delicately as she assembled her toppings.
Once the pizzas were in the oven, they sat back, their hands covered in flour, their clothes a little messier than when they started, but neither of them cared.
Lily leaned against the counter, glancing at Lando. "You know, I'm impressed. You actually do know your way around a kitchen."
"Told you," Lando replied with a wink. "I'm full of surprises."
As they waited for the pizzas to bake, the conversation drifted from racing to modeling, to what they loved about their jobs and what they hated. It was easy, talking like this, without the cameras or pressure of their public lives.
"You know, I've been thinking," Lily said after a pause, her voice quieter. "Being with you... it's different. I didn't expect it to feel this easy."
Lando's playful smile softened as he looked at her. "Is that a good thing?"
She nodded. "Yeah, it is. I'm just not used to it."
Lando reached over, taking her flour-covered hand in his. "You don't have to be used to it. Just take it one day at a time. I'm not going anywhere."
Before she could respond, the timer beeped, signaling that their pizzas were done. Lando jumped up, pulling the pizzas from the oven with an exaggerated flourish.
"Alright, moment of truth," he said, sliding the pizzas onto the counter. "Let's see whose is better."
Lily eyed his pizza and then looked at her own, her competitive spirit flaring up again. "You're going down, Norris."
They each grabbed a slice of their own creation, taking a bite at the same time. The room went silent as they chewed, each trying to determine if they had won the unofficial pizza-making competition.
"Well?" Lando asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lily shrugged, swallowing her bite. "Not bad. But I think mine's better."
Lando laughed, shaking his head. "You're impossible."
They spent the rest of the evening eating pizza and talking, the competitive edge giving way to comfortable laughter. It wasn't a fancy night out or a big event—it was just them, in Lando's kitchen, making pizza and enjoying each other's company. And for once, it felt like the world outside didn't matter.
@Land.Norris
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