For Now, For Good

16. - A Year Ago

(the sixteenth hour)

"I have to go" I regretfully tell him, sliding out of his hotel bed again, for the second time. It's almost 11:30am, and I have a class on the other side of Melbourne at 12, and by standard city public transport, I'm going to need at least 45 minutes to make it across town. 

"No" he groans, pulling me back down to the bed, "Stay for five more minutes"

I chuckle, attempting to throw the shirt I already told him I was going to steal from him over my head, "You asked me that three 5 minutes ago, now I really have to go" 

"What class is it? Maybe I can teach you what you need to know" he teases. 

"International Affairs" I inform him with a sarcastic look. 

A smirk appears across his face, gesturing down to his bare, tanned body, "Well.." 

Embarrassment flushes to my cheeks once I've realised the coincidence. "Oh god" my hand flies to my head, "I'm going" 

"I must say, Baylee, you passed International Affairs with a high distinction, A+, extreme top scores" he mocks, crawling out of bed and pulling me back toward him, holding me firmly against him as he places a tormenting kiss to my neck. 

I shake my head, but yet I allow it to fall to the side and allow him more access. 

"But, I would suggest in retaking the class, maybe another, 4 times, just to be sure" he continues, his fingers tracing lines to cross right above my waistband. 

My eyes flutter closed at a moment of weakness, but snap open when I realise that my attendance is already in question after my trip to New South Wales last semester to see my parents. "I can't" 

"What time does the class finish?" he asks. 

"2" I inform him, glancing over my shoulder at his incredibly tempting body. 

"Do you have work after that?" he asks. 

I shake my head. 

"Then I'll see you at 2" he announces with a smug expression. 

I really shouldn't. I have to talk to Finn, I've already done so much more than what I should have, and the longer I leave it, the worse it gets. 

"Lando, I.." I begin to rebut, but he holds a hand up in front of me. 

"Nope, don't say anything. You're going to be late, you have to get going" he remarks smugly. 

I wiggle into my tights and let his light grey top flow effortlessly over the tops of my thighs, pulling my hair up into a messy bun on the top of my head and not even glancing in a mirror to check my reflection. 

Instinctively, I reach over and plant a longing kiss to his lips just before I gather my things and head out the door. My fingers lightly grazing my bottom lip as the door shuts behind me, feeling the electric bolts passing through them. 

I hear the door open behind me, turning to find him standing in the doorframe, hand raised above his head.

"What?" I ask as he just stares at me smugly. 

"Nothing" he mumbles, "You just look so fucking adorable, I wanted one last look"

Present Day

Parting ways later that evening was a forced event, but I knew that I was going to end up doing unspeakable things to that man if I was given the opportunity to be left alone with him when the daylight wasn't my witness. 

"Didn't expect you home" Jade coos as I walk through the door. 

"Stop it" I warn her with a chuckle, feeling like I'm performing the walk of shame without performing anything shameful. Although, sex with Lando Norris is anything BUT shameful. 

"You have to tell me everything" she giggles, jumping up from the couch and following me down to the bathroom. 

"I actually don't" I amuse, "There isn't anything to tell anyway" 

"B, I left you with him about 7 hours ago, you can't tell me you just sat there in silence for 7 hours" she mocks as I pull out my makeup wipes and night cleansers. 

"We talked, we caught up on the past year, we spoke about his racing and my, I don't know, career opportunities, nothing really to say" I repeat, this time the frustration seeping through as I throw my cleansing balm a little too forcefully into the drawer. 

Jade notices. 

I glance up at her through the mirror, offering a silent warning. 

I pull my hair over my shoulder and begin to tie it into a braid as I can feel her sympathetic gaze burning holes in me through the reflection. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" she offers. 

"No" I force, exiting the bathroom and back down the hallway, essentially just pacing the apartment now without knowing what I'm doing next. 

"I really am your punching bag today aren't I?" she comments and it instantly makes me feel bad as she plonks herself down on the couch, pulling her legs up to hug her knees. 

I take a deep breath, realising she's right. 

I round the couch and gently put myself down next to her, resting my entire body weight on her. 

I hear her breathily chuckle as she lowers her legs and guides me down onto her lap, repositioning myself so I'm on my back and gazing up at her. 

"Don't make me say it, please" I beg with a pouty lip. 

She offers a comforting smile down at me, "What are you going to do about it?" 

I shrug my shoulders. 

"Do you want my opinion?" She asks. 

"Do I have a choice?" I chuckle. 

She considers it for a moment before shaking her head, "No."

I giggle, my head falling to the side and then returning to face her. 

"We are so young, B" she comments. "And I know you, you want to plan the rest of your life as if you're running out of time. You've been like that for as long as I've known you. I think the reason Lando confuses you so much is because everything about him contains risk. But I think that's what attracts you to him the most too" 

My lips press together, the truth hitting me hard. 

"How about, just for experiments sake, risk it" she encourages.