Tommy Sallow is onto better and brighter things. After working a small hometown beat in upstate New York, he's finally in sunny California. As expected, it's the same shit in a different town. Except, you know, now he's near the ocean and miserable...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The loud sound of my alarm rips me from sleep. A deep sleep, one of those ones where you're still trying to put out your feelers for reality. When your mind is in this limbo of dreaming and settling yourself on the solid grounds of the real world. I haven't slept that sound in a while. I'm usually one small sound away from being torn from sleep, settling lightly on my pillow anticipating the next thing that will wake me. But not now. Now, I'm nestled against a firm chest. A chest that I love waking up against.
When my alarm sounds for the second time, I slowly roll to my back, feeling his hands slide against my arm. This warmth he provides is something I could really grow to need. And needing someone is a scary concept. The thing is, Tommy makes it safe. He makes me want to need him.
When I slowly peel my eyes open, looking up at the light filling the room now, I feel his lips against my neck, his head nestling into that little space at the top of my collar bone.
"Good morning," he whispers. I love that morning voice. So husky and pulsating.
My fingers find their way to his hair, running them through as he continues to place small kisses to my neck. "Good morning," I smile back.
"You ready for today?" he asks, sending my heart into a little spin.
This moment of fantasy seems to be tethered to that realm of dream land because the reality of where we are, of what exactly is about to unfold seems to hit me quick. Last night I let my heart make decisions. Being held in his arms is a feeling I wasn't ready to let go of. And sleeping against him was something I missed all too much, so I asked him to stay. That reality is hitting me pretty hard at the moment. He's spent the night before, the night I tried to drunkenly seduce him. But that was different. That night, Mia wasn't here. And now? Now Mia is about to wake up with an unexpected houseguest. I sit up faster than I should, causing Tommy to do the same.
"You okay?" he asks, his hand falling to mine.
I quickly turn to find his eyes, the ones that always seem to bring me back. My chest falls with a breath of relief in seeing him looking back at me. "We should get ready," I reply, quickly standing from the bed.
I reach for my robe, throwing it around my shoulders and sliding my arms through.
"Amber," he begins. I know he reads me, which sometimes can be so frustrating. Especially when I just want to hide my inner turmoil, the struggles that sometimes just need to stew around for a bit.
"I'm fine, Tommy," I reply, shorter than he deserves, which is exactly why he drops his eyes and I let out a relenting sigh. I'm not completely fine, and he doesn't need me brushing off the fact that something is clearly wrong. "Last night, when I was in your arms, I just...I didn't want that moment to end. So I didn't let it end. I let you stay the night and now..."
"You're worried about Mia," he finishes for me. This is when those powers are nice. When I don't have to actually explain myself.
"Yes," I whisper, checking the clock again. I need to wake her up in two minutes and then the morning dash for work and school begins. I'm already running late. I should be dressed at this point.
