Cough Syrup

Chapter 12: Sleep With Me

It had gotten late, and the windows no longer glowed with the warm rays of sunlight, but now the cool blues of moonlight. The whole house was quiet except for the television across the room on, softly playing some late night adult cartoon I never cared to watch. I looked over at Zach, the sharp features of his chiseled face illuminated by the changing lights of the show. My eyes followed from his plump lips to his jawline, down his neck to his shoulders, down his biceps, and to his hand resting on the couch. I don't know what possessed me to do it. And I never will. But when looked away from his hand and back at it somehow mine was tangled up in his.

My heart fluttered and my eyes darted back up to his face which was looking right back at me now. He looked shocked, but also had an expression that was turning into happiness. I scoffed. "Don't think anything of it. You're making this into more than what it needs to be..."

"What? The fact that you're holding my hand?" He smiled genuinely, like a little boy who got his fist puppy.

I started to blush. "Yeah, I can just casually hold your hand. Don't turn it into me making a move or something stupid like that."

"I never said you were making a move, Eden, but it seems you took care of that for me." He smirked now, trying to hide his amusement.

"Shut up." I shoved him. He leaned back on the arm rest, and kicked his feet up on me so he was laying all the way across. I gently untangled my legs from him and laid down next to him. I didn't want to really, it just happened that way.

The couch was small and soft so that the room between me and him was nonexistent and I sunk in right beside him. I felt Zach's hand on the back of my head, gently moving it to his chest.

"I've been told I make a great pillow," he whispered trying not to ruin the delicacy of the moment.

"I've been told your a virgin." I shot back.

"That I am."

"Than who told you you 'make a great pillow', liar?"

"My little sister." He smiled softly, and I felt extremely idiotic for jumping to conclusions. My cheeks were hot again, and to hide it I buried my face into his shirt.

I could smell the faint scent of cologne on him, or maybe aftershave, but either way it was relaxing. The scent was soft and musky, but somehow hinted at sweetness. I inhaled slowly, taking in every soothing second I could get, and my eyes fluttered closed. Somehow an arm ended up sliding around his waist, but this time I really didn't care. All I could focus on was losing myself in the intoxicating perfume that took over my mind. I felt him stiff, unsure if he should hold me back, and than ultimately deciding to let me go at my own pace and leave me be.

My fingers tangled in his shirt as I got a deep waft of him, and his heartbeat began to play against my ear like soft music in the distance. I felt like I was beginning to float in a weightless ecstasy. I could lay here for an eternity and be the happiest woman to exist since the beginning of time. I heard Zach's pulse quicken as he shifted slightly, and my eyes slowly slid open to look up at him. I felt my face melt into a doe-eyed expression and my arm slid up him to come to rest by my head.

"What's wrong?" I softly whispered.

Zach shook his head. "Not what's wrong, what's right. I don't really know what to do in this situation. I'm worried... I'm worried one move and I might scare you off."

I understood immediately. This was something I had felt a hundred times in my life.

I nodded in response. "I know what you mean. It's ok."

He looked at me expressionless for a while, probably in deep thought, before I interrupted him.

"Will you...maybe sleep out here with me tonight?" I asked not looking at him. As soon as the words tumbled out I realized what I had said and wished I could do anything in my power to shove them back in my mouth, but life doesn't work that way. I had first hand experience with that.

This time it was Zach who blushed. "If that's what you want." He nodded politely, and I figured there was no way of backing out of it now. I might as well sleep with the guy.

I laid there and realized something was scaring me. I couldn't exactly decide if it was the fact I had actually asked him to sleep with me, or if it was the fact that I somehow really did want him to.

"Eden?" I heard his deep voice rumble through his chest like the sound of a drum.

"Yes?" I whispered.

"Goodnight," Zach said winding his arms around me.

"Goodnight." I said, closing my eyes.