How Do I Love Thee?

Confessions

When I woke I felt oddly refreshed. The sun was coming in through my window and it was a perfect day. I stretched in my bed. I heard some bones creak, I had spent too much time in bed. I smelled food, that was enough to wake me up. I rolled over and didn't feel any pain in my side. I remembered that Ian had been here. I rolled back over and he was sleeping soundlessly beside me. He was so perfect like that. He looked like a child in a mans body. I wanted to touch his face, but my stomach growling stopped me.

I got out of bed and slid out of the room as quietly as possible. I walked in the kitchen to see Carolina and Aaron home for lunch. Or maybe they never left?

My thoughts were interrupted when they jumped like they were guilty of something and Carolina started nervously laughing. "Oh hey Alex. I thought you weren't supposed to be out of bed?"

My eyebrows knit together. "Ian was still sleeping and I didn't want to wake him." I slowly made my way to the counter where eggs and bacon were cooked and lying on a plate. "What's going on?"

Carolina practically jumped out of her seat and ran to the sink. "What are you talking about?" She wouldn't look at me. Was something going on between them? I couldn't handle weird this morning.

"I'm just going to go back to my room okay?" I grabbed the plate and a fork and went back. That was beyond weird. When I entered my room again Ian groaned and stretched. His eyes hadn't opened yet as his hands searched the bed and they shot open. I laughed a little. "I'm right here. Carolina made breakfast."

He let out an audible sigh as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. I sat down beside him and he draped his arm around me. I snuggled closer to him.

"Speaking of Carolina..." I said as I lifted a fork full of eggs to my mouth. I chewed and swallowed as he watched and waited for me to continue. "Is something going on between her and Aaron? I mean they were acting weird when I walked in there this morning."

"Aaron's here?" He sounded confused. I guess I had assumed he already knew he was here. "That's odd. He should be in the training field."

"Uh yeah. I guess. But they were acting seriously off. Like I caught them in the act or something." I laughed, I was only kidding. I ate a couple of pieces of bacon and the rest of my eggs before I noticed that Ian hadn't said anything. "Is something wrong? Do you know something I don't?"

He looked at me confused. "No of course not. I'm just trying to figure out why they are hanging out now. They're usually fighting any other time."

"Weird." I finished my bacon and stood to take my plate to the kitchen. When Ian didn't protest like I was sure he would I turned back towards him, I didn't want him dwelling on this too much. When I turned I saw him smiling and staring at me. "What?" I could feel the flush in my face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're so beautiful Alex." His smile widened and he got out of bed. My flush grew and I was sure that my whole body was red. He took the plate and sat it on the night stand and wrapped me in his arms. He held me there and kissed me. He kissed me like I was his last breath and I kissed him back with the same devotion and passion. Was it even possible that in such a short period of time I could fall in love with this man? It had to be.

He pulled back all too soon, both of us breathless. We stood there looking at each other for only god knows how long before he finally broke the silence. "I want to take you out tonight." He brushed a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to leave bed?" I smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"I have to take you into town to get your stitches out anyways-" oh I had completely forgotten "-and I think Doc would agree that you're healing faster than expected. I don't think one dinner would hurt you." He brushed another piece of hair behind my ear.