Half A Heartbeat Away

34

•Milena Blackford•

The next morning, I woke up hazy and dazed, the extensive rays drizzling me in golden hues. Only, this time, the source of warmth at night was still laying soundly beside me. I smile automatically at the blissful sight. He looked dauntingly peaceful, extremely so that I wanted to leave him sleeping if it weren't already past nine o'clock and he strictly told me that he was needed today morning in office.

I bend down so my face was near him, while my hand brushes his silky hair off of his forehead. He seems to have enjoyed the gesture, since he leans in closer and hums in approval unawarely. I caress his cheek with my thumb, using the softest of a caress onto his delicate face.
"Beck, wake up" I say in divinely sweet tone but he doesn't seem to hear me.

I repeat the action a few times more all in failure, he just refused to open his eyes. I then had the perfect idea of how to get him to sprint out of bed in record time like the building was on fire. It might be a bit risky, nonetheless I was solely determined on trying it out.

I lightly and morbidly slow drag the tips of my fingers from his face across his neck and chest, until reaching his stomach. I just started dragging my fingers over the skin, scratching and grazing lethally slow, each time inching downwards a bit.

After few moments of doing so, when I was extremely close to the hem of his sweatpants, he suddenly grabs my hand with his "Don't start something that you're not intending to finish, darling". Comes out his deep morning voice in a hot teasing of a warning.

Well that surely succeeded in getting him to wake up.

I burst out laughing at the serious expression displayed on his face telling me he wasn't joking in regards to that. I quieten after a minute of him watching me purposefully, I think he was fighting the ghost of a smile.

I bend down resting one hand on his solid chest and the other on his jaw as I kiss his cheek. "Sorry, but it did make you dart out of the mattress like a madman, so overall; I'm not that sorry" I let out honestly. He kept his heated gaze on me for a few more seconds as if he was analyzing everything about me. I was just about to say something to break the intense atmosphere, when he suddenly pulled me onto him.

My chest crashed into his with a loud poof as my brown locks spread out all on his chest. Our noses were touching and his hands enclosed around my waist, locking us together. We were pressed to each other like glue, not that I minded. My heart was thumping loudly and I wondered did he feel its echo in his ribcage.

"I-i.. umm" I started but I had no clue as to what to say or even do in the situation. He watched bemused to the brim, as if watching a little kid stutter shyly on a presentation they'd worked on for months, but were way too anxious to not mess it up.

"You're what, my darling?" The words come out hot from his mouth, partially because subjectively, we were alarmingly close, that if I leaned a bit, just a bit forward, our lips would be touching.

I gathered my nerves up and pushed them into a knot in the corner of my stomach to deal with them later, in acutely dire need for a comprehensive response at the exact moment.
"I-I'm sorry for making fun of you..but you have to admit it was funny".

What started respectfully as a sincere heartfelt apology, soon turned into a playful one that I couldn't help but smile widely at him, hoping he'd get lost in the smile I was giving him instead of focusing on what I had said. Good tactic on distraction, just blind the man with adorableness.

For a brief excruciating moment, we seemed to get lost in each other's eyes. Both our smiles were still on but it was also staring, I'll call it smaring; smiling while staring. We involuntarily lean forward towards each other, I don't miss the way his large hands squeeze at my waist, while mine clutch the sheets beneath us stronger.

We were leaning forward in a slow pace, just like two teenagers hesitating before initiating the first kiss. I guess we were both nervous and anticipating for something, which eased me up a bit knowing that I'm not feeling this alone. That he also by some measure is affected by me as I am by him.

All of a sudden we heard the patters of footsteps close by and less than a second later, little hands we pounding up on the door. We're both equally startled and upon recognizing the unmistakable presence of Lily outside, I move away, putting some space between us.

My heart that had been beating rhythmically high, had begun to slow down gradually, I take a deep breath trying to quicken the process. Although, I was pretty sure my face was undoubtedly flushed, as I had no control over the heat I felt in my neck and face.

I was too embarrassed to look over at Beckham, I just cleared my voice and gestured for Lily to proceed forward after I've pulled on a random shirt of his. Upon hearing my voice she hastily opens the door and runs over to us.

Her small loud giggles echo on the walls as she skips over to us joyfully, opening her arms wide in order to climb up.

"Mommy! Daddy!" She exclaims as Beckham takes her in his arms kissing her forehead before laying her between us. I smile widely, all the embarrassment from earlier gone as I focused on the bundle of joy in front of me.

I run my fingers through her messy morning hair and she starts blabbering.

"Is Soir still sleeping?" My eyes dart to the baby monitor on the bedside beside Beckham, seemingly quiet, it hadn't rang at all throughout the night.

She nods her head eagerly and continues on with her story about the some of her peers going to an amusement park with their parents somewhat over the last month. Talking with stars in her eyes, overly enthusiastic, she made both Beckham and I promise to take them to an amusement park someday, so she can have cotton candy and sweets, plus get on the carousels and other exciting rides.

The rest of the morning followed by peacefully. Lily and I still laid in bed lazily when Beck had to go to work. He got up and dressed, to my dismay he kissed both our foreheads goodbye. I was left utterly stunned and Lily had to tap me on the arm a few times to sober up from the trance he stuck me in.

We lounged around chattering until we heard Soir's cries wailing through the monitor. We both went over, I picked him up and started changing him while Lily got occupied with her toys. Then, we went downstairs to in order to have breakfast. I was about to start pulling out the ingredients to make pancakes batter when I notice that there are already pancakes left on the stove.

I pick up the note on the counter,

" they do say that good food is good mood :)

P.s. we're invited to the annual party later this week, your dress should be delivered today.

-B.B ".

I smile at the heartwarming gestures as I plate the food and sit down around the table where the kids were already waiting for me and started serving. I felt unimaginably appreciative of him getting me a dress, instead of me having to go out to bother with shopping, especially now since it can endanger my safety.

I decided that I'd want to keep the handwritten letter. It didn't feel right to throw it away or discarding it as insignificant, I'll just keep it with me.