The Jacket Snatcher

Chapter 46- The Big Spoon

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After eating our dinner (without dessert) and hanging out with the rest of the band for a while, we all branch off to get some sleep. Nothing good comes from starting a tour exhausted, or at least that's what Ashton says.

When I come back from brushing my teeth, Michael is already enveloped in his blankets and looks conked out. Luke is lying on the other bed scrolling through his phone. I switch off the lamp on my way and toss myself onto the bed beside him. It feels a little strange to be in a bed with him, but I try to push the thoughts from my mind as I slide under the sheets. It's while I'm trying to squeeze into the taut blankets that I realize that Luke is laying on top of them.

"Won't you get cold?" I whisper, looking up at his LED-lit face.

He shrugs. "I'll be fine."

"Don't be stupid. Just get under the blankets."

Shaking his head, he glances down at me. "I just...after everything you told me, I just don't want you to feel like I'm taking advantage of the situation, or pressuring you, or anything like that."

I barely let him finish his sentence before I reach over and pull his face down to meet mine. I kiss him once on the mouth before releasing him.

"Thank you," I say.

"You really don't have anything to thank me for."

"For being you," I say, giving him a broad grin. I think I can almost see his cheeks flush in the pale light. "Now, come under the covers."

He smirks. "Yes, ma'am."

With a little wriggling, he finally manages to maneuver himself under the sheets. He locks his phone and plugs it into the bedside table. Once his hands are free, he winds his arms around me and pulls me into his chest.

"Is this okay?" he whispers into my ear.

In response, I kiss his shoulder and snuggle deeper into his embrace.

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I'm woken up by the sound of laughter. As I open my eyes, I realize that Luke is still wrapped around me, but at some point during the night, we shifted so that my back is to his front with his arm draped across my waist.

"It's weird, huh?" Calum says, looking down at us, but speaking to Michael and Ashton who are also standing around the room. "Seeing Luke as the big spoon for once."

They all crack up laughing, and I even chuckle at the ridiculous implication of their joke. As my body shakes with laughter, Luke starts to stir. I turn in his arms and watch as his eyes flutter open.

"Good morning," he says to me in a sleepy voice.

"How'd you sleep, cupcake?" Calum asks, jumping on top of us and sticking his head between ours.

Luke shoves him off and sits up. "What the hell? Were you watching us sleep?" He shakes his head. "You guys are creeps."

With a chuckle Ashton and Michael leave to finish getting ready, but Calum sticks around.

"Tell me," he says, "does Luke still kick in his sleep?"

I laugh, but before I can answer, Luke does.

"I was never asleep, Cal. I used to do that on purpose."

Calum's mouth falls open. "But we would always let you have a bed to yourself because none of us wanted to get kicked!"

"Exactly." Luke smirks, stands, and shuts himself in the bathroom before Calum can even respond.

He turns his appalled face on me, and I just shrug before hopping out of the bed myself. I leave Calum behind and go wait my turn for the bathroom. I end up bouncing back and forth on the balls of my feet, desperately needing Luke to hurry up. When he opens the door, I push past him and shove him out, shutting the door in his laughing face.