Miss, Do I Know You?

33 - Monday, February 15

A smile curved my lips up as soon as consciousness returned. Everything about that moment. That split second of memory where my mind flew through everything that had happened, or the warm breath whispering against the nape of my neck, or the arm wrapped loosely around my torso. I'd say that was enough of a reason to grin like an idiot then.

Each impatient movement of my body made her stir, too, until I could not lie still anymore without ensuring that it was not some wicked wet dream. I turned and found her eyes open. Her look was sleepy but aware, a relaxed smile on her mouth that more than matched mine. Last night swirled right in front of my eyes and before I could even bite back the surging affection, I had buried my face in her chest. But not a word was spoken.

We aimlessly rolled around the sheets for a while, yawning and groaning on occasion but mostly just lying next to one another and fighting off sleep. Every so often, I would peek at her just to ensure she was indeed there, and every time, Alex gave me the same smile until the inevitable happened. Unlike me, she was never one to stay in bed for long, and merely this additional half an hour of laziness and half-sleep was clearly making her restless.

When Alex got to her feet, I threw a pillow to the foot of the bed and propped my head on my folded arms. Attempting to play nonchalant was useless, so I didn't even bother looking away while she stretched. In its nakedness, her body monopolized my entire focus, and then some.

"I'm not leaving this bed," my voice emerged, throat dry. "Your stretches are even better without clothes on."

A groan came from Alex's throat, a delicious rasp that turned into a gentle cough. "I feel like I've been beaten up."

I smirked. "I don't remember any beating happening last night."

"But you might have given me a limp."

"At least my curiosity was satisfied."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Verdict?"

"You're very bendy. Sorry about the limp though."

"It's a small price to pay." Alex moved to the bathroom with hindered steps. But at the door, she paused and leaned against the frame. "Join me?"

I bounded from the bed and sprang upright, only to be stopped by a sharp cramp that clutched my entire limb and had me hopping around. My groans and winces were only met with teasing laughter from the bathroom, then drowned out by running water.

When I made it to the shower, I could only recoil in response, my senses assaulted. "Alex, that's boiling. I'm gonna turn into a shriveled prune."

"The shriveled prune is in charge of the temperature, then."

Beneath the water, I felt the warmth of Alex from behind. Her arms wound around my waist and slid up to my chest. Last night was still spinning in my mind as I leaned my head back against her and hummed, eyes shut. We lingered like that until we remembered where we were and why.

When she reached out to take the shampoo bottle from my hand, I held it back. "Can I?"

A reciprocated grin was all the answer I needed, so I began to lather the shampoo into her hair, massaging her scalp. In the meantime, my other hand slipped around her, trailing over her breast and curve of her hips and down to her butt where it gave a squeeze.

"I don't think I have any hair there, Kayla."

"Now you do."

I took my time with the conditioner, threading my fingers through her hair and unknotting where the night had tucked it into twists, relishing the joy that turned her smile brighter with every passing moment. But as the time came to rinse away, I accidentally pushed her too far under the stream. Her eyes squeezed shut, and her features twisted as if I'd just showered her in lemon.