Born Too Late [Elvis Presley]

Chapter 16: The Date: Part 1

One of my favourite chapters so far.
I hope you enjoy!

~

The next morning

Elvis Presley

Before I'm even fully aware of my surroundings, I pull Penny closer to me with my arm draped over her side. It's like a natural instinct - like my body is on autopilot even before my mind is fully awake. I always want her closer, no matter if I'm asleep or awake.

Penny intertwines her fingers with mine and I smile when I feel her soft lips on my hand, leaving a gentle kiss on my knuckles. My eyes open when I feel her shuffling on the mattress, and she turns around to face me. Every time I'm lucky enough to wake up beside Penny, I know I'm the happiest man in the world, and the most lucky. I will never tire of the sight in front of me. As Penny's brown eyes wander over my face, I find myself hoping and praying to god that I make her happy too.

"Hi," she says softly. A small smile pulls on her full lips, which always seem to be the slightest bit more plump when she's just woken up. The smile doesn't quite reach her eyes, which look slightly heavier than usual. But the brown in her eyes appears so deep - as if there's countless layers in them that aren't completely visible to the blind eye.

I gently brush a blonde hair out of her face with my fingertip. "Hi, baby." I have never in my life used pet names this much with anyone else. Baby, sweetheart, honey - I can't help it. It all comes naturally to me with Penny.

Penny smiles, and I swear I feel my heart skip a beat. In my chest. Either way, it's racing now. She's so incredibly beautiful. "You wanna lay here and watch movies all day?" she asks with her sweet voice.

I press a kiss onto her soft lips, my hand on the side of her face. "You jus' read my mind, sweetheart." Penny smiles, throwing her tanned leg over my hip. Our bodies are so close together - there's absolutely no space between us, yet I still feel the need to be even closer to her.

I'll never be able to get enough of her.

~

After a blissful day of laying in bed, watching movies and talking with Penny, it feels as if the hour I've been sentenced to death has finally come. The thought alone of Penny going on a date with another man makes me feel sick to my stomach. But the thought of another man's hands on her, or lips on her is enough to make me physically sick.

And the thought of her falling for someone who isn't me...well, I don't even want to think about that. But, if that does happen - if she does go on this date and she has feelings for him, I won't hold her back. I would sacrifice my happiness for Penny's in a heartbeat. While my entire body aches at the thought of her with another man, if it meant she was happy, I wouldn't stand in their way. Standing in the way of Penny's happiness would kill me. It would actually kill me. And it would kill me more than seeing her with another man.

"Elvis, honey," Penny smiles as I leave another kiss on her lips. Her arms loosen around the back of my neck and it already feels like she's a million miles away from me. Her soft fingers gently toying with the hair at the nape of my neck seem to be the only thing keeping me somewhat relaxed. "I gotta go." She leaves a soft kiss on my lips, taking my face in her delicate hands. Her kiss lingers for a few seconds, which I savour, but they seem to pass far too quickly. "And I'm gonna be back soon," she says, her brown eyes flicking between mine. "And we can spend all night together, and all day together tomorrow. She pulls my face ever so slightly closer towards hers, "and the next few months, okay?"

I smile softly as I take in her features, and I don't know why - maybe it's simply my own insecurities - but this feels like the last time, and I don't like that. At all. I want to tighten my arms around her waist and never let her go - it takes absolutely everything in me not to. But I don't want to make this difficult for her, so instead, I smile softly as I loosen my arms from around her waist, and I try my very best to sound relaxed and emotionally stable - which in this moment, I absolutely am not - as I smile softly, saying, "okay."