Rumor Has It

Part 39

A/N: This might be a weird cut but I thought about it and I'd rather keep the rating like this. I'll outsource anything mature into a separate book and fill in the blanks there when I get to it x)

//Edited: Part 38.5 now exists in this book: https://www.wattpad.com/1332905851-rumor-has-it-%E2%94%82missing-pieces-part-38-5

Thank you all for being so nice and supportive with this story!

*

Bradley was awake long before she was. Stefani was warm in his arms, her head tucked under his chin, and he was content in his bed with her sleeping beside him. The schedule for the day ran through his mind and how her phone display had kept mutely coming to life every few moments ever since he woke up.

Stefani hummed in her sleep, and he could see some hair sticking to her face. She looked so young asleep like this, it made him smile. She seemed happy enough as she continued to snuggle into him even and he started to rub at her back in small circles while she was asleep, feeling her relax more and more under his ministrations.

When she awoke and cursed quietly under her breath, a new worry spread through him. The last thing he wanted was to have hurt her or to have her regret anything about them.

"Hey." He smiled lazily and tightened his arm around her to pull her closer, kissing her softly on the top of her head as she nestled into him further.

Stefani mumbled something that sounded vaguely like "Morning" before opening her eyes a little and looking sleepily at Bradley.

"Slept okay?" He murmured into her ear before pulling away to press a kiss to her lips.

"Yeah, I'm good...only a little sore. You?" Her voice was low and gravelly due to just waking up and she suddenly rolled her eyes at him. "Stop grinning like it's a compliment."

"Sorry, I swear I didn't even notice I was doing it." He grinned at her and she nuzzled into his shoulder. "And maybe it's just that I can't believe you're here and I have you to myself until you look at your damn phone."

"I can't believe I slept with Bradley Cooper." Stefani whispered and buried herself under the blanket for a second as if to giggle at the situation.

"No full names, don't make it weird." His tone was teasing but it held an undercurrent of concern. "...and sometimes I wonder if you forget who you are."

"Why, who am I?" She asked him softly, her fingers tracing down his chest and he thought it was a beautiful sight when she studied him

As much as he tried, Stefani had taken over so much that he wasn't seeing her as Lady Gaga much at all, but he suspected that would change once they would have to begin promoting the film. It still felt like he only knew part of her like this.

"To me? You're...do you know what it's like when you're talking to someone new and you tell them about your life and you always stop yourself and wonder if you've said something too soon? With you it's like that inhibition is missing."

She took a breath to comment on this and then took it back, her forehead resting against his. Her eyes were dark and more hazel like this.

"Not like I'm drunk. But like I've known you for much longer."

"I know what you mean." She sighed.

Bradley was waiting for something, hoping for reciprocation, something that didn't come even though she carried her heart on her sleeve too much for his own liking sometimes.

"What do you think about taking the girls out and telling them about us?"

His face brightened. "That's where we are now?"