Stupidly Hot || Jackie Taylor || No crash AU || Present Time AU ||

Chapter Seven || Cuddling

I wake up with my head still on Jackie's chest. Her arm is wrapped around me, and I can feel the gentle rise and fall of her breathing underneath me. The soft morning light filters through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the room. My mind slowly awakens, and I loft my head up to take in the sight of her. She looks so peaceful and cute when she's sleeping, her features relaxed and a faint smile playing on her lips. I can't help but smile myself, though I playfully scold myself internally for finding her so adorable in this vulnerable state.

As I begin to peel her arm off of me, she emits a soft groan and instinctively pulls me closer than I was before. Ah, right. I momentarily forgot that Jackie isn't a fan of early mornings. I find myself trapped in an unexpected yet oddly comfortable cuddle with Jackie Taylor, and there's an ironic humor to the situation that doesn't escape me.

My phone, which was conveniently placed beside me on the nightstand, lights up with a notification. I reach for it carefully, so as not to disturb Jackie's slumber. It's a message from Jessie. I tap on the message and read it, a small smile playing on my lips.

"Hey," the message reads.

I glance away from my phone and briefly consider the day's events. Meeting up with Jessie would be a nice distraction from the tangled sheets of my current predicament.

"Hey," I type back.

Her response arrives almost instantly.

"You busy today?"

My mind races to formulate an appropriate response. My initial impulse is to reveal the amusing truth, that I'm currently cuddling with the very person she knows I have a complex history with. However, I decide to keep it more general.

"I don't think so. You?" I type, curious to know if she's got any plans for the day.

Her swift reply appears on the screen.

"No. Wanna hangout?"

A small chuckle escapes me as I consider the idea. I glance down at Jackie, who's still sound asleep, blissfully unaware of the conversations happening around her. It's a tempting proposition, and part of me wants to escape this tangled embrace and engage in some normal socializing.

"Sure," I type back, my fingers dancing across the keyboard.

Then comes the plan.

"Meet me at the pool at 3."

With a sense of satisfaction, I press send and watch as the message floats off into the digital ether. I close my messaging app and return to my home screen, where another message notification awaits. This one is from Lottie.

"How's the hickey?" she inquires, the words accompanied by a playful winking emoji.

I roll my eyes and can't help but smirk. Leave it to Lottie to cut right to the chase.

"Don't know, can't really move that much so I can't even check," I type back, my thumbs working diligently.

Lottie's reply arrives promptly, her virtual laughter almost audible.

"Why not?"

My eyes flicker to Jackie, who's still nestled against me. A small smile tugs at my lips as I contemplate my response.

"Cant be bothered to get up," I lie, my fingers dancing over the keys.

"Laz..." Lottie's reply begins before I see the ellipsis indicating she's typing again. "Lazy fuck," the message concludes, followed by a series of laughing emojis.

I exit the chat with Lottie and allow myself to sink a little deeper into Jackie's embrace. The warmth of her body against mine is comforting, and despite my earlier intentions, I find myself not entirely eager to extricate myself from this situation.