𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐱 | 18 +

𝐓 𝐖 𝐄 𝐍 𝐓 𝐘 - 𝐅 𝐎 𝐔 𝐑

Carter

I woke up slowly, the haze of sleep still clinging to me, but the first thing I noticed was the warmth. It wasn't just the usual warmth of the blankets or the sun filtering through the window, it was Juliet. She was draped over me, her body almost completely lying on top of mine, her head tucked perfectly under my chin. I blinked a few times, adjusting to the soft light in the room, but as my senses came back, I felt a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

She was still sound asleep, her breaths slow and steady against my neck. One of her legs was tangled with mine, and her arm was splayed across my stomach, holding me as if I might disappear in the middle of the night. I couldn't help but smile wider at the sight of her like this, so peaceful, so unguarded. It was a rare thing to see Juliet so relaxed, and I wanted to savor every moment of it.

For a few minutes, I stayed still, just enjoying the quiet rhythm of her breathing, the way her body molded to mine. It felt so natural, waking up with her like this, and I couldn't imagine starting the day any other way. But then an idea popped into my head, a small gesture, something that might make her morning even better.

Carefully, I slipped out from under her, making sure not to wake her as I moved. She stirred slightly, but she didn't wake, instead rolling onto her side and hugging the pillow I had just been laying on. I paused, watching her for a second, my heart swelling at how adorable she looked, still clinging to something in her sleep.

With a quiet chuckle, I got out of bed and padded toward the kitchen, determined to surprise her with breakfast in bed. I wasn't exactly a professional chef, but I knew my way around the basics, and I knew Juliet loved strawberries. That was enough motivation to get started.

I moved around the kitchen quietly, grabbing eggs, bread, and the fresh strawberries I had picked up the other day. I scrambled the eggs, cooked some toast, and even managed to cut the strawberries into neat little slices. When everything was ready, I arranged the food on a tray, making sure it looked as nice as possible. I smiled to myself, imagining the look on Juliet's face when she saw it.

Balancing the tray carefully, I made my way back to the bedroom, pushing the door open with my shoulder. Juliet was still curled up in bed, her hair a little messy, the blankets half covering her. She stirred at the sound of the door opening, blinking sleepily as she sat up slightly.

"Good morning." I said softly, my smile widening as I approached the bed with the tray in hand.

She rubbed her eyes and looked at me, her lips curving into a sleepy smile. "Good morning." she mumbled, her voice still heavy with sleep. But when she noticed the tray in my hands, her eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed a soft pink. "You made me breakfast?"

I nodded, setting the tray down gently on the bed in front of her. "Surprise." I said, watching her reaction closely.

Juliet blushed even more, a shy smile spreading across her face as she looked down at the tray. "Carter... this is so sweet." she murmured, her voice soft and full of affection.

I sat down beside her, pleased with her reaction. "I figured you might like breakfast in bed. You seemed so cozy, I didn't want to wake you up too soon." I explained with a small grin, feeling a sense of pride at making her happy.

She glanced at me, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. "I love it." she said, picking up a fork and taking a small bite of the scrambled eggs. "You didn't have to do this, but... thank you. It's perfect."

Seeing her so happy over something as simple as breakfast made my heart swell. I reached over and grabbed a strawberry from the edge of the tray, popping it into my mouth before she could stop me.

"Hey!" she protested with a laugh, narrowing her eyes at me in mock anger. "That was my strawberry!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her playful glare. "Well, technically, I made the breakfast, so I think I deserve at least one strawberry." I teased, flashing her a mischievous grin.

Juliet rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. "Fine, I'll allow it... this time." she said, pretending to be stern, but the warmth in her eyes betrayed her. She popped another strawberry into her mouth, savoring the sweetness.

We sat there for a while, lazily picking at the food, talking softly about nothing and everything. The sun was starting to rise higher, casting a warm glow through the window, and it felt like time had slowed down, like the world outside didn't matter as long as we were here, wrapped up in each other.

When we'd had our fill of breakfast, I leaned back against the headboard, pulling Juliet closer to me. She rested her head on my shoulder, her body warm and soft against mine, and I reached for the remote to put something on Netflix. We scrolled through the options for a few minutes before settling on some lighthearted show neither of us had seen before.

Juliet's laughter filled the room as we watched, and I couldn't help but smile every time she laughed. There was something about her laugh that made everything feel brighter, lighter. She shifted slightly, snuggling deeper into my side, her hand resting on my stomach as we lay there, watching the screen but more focused on just being together.

I glanced down at her, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "You're really beautiful, you know that?" I said softly, feeling the need to tell her.

She blushed again, her cheeks turning that familiar shade of pink. "Carter." she mumbled, embarrassed but pleased. "You're so cheesy."

I grinned, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Maybe, but it's true."

We stayed like that for what felt like hours, just enjoying the simplicity of being together, watching Netflix and exchanging lazy kisses. There was no rush, no pressure to get up or do anything else. It was just us, tangled up in the warmth of the morning, with nothing to worry about except which show to watch next.

And honestly, I couldn't think of a better way to spend the day.

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~ R