Curls for the girls

Bed

Ty's POV

The soft morning light filtered through the blinds, casting a warm glow across the room as Nika and I lay there, tangled in the sheets. The silence between us was comfortable, but the longer we stayed like this, the more I felt the need to touch her. To kiss her. To make sure she knew just how much she meant to me.

Her hand rested on my chest, her thumb lazily tracing patterns across my skin. I couldn't help but smile at the sensation, the way her touch made everything feel a little lighter, a little more at peace. Nika had a way of grounding me, of making everything seem so much simpler than it usually was.

She yawned softly, stretching out next to me, her body pressing into mine as she arched her back. I couldn't help but watch her, my heart skipping a beat at how effortlessly beautiful she looked, even in the early hours of the morning.

"You're going to make me fall for you even harder if you keep looking at me like that," she said playfully, her voice still heavy with sleep which made her accent some how even sexier.

I raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth. "Am I now?"

Nika's lips curled into a teasing grin, and she leaned closer to me, her breath warm against my skin. "Yeah, you're too good at making me weak in the knees baby."

My chest tightened, a surge of affection washing over me. "I'm not trying to make you weak, Nika. But I'm not complaining if it works."

She laughed softly, her fingers sliding down my arm as she traced the outline of my muscles. "You know, I didn't realize just how strong you are. You really carried me last night. I mean, I know you're strong, but you're really strong and so sexy."

I chuckled, shifting a little to look at her. "I think it's just because I care about you. You needed me, and I was there. Simple as that."

Her eyes softened, a hint of vulnerability flickering behind them. "I know. And I love you for it."

I couldn't help myself. My hand cupped her cheek, gently guiding her face toward mine. The kiss I pressed to her lips was soft at first, barely a whisper, just a slow, tender meeting of lips. But the moment she kissed me back, something shifted. The kiss deepened, becoming more urgent, more desperate, as if we both needed this—needed each other—in a way we couldn't quite put into words.

When we pulled back, our faces were close, breaths mingling. "I could stay like this forever," I murmured, my voice low, husky with the emotion I could feel swirling inside me.

Nika's lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "You say that now, but you'll have to drag me out of bed eventually. We've got practice."

I groaned, sinking back into the pillow. "Don't remind me."

She leaned over, placing a soft kiss on my jawline. "We'll be fine. You just need to work on your attitude when it comes to early mornings."

I laughed, pulling her closer to me. "If it were up to me, I'd keep you here all day. But I guess we do have things to do. Practice, games... but I'm not looking forward to that when I'd rather just stay wrapped up in this."

Her smile turned sly as she playfully nipped at my neck. "You're not getting out of it that easily, Ty. Besides, it'll be good for us to move around. You know what they say—no rest for the wicked."

I grinned, my hand sliding up her back. "I'm not sure if you're talking about me or yourself, Nika. You're the one who always gets me into trouble."

"Oh, am I?" She raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying this banter. "I think you like it when I get you into trouble."

Before I could reply, Nika leaned in, capturing my lips again. This kiss was different—playful but with an undercurrent of something deeper, something more intense. I found myself responding with just as much passion, my hands gripping her waist as if trying to pull her closer, to never let her go.

When we broke apart, we were both out of breath, our foreheads resting together as we shared a quiet laugh. "You're lucky I like you," I teased, pressing my lips to her forehead.

Nika rolled her eyes, though there was a twinkle of mischief in her gaze. "Oh, I know. But you're lucky I like you too. You're the one who had to carry me to bed last night, after all."

"Right," I said, pretending to be put out by her teasing. "I'm such a saint for doing that."

She giggled, her fingers tracing patterns along my chest again, and I could feel my heart beat just a little faster. "You're more than a saint, Ty. You're everything I need. And I'm gonna make sure you know that."

I felt my chest swell with pride at her words, but I couldn't help the teasing grin that spread across my face. "Yeah? You're making me blush, Nika."

She laughed, leaning in for another kiss, this one more teasing and lighthearted. But as she pulled away, her smile softened, her eyes locking with mine. "Seriously though," she said, her voice low. "I've been thinking a lot about us lately... and I don't know what I would do without you."

I didn't need to think about it—I knew the answer. "You'd be fine, Nika. But I don't ever want to find out. I'm right here, always."

Her hand rested over my heart, a gentle but firm touch that made everything feel even more real. "I know. And that's exactly why I'm not going anywhere."

We lay there for a while longer, the teasing fading as we just enjoyed the quiet and the feeling of being close to each other. Eventually, I kissed her again, slower this time, savoring the moment as much as I could before the reality of practice and the day ahead came crashing back.

But I didn't mind. Not as long as I had Nika with me.