Norah [H. S.]

chapter one

thirty-three months after

norah

It's five thirty in the morning when my alarm clock awakens me. The sickening, way too happy sounding alarm tone makes me groan in annoyance when I flutter my eyes open.

My first look this morning aims at the window: Outside, it is still pitch black, as if it was the middle of the night. The sun hasn't risen yet, and won't for about three more hours. What else would you expect on a sweet December morning?

I slowly unwrap myself from Colton's strong arms and sit up, disconnecting from the warmth of our bed. A small yawn escapes my lips, my reaction to it being covering my mouth with my hand.

I turn on the dim light on the table next to my bed, to see something when I open the closet and pick out a floral skirt, black tights, a white pullover and a blazer.

As silent as possible, I tiptoe into the bathroom. It doesn't take me longer than twenty minutes to get dressed and do my makeup and hair. I never put on a lot of makeup, never have, and my brown hair is hard to tame anyway, which is why I never even bother trying.

Just as quietly as I walked into the bathroom, I now walk into our kitchen and start the coffee machine. Without a cup of unsweetened, black coffee I'd be a mess every day. I'm everything but a morning person, even though I do enjoy the mornings with all their quietness. It's soothing, in some way, and I like being alone and having time to think drinking my morning coffee.

A look at my watch tells me that I have about five more minutes of my time alone before Colton will get up. However, I hear his light steps nearing the kitchen already. I turn around and watch him appear in the door frame in only his boxers.

His toned, strong abdomen, chest and broad shoulders catch my eye for a few seconds before I shoot him a smile.

I still wonder at times what I have done to deserve him. I've never considered myself a person that deserves someone as great and loving as Colton is, and sometimes I wonder if the love I feel for him is enough.

His full, slightly pink lips pull into a smile as he walks closer and pecks me on the lips. His wonderful blue eyes sparkle when he looks at me, and I am reminded of all the times I got lost in them...

"Morning." He grins. "You look beautiful. Always do, but I still can't say it often enough."

Colton doesn't know about the dark parts of my past, but he doesn't ask about it and that's what I envy about him. He knows everything about me but that, and he is the only person who knows that much... Except for one other.

I push the thought away. The person on my mind is someone I lost a long time ago, and the thought of it fills me with guilt - and as much as I hate to admit it, pain.

I feel the blood rush to my cheeks. "Thank you."

He takes a cup and pours coffee into it until it is half full, and then adds some milk and sugar. "You'll do great today", he smiles. "Your ideas
... They're mind blowing. They will definitely ask you to do their advertisement."

"You think?", I ask, putting the cup into the dishwasher.

"I know." He flashes his crooked grin at me, the one he has only for me, and I feel like my heart is about to burst from love. Every time I look into his eyes, all my thoughts about my past seem to disappear immediately. It makes me feel like none of the things that happened actually did happen - like all of it was just a dark, terrifying nightmare pulling you in, drowning you in emotions, and Colton woke me up, saving me from it all.