slide away {lorenzo berkshire}

68. line without a hook

"Not only does my world revolve around her, but she is my world. She's not just my reason for breathing, she's air itself. She's the meaning behind every one of my thoughts, every thrum of my pulse, every whisper of my conscience. She's my entire everything. It's as simple and as complex as that."
- Laurelin Paige

~~~~~~~

Lorenzo Berkshire

The sun was barely up, a thin wash of grey light leaking through the curtains.

I had barely slept.

Though neither had she.

Every time I drifted off, I'd jolt awake just to check she was still there - sprawled across my chest, hair tickling my jaw, her knee wedged over my hip like she was staking her claim. I didn't want to move - didn't want to breathe too loudly - in case I broke the spell.

Last night had been too much - too sharp, too good, too long coming. And Merlin help me, I didn't want to waste a single second of her being here.

I should've been exhausted, but all I felt was... light. Like someone had slipped Veritaserum into my veins, except the truth was written all over my face.

It didn't feel real. Not the way her hair had gone that wild and curly way from the storm, or how she'd stood in the rain ranting about drowned shoes, only to kiss me like she wanted to set me on fire a minute later. Not the way she'd looked at me when I asked when she was going to kiss me as if I'd cracked her open without lifting a wand.

I'd missed her. Not just this - though last night... last night had nearly undone me. But her. The way she filled every inch of space, like she was too much for one room to hold. Even in her sleep, she was stubborn - her hand clutching the sheet like she was braced for a fight, her brow furrowed as if she was still arguing with me in her dreams.

God, the things she did to me.

For a long moment I just watched her. Even here, even now, she couldn't rest. Not really. And part of me wanted to tell her she could. That I'd keep watch. But words like that weren't allowed - not with Cassie.

I shifted slightly, letting my fingers trace an idle circle across her bare shoulder. She twitched, muttered something under her breath, and wriggled closer. My chest tightened.

"Morning, trouble," I murmured, my lips brushing the top of her head. "You're awake".

She hummed noncommittally. "I figured that out. You?".

I chuckled under my breath.

Cassie opened her eyes properly then, blinking up at me. "What are you laughing at?".

"You do realise I'm never letting you live yesterday down, right?".

Her eyes were bleary but sharp enough to glare at me. "What now?"

"Standing in the middle of a storm," I said, smirking, "screaming at me like I'd made it rain on purpose".

She groaned, burying her face against my chest. "Don't remind me."

"I can't help it. You were magnificent." I grinned at the memory - her hair plastered to her cheeks, her hands flailing, her voice sharp with fury and worry and something else underneath it all. "Absolutely feral. And then two seconds later you kissed me. I'm starting to think I've got a type."

Her head snapped up just enough for me to catch the spark in her eyes. "A type?".

"Unhinged, terrifying, irresistible," I listed, tapping her nose. "You, basically."

She swatted my hand away, but her lips twitched. That was the thing with Cassie - half of her wanted to throttle me, the other half... well, I'd finally found out what the other half wanted last night, hadn't I?