One Deep Breath

Chapter Fifteen

Opening her eyes slowly Jolie realized she was in Jesse's bed, under the covers, but he wasn't there. Rolling over she looked for the clock, seeing that it was almost nine.

Sitting up, she stretched before wandering into the bathroom to see what she looked like before figuring out where Jesse was.

Her reflection wasn't terrible, though her hair was a little crazy. She finger combed it down, then used her thumbs to clean up the eye make up smudged under her eyes. Then she stole some of his toothpaste to smear around her mouth before she rinsed it out.

Not awful for first thing in the morning, Jolie thought to herself.

Walking out of the bathroom she heard the soft lull of a television coming from the living room.

Pulling open the bedroom doors she saw Jesse draped across the couch on his phone. Catching his attention, he sat up.

"Hey, you. Sleep okay?"

"Yes," she murmured. "Sorry I fell asleep on you last night."

"It's fine. I tucked you in nicely when the movie ended. You were out cold."

She blushed, hoping she hadn't been snoring or drooling or anything embarrassing.

"I figured you wouldn't mind if I slept next to you, since you already admitted that you like me and all," he continued, cocking his head to the side, grinning widely at her. "I promise I didn't try anything," he added, holding his hands up in innocence.

"Well aren't you sassy in the morning," she quipped. "I don't mind. It's your bed, so thanks for letting me crash in it."

"Anytime," he teased.

She rolled her eyes, looking over towards the kitchen.

"Coffee?"

He grabbed the menu off the coffee table again, holding it up and shrugging at her in response.

"You really do rely on the room service here don't you?"

He laughed, handing over the menu after flipping to the page with the breakfast options.

She waved him off.

"Just coffee. Too early for food."

He looked at her like she was crazy, but then picked up the phone.

"Yes, hi. Can we get a pot of coffee, two mugs, and one continental breakfast sent up? Great. Okay. Thank you."

"Thank you," she said as she sat down next to him on the couch.

He nodded, once again pulling her into his side, making her smile.

"Good morning by the way," he beamed at her, leaning in for a quick kiss. "You look gorgeous in the morning you know. Sleepy and adorable."

She smiled, flattered and wanting more kisses like that from him.

"Last night was fun," was all she could think of to say.

He shook his head in agreement. "Mmhmm."

Jolie grabbed her bag off the armchair, pulling out her phone, which was dead as she had suspected it would be.

"I can bring you home after breakfast. Make sure your friend doesn't call the cops on me for not returning you last night?"

She laughed. "She's definitely not up yet, I have until at least eleven before she realizes."

Jolie trudged over to the windows, staring out at the city. It looked so different during the day, much more quiet and clam, peaceful. She could see across the entire downtown, and since it wasn't the biggest city in the state of New York, she could also see where it thinned out into the suburbs.

If she looked to the right she saw where her college campus was off, way out in the distance. To the left was the direction of her hometown, laying approximately fifteen miles outside the city. All that separated her old life from her college life was underneath her feet; this small city laid out before her.

"Whatcha looking at?" Jesse had crept up behind her, placing his chin on top of her head, peering out the window with her.

"Just the view, I guess. My school's over there," she pointed. "And my home town is about twenty minutes that way," she concluded, pointing in the opposite direction.

"So you've always lived here?"

"Yup. Just two different sides of the city I guess. Feels like two separate places though."

He didn't question her on her statement, he just slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer to him. They both looked out on the view before them, in comfortable silence, until a knock on the door signaled their room service had arrived.

Jolie squealed and started helping herself to a cup of coffee as soon as it was set down on the table.

"Okay you coffee fiend. Can I have some?"

She poured him one too, then held up the cream, looking up at him in question.

"Just a little bit, please."

She added some into his cup and handed it over, then went back to fixing up hers. Taking a sip, she sighed dramatically.

"I love coffee," she murmured, cozying back into the couch.

"I noticed," he spewed through a mouthful of toast.

After they finished their breakfast, Jesse pulled her into his lap and they watched tv together for a little while, entangled on the couch in Jesse's surreal penthouse.

At 10:30 Jolie went and put her dress back on, bracing herself for the walk of shame through the hotel lobby and her dorm hall. She at least had her coat to cover her dress from the night before, but the shoes were a dead give away.

Luckily Jesse's car was ready and waiting for them, something she assumed he had called down for. The ride home was quicker than she had hoped, and she was sad that their first night together was coming to a close. She wondered what was in store for them next, if anything.

It was hard not to doubt that Jesse would want to maintain a relationship with her, but it was also hard to deny the chemistry they had.

When he pulled up in front of her building, she sighed and looked over at him, wondering what he was feeling in that moment.

Before she could get too sad, he kissed her, and he kissed her good. Smiling into their kiss, she pulled back, feeling reassured in that moment.

"I'll talk to you soon, Jolie. Okay?" he squeezed her hand before she reached for the door to climb out of his car.

"Can't wait," she replied, leaning down to look at his perfect face on last time before closing the door and heading up to her room.