Seconds in Time

Page 24

{Trying to get back into this one :) }

When I woke up on my own, rain was coming down hard and thunder rolled through the black clouds. It was morning or maybe noon. It was hard to tell because of the gloom.

I numbly shifted my hips and stopped, easing them back down when I noticed the excess weight. I averted my eyes from the window and looked down my body. Alexander's arm was lying limply across my waist and his face was pressed into my shoulder. He may have been comatose and drooling a little, but I liked him much better that way.

I stiffened and my heart rate quickened as he shifted and nuzzled his face further into my shoulder. He let out a breath and something I hated to see, even if I hate the guy, occurred. His face twisted up a bit and a tear slid from his eye before his face relaxed again. My eyes and heart turned to mush and I brushed the tear from his cheek, just as he had done for me last night. Why couldn't he always bee this peaceful?

I slid out of bed, hoping I didn't wake him up. From the look on his face there was certainly no fear in that. I stood there hugging myself against the chilling draft and digging my toes into the plush carpet. I hated thinking that I was only going to like him when he's asleep, but at the way things were going it was entirely possible.

I leaned carefully over the bed and placed a light kiss on his cheek. I didn't question whether or not I should have done it. If we are going to be stuck together for the rest of our lives I might as well get used to it.

After another soft look at him I pulled my hair up into a messy bun and walked downstairs. I welcomed the warmth from the fire crackling in the hearth and the aroma of coffee wafting in from the kitchen. I followed the trail of inviting scents like a zombie until I was in the kitchen. I numbly grabbed a cup of coffee and took a careful drink, burning my tongue anyway, before walking into the living room.

I curled up at the end of the couch, sipping my coffee, and staring into the fire. I felt at peace for once in the past forty-eight hours. I drowned my thoughts out in the entrancing dance of the flames. I was lost to the world and more than happy about it. I felt invisible.

I looked back at the sound of Alexander coming down the stairs. Before now-because I had done everything I could to ignore him last night-I hadn't realized that he was only wearing his boxers. He rubbed his face and then stretched, causing his muscles to flex. Leo would say he was ripped and it wouldn't be a lie.

Alexander opened one brown eye and caught me staring before he exhaled and walked into the kitchen, at which point I admired the muscles in his back and shoulders. A thought suddenly crossed my mind.