With Me Tonight

chapter 12

I woke up to the sound of Norman's light snores, a sound that I found secretly amazing. It was a sound that I could get used to waking up to every morning.

I let my lips turn up into a smile as my eyes fluttered open, apparently during the night I had snuggled up even closer to Norman, leaving my face buried completely in his chest. I breathed in, inhaling his scent, then bringing my hands up and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

I had spent most of the day here yesterday with Sean and Mingus while Norman went out to film a small campaign video for The Body of Water. It was a pretty good day actually, and I felt I bonded with Mingus more, which made me a little nervous at first, but then happy knowing I wasn't planning on letting Norman go anytime soon.

I felt perfectly happy playing games and joking around with Sean and Mingus yesterday, feeling like I fit in with them, but when Norman came home, I felt complete. Just like I do now that are bodies are shaped together, like they were made for one another. I know it sounded cheesy or like I was letting this all get to my head, but I know when something is real. Norman is real. Norman had also convinced me earlier yesterday to stay the night, which I had told him I didn't have to so he could have time with Mingus, but even Mingus asked me to stay, saying it was no problem and that means the party would just start earlier. It also meant my first night sleeping in Norman's bed with him. Which had to be one of my new favorite things to do.

If I had the option, I would never get up out of this bed in his arms, relishing the warmth that he makes spread all over my body. But, we have many things to do.

So, that means that today is Thanksgiving. Sean ended up staying over, too, crashing on the couch so we could all hand out today together, mostly because of the holiday, but also because he was leaving to go back to L.A. in a few days.

I was very excited for today. I've never had a relationship like I do with these people, so I was so happy to be able to explore it and embrace it. I was happy.

Norman started to wake up due to my small amounts of shifting, so I quickly leaned my head up and lightly kissed his nose, causing the arm around my waist to tighten. I had gotten better with this romantic fluffy stuff, and I have started to really like it. "Happy Thanksgiving," my voice was quiet, but smooth and his lips perked up into a smile, but his eyes stayed close for a moment. "Mm, happy Thanksgiving to you, too, babe," his voice was full of adorable raspy sleepiness while his eyes fluttered open, the bright blue making my heart skip a beat.

"I have a very serious question for you," I asked, my voice as serious as it could get. Norman's bright blue orbs looked into mine with curiousness while his eyebrows furrowed together. "Would you guys prefer cookies or brownies?"

Norman let out a chuckle, "I'm sure either one will be great. Mingus will probably eat them all either way," he kissed the top of my head quickly and I let out a small laugh.

"Okay. I'll drag Sean to the grocery store with me so you can have some alone time with Mingus today," I said, placing my head back down on his upper chest, tracing the outline of the words on his T-shirt.

He put his soft hands under my chin and lifted my head up so I was looking at him, then leaning down himself and placed his lips on mine in a firm kiss. Jolts shot down my body and his lips made me tremble with warmth. "Thank you," he whispered when he broke away and then he pulled me into his chest more. I sighed happily and let my arms wrap lightly around him, feeling his muscles under his clothes. "You mind if I shower?" I mumbled into his chest.

"Sure babe, go ahead," he kissed the top of my forehead once more and I slid out of his arms, giving him a smile as I started walking towards his bathroom. His bathroom was the same as his room, design wise, not full of much, except maybe a few things he's got from his fans, and just the essentials. It had so much of Norman's personality in it though.

I quickly grabbed my small bag that I had brought over with a few things in it and went into the bathroom, shutting the door and turning on his shower. I stripped out of my clothes and let them fall to the floor, before stepping into his shower. It was both a tub and shower in one, with a shiny shower head that showered me with water. There were a few shelves hanging off the wall that held his shampoo's, conditioners, and soaps.

I sighed content my as I grabbed the shampoo and squirted some on my hand before I started massaging it through my hair, smiling at the sent it gave off, reminding me of Norman's sent. I hadn't been this happy in a long time and it was so foreign and new that it had my heart thumping hard and face hurting from smiling so much. Deep deep down inside me was that fear of getting too attached to these people, only to have them ripped away, but I am never going to hide from Norman again. I've grasped my life by the balls and I'm not going to let it run me with fear because ever since the moment I saw Norman, I fell for him hard...

I finished washing up and turned the shower off before stepping out and drying myself off with a towel that was neatly draped over a metal bar hanging off the wall. I pulled out a fresh pair of clothes from my bag and slid on my under garments, taking out my tooth brush and started to brush my teeth before I finished getting dressed.

I put on a rolling stones tongue t-shirt that clung to my body, as well as a pair of light blue skinny jeans. I stuffed everything else back in my bag, rung out my wet hair a little, then left the bathroom, walking back into Norman's room. He was lying on his back, holding his phone up a little as he scrolled through it with his tongue sticking out a little in concentration. I smiled at the sight and laid my bag down on the floor before walking over to him. "All done."

He locked his phone and put it on his bedside table, smiling up at me when he took in my appearance. I walked over to the bed and he sat up, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me against him, back on the bed. "Let's just lay in bed all day," he mumbled into my shoulder and started to place kisses on it, making me shiver in delight.

I sighed, "I wish we could, but we can't. Now go get ready while I wake Sean's lazy ass up."

No matter how much I wanted to just lay in his arms all day, kissing him and just talking, I knew we couldn't. Hell, it was Thanksgiving. He chuckled and I once again slid out of his arms, this time heading to the living room where Sean crashed on the couch. I walked out and had to put a hand over my mouth to stop the giggle from coming out when I saw Sean sprawled out, arms dangling off the couch, and Murphy laying right on his face.

I snuck over to the counter and snatched my phone that was sitting on it, going back over to the couch and taking a picture of Sean, letting out a giggle. I pocketed my phone and picked up Murphy, waking him up and causing his big eyes to open up wide and let out the most adorable yawn. I scratched behind his ears lightly before setting him back down on Sean, letting him prance around. Sean shifted a little, but Murphy rubbed himself against his face, tickling him and making him wake up. I let out my giggle at Sean's face as he tried to figure out what was on him, and only laughed harder when he figured it out and gave me a look.

"About time you got your lazy ass up! We've got grocery shopping to do!" I said, watching as he picked up Murph and set him back on the ground.

He laughed at me and scratched his chin before sitting up and stretching. "Why do I have to go grocery shopping?" He whined like a little kid, making me roll my eyes at him. "Because I'm going to need a big strong man to help me carry that big heavy turkey," I teased, plopping down on the couch next to him and watching as he laughed and continued to stretch out his arms. "And Norman needs some quality time with Mingus, so now you've gotten lucky to get some quality time with wonderful me!" I nudged his side with my elbow and he playfully winced.

I heard footsteps coming so I lightly shoved Sean, "go get ready, we are gona need time to make the food, too."

"Yes ma'am," he saluted and then got up with a grunt, passing Norman on his way to the bathroom. I rolled my eyes and headed into the kitchen, Norman and Mingus following behind me. "Where do you keep your paper?" I asked, looking around the room. Norman shuffled over to a drawer, opening it up and grabbing a notepad and a pen, then sliding them over to me.

I started to got down a list of things to get at the grocery store, biting my lip in concentration. "Do you have any lucky charms?" I asked completely becoming distracted from my task, looking back at Norman who was grabbing orange juice out of the fridge. He chuckled a little, "no, but will pancakes be okay for today?"

My stomach growled a little in response, making him and Mingus chuckle again, me laughing right along with them. "Sounds yummy," I said, turning back to my list and adding lucky charms to it.

--

Norman made us pancakes, which was surprisingly very attractive and cute to see, and we all ate together, laughing at his failure to make a Mickey mouse shaped pancake. I slid on my tan jacket, made out of leather-like material and shoes, turning back to call out to Sean to hurry his ass up.

"I'm comin, I'm comin," he grumbled and slid on his own shoes and jacket.

"We'll be back soon," I called to Norman and he quickly came over and cupped my face, bringing his lips down to mine. I couldn't help but smile, but immediately started to blush when I heard Mingus and Sean playfully 'ewww'. Norman chuckled as I rested my forehead on his chest to hide the blush.

"Alright, come on girl," Sean said as he opened the door, waiting for me. I grabbed my phone and wallet, said a goodbye before following Sean out the door and to his car. He started it up, the radio immediately turning on to Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi, causing us to both immediately start singing along.

The grocery store wasn't so far away, so after the song passed and we had sung and playfully danced our heart outs, we arrived there. It was a comfortable friendship with Sean, that if not for Norman breaking me out of my shell, I would have never had him as a friend. I smiled a little; Norman has done so many things for me.

I handed Sean the list as we walked in and I grabbed a cart as he unfolded it and let his eyes scan over it. "I don't even know what half this stuff is," he huffed as he followed me to the first aisle.

"If I told you it was for the best brownies you are ever going to have in your life, would that get you more excited?"

"Of fucking course!" He laughed, and I joined along with him.

As we walked through isles, I did the most of finding the right things while I gave Sean the pen to cross things off the list, working as a odd team. When we got to the aisle that the turkeys were at and tried to pick out the best one, having a limited selection since it was already Thanksgiving day. I was going to grab it, when Sean stuck his arm in front of me, stopping me, then leaning back and flexing his arm muscles. I rolled my eyes at him as he grabbed the turkey and threw it in the cart, pretending he was a weight lifting champion.

We continued on, his eyes googling at any sweats I put in the cart or we passed by, reminding me of a teenage boy, but not so when he also put in some healthy things, knowing he liked to be healthy. We were stopped at the end of an aisle while I looked over the list, checking over everything, biting my lip as I focused. "So, hows it with the Reedstein?" Sean asked, leaning against the nearby shelf.

I looked up at him and couldn't help the faint smile that ghosted my face, "great, why do you ask?"

"Because you got my boy head over heels, love drunk," he chuckled and I rolled my eyes at him. "You're somethin else ya know, good for him. And he's good for you."

I blushed a little and nodded. "Is he now?" I teased, knowing he was absolutely good for me and thrilled to hear that's what Sean thought.

"Mhm, remember the first time I met you? All shy and scared of real people," he stepped over and nudged me, making me giggle as we walked over to the check out. We payed and lugged all of our groceries back to the car, packing them away in the trunk and plopping back into our seats when we finished, letting out exhausted sighs. "Now we get to cook!"

--

"We're gona have enough food to feed the military!" I called out as we got back, a few hours later and multiple bags in hand each. Mingus ran into the kitchen and grabbed some bags, emptying out the food on the counter and drooling at it, making me laugh. Norman came over, taking the heavy bags from my hand, leaning down to quickly kiss me on the cheek before setting them on the counter with the rest.

Norman spotted the lucky charms and raised an eyebrow at them, then me, making us both chuckle. We finished unpacking everything and I excused myself into the other room to call home.

"Belle!!" A voice I missed so badly called out over the phone after a few rings and I already knew it was Sofie, my niece/little sister.

"Hey, Sofie," I said back, a smile on my face. "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Sofie giggled, "Bee, ye voice is funny."

I couldn't help, but chuckle at that, "your voice is funny!" I teased back.

"Nuh-uh, even mommy says ye voice is funny!"

"Alright, okay," I laughed, "I know, Soph," Sofie giggled to herself. "How are you?"

"Goooooood," she went on, "mommy let me help get us a-uh, a bwig turkey!" Her ma was my ma, which was really her grandma, but Sofie really didn't have a mother figure in her life so my ma decided it was okay if she stepped into that.

"That's awesome, Soph, I miss you," I sighed, I need to see my family.

"I miss ye, too, Beebee. Why aren't ya here?" Her innocent voice broke my heart and I didn't know how to speak for a moment. How do I say I left home to follow my dreams, only to have them turn into a nightmare and then run away from anything that reminded me of my brother? I had visited Scotland many many times since he died, but I couldn't leave New York for good. I had to make Cam and my dreams come true. I couldn't be living at my mom's house for the rest of my life. I needed to live my own.

"I live in a different place now, Soph, but I'm gona come see you really really soon, okay? I miss you so much."

The line was silent besides a few shaky sighs from Sofie. Leaving her and Boom was one of the hardest things to do and it crushed us both, but we talk on the phone almost everyday and I'm trying to teach my mom how to set up a skype. "Tha gràdh agam dhut (I love you)," she whispered, "gu bràth (forever)."