Not Just Acting (Negovanman)

Chapter 31

Being cuddled up to Natasha's side makes me feel so sleepy. Her body is so warm and her touch is so comforting. She's leaning back against the armrest, my head on her chest, listening to her calm heartbeat, my arm rests over her stomach to not let her go, and her arm is around my body to hold me close. Her other hand rests on the back of my forearm, rubbing it softly with the pad of her thumb. My eyes begin to droop close until I feel her soft lips press against the bridge of my nose. I look up at her to see her smiling at me.

"A little tired there, Elise?" she asks quietly to not disturb the other two who are trying to watch the movie.

I nod slightly and lean up to lightly kiss the underside of her jaw. I can't help but smile as I snuggle back into her chest because her body tensed when my lips touched her skin.

"I can take you back home so you can go to sleep," Natasha offers

"But it's still so early," I say.

"And you're tired." Her delicate hand reaches up to brush my hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek. She gives me a small smile. 

Going home would mean no more Natasha. I don't want that. Unless I convince her to stay the night, I'm not leaving yet.

"Do you want to stay over?" I ask her, meaning sleeping and no other activity. I'm sure she already understands that though. 

Natasha raises an eyebrow. "You want me to stay over?" she doubles checks.

"Yeah." I nod against her chest and hear her heartbeat quicken. She's nervous about staying over at my place, which I can understand. I'm also nervous but too tired to care at the moment. I'm sure it'll kick in about an hour from now.

"S-sure." She presses her lips together shortly and lifts her head to look at the other two. "Elise is tired, so I'm going to take her home," she tells them.

"Have fun." Sharon smirks and wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.

Kaitlyn shares the same look because those two are always on the same wavelength.

Natasha playfully glares at them before standing up and taking me with her. She holds her arm around my waist. Being tired, I lean into her and wrap both of my arms around her. So comfortable.

"Alright, little koala, can you let go for a moment so we can put on our shoes?" she asks softly.

Nodding, I unwrap my arms from around her and bend down to grab my shoes from the ground. I put them on slowly and stand to find Natasha is already done with her shoes. My shoes are just difficult to get on anyway, tired or not. I go back into her side, clinging like the apparent "little koala" I am, and she chuckles.

"See you two later." Natasha waves at Kaitlyn and Sharon before walking through the door with me. "Alright, babe, let's get you home."

My heart pounds at the term of endearment. 

We sit in her car and my hand immediately finds hers once she puts her car in drive. She flashes me a smile a moment later, and squeezes my hand, before focusing on the road. We drive in peace, the sound of soft music in the back. Although there's no conversation, no looking at each other, or any intense affection, I feel this is the kind of moment I live for. I don't know what's going to happen a year or even a week from now, but I have to hold on to what I have now.

"Here we are," Natasha says, casting me a small smile. She unbuckles herself and me before rushing herself to my side of the car to open the door. 

"Thank you." I smile at her and head for the apartment building's front door. I unlock it before we're up the few flights of steps to my floor.