The Exchange

Chapter 16

My eyes flutter open and the first thing I realize is the light blue paint on the walls. It takes me a moment to remember what happened last night.

Louis breathing is even on the back of my neck, his arm resting comfortably around my waist. He is holding me close to his body and playing with my loose hair. I feel warm and comfortable next to his body and I don't know if I should tell him I am awake or pretend to be asleep.

I don't ponder for long and I choose to do the right thing and not lie. I tilt my head back to look at him. Our eyes meet in a moment and I groan a morning groan.

"Morning." I say, looking uneasily into his sexy brown eyes.

"Morning." he smiles but it faded in an instant. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." I sighe but I don't really want to talk about it. I just want to think about how warm and cozy I feel in Louis embrace.

"Did you sleep well?" He asks. I roll to my side again, facing away from him and returning to the more comfortable position I was in when I woke up. Our bodies fit together like they are one.

"I did after I came here." I admit. "Thank you so much for allowing me to stay here for the night."

"Anytime. I'm glad you did." He says with a smirk. I'm talking to Louis but listening to hear something else. A step, a creak, a clang. Anything to confirm my suspicion of Harry being awake already.

"You did the right thing coming here last night." Louis continues, playing with my hair again. I can't remember why it's down. Usually I have it in a tight ponytail morning and night.

"I felt like I was intruding." My voice says.

"Your never intruding. especially with something like that and you should know this."

I don't respond. I just keep listening for something. I begin to count the beats until I can hear a noise.

I get to 48 until Louis interrupts me again. He is looking into my eyes from over my shoulder.

"Don't look so worried." he says, "I'll protect you." something in me trusts Louis. My teeth stop clattering with my imaginary beat and I suddenly forget what number I was counting from. He holds me in his muscular arms and runs his fingers through my hair over and over again. The same soothing voice from last night is now whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

"You know I like to cuddle. Eleanor's not much of a cuddler though." his voice keeps saying. I think he's trying to distract me from where my mind is. "It's nice to cuddle when it's with someone you care about. Are you a cuddler Mira?"

"Yeah, I am" my voice says as I dreamily listen to Louis soothing voice. His dreamy voice puts me to sleep again for the second time tonight.

The next time I awaken, the clock on Louis desk says 10:50. He sleeps soundly next to me, his arm is still around my waist and his breath tickles the back of my neck. How early did I wake up last time?  And why was Louis awake when I was?

I carefully lift Louis arm off my waist and slip out of his bed, stretching as I do so. Louis lets out a quiet moan but then goes still. As much as I want to enjoy his embrace for a little longer, I know that I can't lie with him forever and at some point the day has to be started.

Quietly, I tuck the blankets around Louis and tip toe out of the room. His sweet face is angelic as he sleeps and I'm trying not to wake him from the peaceful serenity he must be enjoying.

I shut Louis door as quietly as possible and tip toe down the hall. The floor of Harry and Louis flat isn't nearly as loud as Mommy and Daddy's house back home.