Night On Set ❁ COLIFER

Chapter 61 ❁ Aren't you hungr-

Jen's POV

We sleep. We wake up. And we doze off again.

Sometimes, we're both awake at the same time. There isn't much talking involved; just staring and smiling until I feel like a person can't possibly be this happy and not explode. Also, I do have to add that staring at Colin is a whole different level of excitement than anything else I've ever experienced before.

When he asks me what I'm thinking, all I do is trace his eyebrows and kiss him, because I can't believe he's mine.

I mean, he's not literally mine. We drew some boxes on each other with a sharpie. We ticked them. We pretty much confirmed that we're both in love with each other. But other than that, nothing is official yet.

But can I just repeat that HE'S IN LOVE WITH ME? And how much confirmation does one really need to be able to say that it's official?

He's the guy I never thought I'd meet. And at least for today, he's all mine.

We sleep, and we wake up. And it's perfect. Ever since I was little, I've always been the kind of person who has to get up and take a shower once I'm awake, but leaving his bed is the last thing I want. It usually only takes a few minutes before one of us falls asleep again, and then the other follows.

When I finally can't doze off again, it's past one o'clock in the afternoon.

Colin is still fast asleep. We're both lying on our stomachs; one of his arms is loosely wrapped around my waist, the other is stuck under his abdomen. I prop myself up so I can see through the window. The watery sunlight from earlier has been blocked by thick, grey clouds and a whirlwind of snow, which makes it feel like it's eleven o'clock at night.

Slowly, and resentfully because I really don't want to, I slide out of his embrace. Right when I think I've successfully managed to get out without waking him up, his arm suddenly shoots up, fumbling for me.

"Go back to sleep," I say, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

He feels warm. Maybe a little too warm.

He mumbles something incoherent, not wanting to wake up but not wanting me to leave, either. "No," he manages to get out. "Get back here, Mo."

"Stealing Ginny's nickname for me, are we?" I grin, because he's obviously trying to fight the fact that his body needs sleep. "Don't worry, I'm coming back. Get some more sleep, you feel a little warm."

"Don't care." He doesn't have much strength in his arm when he wraps it around my waist, but he groans as he makes an effort to pull me closer. "I jusss... desperately... needtokissssyou."

The words come tumbling out and I giggle, leaning over his chest to kiss his mouth. He smells like sleep and a hint of toothpaste, a combination I never would've believed to be attractive, but it is. It so is. But then again, everything about him is insanely attractive.

Even the two extra blankets he needs to keep his feet warm.

Apart from the fact that the kiss is a one-man job, or rather, a one-woman job, since he's literally falling asleep again in the middle of it, I still feel light in my head when I pull back. He's smiling with his eyes closed, trying to pull the sheets around me again, but I laughingly get hold of his hand.

"Stop it, you idiot." I put pressure on his chest and press kisses all over his mouth to distract him. "I have to go to the bathroom. And you know what?"

"What?" he slurs.

"It's Sunday. We don't have to be anywhere today, so you can sleep as long as you want."

"Hm. Sounds... good."

Pressing one last kiss on his forehead, I get out of bed. He rolls himself back in a burrito of sheets, smiling happily, and it's so damn hard not to join him again.

I feel like I'm floating on energy when I go through his apartment. I go to the bathroom, turn on the heating, give Buckley some cuddles, fill his bowl with food and make sure he has clean water to drink. Then I go across the hallway to check on Ava, who saw her change to spend the night on my bed and took it. After putting on some sweatpants and borrowing a big jacket from Colin, I take both dogs out for a quick walk.

Colin is curled up into a ball when I get back, his mouth open. I watch him from the doorway for a minute before go across the hallway to take a shower in my own apartment. I spend approximately five minutes staring at his handwriting on my stomach, allowing myself those minutes to freak out—squealing, wheezing and kicking my feet included. Anything to relieve the pressure on my chest.

Not that it's very effective, because I'm still smiling like an idiot when I'm done showering.

After wrapping my wet hair into a bun, I head back to his apartment to prepare us some breakfast. Or lunch. I'm not sure which. I mean, can you technically still consider a meal breakfast when it's past lunch time?

I'm standing at the stove, both dogs trailing at my feet waiting for me to drop something, when I hear the bedroom door opening. Colin comes hurrying across the hall, not even giving me another look before he shoots into the bathroom.

"You okay?" I ask, waving the spoon with waffle batter in my hand as I wheel around. Both Ava and Buckley dive right to the ground to lick the first drop off the hardwood floor.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he calls back from the bathroom.

Frowning, I turn back to the stove. There are only a few reasons why he would be diving into the bathroom, and none of those would put him in the "I'm fine" category.

Five minutes later, he comes back to the kitchen, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Slight fever," he announces. "Nothing to worry about."

"Then why did you run to the bathroom like a maniac?"

"Because my blather was bursting." He smiles lazily as he takes the last few steps that separate us and buries his nose in my neck. "Are you making waffles?"

"I am."

"Since when do I have a waffle maker?" He slips his arms around my waist, hugging me from behind.

I let out a giggle when Buckley steps onto my foot in his enthusiasm to get more of the batter. "You don't have one, so I took mine from across the hallway," I say. "Benefits of being hallmates— hey, stop it!" I hit his finger with the spoon, but nevertheless he manages to scoop up some of the batter. "You're just as bad as these two rascals!"

He chuckles in my ear when he licks his finger. "You can't tell me what to do. I think I recall you saying that earlier."

"I'm the one standing at the stove."

"This is still my kitchen, Morrison."

"I'm aware of that." I close the waffle maker, grinning, and turn around to lean against the counter. My face softens when I look at his mess of hair. "How are you feeling?"

"A little weak, but fine." He bends down to give the dogs some cuddles, still watching me. When he gets back up, he runs a hand through his hair to smoothen it.

Don't.

I have to bite my lip to keep myself from saying it. I'm not even sure why.

Colin manages to entertain the dogs while I finish baking waffles for the second time today. I even cut up some bananas and put them on the waffles, finishing off with a generous amount of whipped cream.

"Here," I say when both of the plates are finished.

He takes his plate from me, but puts it back on the counter. 

"Aren't you hungr—" I start, but he effectively makes me lose the rest of that sentence when he grabs my plate, puts it next to mine on the counter and suddenly presses right up against me.

"I am." His breath tickles my face. "Starving."

And then his lips crash on mine for a kiss that leaves me speechless afterwards.

❁ I feel like I missed out on some fluffy, domestic moments in my previous Colifer books, so I'm just shoving it in your face now HEEHEE. I hope you don't mind 😂❁