You felt him shift next to you as he pulled the blankets a little further to his side of the bed. Slowly you blinked you eyes, adjusting to the light, as you stared up at your ceiling. You didn't remember falling asleep last night and you're still partly dressed in your clothes from the previous day making you feel confused and slightly restless. You sat up on your elbow and scan the room to find clues of what happened before you passed out and you noticed your wine glass sitting on the bedside table completely empty right next to the transcript you had been working on.
You and Alex had decided to stay in last night and enjoy a bottle of wine and each other's company. You both had been traveling a lot and even though it had been together having some time alone was exactly what the two of you needed. You made dinner together, enjoyed a nice meal, and slow danced in the kitchen while the sink filled with warm water to wash the dishes in. While Alex had you pulled in close he suggested opening the bottle of wine you had been saving for a special occasion.
As you had gotten older you had less and less of a desire to drink which had make your tolerance for alcohol pretty low. Alex poured you both a glass of wine and you sat close to one another on the couch and quietly chatted like you were in a room full of people trying to quietly tell secrets to only one another. As you drank you became more giggly and Alex would laugh when you'd stumble across a word or you'd laugh a little too loudly as something he had said. He continued to pour you more wine and relish in how beautiful you were with your rosy cheeks and your glassy eyes as you read your transcript out loud to him and continued to sip on the drinks he was handing you.
You rolled over to see him laying on his side facing you, one of his arms outstretched towards you as if in his sleep he was somehow searching for you. You moved closer to him and he began to stir quietly as he pulled you in close to his body.
"Rough night?" He rumbled as you pressed your face into the side of his neck.
"I was hoping you'd tell me." You quietly smiled as he began to softly stroke your hair and the top of your back.
"Well miss I can tell you this. I won't be feeding you anymore wine for a while." He paused as he laughed and you waited silently for him to continue. "You got a little excited when I told you I liked what you were writing and your wine glass just happened to slip right out of your hand and onto my nice clean carpet."
You gasped and pulled away from him to see if he was kidding.
"I cleaned it up." He smiled as he rolled to his back with his arm still around you. "I also took off those jeans you had been complaining about and put you to bed but it was all well worth the show."
You rolled your eyes still not saying a word.
"You're a real spitfire when you've had a little to drink."
He smiled to himself still not opening his eyes. He knew you. He knew giving you a drink or two would make you more lively and boisterous. He knew not to bother changing your shirt because you wouldn't mind sleeping in the one you'd had on the day before. He knew how to get you wound up and how to bring you back down. He knew which candles to bring home that were your favorite and to never bring back flowers but to bring back donuts instead. You silently watched him quietly breathing as you were lost in your thoughts about how much had changed between the two of you over the last couple of years.
"I can feel you staring" he mumbled still not turning to look at you.
"I probably won't ever stop." You said as he rolled back towards you wrapping his body around you and engulfing you in the smell of his skin. It was one of the many things you deeply loved about him. And it was always left behind in the sheets even when he was away and you were missing him the most.
"Darlin your writing is.. amazing" and said against the side of your neck. "I know you don't usually let me read it until it goes to the editor but I really love this one." He softly pressed his lips to your skin sending a wave of warmth through your body.
You didn't say anything in response to his compliment because he already knew how much you appreciated it. You traced slow circles on his skin and his breathing began to deepen and he began to doze off again. The sun had just began to peek through the windows and you quietly enjoyed the sounds of the world waking up outside your window as your arms were wrapped around your entire world. He was your biggest critic and your biggest cheerleaders and he made you a better writer, best friend, and person everyday. You kissed the side of his face and began to slowly let your eyes close again to enjoy sleep for just a little longer. As you started to slip off into sleep you felt a soft kiss below your ear as Alex whispered a secret only meant for you.
"I am so proud of you baby."
