Empty Bargains ~Jason McCann~

~9.05~

    I woke up with my cheek pressed to Tyler’s shoulder, our legs tangled beneath the comforter.  My shorts had ridden up and my hair was in tangles, splaying out on the pillow behind me.  Tyler’s arm laid across my middle, his fingers dancing across my waist.  I sighed, breathing in his scent.

    “You’re finally awake,” Tyler mumbled.

    I lifted my head.  His eyes were just barely open, staring at the ceiling and breathing deeply.  Patting his bare chest, I leaned up to kiss his jaw.

    “How long have you been up?” I asked.

    His eyes fell shut, leaning his head against mine.  “About an hour.”

    I rolled my eyes as well as I could—I felt exhausted.  “You should’ve gone for something to eat.  What time is it?”  I swiveled to check the nightstand.  The alarm clock read ten after two.  “Damn, we slept a long time.”

    “Correction,” Tyler smiled.  “You slept a long time.”

    I snorted.  “Fine, smart ass.  You should’ve woken me up.”

    “You’re cute when you sleep,” he commented.  “It’s a nice contrast from your usual aura.”

    I slapped his chest lightly.  “Aura.  Stop using your smart words on me.”

    He shrugged.  “You’re smarter than you give yourself credit for.  If only you’d stuck with school.”  He tsked at me.

    “Whatever,” I brushed him off.  “Haven’t you heard of online classes?”

    “I have,” he answered, squeezing my side.  “And you wouldn’t take them even if you wanted to.”

    I pushed away from him, rolling off the bed and onto my feet.  Tyler’s t-shirt fell to mid-thigh on me, covering most of the loose fitting shorts I had on.  My feet were bare and cold against the floor as I tiptoed over to the drawer filled with my clothes and tugged on a pair of socks.

    “Is it bad that you’re right?” I asked half-heartedly.  To be honest, I didn’t care.  I could live without going to a building where you sat for eight hours of the day and learned absolutely nothing.  ‘Education’ was overrated, even if all I had to do was sit at a computer.

    Tyler laughed.  “Only a little.”

    I pulled on a cardigan, not bothering to match the rest of my ensemble.  It hung a little longer than my shirt, and kept my arms warm.  Turning back to Tyler, I blew him a kiss.

    “I’m getting something to eat,” I said.

    He nodded, sitting up and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.  I held up a hand, shaking my head.

    “I’ll get you something.”

    He rolled his eyes at me.  “I’m not crippled.”

    “I know,” I answered.  I shrugged.  “Sorry I wanted to be nice.  I was coming right back up anyway.”

    Tyler smiled.  “Fine.  You know what I like.”

    I returned the grin.  “Yes I do.”  My legs carried me to the door.  “I love you,” I told him as I slid out into the hall.  I barely heard his reply through the crack in the doorframe as I made my way to the stairs.

    Peter and Chloe were at the dining room table, Bella sat on her dad’s lap while Chloe slowly fed her food from a jar.  I grimaced at the mossy looking mush, brushing past them and into the kitchen.