Since I Don't Have You (Guns N' Roses - Duff McKagan)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Waking up in my old bed, in Duff's apartment, I surprisingly woke up feeling pretty decent. Well, for someone who had her period and it was giving her absolute hell. Duff laid beside me, looking like he was in complete bliss. He was already awake and had his arm secured around me as I used his chest as a pillow. "Morning beautiful." Duff hummed, kissing the top of my head.

"How long have you been up?" I thought I would ask.

"About an hour or two." Was his response.

"You could have gotten up." I yawned, completely removing myself from him and enjoying a decent stretch. My neck felt a little strained, obviously due to using Duff as my cushioning, but I hoped with some movement and getting out of bed it would feel better.

"I was gonna, because I was thinking of working on some new material." Duff slowly sat up and rested his back against the headboard.

"So why didn't you?" I laid back down and rolled onto my side, admiring Duff and his bare chest.

Duff's golden brown eyes brushed over me and his lips formed into a sweet smile. "I was enjoying having my girl home with me."

I was a bit speechless, not knowing what to say.

"You are my little piece of heaven and whenever you are around me, I feel like I'm home." He gently brushed a few strands of my hair out of my face.

Yeah, I didn't really know what to say. My stomach did a little flip and it felt like my ovaries were ripping themselves to shreds, especially with the period pain I had.

"I've gotta get up." I brushed off his words and removed myself from him and his warm embrace.

Right at that very second, I heard Harley's whimper on the opposite side of the bedroom door, followed by a thump and some scratching.

"Oh alright." Duff groaned, getting out of bed. "Need a piss, Harley?" Duff questions as he opens the door.

While Duff took Harley out to go to the toilet, I took the time to quickly clean myself up. Washing my face, brushing my hair, going to the toilet to change my pad to a tampon and finally getting dressed. Finding a plastic bag to put my dirty clothes in, I stopped by the kitchen bench as Duff and Harley returned back to the apartment. Harley rushed over to me with his raging wagging tail and beckoned me to pat him, which I did.

Duff appearing to notice that I was dressed, wore a small frown. "Are you going somewhere?" He questioned me, getting Harley his breakfast.

"I thought I might head off." Was my response.

"You don't have to, you could stay here with me." Duff replied as he got Harley to sit and shake before he allowed him to eat his breakfast.

"And do what? We already have your apartment spotless, my work here is done." I gazed around in search of my car keys and purse. Yeah, it was going to take me a little while to get used to saying I have a car now. I was so used to my Harley, having a car changed things a bit.

Duff went to speak but stuttered. "Shell, you aren't my fucking fairy god mother or fucking maid. You don't just clean my shit and disappear."

I didn't know how to reply to him, I was a little confused. "I'm neither of them, if you want me to be your maid, start coughing up the cash." I stared at him. "And for your information, I cleaned your apartment yesterday. I spent the whole day and overnight with you."

"I want more." Duff leaned against the bench.

"Duff you can't have me twenty-four-seven. I have my life, work and I also have my brothers in town. I haven't even had a real chance to spend some time with them." I reasoned.