Among The Roses

Chapter 32: The Morning After

"CC," Drew said, and he was glad it was so dark that she couldn't see his face. "I'll try. I don't know how successful I'll be, if I'm honest, because I've never tried to be in a relationship before."

"A relationship?"

"Well, yeah. Isn't that what we're talking about?" Drew lay back down, pulling Chiara with him, an arm around her shoulders. "We're talking about being friends who like each other, spend time together, care about each other, and take each other into consideration, right? Who also shag?"

He felt her nod, felt her hair tickle his chin and shoulder.

"That sounds like a relationship to me," he said.

"I suppose so."

They were both quiet.

"So then are we talking about being exclusive?" she asked, her forefinger tracing a random pattern on his chest.

Drew swallowed. "Reckon so, yeah. Is that going to be a problem for you? Are you thinking about Ned?"

Chiara was silent. "No," she finally said. "But I was thinking about you. Girls throw themselves at you all the time. Why would you say no to them? Why would you want to?"

"I just would, that's all." He hoped he didn't sound as uncomfortable as he felt.

"You didn't the other night," she reminded him. "The night of the party in London."

Drew squirmed. "That was different. I wasn't in a relationship then."

"That's just semantics, Andrew. What's changed since then?"

"The semantics, whatever they are, have changed," Andrew said, sounding obstinate. "I'm the first to admit I don't know exactly what that word means, but whatever it is, it's enough for me. I mean to say that the fact we say we're in a relationship is enough for me."

He tightened his arm around Chiara's soft body, pulling her even closer to his. "I mean it. You make me want to be a better person, you make me want to try harder, you do." He turned to face her, though he couldn't see her. "I'm not saying I want to pick out china patterns," he said, repeating what had become a refrain for them. "Just that I want to give monogamy and relationship status a try, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah." Her voice was gentle, and he could tell she was smiling in the dark. "Okay."

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Drew woke up around six in the morning when Chiara crawled back into bed wearing one of his shirts.

"Sorry I woke you up," she whispered. "I had to wee. And I was going to go home, but it's still chucking down snow. I don't think I can."

"Shh, s'okay," he murmured, only half awake. He realized he, too, had to wee, so he stumbled to the bathroom, eyes barely open, freezing cold, and ran back to bed as fast as he could.

He jumped back into the bed, grateful for Chiara's warmth, snuggling into her and pulling her close, her back to his front, tucking his legs behind hers.

"Oooh, you're so warm," he chuckled into her ear. "And you smell absolutely smashing. How can you smell so good when you've been doing nothing but sleeping in my bed all night, hmm?" And he lifted his head to kiss her neck, making her smile.

He slid his hand up her body under her shirt to squeeze her breast, pushing a moan out from deep inside her, causing her to arch her body into his hand as she tautened against him.