It's Always Been You

A New Dawn

When I finally blinked my eyes open the next morning, the first thing I registered was the warmth of the sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains and bathing the room in a soft, golden glow.

The second was the distinct lack of Wes's solid presence beside me in the bed.

Stretching languidly, I relished in the rare opportunity to sleep in with no looming responsibilities or schedule to adhere to.

After the chaos of finals week followed by the long drive here yesterday, it felt decadent to simply lay amidst the rumpled sheets and down comforter without a care in the world.

Eventually, the mouthwatering aroma of freshly brewed coffee and something savoury cooking lured me out from beneath the covers.

After brushing my teeth and throwing on the oversized hoodie I spotted discarded on the recliner-unmistakably Wes's based on the lingering masculine scent that enveloped me-I made my way downstairs to investigate.

I followed the enticing smells wafting from the kitchen, my bare feet padding soundlessly across the hardwood floors.

Wes stood at the stove with his back to me, focused intently on whatever he was flipping in the sizzling pan. The sleeves of his henley were rolled up to his elbows, exposing the toned forearms that had me biting my lip unconsciously.

So distracted was I by the unexpected yet delightful view that I didn't announce my presence right away.

Wes turned suddenly, no doubt reaching for a plate or utensil, and very nearly jumped out of his skin when he caught sight of me hovering in the doorway.

"Jeez, good morning to you too," he chuckled once he recovered, placing a hand over his heart dramatically. "Way to sneak up on a guy, sweetheart."

I laughed lightly, feeling warmth bloom in my chest at the casual endearment as I crossed the kitchen to join him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. But what exactly are you doing up so early?"

Wes grinned unabashedly, deftly sliding a fresh batch of scrambled eggs and crispy bacon onto two separate plates. "Making breakfast for my beautiful girlfriend, of course. Can't let you go hungry now, can I?"

My eyebrows pulled together slightly in confusion as I glanced around the empty kitchen pointedly. With no one else around to witness our little charade, there didn't seem to be any need to keep up the fake dating pretence. At least not yet.

As if reading my mind, Wes shot me a cheeky wink before turning to prepare two mugs of steaming coffee-one black, the other with a generous pour of cream and an obscene amount of sugar, just the way I liked it.

"Here you go, love. One diabetes-inducing caffeine bomb, coming right up," he teased lightly, sliding the mug across the granite countertop towards me.

I felt my stomach do a weird little flip at the casual pet name, trying and failing to tamp down the warmth that seemed to be permanently residing in my cheeks around him lately.

"Why thank you, good sir," I managed to reply, taking the proffered mug and inhaling the rich aroma deeply.

Wes set the plates down on the island before taking a seat on one of the stools, gesturing for me to join him. As I settled onto the stool beside him, our knees brushed together beneath the overhang, sending an inexplicable shiver down my spine.

"Your dad was actually up and about earlier," Wes mentioned conversationally as I took my first bite of the delicious breakfast he had prepared. "We had a little chat over coffee before he headed out for the day."

I quirked an eyebrow skeptically, intrigued despite myself. "Oh really? And how did that little encounter go over?"

Wes let out a surprised chuckle, shaking his head ruefully. "Quite well, actually. We talked business, sports, the usual guy stuff I guess. Your dad seems-well, I wouldn't say 'warm' exactly, but he didn't completely hate me at least."