Little Queen

30

Every morning since I was nine, I wake up, arch my back and stretch my thighs while rolling over. Today when I wake up though, Draven's thick arm is wrapped tightly around my torso and I can't move away. I don't think I want to though. I stare at his calm face admiring every inch of it- from the tiny almost invisible scars that litter his skin to each barely noticeable freckle. Normally if I've spent the night in Draven's room he's long gone before I wake up and his makeshift bed on the couch is already put away, so this is a nice change.

The sun cuts across half of his face leaving the bottom corner of his jaw in the shadows. His thick eyebrows are set over lightly fluttering lids that I know cover some of the most beautiful brown eyes I've ever seen. I delicately lift my pointer finger and trail it between his eyebrows and down the bridge of his nose. I hesitate for a moment but allow my finger to continue its path, landing on his full lips. I smile at the slight popping sound his lips make as they part and let my fingers rest on his chin. His thick arm tightens around my waist, bringing me closer until our chests are pressed against one another. My breathing stops for a moment until I realize he's still asleep.

I let out a sigh and tuck my head under his chin. I stare at my own fingers as they trace the neckline of his t-shirt, tugging it away from his chest every once in a while.

Suddenly I'm flipped onto my back and Draven's face is hovering over my own. I breathe out sharply, shocked from the sudden change of position. I blink rapidly trying to gather myself.

"Good morning my little one," Draven drawls, gazing down at me.

The change in his voice from sleep shocks me. I've never heard his voice so gravely, he's always so precise with his words. I continue to stare up at him in awe.

A smirk grows on his lips and he lifts an eyebrow at me, "Are you not going to say good morning little one?"

I give him a tiny smile trying to focus, "Good morning Draven."

I go cross-eyed watching as his face gets closer to mine until he presses a soft kiss against the tip of my nose. He pulls away but one of his hands runs through my hair, pulling a stray strand away from my face. I gasp, jerking up and accidentally smack my forehead against Draven's.

"You're late for work!"

One of his big hands brushes across the sore spot on my forehead and his brows dipped down in a scowl.

"Gentle Idalia, you could have hurt yourself," He reprimands double-checking that there's no damage.

"Sorry," I sigh nibbling on my lip, "But you overslept you're gonna be late for work."

His brow lifts and a smirk tugs at his lips, "I'm the boss my little one, I can't be late."

"Oh," I whisper furrowing my brows, "But papa's the boss and he always says I make him late when I talk for too long or uhm, if I'm in his office for too long. He says he's too busy for me to sit around talking to him, so aren't you too busy to sleep in?"

I see his already sharp jaw tense and worry I've made him mad by questioning what he says. I nervously nibble on my lip watching as he calms himself.

"No darling I'm not too busy. In fact, I'm taking the day off and we're going to spend it doing anything you want, ti va bene?"

It feels like every butterfly in the world is in my chest and a big smile stretches across my face. I quickly place my fingers over my lips trying to cover up the smile.

"Are you sure? If you have work to do I understand you don't have to spend the day with me."

I hope he didn't see how excited I got, I don't want him to feel bad if he has work that he forgot about.