Heartstrings

(12) Colson

A soft, feminine sigh has stirred Colson from his sleep. Her soft, brown hair was a beautiful mess on his pillow and the pale, creamy shoulder peeking out from the sheets was too tempting.

He grazes his fingers down her exposed arm.

She groaned sleepily.

He closes his mouth to the soft flesh of her shoulder.

Allison sighed, the sound not sleepy anymore. She rubs her eyes and turns all the way to him, her face radiant and sated.

"Hi." He reaches for her face, feeling light and moronically happy to wake up next to her. "I can't say I'm not pleased to find you still in my bed."

She leaned to his palm. "I want tell you the same thing. But I feel like I've been hit by a truck."

"I'm sorry about that." His gaze traces the love marks on the crook of her neck, on her collarbone and downward.

She squinted her eyes. "You don't sound sorry at all."

He scrunched his nose. "It's hard to feel sorry if I'm seeing your beautiful face first thing in the morning."

Allison blushed, then pulled herself up to straddle his stomach. "My face is beautiful," she murmurs as if tasting the words.

"You're beautiful all over. But don't let that go to your head." His hands lingered on her hips.

She clutched the sheets to her chest, smiling down at him. "Are you this sweet every morning?"

"Only when I wake up next to you, Allie-bear."

Her brown eyes shone. She leaned in, her hair brushing his chest. Her soft lips lowered on his own, kissing him tenderly.

And then then the door burst open, Gab, Grace, Lily, Josh, Kelly and Nancy huddled in the door.

"Colson, have you seen Allie—oh," Gab trailed off.

Colson curses, flipping them over so Allison was under him and completely covered with the sheets. "Jesus, man. Doors are fucking close for a reason."

Their faces were a blend of shock and doubt.

Grace cleared her throat and reaches for the doorknob. "Sorry. We couldn't find Allie anywhere so we got worried."

"Yeah. Carry on, you guys." Josh winked at him.

The door clicked close and he swiped his hands frustratedly over his face. "Allison?"

He hears a sound. He froze in panic, realizing it was her. Thinking they were sobs. It was a kick in the gut.

But then, he hears the sound more and realized she was laughing. Her face was covered with the sheets and she tore it away.

Colson's tensed shoulders dropped an inch as he sees her trying to contain her laughter, face red. "I'm glad you find it funny."

She sits upright, still laughing. "It's funny. Did you saw their faces? They all looked horrified!"

He hears himself laugh.

Allison Danes is laughing. Not the one she had to do to blend in. It was a full-throated laugh that takes his breath away.