Alexander

2

Without any caffeine in my body, having to watch and listen to two lovebirds giggling and giving each other kisses was causing me turbulence in my brain.

"I love you more, my sprinkled vanilla muffin," Nick scrunched up his nose, pretending to be some sort of rodent before he kissed his fiancée.

This reminded of my first relationship as a teen, filled with cringey standing and hugging in the hallways as well as the classic dripping-with-honey sweet nicknames. I held in a gag.

I looked like I was hungover and definitely was, crouched over by the island with my face resting in my hands and hair a bird's nest atop my pounding head. And as the universe had a cruel sense of humour and timing, Nick's older brother Alexander and their mother Isabella walked in.

"Good morning!" Isabella chimed, the lovely woman not seeing the embodiment of hungover that was me.

"Good morning, mother," Nick managed to pull away from Sara for a second, as they both greeted her with warm smiles. I managed a small mumble.

"Too much to drink?" I heard Alexander chuckle lowly, "or is she just not a morning person?"

"Both," I replied, knowing he had been speaking to Nick and Sara, since my face was still buried in my hands.

"I have just the thing for that," Isabella hummed, doing something behind me in the kitchen.

"Does it involve raw eggs?" I gathered enough energy to seem somewhat presentable and straightened up. I felt lightheaded the second I saw Alexander standing by Nick, absolutely and deliciously shirtless.

"Scrambled," Isabella laughed, and I turned around to find her gathering pots and pans, "but the pickle juice may not be your cup of tea..."

"You wouldn't believe it, but I actually don't mind pickle juice," I gave her a smile, "living life on the edge, and all..."

"Wonderful way to live! I love pickle juice too!"

We chatted a bit while I got my coffee. I offered to help with breakfast, but was ordered to go to the backyard to enjoy the sun and birds.

"Do you always sleep naked?" I heard Alexander's amused and gruff voice trailing behind me as I stepped outside.

A garden resembling a miniature version of the Palace of Versailles stood before me, birds really chirping and sun shine making me regret I hadn't brought sunglasses. I decided the faster I could sit down and chug my coffee, the easier this morning would be.

It was way too early for anyone to be awake, but since my parents had decided to catch an early flight, we unfortunately needed to be alive and awake to greet them.

"Do you always stand and stare at a naked woman as if you've never seen one before?" I fired back, not in the mood for his cocky tone.

I sat down at a round and decorative white table, facing away from the sun. Alexander nonchalantly sat down opposite me. I really wished I had brought shades when I watched the sun hit his muscled chest. He leaned back against the chair comfortably, clearly very confident in himself, drinking from his coffee and taking in the sun.

"When a strange naked woman is sleeping in my bed, I am allowed to stare," he reasoned calmly, "other option was to scream and run, I'm sure you can imagine the shock..."

I couldn't help the small laugh that left my lips, "you can't be serious..."

"I am," he insisted, grinning devilishly, "I can't even watch horror movies, they scare me too much."

I laughed again, highly doubting that was the truth, "I can already tell you'll be the bain of my existence here. Great to meet you, Alexander."

"Pleasure's all mine," his husky voice lowered as he shamelessly took me in, dark eyes running over the mess I was at the moment. I sipped my coffee and quickly looked away, feeling hot under his stare and a ball of tension pool at the bottom of my stomach.