Heartlines ▹ Elena Gilbert [1]

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
NOT WORTH IT

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Rowan woke long before Rebekah did, her body lax and spent, her mind oddly clear. She waited for panic and anxiety to settle inside of her as she watched Rebekah sleep, but all that came was an urge to fall asleep again. She sank more deeply under the covers and closed her eyes, trying to fall back asleep. It just made her more aware that Rebekah was still very close, and her arm was curled around Rowan's waist. They'd fallen asleep closer than that last night, Rowan's face nestled intimately against Rebekah's neck. She must have rolled away in her sleep. Rowan let her eyes open again, and slowly, so as not to wake Rebekah, she started shifting closer again. She hesitated to press against Rebekah's skin again, but she didn't have to for long. Rebekah's arm around her waist moved, and then Rebekah's hand was pressing against the small of Rowan's back, bringing her closer. Rowan found herself in the same position as last night, her face against Rebekah's neck, her leg curling over Rebekah's hip and Rebekah's leg going between Rowan's thighs. Rowan settled against her with a small sigh, curling one of her arms against her chest while the other curled around Rebekah's neck. She played with a lock of Rebekah's hair for a moment, twirling it around her finger.

Rebekah let out a sound then, stretching lazily as she half sighed and half groaned, her head tilting back slightly. Rowan took the opportunity to nuzzle deeper into her neck, and it made Rebekah laugh. The hand on the small of Rowan's back moved, the tip of her finger drawing small designs on Rowan's skin. Rowan arched slightly, ticklish, and Rebekah laughed softly again.

"How long have you been awake?" Rowan asked against her neck, eyes still firmly closed. She wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but she got the distinct feeling everyone was waking up. Groaning, she pried her eyes open and raised her head, reaching over Rebekah to turn the clock on her bedside table toward her. It was almost nine in the morning. Definitely time to get up. She groaned again and pressed her face against Rebekah's shoulder. "Why can't sleeping the day away be socially acceptable?"

"We're vampires," Rebekah said, her voice thick with sleep. "Being socially acceptable is the least of our worries." Rowan snorted, then slowly started to untangle herself from Rebekah's limbs, sitting up with some difficulty. Her hair was wild and tangled around her, and she got to work unknotting the locks with her fingers. She didn't much think of the sheets pooling around her waist until Rebekah sat up as well and Rowan saw her bare chest. She immediately dragged her eyes away, feeling embarrassed, though she couldn't name why. Rebekah saw her avert her gaze and snorted. "Oh, you're shy now?"

"Shut up," Rowan muttered, continuing to comb her hair with her fingers. Now that she was more awake, she desperately wanted a shower, but she made no move to exit the bed. She wasn't sure what to do the morning after having sex. Clearing her throat, she added, "I'm just a little lost. I've never done with before." Rebekah had shifted as if to exit the bed, but she paused at Rowan's words, tilting her head slightly. Slowly, she turned to stare at Rowan's face, her own expression oddly serious. Rowan raised her eyebrows at her.