Exposed

Chapter X: Early Rises

Chapter Ten: Early Rises.

It's Wednesday morning and I'm being waken up by open-mouth neck kisses. I groan, shaking my shoulder in protest. The sun isn't beaming through my window and my alarm hasn't gone off yet; I want to continue sleeping. I hear a silent chuckle, annoying me beyond scale. Whoever is laughing shouldn't find it amusing interrupting my sleep. It's not - and will never be - a good idea.

"Sky. Babe," the voice says between chuckles.

Big hands grab and turn me around. I keep my eyes close, the cloud of sleep still over me. I'm still so sleepy that I don't recognize the voice talking to me. Continuing my slumber and taking advantage of the time I still have left are the only thing in my mind. My face is set in a frown, my lips in a pout when I feel familiar soft, plump lips kiss my chapped, dry ones. Lips I haven't felt in almost a week. Lips I have terribly missed. Once they pull away, I open one eye, peeking at the intruder.

"Is Sleeping Beauty finally awake?" He asks, grinning.

"You know better than trying to wake up, specially at the ass crack of dawn." I groan, closing my eyes and bringing the sheet up to chin, snuggling further into them.

Jake's arm goes over my waist, pulling me closer to him. "I was hoping you'd come with me to Good Morning America." He whispers in my ear. "I have an important interview and would like to have you on set with me."

I look at him, confused by his invitation. I open my mouth, about to speak but he silences me as his hand cups my cheek and thumb rubs my lower lip. "I know I asked for a break six days ago but I can't do it anymore, Sky. I spend my nights tossing and turning because I don't have you next to me and the bed feels too damn big and empty. I force myself not to text you -- even more call you -- every minute of the day because I was the one to ask for the space. I can't do it, baby. Mark is on the verge of quitting because I'm driving him crazy with my questions of whether I should or should not call you or text you." I smirk at the idea of Mark being more stressed than he normally is, specially at something so silly as Jake's questions. His thumb moves from my lower lip to the pale skin on my cheek, rubbing it with the pad of his finger. "No more break? I miss you."

I shake my head, "No more break." I'm relieved he finally put an end to it. To some, our break may have been short but to those who know what it is like to be away from someone you're in love with, by choice, they understand my opinion of it being the five longest days.

Jake smiles in relief and satisfied with my answer. He pecks my lips before moving his hand from my cheek to my butt, hitting it. "Now, get up or I'm going to be late."

"I never agreed to go with you."

He jokingly pouts. I groan and force myself out of bed. Jake crosses his legs, his hands folded behind his head in commodity as he watches me search for clean underwear and an outfit. He has a smug smile on his face that makes me want to slap it off of him.

"Stop smiling at me like that."

"Like what?" He innocently questions. His smugness growing by the second.

"All..." I move my hand, signaling to him. "...smug and... that."

He laughs loudly and I leave him to it, shaking my head as I enter the ensuite bathroom, locking the door. After Jake arrived to New York in the early hours of yesterday morning, he texted me as promised. He was up by ten in the morning, doing a telephone interview with Ryan Seacrest on On Air about the release of his single. I wouldn't be surprised if this Good Morning America interview was also related to it. He has already started doing promo and I instantly know December and January are going to be months I'll be deprived from him. However, this is what he does for living and I have come to understand. I remove my sleeping attire and quickly shower. It's nearly six in the morning by the time I'm ready and we're on Jake's black Cadillac on our way to the ABC Studios.