Thorns & Oranges

Nothing Is Going According To The Plan

Chapter Thirty-One

I woke up to an alarm going off and a foreign pillow under my head. My pillows were fluffy, the one I was laying on was semi-firm. My sleepy brain didn't seem to care much as it commanded my arm to start slapping in the direction of the noise. Thankfully the clock was close and by my third, or fourth, assault, I managed to shut the thing up. I rolled over, pulling the comforter tighter around me, and drifted back to sleep. The sound of the shower cutting off woke me up again making it seem like only a second had passed. Because I had foggy brain, I knew I hadn't slept much and I was really cranky about it.

I cracked one of my eyes open and saw someone exit the bathroom, interrupting the streak of light shinning around the door. A groan leaked out of my throat and I buried my face back in the pillow.

Gone was the blissfulness of sleep and present were the thoughts of what transpired the night before. It almost made me want to groan again.

"Tell me it's not time to get up."

The bed dipped shallowly next to me and I felt him brush his lips across my ear. "It's time to get up." I could hear the smile in his voice and it made me smirk into the cotton.

But soon the smirk was gone and I rolled over to look at him. He was donning unfastened slacks and an undone leather belt. And that was it. I hid the fact I was looking and liking what I saw by glancing around the room. There was nothing much to see since it was still dark but I tried anyway. Anything was less tempting to look at than him.

"How'd I get in here? I fell asleep on the couch."

"That you did. I tried to wake you but instead, you ended up slapping me. I risked life and limb to carry you to bed. I'd tell you to be grateful but that couch is pretty comfortable."

"How valiant of you."  I sat up and brushed hair out of my face. "What time is it?"

"Earlier than you're used to. I told the cabbie when to come back this morning. He should be here soon."

"Shipping me off already?" I stifled a yawn and got out of bed on the other side. "Should've known that would happen."

"It's not like that, Ari. Stop making it out to be."

"I distinctly remember you doing this before. Only difference was we were in a hotel room and you wanted me gone before checkout time and someone could see us together."

"Why do you always think the worst of me?"

I straightened up my shirt, briefly noticing my jacket was gone, and tried to finger-comb my hair as I walked out of the room. "Maybe because it's the truth? I don't know why I would think anything would be different now."

"You're always so defensive." He pulled me to a stop in the small hallway. "We agreed on this last night, remember? You get home before your brother or Reyes find out you slept somewhere other than your bed. I'm not shipping you off, that's over with."

"You say that now..."

"Why won't you believe me?"

"Because in the past you always said one thing and did another. How else do you expect me to think..."

"I expect you to understand I'm not chasing you out of my apartment. I would love it if you stayed, if you were here when I got off work tonight but I know that can't happen yet. You're not ready. But I want you to take something with you so you'll remember I want you here."

He took my hand and tugged me out to the living room. The place was still dark, only the light above the stove giving the space some glow. I spotted a pillow and blanket on the couch along with the shirt he was wearing the night before draped over the back. Some things looked so ominous in this lighting, like the statue of the Spanish Andalusian on top of his electronics tower I hadn't noticed the night before. It made me think of Ford and I started rubbing the tattoo across my chest.