Drink Me

68. JABBERWOCKY

JABBERWOCKY

Riley woke up to the smell of coffee and when he opened his eyes, the room was still dark, illuminated only by the grey-blue light of the muted TV. He turned around, enjoying the last bit of warmth under the cover and his eyes fell on the date and time on the screen: 6:07, 20th Jan. A knot formed in his throat that he swallowed away with great effort, along with his bitter feelings.

Riley sat on the edge of the bed, his toes curling at the contact with the cold linoleum floor, and rubbed his tired eyes that were now verging on fatigue. He'd rarely felt so emptied of all energies. Even during his weeks of toughest training when sleep was a mere fantasy, he'd always been able to push through. But this time, Noah wasn't there to lift his spirit and encourage him during the arduous times. This time, he felt as if the weight of the entire world was resting on his weary shoulders.

Man up, Murphy! Stop whining and man the fuck up.

At the other end of the room, Alice was playing with a cafetière, lifting and lowering the mash to stir the coffee; her eyes vacantly focused on the device.

Riley took her in: in oversize shorts, t-shirt and thick socks, her long hair messy and tangled, she looked far from the femme fatale that she forced herself to be most of the times. Boyish, simple and wayward; that was his Emily.

He thought about the moment they'd shared the evening before, how intimate and open their conversation had been. He wished he could have shared more of his deep thoughts with her, let her carry some of his weight, but he couldn't bring himself to show her how deep his weaknesses ran. He was trying to keep it together for the both of them. The last thing he wanted was for Alice to think he wasn't up to the task, or even worst, use his fragility against him.

Under Riley's stare, Alice eventually lifted her head and smiled when her eyes met his.

"Good morning," she beamed, finally letting go of the cafetière.

"Good morning," Riley said, getting up from the bed and walking to stand behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist, taking in the warmth of her body and his nose nuzzled her neck, the now familiar scent of her skin comforting and calming.

"I made you coffee," Alice declared as a proud smile formed on her lips.

"Thank you, I really need caffeine," Riley replied, then kissed the top of her head and eventually let go of her, leaning against the counter beside her.

Alice busied herself with two mugs and a pack of biscuits that she deposited on the table, prompting Riley to sit while she rinsed the empty cafetière in the sink.

"Is Gabriel still sleeping?" Riley asked, hinting towards the closed bedroom door.

Alice turned towards him, rubbing her wet hands on her shorts. "No, he left early this morning to meet a contact," she explained, then her smile grew wider as she stood between his legs. "We're all alone," she said, sinking her hands in his hair.

Riley held her waist and pulled her closer as he leaned forward for a kiss. He never had enough of her lips. But Alice broke away, her eyes searching his face. "You're so sexy with your bedroom hair," she said, her voice hoarse as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again. This time it was hungry.

Riley leaned into her mouth and, standing from the chair, he walked Alice to the counter and hoisted her on it, nestling himself between her legs as his hand searched her body under her t-shirt. He cupped her breasts, feeling the taut nipples under his palms and played with them, squeezing gently until a guttural moan escaped Alice's lips. His mouth was quickly on her neck, kissing it, biting it, sucking on it, lost in Alice's taste and feel.