Uncomfortable

[twenty-two]

"Up! Up!" I cry the next morning, bouncing my body on the mattress next to Alden.

He lifts his head to kiss me, not bothering to open his eyes, and then buries it back in a pillow with a groan.

"Up! Up!" I repeat.

He shakes his head.

"Maybe if you didn't fuck my brains out all night, you'd have more energy," I say, exasperated.

"Nuh uh. It gives me more energy." He smiles, wraps his hand around my waist, and pulls me into him. Then he lifts his head and opens his eyes. "Why are you wearing clothes?"

"I already got dressed."

"We have to fix that immediately." He lifts my dark green sundress and slips it over his head.

I laugh and squirm as he holds me tight against the bed and kisses my stomach. "You're going to stretch out my dress. And how am I supposed to fall in love with this place if I never leave the room? I want to explore."

"True." He bites my hip and emerges with a smile. "What does your heart desire this morning?"

"Bacon and eggs and grape-stomping."

"I think the Industrial Revolution killed the art of grape-stomping."

I pout. "Then my heart will settle for a winery tour."

"Then a winery tour you shall have," he says, laying his head against my stomach. I play with his little patch of purple hair, which might be my new favorite thing to do, until he pops his head up and says, "After we have breakfast in the garden."

The garden is smaller than I thought it would be and a lot of green but still breathtaking. The maze of hedges is hip height and the path of patterned bricks opens into an intimate courtyard in the back with patio tables under giant outdoor umbrellas.

We sit at the table in the far back left, and Alden adjusts the umbrella so the sun isn't in our eyes. He sits back in his iron garden chair.

"I've been coming here since I was a kid."

"Really?" I ask, intrigued.

"For a week every summer. We started coming less when I hit high school because of our busy schedules." He looks out to the vineyard behind me with faraway eyes and a slight smile. "Lots of memories. I drank my first glass of wine here."

"I love that. When was the last time you were here?" I ask lightly.

Give me a break. You would ask it too.

"Besides this trip, two years ago," Alden smiles. "When my parents renewed their vows."

I lift my lip in disgust. "That's beautiful, but please tell me we're not sleeping in the same bed they did."

"No," he laughs. "We each had our own favorite room. I did have my first kiss here though."

I grin. "Breaking hearts since you were..."

"Eleven. It was the owners' niece. She stayed here one summer. We used to play hide and seek, and she and I hid behind a tree and made out until Elliot found us. I was a terrible kisser."

"Was?" I smirk.

Alden leans over with a smile I could bite off it looks so good, pulls me into him by my jaw, and gives me the most non-terrible kiss ever.

"God," I mumble into his mouth and slip my tongue between his lips. "So terrible."

His chuckle undulates down my body. He draws his head back an inch and runs his thumb over my lips, eyes boring into mine, before he kisses me again and follows the same path with his tongue.