The Way We Burn

Fifteen: Sully

I awoke with a groan on my sofa some time the next day. I could tell by the way the sun was glinting directly into my eyes that it was already around noon and for a brief movement, I struggled to remember exactly why I was sleeping on my sofa and not the giant California king I had down the hall. But then a soft sigh from the warm body pressed against my left side brought the previous night back to my memory.

Galena.

After taking her through the entire house and spending more than an hour watching her bounce around my greenhouse like a kid on Christmas morn, we'd come back to the living room and I'd poured us a drink. We'd settled on the sofa, without so much as turning on the television. Talking and laughing eventually led to kissing and cuddling which had evidentially led to the two of us falling asleep on said sofa, her body pressed between mine and the back. With what had happened at the bar, I'd kind of anticipated things getting a whole lot more x-rated when we got each other alone, but it hadn't. And I was more than okay with it. Don't get me wrong, I was absolutely yearning to get the girl naked, but letting her into my home? Letting her see a part of me that I hadn't allowed a whole lot of people to see? That felt even more special. Especially because it seemed to make her even more into me. The way her eyes softened the second she met the boys, the sheer joy the greenhouse put on her face? That had lodged her more into my heart than she already was, and I was pretty confident it had done the same for her.

"How long have you been staring at me?"

I blinked, registering that Gigi's eyes were gazing back at me and chuckled. "Honestly didn't even realize I was. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Gigi insisted with a sleepy grin as she stretched one arm toward the ceiling. "I like you looking at me."

"Good, cuz I like lookin' at you." I started moving my face toward hers, but instead of closing the distance like I anticipated she'd do, Gigi rolled her lips over her teeth and leaned away. "What the fuck?"

"Nun-uh," Gigi waved her head. "You don't wanna do that. I need to brush my teeth."

"Girl, you are practically on top of me. If your morning breath was that offensive, I think I'd already know."

"I know, but..."

"Stop talking." I cupped on hand at the base of her skull and drug her lips to mine, morning breath be damned. Girl's mouth could've smelled like a dumpster and I don't think it would've stopped me. Gigi went stiff for barely a millisecond before she let out a soft whimper and sank her weight against me.

Putty in my hands.

I didn't deepen it. She was already at least a bit uncomfortable and I had no desire to make it worse, so I kept my lips pressed firmly to hers for a beat before I pecked her cheeks, her nose, her forehead, even her eyelids over and over again until she was giggling in my arms.

"What're your plans for today?" I asked as I pressed my lips to the top of her head when she burrowed into me.

"Nothing," she responded with a beaming smile as she looked back up at me. "I'm all yours... if that's what you want."

I began nodding my head before my mouth answered. "That's definitely what I want."

Gigi continued beaming as she gave me a quick peck. "You know what sounds really good right about now?" she whispered, her lips brushing mine as she spoke.

"What?" I asked just as quietly as goosebumps prickled my skin.

"A shower."

I smiled. "I do have one of those."

"Great." Gigi quickly extricated herself from my arms and far too nimbly for my old bones, hopped to her feet.

"You remember where the bathroom is?" I asked as she stood over me.