Everything I'm Not (GirlxGirl)

41. Breakfast in Bed

"Uncharacteristically, yes. Must've read it somewhere."

"It's my mom's favorite quote. I had to wait until I was eighteen to get it, though." Getting a tattoo is probably the most reckless thing I've done in my life, which, I know, isn't a lot, but it still felt good to do something I wanted for myself, even though I know my family won't like it. "Doesn't seem like something I'd do, right?"

Alex gets up as well. She loops her arms from behind me and kisses me on the shoulder. "I certainly didn't expect you to have one. It contradicts your stick to the rules persona, you know. Bet it felt good to do something reckless."

"Damn right," I smile. "I remember thinking my dad's gonna have a heart attack when he finds out, so I put it in a place where he won't see it. Unless maybe I wear a bikini, but the chances of that are slim."

Alex moves her lips from my shoulders to my neck. "Oh, really?" She says, her breath tickling my neck and making the fine hairs on my back rise. "What would it take to make you wear one?"

God, I want her again so soon.

But two can play this game. I pitch my voice lower. "You sure you want me to wear anything at all?" The bobbing of her throat as she swallows was the only reply I need. "Thought so. I'll go make us some breakfast. You can sleep some more."

Before I can throw my legs over the side of the bed, Alex lays a hand on my thigh. She rubs it slowly. "Remember what I said about having you at different times of the day?"

The tone of Alex's voice and the promise etched into her words sends a thrill down my spine. My throat felt dry. "Uh."

"Time for breakfast."

It's a good thing I forgot to adjust my alarm. The extra hour I usually spent making our lunches was instead spent on breakfast in bed, as Alex had called it. However, if I didn't insist on us taking a bath in separate bathrooms, we definitely would've been late.

I enter my walk-in closet to find Alex already in jeans and a sports bra.

"Do you ever wear a normal bra?" I ask her.

She tugs on a plain gray crew-neck t-shirt. "Nope." She takes a seat on the round ottoman in the middle of the room and takes something from the pocket of her duffel bag—a watch and the necklace I gave her. She puts on the necklace, easily adjusting it like she's done it a million times, and slipping her silver watch on her wrist, closing it with a click. "It's either a sports bra or no bra."

I walk over to the drawers that held my underwear. After slipping into black, cotton panties, I let the towel covering my body fall to the floor. I knew Alex was watching me without turning around. I could almost feel the heat of her gaze as I picked out a bra—also black—and settled it over my breasts.

Before I can reach for the clasps behind my back, Alex steps in and hooks them for me. I whirl around to face her and my eyes land on the most recent addition to her hickey collection. This one was situated a little higher on her neck, where even her hoodie can't hide it.

"Sorry about that," I touch the mark with a sheepish grin on my face.

"Don't be." She gives me a toothy grin. "I'd parade this around the school like a medal."

The image of Alex walking around with a huge grin and a hickey on her neck makes me smile. "As much as I'd appreciate that, I doubt our teachers would want their students to go around walking with love marks on their skin."

I turn and look around my closet to look for something that would fit Alex's larger physique. "How 'bout a turtleneck?"

She holds me by the waist, eyes looking straight into mine. She plants a chaste kiss on my lips. "If you don't get dressed first, we might never leave your house."

"Hm. Fair enough. What should I wear?"

"I can make you wear a turtleneck," —she nips lightly on the side of my throat— "But I like you in button-ups better."

"Button-ups. Roger that." I walk over to the space that held my blouses. "Why, though?"

Alex sorts through the lines of clothing until she plucks a nude-colored one. "I fantasize about taking it off you." She takes it out of the clothes hanger and puts it on me. Her fingers fly over the buttons, fastening them diligently.

There was something more intimate about getting dressed by her than being undressed. The gesture can almost pass as sensual if only Alex weren't wearing a contented smile devoid of anything sexual on her face. Despite her constant innuendos, she's been nothing short of respectful towards me.

Alex leaves the top button open and takes a step back to examine her handiwork. "Perfect."

"You do realize I'm not yet wearing jeans, right?"

"That only makes it sexier." She kisses me.

I roll my eyes. How can she be a total saint one minute and a temptress the next? "Go find something to cover that up, or I'll have to." I point to the hickey on her neck.

"I think my track jacket will do the trick." Alex walks to her duffel bag as I slide on a pair of light jeans. "I was planning to run to school today."

"What do you mean, run?"

"I sometimes run to go to school in the mornings. Kris takes my things. I take a shower in our locker room."

I pause in the middle of putting on my black leather boots and shoot Alex an incredulous look. "Do you know how far your house is from the school?"

Alex shrugs. "Dunno, about eight miles, I guess?"

I wrinkle my nose. "Ew."

She laughs and pulls out the jacket from her duffel bag. The piece of clothing was in blue, white, and red. As she shrugs into it, the embossed design on the fabric becomes noticeable: on the right side over her chest, three stars and the sun; on the left, a single chess piece that I identified as the king. As she zips it close, I realize why it looks familiar—it's designed after the Philippine flag.

Alex puts her hands in the jacket pocket. "This okay?"

The zipper stops just above the hickey, successfully keeping it out of view. But that's not what keeps my attention. It's the way Alex's chin is slightly tilted upward and the confident gleam in her eyes. I can almost feel the pride radiating off her. This isn't just a simple jacket for her. This is a symbol of who she is.

The sight makes my heart full. It was like seeing all her trophies all over again. A chill runs down my spine that has nothing to do with the air conditioning of the room. "You look amazing."

She grins. "Thanks."

When she turns her back to me and sits on the ottoman to tug on her shoes, I notice another imprint on the back of her jacket. There, embroidered on the white canvas of the upper half of her jacket in bold letters, PILIPINAS.

The swell of pride and the rush of emotions that hurtles toward me was so intense I had to take a deep breath to steady myself. I crawl across the ottoman in my knees and wrap my arms around Alex's neck. "I'm so proud of you." I rest my cheek against her still damp hair. "So damn proud."

Alex turns her head slightly to face me. "C'mere," she says, angling her body towards me. Our lips meet. She snakes an arm around my waist and tugs until I was sitting on her lap without breaking the kiss.

I wrap my legs around her waist and grab fistfuls of hair at the back of her head. Her hand stays on my back while the other is gently caressing my side over the fabric of my shirt.

We stayed like that for a while, not stopping, but also not going further. Just simply drinking the taste of each other. By the time we pull away to catch our breath, I was clinging to Alex like a lifeline. And I have no intention of ever letting go.