Page 107 of The Hookup Situation
Iwake to the weight of Julie pressed against my side.
For a moment, I’m disoriented, knowing this isn’t my penthouse. Then I remember I’m in Julie’s bed and what we did last night.
A smile touches my lips as I realize I’m waking up next to her for the first time. I’ll never get to experience this again.
She’s still asleep, red hair fanned across the pillow. I can feel her breath against my shoulder. I think about yesterday at the orchard and the sunlight against her skin.
“I can feel you staring,” she mutters without opening her eyes, then smiles.
“How?”
“Your breathing changed.” She stretches like a cat, pressing closer. “What time is it?”
I reach over and check my phone. “Just after seven.”
“Shit.” Her eyes fly open. “I have to be at work?—”
“Sierra is covering your morning shift,” I remind her. “You texted her last night, remember?”
She relaxes back against me. “Right. I’m not used to taking any time off.”
“Maybe you should get used to it. I’ve heard having work-life balance is important.”
“Yeah? Teach me how.”
I wrap my arms around her, pulling her closer against me. “I’m trying.”
She stares at my mouth. “Waking up to you is my new favorite thing.”
“Me too, sweetheart.”
We lie here for a moment, just holding each other. I run my fingers through her hair, and it’s surreal, being with her like this.
I feel alive, to the point I want to stand on the balcony attached to her bedroom and scream it for the entire town to hear.
“I should shower,” she says, but doesn’t move.
“We could share,” I suggest. “Conserve water.”
She laughs. “We already marked it off my list.”
“Partially,” I tell her. “We didn’t define what sex is.”
She kisses me. “Join me?”
“Lead the way.”
She slips out of bed, completely naked and gorgeous in the morning light. Julie is a goddess.
I follow her to the bathroom, already half-hard.
The shower is small, forcing us to press close under the spray. Julie tips her head back, water streaming over her.
“You’re staring again,” she says.
“Can’t help it.” I reach for her body wash and loofah, wanting to touch her all over. “Sometimes, I find it hard to believe you’re real and that we’re here.”
She places her hands against the tiles, and I start at her shoulders, massaging as I go. She moans when I work out a knot.
