Callum
I ntense. That’s the only word I can truly think of to describe all of the feelings and thoughts running through my mind. Last night was intense. Her laying in my arms right now is intense. The love that has resurfaced, or more so just shown itself again throughout the last week? Intense. We’re laying in her bed and I can’t think of a more perfect place for us to be. Her naked body is formed against my own and I rake my fingers through her hair.
After last night, I drove us back to her place. We immediately stripped off our clothing and made our way to the shower. I took up most of the space, but it was just another excuse to have her close to me. Taking turns, we washed the mess off one another’s bodies. I even got the opportunity to run her coconut-scented shampoo through her long locks. The shower took much longer than an average one would have taken. Taking time to explore one another like it was the first time seeing the exposed flesh.
There were no words exchanged, just touches and kisses. These actions spoke much louder than words could have ever tried. Something about her just brings me to my damn knees every time.
I trace her arm with my finger, watching the goosebumps pop up across her skin. Her face nuzzles into my side before peering up at me. A gentle smile crosses her face and I lean down to kiss her plush lips.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her.
She stretches out, her nipples pointing towards the sky and begging for me to take one into my mouth, but I wait for a response first.
“Definitely sore,” she comments.
“Then it’s been decided,” I say, pulling away from her.
“What’s been decided?” She crinkles her nose in confusion.
“We’re going to go get way too much breakfast at the diner.”
She sits up in bed and her smile stretches.
“Yep, we’ll go eat way too much and drink some good coffee and then collapse into a food coma on your couch. Deal?”
“Deal.” She jumps out of the bed and runs into the attached bathroom.
I just invited myself back over to her place, and she didn’t seem to mind. This has to be a good sign. I throw on my clothes from last night, dusting the dirt off the knees since that’s what got the dirtiest.
She catches my attention as she comes back into the room with a sweater on and her hair thrown up into a bun on the top of her head. I walk around to where she’s standing and give her a hug. I just want to be touching her forever. She returns the sentiment, holding onto me as I rest my chin on the top of her head.
“I really did miss you all that time,” I murmur.
“I missed you, too.”
I don’t say anything else, I just enjoy having her in my arms for that moment. When I finally pull away, I don’t let go all of the way. I grab her hand and pull her through her own house and into my truck. I’m afraid to let go, I have to talk to her today at breakfast. Everything I’m feeling has to be shared and I can’t wait any longer. Here we go.
We’re seated in the corner booth, the one that used to be ours. Of course, it’s not like our name is on it or anything, but it’s the same one that we sat in whenever we came here. It was unofficially, officially ours. We would come every Sunday morning and talk about what we had going on that following week. It was our way to reset as a couple so that we were on the same page. I guess now we’re doing something similar, just years apart.
Sitting down, I order my usual, a chicken fried steak with scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, and hashbrowns. Way too much food, but I’ll have leftovers. Hazel orders something similar, the only difference being that she likes her eggs sunny side up and country potatoes to replace the hashbrowns. We both order coffee and water, but she wants a bunch of sugar and cream on the side.
“Hey, make my coffee the same way you make yours, please,” I say, sliding the mug over to her when they arrive.
“Really? Why?”
“Well I tried your pumpkin spice thing and it was actually pretty good. You might have the right idea, so I want to see.”
She does it up and I take a sip, my eyes widening.
“Yep, I was right. This is pretty damn good.” She giggles as she sips her own. Now it’s time for the hard conversation. I lay my hand over the table and she gets the memo, placing hers into mine.
“Look, I know I’ve only been back in town for a week but this has been the best week of my life in, well,” my voice fades off while I think. “Well, in a while. I’ve really missed you.”
She stays quiet, allowing me to get all my words out before she tries to say anything.
“I mean, if you want to, I’d really like round two with us. I think we’re really good together. We were good before, and we’re good now. I just want us to try again. I guess I’m asking if you’ll give us another shot. Can we do this again?”
Our food is delivered and it’s perfect timing to make me shut up and stop rambling. She shoves a forkful of her potatoes into her mouth, chewing. I can see the wheels turning, but my stomach is in my throat so I can’t even think about eating with how much anxiety I have right now.
“Before was tough, Cal,” she starts. I just stare at her as she fumbles with everything on the table. “It was really fucking tough. I was going through it with losing my parents and I pushed everyone away and I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.” I squeeze her hand, showing her silent support.
“I’d love to start over, Cal. I’d love to do this again. I have to agree that I feel it between us. I’ve loved every moment with you this past week, and I want to see what else our future holds.”
My heart seizes and I look at my lap to hide the grin, squeezing her hand again before pulling it away. I dive into my food, a weight off my chest and relief flooding my system.
I swear this food is better than before. It could be the news or maybe it’s just that I haven’t had this in years, but I groan as I finally bite into the meal. Hazel laughs at me as we eat in silence. We had both worked up an appetite anyway.
When we’re done, I pay the check and we head back to her place, just like we planned. Sitting on the couch, we put on Raya and the Last Dragon, her favorite movie. She swears that she’s the most underrated princess, and I have to say that I agree. She’s pretty badass. Hazel snuggles into my side and I drape my arm across the back of the couch like it was two and a half years ago, before everything happened. This is where I’m meant to be.