𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞

C H A R L O T T E

Waking up in Alexander's arms is a dream. A dream turned reality when I never would have imagined it a year ago. He's warm, but not stiflingly so, and I feel comfortable and peaceful. Until my tired brain wakes up and I remember that everything may change as soon as tomorrow.

Round two starts tomorrow, and my chances of survival are lower, the chances of success are even lower than that. And what I'm most focused on is my damn hair.

Forgetting about that for a minute, I bring myself back to the moment and breathe in, inhaling Alexander's scent that fills the room we're in, covers the pillow I'm laying on, and coats Alexander himself. The comforting scent washes over me and invades my senses, calming my nerves.

"I can hear you overthinking in my dreams," I hear his deep voice rumble from behind me, the arm wrapped over my body tightens and he drags me closer to him to fill the small gap between us on the bed. His long, lean body is hard and smooth and the backs of my arms brush against his bare skin; goosebumps erupt all over. "Cold?" He asks and I simply nod. "Mhmm." His hand in front of me grasps one of my wrists and tucks it up under my chin. His other hand snakes under my pillow and does the same from the other side, caging me against his chest.

"Better?" He asks and I can't do anything but nod. My heart races in my chest and with our proximity, there's no way that Alexander can't feel it. His bare legs brush against the smooth skin of mine and I realize just how close we really are the second I feel something out of place between us.

"Alexander. Is that..."

He laughs. "Shit." He pulls back from me so that his bulge is no longer buried between my thighs. "Sorry," He apologizes and my eyes are wide as I stare at the wall I'm facing.

"No, it's alright. I'm not put off," I say, afraid to say more in case anything more encouraging and infinitely more embarrassing was to slip out. Something along the lines of "That was enjoyable for me" or a mortifying question such as "Does that happen every morning or just the ones you wake up with a girl in your bed?".

"Didn't wanna make you uncomfortable or anything..." He trails off, his voice still sleepy and deeper than usual. The sound does something to me, specifically to the apex of my thighs. I war between doing nothing and moving back to press myself to him the way we were before, settling on the latter in what must be a decision made by my sleep-addled brain.

Once again, every part of him is pressed against every part of me, and the heat between my legs grows as he gains more confidence from my move, pushing his hips forward to fit himself between my thighs. The softest groan leaves his lips and I shudder at the tension mounting between us.

"You feel so good, Charlotte. I could stay here all day," He says, but he doesn't make a move to do anything else, seemingly satisfied with this. His voice still sounds nothing but comfortable and raspy with sleep when I'd expected him to wake up a little more when his dick came into contact with me, but I'm no expert.

The longer we stay like this, the more doubtful thoughts start to creep into my mind. Has he still not kissed me because he doesn't see me that way? Or does he see me as fragile with my cancer diagnosis? "I told you I could hear your overthinking in my sleep. What's going on up there?"

"Why haven't you kissed me yet?" I blurt out, untangling the two of us and turning to face him so I can see his face when he answers. His thick brown eyebrows are furrowed and he looks back and forth between my eyes.

"Have you been worrying about that?" He asks, his voice so soft, gentle like a caress to my soul. I nod and he sighs, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "Not for any reason you're probably thinking of. I just...it probably seems stupid to you, but I don't really have a lot of..." He looks down. "Experience." He says hesitantly and now it's my turn to furrow my eyebrows.