A Long Way Home

Morning Sunshine

Mia blinked her eyes open. She heard Drew's faint snoring as a trusting rhythm on and off throughout the night. She had slept well until 3 am when a crack of thunder and lightning woke her up. After that, her mind spun with the endless possibilities.

She had cheated. No, Drew had cheated. She had simply been complicit in the act. But it felt so right. Everything about them felt like it was meant to work. She tried to stir up feeligns of guilt but she couldn't. She didn't feel bad about what they had done. It was simply matter of fact that this would happen again eventually. Statistically speaking, they have a high probability of ending up in bed together when they were left alone. This time just happened to be a bit riskier than normal.

She rolled over to face him. His body was curled towards hers with an arm extended across her belly. She had woken up with herself pressed into him and the warm of the hold had been enough comfort to allay her worst fears. He would wake up and tell her it had been a horrible decision. He would ask her to leave immediately. She'd never be able to come back to this town, to this house or to him ever again.

She studied his face. He looked so peaceful when he slept. Like all of the lines and worries of the world had been erased. He had long dark lashes and his lips curved up into a gentle smile. He was probably dreaming. She nestled her head into the crook of his arm and pressed her face up against his chest. She had fantasized about sleeping this way with him again. It felt like he was her protector but they needed each other equally as much. The power dynamics she had with previous guys didn't come into play with Drew. Despite their different standings in life, they were equals because they treated each other as such.

She moved her head, knocking him slightly on the chin and stirring him awake.

"Morning Mia." He gave her a kiss on the forehead pulling her in closer. She eagerly wrapped her free arm behind his back willing herself to savor this moment because there might not be another one.

"Um, hi." She mumbled. After he didn't say anything she began extricating herself from his grasp. It was best to put some distance between them when he broke her heart.

"Where are you going?" He opened one eye and watched amused as Mia sat up in bed looking for her clothes.

"I don't... I guess my room?" She recognized she didn't have anywhere to escape to. In the past she would up and leave and go back to her apartment. This time she was in his house. There was nowhere to go.

"Trying to leave me already?" She could hear the laughter in his voice but refused to trust it. He had to be mocking her.

"Yea, um. Last night was really fun but I don't think we should do that again." She heard the words come out of her mouth and had no clue why she would say them.

Drew sat up in bed. A look of worry flitted across it before he regained his composure.

"Mia. Sit down." She hovered at the foot of his bed before acquiescing. Suddenly Drew was standing which left her more confused.

"I'm making us coffee and we can talk. Does that sound okay?" She wasn't sure how he was so calm but surely he had done this dozens of times before with Casey. They would have a fight and he would say, 'Casey it's going to be okay. Let me make us something and we can talk it out.' Mia's stomach did somersaults.

Drew locked eyes with her waiting for confirmation. She nodded dumbly and he crossed to the far side of the room where the coffee maker was. After setting it up and turning it on, he went to the bathroom and Mia heard the sounds of him brushing his teeth. She put a hand up to her own mouth and sniffed her breath. It was ungodly but there wasn't much she could do.

Drew cracked open the bedroom door and for a moment she forgot everything. He was stark naked but the curves of his body remained tight and pulled together. He had a toothbrush in his mouth and offered her a fresh one. It was the sexiest dental hygiene ad she'd ever seen.