Not Another Diva

19 - Smooth Talker

There's a buzz. A humming sound vibrates against my chest. It's not that loud, just loud enough to pull me out of my hazy sleep. I'm barely aware of anything accept for that sound, that sensation. And then the feeling of warmth all around me breaks through.

Finally.

That word keeps running through my mind. At the hum, at the warmth, at the sense of someone else so near that their every movement touches some part of me. Brianna. Her slow breathing presses against my chest. The rise and fall of her shoulders touches my chin. And the slight buzz of her snore reverberates everywhere.

Last night when I tried to go sleep on the couch, she grabbed my hand. Her eyes pleaded with mine, don't go. There's nothing more I wanted than to lay next to her all night, my arms wrapped around hers. But I wasn't sure if she was ready so I didn't ask.

I didn't have to. After grabbing my hand to keep me here, we laid next to each other, silently looking into each other's eyes for a long time. Not a word was spoken out loud, but so much was said. We fell asleep like that, facing each other, hands clasped together. But waking up with her curled against me, nothing could be better.

And that little snore...

I have never loved a sound more. I want to stay here all day, my arms wrapped around her, listening to her sweet snoring. It's just dainty enough to be cute.

My peaceful joy is disrupted when a much louder buzzing noise begins. Thankfully it's not from Brianna. The sound is coming from the kitchen so it must be Jacob. I barely nodded to him last night when we got here. He had just gotten off of work and was dead on his feet.

I check the time and see it's later than I thought. Char will be here in an hour with Brianna's bags, then I'll head over to gather what I need. I'm not looking forward to it. I don't really want to see what that sick bastard left for her.

I can tell Brianna is still in deep sleep and I really don't want to wake her. I slowly slip out of bed and walk as quietly as I can out of the room. Even though I slept pretty good, amazing actually, I think the best nights sleep I've had in a long time, I feel the tightness in my neck from laying in one position most of the night. I stretch my back and neck, then rub the sleep from my eyes.

When I make it to the kitchen, I'm shocked to find Jacob making a smoothie. Actually, I'm kind of impressed, and relieved. Maybe he's finally trying to get healthy.

"Never thought I'd see the day," I say as I lean against the counter. I have an odd deja vu from the day I got Brianna's call back. Jacob and I were standing right here, our positions reversed. How much has changed since then...

"What? Milkshakes for breakfast? You make 'em all the time, dude." Jacob shakes his head while still focusing on his breakfast. I guess some things haven't changed at all.

"No, I make protein shakes." which this obviously is not. I can smell the chocolate now that I'm waking up.

"Same thing."

"Not even close. Mine has whey and soy. Yours has sugar and fat."

Jacob continues to pour his breakfast into a giant plastic cup. "Yeah, but yours tastes like dirt and mine tastes like..." Jacob lifts the cup to his mouth and takes a drink, "heaven. Ahhhh."

He puts the cup down and wipes his chocolate mustache with the back of his sleeve. Still a pig, I see. Regardless, he's been a good friend.

"Thanks for letting us crash here last night, bro. Appreciate it."

He shakes his head. "It's not crashing if you're still paying rent, man." Jacob takes another giant gulp of his shake, once again wiping his mouth with his shirt. I toss him a napkin. Then I grab the blender and rinse it out. I think I left some of my protein powders here when I moved out. Might as well make the healthy version.