TWELVE

Skye

I was jolted out of my deep sleep when light filtered through the blinds in Derek's bedroom. I grinned, feeling more at ease than I ever had before as I could still feel Derek's arms around me. From the way he handled my anxious outbursts to the frequent laughter he brought me, to how passionately we connected, everything about him made me feel good inside. It felt more natural for me to wake up in his arms, on his bed, and in his apartment than anything else I had ever done.

While listening to him move behind me, I moved my hands up and down his arms. I flipped over and kissed his nose as I waited for his eyes to gradually open. When he saw that I was still there and that we were still bundled up under the covers, he pulled me in closer and grinned. He gave the time a quick check before sitting down next to me and ran his fingers through my tangled mass of hair.

“Good morning, handsome,” I whispered .

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said, smiling. “I’m glad you’re still here .”

“M