Waking up next to an angel.

Leon opened his eyes, feeling more refreshed than if he’d drank straight from the fountain of youth. He lay there basking in the sensation, trying to recall how long he’d slept.

An exhale of breath in his ear reminded him where he was. They’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms. He hadn’t planned on staying the night with her, but the half hour or so of steady kissing had caused Jessie to doze off mid-kiss. Under some circumstances he might have been offended, but they were slow kisses of care, not hot kisses of passion. And besides, there was no greater feeling than knowing she trusted him enough to fall asleep in his arms.

In her sleep, she had shifted all the way over on her side. The cool skin of her thigh felt good against his. Apparently she’d gotten territorial in her sleep and hooked her leg under his so that he couldn’t sneak away in the night. Not that he’d want to anyways.

One of her hands was trapped under his back, but the other had settled for resting in the valley between his stomach and his dick. If the shorts weren’t in the way, her hand would be resting in a nest of his pubic hair.

As if that weren’t sexy enough, her shirt had been pulled up during the night. A healthy dose of underboob flashed palely from under her arm. She’d never notice if I lifted her shirt up and took a peek...

But then his gaze found her peaceful face. She was breathing deeply, but not quite snoring, with her tiny lips parted just enough to allow a small trail of saliva to escape and trail down her soft cheek to wet his shirt. Strands of blonde hair fell messily across her closed eyes.

Very carefully, he pulled her shirt down towards her waist, enough to avert any accidental exposure. Then he lifted her hand away from his crotch and placed it on his chest before covering it with his own.

Get all the rest you need, sleeping beauty. His lips lovingly pecked the tip of her nose, and then he did nothing other than admire her sleeping face.

He didn’t want to risk waking her up to check the time, but they must have stayed like that for a decent while. Then her enchanting eyelashes fluttered open, and she looked at him groggily.

Fear rose up in her eyes, and he felt a stab in his heart. Recognition followed, and her lips spread into a sleepy smile. “Hi there, Mr. Photographer.”

“Hi there,” he smiled back.

“I don’t remember falling asleep.” An adorable yawn escaped her and she stretched her legs out.

“Most people don’t.”

“And to think, I was liking waking up next to you,” she said. The familiar sensation of her thumb petting the back of his hand let him know she was teasing.

He cupped side of her neck and kissed her lips. Morning breath marked the occasion of their first bad kiss. Neither of them minded all that much.

She lifted her head off of his arm—she’d slept on it like a pillow—and looked down at their bodies, which seemed to be doing their best to merge into a single being.

“I see quite the morning wood down there... you weren’t being bad were you?” Playful, but he was familiar with the worry behind it.

“Nope. Having a scantily clad woman sleeping on my arm just has that effect on me, for some odd reason.”

“Oh shush. I’m wearing plenty of clothes.”

“See, I thought that too, until I realized there were only two pieces of cloth keeping you from being a totally naked babe,” he said, and reached down to pat her butt.

“Don’t do that,” she said grumpily.

“Too early?”

“No. I’m still frustrated that I can’t help you take care of yourself. I just... can’t bring myself to touch it.”

“You know I don’t expect you to. Besides, we just woke up. I need to piss and brush my teeth and all that good stuff.”

“Do all that in my bathroom? We can get ready together,” she said hopefully.

“You’re the apple of my eye, Jessie my dear, but I’m not sharing a toothbrush with you.”

“Just go get yours real quick, and then you can leave it in here for next time.”

“N-next time? Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” This was the best morning ever.

“I mean... well you were so sweet and I wasn’t scared except for right at first when I didn’t recognize you but then I did and my heart pitter pattered and you kissed me and I’m officially fully transformed into leech mode and if you could sleep with me from now on I would be so, so, so happy. Unless I’m being needy and then I’ll back way the hell so far off that you won’t be able to see me with binoculars and-“

He interrupted her with another morning breath kiss. “Can I ask you one thing first?”

“O-okay...”

“We’re cuddling, we’re sleeping in a bed together, maybe every night from now on, and I’ve gotten you off once already and I’ll be actively trying to do it again.” Her grip on his hand tightened like she wanted to tell him off, but she let him continue.

“So why, after all of that, are we not ‘officially’ dating?” In a way, he supposed he was trying to pressure an answer out of her. Having that title attached to them mattered, to him at least.

“I care about you so so much Leon. But calling this dating is... I can’t. Not right now,” she dotted his cheeks and forehead with small kisses. “Please don’t hate me. I’m pretty much asking you to live in my room with me. Can’t that be enough for now?”

The morning didn’t seem quite so special anymore, but he tried to be understanding for her sake.

“For now. But someday... well, that day isn’t today. I’ll go get my toothbrush.”

She rolled over on top of him and covered his face with kisses. “You’re so perfect. You don’t know how excited I am for this. Sometimes I get such bad anxiety in my room at night, and all I can think about is how I wish I had a dog or something-“ Her eyes widened in horror. “Not that I’m comparing sleeping with you to having a dog, you’re so much more special even if you’re not as fluffy and and... I’m going to be quiet now.”

He placed a kiss in the spot where her nose connected to her lower eyelid and said, “I’m going to go get my toothbrush now. If you need to get dressed or whatever, now’s the time.”

I know she was just spazzing like usual, but... is that all I am to her? A guard dog, making her feel safe? he wondered sadly. He was pretty sure he was falling in love with her and yet... Is being her safety net really going to be enough for me?

“I’ve never seen you so deep in thought,” she said.

He forced his attention back to the present. “That’s because you spend half our time together hiding your pretty face from me.”

She wrinkled her nose and stood up next to the bed. “Stop saying embarrassing things and I won’t.”

“Just walk yourself over to bathroom so I can stare at your ass, please and thank you.”

“Give me a break you perv,” she said, but when she walked toward the door she put an extra sway in her step.

“Beautiful show!” he called as the bathroom door closed. The grin faded from his face, and he went to get his toothbrush. Loyal guard dog.