Morning

When I woke again, panic overtook me for a second before I remembered where I was. Memories flowed in as the fog of sleep lifted. Zoe’s shit prank. Kaylee getting pissed at me. The stupid ass dance of mine. Me reading through her profile.

“Morning.”

Blinking, my head snapped up as I twisted my torso to find Kaylee already up. It wasn’t just that she was up, she was nearly ready for the day. Her hair was damp, suggesting she’d already taken a shower. The panties were new too, and she was in the process of finishing up with her bra. That was disappointing, as I only got to watch her as she fastened the straps behind her. Dropping her arms and adjusting the fit, she tilted her head slightly as she stared at me.

“Something wrong?” she asked as I ogled her. I think she knew what I was doing because she had a cute half-smile.

Rubbing my eyes, I pushed myself up to a sitting position. “I think I missed something important.”

“Can’t help you sleep like the dead. Snore too.”

“Sorry.” I smiled. “Maybe you can pick another pair to wear today?” I asked hopefully.

“Or you can get up earlier next time.” She pulled a t-shirt on. Holy lord. I damn near popped an erection seeing her like that. How the hell was she so damn sexy even when putting on more clothes? Sadly, as sexy as she was when in just a t-shirt and panties, it didn’t last long as she quickly put on a pair of jeans.

“I’m starting to think my girlfriend is stingy,” I said as I scooted to the edge of the bed. As great as sleeping in the same bed with Kaylee was, the sleeping part was anything but. My back hurt and I was stiffer than I think I’d ever been. I was pretty sure there were a couple of bruises from where she smacked me.

“Nonsense. I just don’t like freeloaders,” she said with a teasing smile. She must have noticed me wincing as I stretched. “Yeah… Sorry. I’ve been told I thrash around in my sleep.”

“An abusive girlfriend too.” That earned me an extended middle finger. “That why you don’t like sharing the bed?”

“No. I’m just not comfortable with it. Guys usually get the wrong idea.” Reaching up, she nervously played with some blue strands of hair. “Next time we can sleep in the guest room though. The bed is bigger.”

I paused my stretching to look up at her. Her gaze darted between me and somewhere behind me. I wasn’t sure why she was so nervous. “Hmm. I don’t know if I can afford to spend time with you. Last night was pretty taxing.”

She rolled her eyes, dropping her hand. “If you think that was taxing, you’ll never keep up with me.” That crushed my smile. It had been meant as friendly banter but held a Trojan horse full of fears and insecurities I’d been doing my best to repress. I could see the concern drain the happiness from her face as she witnessed my quick spiral into depression. “Scott?”

Think fast. “Ah,” I said, stalling for as much time as I could manage. “I just realized I never told my parents I was staying over here.”

That did the trick as she relaxed. “I figured. I sent Paige a text when I woke up.” She looked over at my phone on the desk. “I think your phone died.”

“Ah,” I said, remembering I turned it off.

“How about some breakfast?” she asked with a smile.

“Sounds great,” I said as I pushed myself off the bed.

“As much I love this mostly naked Scott, might want to get dressed first.”

My face heated. “I was going to.”

“Mm-hm.” I dressed as quickly as I could. She made no effort to hide her watching the entire time. “Something wrong?” I asked as I awkwardly pulled my pants up.

“Nope,” she said as she leaned against her closet door. “Just enjoying the show. Not as great as watching them come off, but I’ll take it.” My face was definitely red. Her eyes met mine. “Maybe next time, they can all come off?” she asked in a soft voice as she shifted her weight and brushed the hair over her temple. God, she was irresistible when she showed this shy side of her. I covered my embarrassment by throwing my shirt on over my head.

Keep calm Mr. Heart. No need to go rushing off to a heart attack quite yet. “It’ll cost you,” I said as my shirt settled into place. My eyes went to her as she moved towards me. Despite my attempt to get our banter up again, I saw that she was serious.

“Name your price.”

The intensity of her gaze took me by surprise. She had guys like Sean drooling after her, yet she wanted to see me naked? The way she was looking at me made me feel like Adonis, and to be perfectly honest, I needed that boost.

“You really want to see me naked that bad?” She nodded with grave seriousness. “Why?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“What kind of question is that?”

I glanced away. Her intensity was smothering. “There are a lot better-looking guys—”

“Wait,” she said before I could finish. “Is that why you’ve been acting so weird?”

“Weird?” I forced myself to look back at her.

“Yeah. Whenever I mention being with other guys.”

“Ah,” I said, awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck. I didn’t really have anything to say to that.

“Scott, look at me.” Without a word, I was looking at those wonderful blue eyes of hers. “I am attracted to you. I always have been. Why do you think I’m not?” For some reason, this was more embarrassing than my stupid pants dance last night.

“I don’t really fit into your usual type.” For some reason, that seemed to anger her.

“Oh. So you know my type?” she asked in a flat voice as she set her closed fists on her hips. “Enlighten me.”

Seeing my dumbass self had walked into another minefield I tried to be careful with my words and tone. “Uh…” She wasn’t going to let me off the hook. She wanted me to say it. So I did. “Athletic body type is usually what you go for. Nothing too extreme, but most of the guys I know you’ve been with have a lot more muscle than I do. You also seem to prefer taller guys, but I guess I fall into that category too. I suppose you could classify most as classically handsome. Sean is a great example. He does have that celebrity look about him, or at least model quality.”

There was a long silence as she stared at me with a stormy expression. “You’re right.” Shockingly, that actually hurt. With how she was acting, I was expecting her to deny it. Say that while all those things were nice, it was the ‘average’ guy that really got her going. “It’s vague, but those are the type of guys I sleep with. I’m lucky that a lot of guys find me attractive. Because of that, I can enjoy sleeping with attractive guys without too much effort. The best part is that they’re usually pretty decent in bed too. Even if they aren’t, it’s still a treat to see them naked and have that sexy body pressed against me.” She took a step towards me. “But you haven’t answered my question, Scott. What type of guy is my ‘type?’”

I was at a loss. Hadn’t I answered it already? She even said so. “I already told you.”

“No,” she said, pressing a finger against my chest. “You just listed things that ninety percent of women would probably say is their ‘type.’ I’m asking you what type of guy I like.” No answer came to me as I stood there dumbfounded. That only seemed to piss her off more. “Jesus, Scott. Let me give you a hint then. It’s the type of guy who can have me rolling around in pain because I’m laughing so much. The type of guy who I can spend an entire night with zero sex and wake up to with a smile on my face.” She drove a finger against my chest. “And apparently, it’s the type of guy who’s so fucking dense, I can’t even walk away from.” Her expression softened as her finger fell away. “Why does everyone seem to think that a guy being able to rock my world for ten or twenty minutes qualifies them for satisfying the other twenty-three and a half hours?”

“I—”

“You are special to me, Scott. Do you think I go around kissing just anyone?”

“You kissed Adam. And Sean,” I said, getting a bit defensive. It was something I felt like I could push back on.

“Yeah, when we were having sex. Do you see me going around kissing Sean during school? Do I go around kissing random guys I’m not sleeping with?”

I wasn’t going to say anything, but I could tell she was waiting for me to answer. “No.”

“Right. I can’t stand guys getting clingy. I tolerate it at some point if they are good in bed, but even that gets too much and I find someone new. Yet I’m perfectly comfortable having you sleep with me. I enjoyed last night, Scott. We didn’t even have sex, yet seeing you when I woke up brought a smile to my face. I even stayed in bed longer just because of how it made me feel having you against me.” She gave me a hard look. “Just because I have sex with other guys doesn’t mean I like them, Scott. I like you, and only you,” she said as she stepped closer. Kaylee had a challenging look in her eye as if she was daring me to refute her declaration.

All at once, she deflated. Stepping away, she shook her head. “I don’t know what else I can do to prove my feelings for you. You are the only man who makes my heart flutter like it does just by being near me. Seeing you smile makes me want to smile and seeing you sad makes me sad as well. I don’t want to pressure you into doing anything you don’t want or can’t do, no matter how much I want to rip your clothes off and show you how much you mean to me.”

“That—”

She cut me off, her emotions pouring out of her as she looked into my eyes. “You could be terrible in bed and I would always choose to spend a night with you over someone like Sean. But that doesn’t mean that there won’t be people like Sean in my life. Eventually, it won’t be Sean, but someone else. I’ll enjoy my time with them, but it will never be as great as the time I spend with you.” She ran a hand over my cheek. “And that’s why you are special, Scott. No matter how good-looking a guy is, no matter how he makes me scream in bed, or how mind-blowing the orgasms are, I will always walk away eventually. But never you, Scott. No matter how much you piss me off, how clingy or needy you get, I will always be there. Why? Because you are the only guy I have complete trust in. You have no idea how much it hurt seeing Zoe give you that erection even though I’ve never—” Her voice shook and she ended the sentence early. “I don’t care about that though, because I believe your feelings towards me are just as strong as mine towards you.”

She took my hand, entwining her fingers in mine. Pulling me towards her, we both sat back on the bed. We sat in silence for a long time. I wasn’t sure how long it was because my mind was racing. Kaylee seemed to have all the patience in the world, sitting silently as I sorted my thoughts. Nothing she said was particularly shocking to me, but it did confirm a lot of her feelings and clue me into her way of thinking. It wasn’t too far from any other girls would be like in her situation. Besides me pretending to have a lackluster sex drive, most relationships were identical to ours.

No, that wasn’t right. Kaylee was offering more. She was entrusting me to be the anchor in her life. She was staking everything on me, her emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. I wouldn’t be the only one for that last part, and I’ll admit that part hurt to hear, but I would forever be a major part of it. A lot of guys never got that option, stuck with being there as the emotional and mental dumping ground while their partner enjoyed the pleasures with other men. I refused to be one of those guys. Even if it was Kaylee, I couldn’t subject myself to that. But that wasn’t what Kaylee was offering. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t everything that I wanted, but I could only think of Ms. Kim’s English class freshmen year. “Don’t let perfect become the enemy of good.”

Was that good enough? My gut told me it was. Uncomfortable as some things were, I was still here wasn’t I? I knew how many people she’d slept with. I’d watched her with three of them. For two of them, I was nothing more than a friend to her. Yet I chose to date her anyway, knowing that she wouldn’t stop. Kaylee wanted someone to build something special with, and she was choosing me. Not Sean. Not Adam. Not Jackson or any of the other guys she’d been with. Me.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was a damn step better than nothing at all.

“I care about you too,” I finally managed. She gave me a beaming smile. “I have for a long time. I can’t say that you being with other guys won’t make me jealous.” Her smile slipped a bit. “Maybe that will change in the future, maybe it won’t. But when you asked if I wanted to be your boyfriend, I said yes knowing everything that would come with it. I don’t regret saying yes then, and I don’t now.”

Her hand tightened around mine. Her smile made my heart flutter. “You can tell me no too. I’m used to having sex whenever I’m horny, which is admittedly a lot. I’m an idiot for expecting that to stay the same. I don’t want you to feel pressured to always tell me it’s okay. I won’t die if I’m not instantly satisfied whenever I’m a little horny. And if this whole thing with Sean is bothering you, I’ll stop. With anyone, actually. If you feel uncomfortable with me being with someone, let me know and I’ll walk away.” I nodded.

She hesitated, trying to gauge the mood. After several seconds of gnawing at her lower lip, she gave me a teasing bump with her shoulder, voice quiet but playful. “I don’t have to stop sleeping with Sean though, do I? I mean, I totally will but…” She shifted anxiously before committing. “He is really good in bed and doesn’t linger like a lot of other guys.” When I didn’t answer right away, her smile started to falter.

“If that’s what it will take to stop you from beating me in my sleep, it’s a price I’m willing to pay.”

She blinked a few times as I smiled. I could see the tension she’d been carrying fade. “Ass. I said I was sorry.”

I leaned in for a kiss only to receive a smack in the face as her palm hit my lips and nearly smashed my nose. Surprised and a little hurt, I backed away to find her hand still in place. She was physically leaning the opposite way so far, she was almost lying on the bed. Stunned, I felt fear creep over me.

“Uh…” she said, looking embarrassed. “No kissing until you brush your teeth. Or mouthwash. We have some in the bathroom up here.”

“What?”

“I hate morning breath,” she said, not moving from her extreme angle. She had quite the upper body strength because she wasn’t actually touching the bed for support.

I huffed a few times into my free hand and gave it a sniff. “Smells fine.”

“Don’t care. Wash or you get nothing from me.”

I pretended to pout. “First you don’t show me the goods. Now you deny me a kiss?” Looking over at her, a smile crept over my face. I felt her hand try to slide out from mine. I gripped it tightly.

“Don’t you dare.” The glare she gave me promised murder. “Don’t you fucking dare, Scott. I swear to—” The problem with her leaning so far was it was easy to pin her against the bed. She fought me the entire way as I showered her face in short pecks. “No! No! Ew, stop! Scott! Stop!” Even though she was fighting me, I could tell her heart wasn’t in it, which only encouraged me. The kiss she gave me ended any doubts I might have had. I was a bit worried I might be crushing her since I was lying against her. She didn’t complain as we kissed for several long seconds. Breaking contact with her lips, I moved down to her jaw before working towards her neck.

“I hate you,” she whispered as my lips pressed against her smooth skin. Her hatred didn’t seem to last long as she tilted her head to give me better access to her neck. The smell of her soap overwhelmed me as I slowed my kisses, enjoying the feel of her warm skin against my lips. Spreading my lips slightly, I let my tongue brush against her skin as I made my way down her neck until I was against the fabric of her shirt.

“Scott.” Her voice was a soft moan as I felt her body tense below me. “Scott, you need to stop.”

Sensing the seriousness in her voice, I complied immediately. Looking up, I found her with a torn expression on her face. I was a bit surprised to see the effect just that had on her. Face flushed, she looked at me with hungry eyes, wet lips parted slightly.

“Something wrong?”

“You have no idea what you do to me,” she said in a breathless whisper. “I could barely stop myself last night. If you don’t stop here, you are responsible for the consequences.” I knew what she meant. Either I would have to take care of her, or she would find someone who would. Nodding, I gave her a kiss on the lips before rolling off her. She wasn’t content with that. Pushing my shoulder, she got me on my back before stretching out over me. With her head against my chest and my arms wrapped around her, we laid there in comforting silence. We were interrupted sometime later when my stomach grumbled unhappily reminding me that it had been promised food earlier. She looked up, a smile on her face.

“I guess I did mention something about feeding you earlier.” She slapped my chest. “Come on,” she said before rolling out of bed with unfair energy. Sluggishly, I followed her out the door.