7
STONE
Iwonder if she knows how peaceful she looks when she’s sleeping.
Even though I woke up half an hour ago, Harlow is still in a deep slumber. I’m sitting up in bed, admiring the sun streaming in, even though I can tell that clouds will arrive soon. Maybe it’s the morning light that makes her appear softer and striking.
This isn’t me. Not in the slightest. Going slow. Is that what we’re even doing? Are we heading somewhere, or are we just friends who have an elevation of something more? Either way, I’m not used to any of this. I’m the guy who has dated with clothes off on date one, and normally by date two, we’ve upgraded it to more provocative physical activities, and date four or five, I let her loose to avoid attachment from their side.
But now, I’m drawn to Harlow and apparently have patience and a side of me that’s gentler than my persona would suggest or than I believed possible.
Harlow begins to stir and groan as she wakes up and stretches her arms over her head. I wonder if she realizes a smile is fixed on her mouth. Her heavy lids begin to lift until her eyes open.
It takes a few seconds, but then she soaks in her surroundings and shoots up in bed.
“Morning.” I have to smirk because maybe she forgot I was here.
Harlow adjusts her body until she’s looking at me. “Morning,” she rasps, and her smile changes to one of more ease and euphoria. “How long have you been up?”
“Not long. You were out like a light.”
Her face puzzles. “I was?”
“The whole night. I woke up a few times. That pillow should be burned for what it does to people’s necks,” I explain as I begin to massage the back of my neck.
“I slept? The… whole night?” she whispers.
“Yeah.”
Harlow’s eyes widen slightly. “I slept a whole night,” she repeats to herself, almost as if this is profound.
My hands splay out. “See? I kept my promise.” Our eyes lock, and a bittersweetness shades across her face before her smile widens.
“It’s been a while. And I feel… rested.”
I slide off the bed, energized. “Good. Shall we order some breakfast?” I’m unsure if I should let her ponder on the significance of this moment or keep her mind occupied. Turning the television on, it opens to the hotel channel, and I quickly use the remote to get to the room service menu. For some reason, I don’t want her to overthink this. Maybe it only brings up everything she wants to forget. “Croissants and fruit if we want continental. Eggs and bacon, even fake bacon, if we want to go all out. Ooh, oat pancakes. I bet you love those.”
Harlow makes her way out from the covers, clearly content to start her day this way. “You’re right. Oat pancakes sound great.”
“Perfect. I’ll order us some things, and I will quickly head to my room to get dressed, unless you don’t want to be alone.”
She chuckles. “It’s fine, you can disappear for a little bit. Ah, you actually made a reservation here.”
“I wasn’t going to assume anything.”
“You just deliver apples. And yeah, sounds like a plan.”
We stare at one another, realizing that we entered a new realm. At least for Harlow. Me? I’m still kind of in shock that I’m in a patient state and wish I could make all her bad thoughts vanish, so I’ll just try.
Harlow’s lips twitch, and her eyes tell me that she’s thankful.
I nod once before I head out.
By the time we’re sitting around the table in her room eating a breakfast that admittedly is more food than we probably need, I want to plan the rest of the day.
“What’s on the agenda for today?” I ask.
A sound from the back of her throat escapes. “I don’t know. I wasn’t expecting you, remember?”
