Last night I slept at my desk. I woke up to the morning sun dancing on my face. I picked up my head and squinted my eyes at the brightness. I sat upright and stretched my back and neck, grasping what was in front of me. I arranged the scattered papers on the desk, closed my planner whose pages were fluttering at the mercy of the ceiling fan, and put my dead laptop on charge. I picked up my half-full bottle of water by the foot of my desk as I exited my study room; taking gulps of day-old water from it. The living room clock showed it was nearing six thirty. I was fifteen minutes late from my scheduled wake-up time. I placed the now-empty bottle on the coffee table and strolled into the bedroom.
On the bed, I found her sleeping figure. Her body had almost melted into the fluffy mattress. I could only recognize her at the mercy of her straight black hair sprawled on the bed. With the blanket draped over her body like a mermaid's tail, she looked like a mermaid resting on a rock that had perfectly molded her body. I walked to her side and knelt on the floor, looking at her. I gently touched her small nose followed by her small lips. She stirred in her sleep a little, opening her eyes only a slit. When she was able to gauge my presence, her lips turned into a lazy smile. She scooched just enough for me to squeeze on her side of the bed. There was plenty of space on the other side of the bed but when she expressed her suggestion to join her on her side, I could not deny it. I joined her on the bed and she shared her side of the blanket to cover me as well.
I was sure I was fully awake when I walked out of my study but her tender gestures managed to make me feel drowsy. My mind might as well be getting overwhelmed by her presence. I turned to face her and pulled her close. She nestled in the crook of my neck and immediately dozed off like a cat snoozing off in its favorite spot. I slipped my hands inside her t-shirt on the back and clutched her close to me, burying my nose in her hair as I too drifted off into the dreamland.
I woke up to something heavy pressing on my torso and warm breath fanning my collarbone. I let out a small laugh even before opening my eyes. Gladly, I didn't disturb the huge cat sleeping on me. While I was deep in my slumber, she had climbed on top of me, straddled me at the waist, and rested her face on my chest. I caressed her hair and held her close, letting her warmth soak into my body.
I let my eyes reluctantly gaze at the wall clock on the wall opposite of the bed. I had overslept by one hour. My morning routine was delayed by an hour and fifteen minutes by then.
'Hey, I gotta leave for work.' I whispered into her ear and waited for her to respond.
I was dreading the fact that I would have to leave her. Almost hoping for the time to stop around us.
'Um,' she responded and ever so slowly started to move from being on top to me while I slipped from under her and got out of the bed.
I tucked her nicely back into the bed and proceeded to get done with what I was supposed to do an hour ago. I brushed my teeth and took my usual cold shower with a yearning for her in my arms, I skipped making breakfast and only turned on the coffee maker while I got dressed for work. I drank my coffee as I responded to emails and did my hair.
The urge to hold her and curl up with her on the bed was swelling up in my chest. I did not want to go to work.
Before putting on my shoes, I returned to her and knelt beside her just like I had done earlier. I fixed the hair that was wedged in the dip of her neck and cleared a patch of skin for me to kiss. I leaned in and placed a kiss on her neck below her left ear. The feel of her skin combined with the fluffy mattress gave me a titillating sensation. Surrendering to the overwhelming urge, I gave her a small hickey after the kiss.
She moaned in response and I stood up to leave for work.
~
