But there was a reason my body was innately drawn to him, and I wanted to figure out why. I wanted to figure it out before he dropped me off at home, and I never saw him again.
I reluctantly pulled myself from the heater and walked over toward my phone. I was ecstatic to see that it was fully charged, but then, I started giggling. My eyes took in what time it actually was, and my giggle soon grew to laughter. He was going to be so pissed when I told him the time, especially since I was wide awake and ready for a very long, very hot shower.
“What?” he asked. “What time is it?”
“Oh, man, you’re gonna hate this,” I said.
“Abby. What time is it?”
“You’re gonna wish I was still singing once I tell you,” I said.
“Abby, this isn’t funny.”
“Oh, yes it is.”
“Tell me what the damn time is,” he said, sighing.
“It’s three in the morning,” I said, laughing.
Groaning, he rolled over in bed and pulled the covers over his head. I put my hand over my mouth, trying to stifle the laughter pouring from my body. Any relaxing stretching he’d tried to do to wake himself up was promptly replaced by the tense man I’d come to know him to be. I heard him grumbling underneath the covers while he tried to shield himself from the lights, and it only served to fuel my laughter. We were practically opposites, and it was becoming comical to me. I was always seeing the good in a situation, and he was always seeing the bad in a situation. The entire thing tickled me to my core, and by the time I could get my laughter under control, I had to blot at the tears threatening to run down my cheeks.
“Would you be interested to know that it’s no longer snowing, either?” I asked.
I watched him toss the covers off his body before he sat up and looked at me. The dazed look on his face forced me to bite down onto my lip. The man was absolutely exhausted. There was no way we were getting on the road right now. But I knew he’d be upset with me if I didn’t inform him that the one thing he’d been waiting for had finally happened.
“See for yourself,” I said.
Slinging his feet over the side of the bed, he got up and padded over to the window. He was still having trouble keeping his eyes open, and his body was teetering with exhaustion. He looked like a kid who was wanting to stay up and usher Santa into the house. Even while he stood at the window, I could see him swaying, and I knew in that very moment we weren’t going anywhere.
It was dark outside, but I could see that little glimmer of hope rising in his face. I knew the moment I told him, he’d want to get back onto the road, but someone had to break it to him. Either I was driving, or we were going back to sleep.
“Finally, we can get going,” he said.
Then, a massive yawn peeled from between his lips.
“Uh huh,” I said as I walked over to shut off the lights. “And who’s driving?”
“I am. I’m an excellent… night… driver…”
Another yawn stunted his statement, and all I could do was shake my head. I crawled back into bed and stuffed myself underneath the covers. I could feel the excitement of the revelations already draining from my body, and as my head hit the pillow, I prepared myself for another argument.
But instead, I felt the bed dip beside me before Colin climbed back in.
“Wow,” I said. “No argument or anything. I must’ve done something good in a prior life.”
“Just a couple more hours,” he said. “Then, we hit the road.”
“Sounds good, captain.”
That was the last thing I remembered before my eyes fluttered open again. The sun was pouring through the window that was no longer covered, and it hurt my eyes to try and open them. I could feel Colin’s arms wrapped around my body, and my back was pressed flush into his chest. Even though the sun was hurting my eyes, I didn’t want to get up. His hand had found its way underneath my shirt, and it was splayed across my stomach, rising and falling with the breaths I was taking.
His touch set me on fire.
His breath was pulsing against my neck while he slept soundly behind me. Tonight, I’d be home and with my parents. Tonight, I’d be rehashing the past six months of my life while I cried into a cup of my father’s homemade hot chocolate. Tonight, I’d fall asleep alone instead of with a man wrapped around my skin.
I had to admit that sleeping next to Colin made me feel more secure.
But the truth of the matter was that this was temporary. It always had been. I’d relegated myself to having a bit of fun before I had to face reality again. Before I had to start over and rebuild with nothing but the clothes on my back and the few other things I could stuff into my suitcases. The holidays this year
