The sun is just peekingover the horizon when I wake up. Streaks of light set the early morning sky ablaze with bright pink and orange, casting a warm glow on everything in the room.
I stretch out and yawn, taking a moment to savor the feeling of the sun’s heat on my skin.
It’s a beautiful morning. In fact, I don’t remember a day more beautiful.
Everything feels new and fresh.
Except my body that’s been ravaged for days.
Standing from the bed, I walk to the window and open the curtains a bit more, letting the sunshine in. The warm light feels good on my skin. I stand there for a moment, just basking in the morning’s glow.
Gideon stirs in the bed, and I turn to see him watching me with a sleepy smile on his face.
“Good morning, firefly,” he says, reaching out his arms and beckoning for me to join him in the bed.
It’s so surreal how normal this all feels. How right.
I walk over and crawl into his arms, snuggling close. “Good morning,” I whisper before closing my eyes. We lie quietly together, just enjoying being in each other’s arms.
Time passes in peace and comfort until Gideon breaks the silence sometime later. “I don’t want to get up.”
I laugh softly. “Then don’t.”
He shrugs sheepishly. “I haven’t left this room in three days,” he says. “It’s hard to get anything done when I know you’re in here.”
I nod in understanding. “I’ll stop being a distraction, then.” I start to get up, but Gideon stops me.
“Not yet,” he groans. “A few more minutes.”
I smile and settle back into his arms. “Okay,” I whisper. “Just a few more minutes.”
An hour later, we’re still lying in bed.
I can’t stop thinking about how we spent the last few days.
A whirlwind of sex. Followed by cuddling and not much more.It’s funny to think how much has changed.
Only a little over a month ago, I loathed this man.Wanted to see him rot in the deepest part of hell.
When I first met him, I thought he was someone else entirely. I realize that he isn’t the man I thought he was. The truth is, even then, even in the beginning, he was looking out for me.
He’s protective.
He’s given me everything I’ve asked for and more.
And I fought him at every turn.
Things shifted a long time ago, my views of him changing with every little gesture. Every olive branch he extended. But it really changed the night at the theater.
I remember the way I felt playing the cello that night. The music didn’t come to me right away because I was too inside my own head. When it did, it was strained. But then Gideon touched me, and it was beautiful. I felt so connected to it. When I play, it’s like nothing else in the world matters.
It’s just the music and me.
I often lose myself in the music, allowing it to transport me to a place where I feel completely at peace. It’s a piece of heaven that I can always go back to, no matter what is happening in my life.
Gideon is bringing it back to me.
He encourages me. With him beside me, I feel like I might just be able to play in front of a crowd one day.