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CHAPTER TEN
Waking up,I don't open my eyes right away. My eyelids are heavy, and my body is sore, but I can't help but smile when I remember why. I feel for Juliet, sliding my arm beside me, but I'm met with cool sheets instead.
I shoot up and peer around the room, blinking rapidly to try and clear the hazy fog of sleep. For a moment, everything is quiet and still. The bathroom light is on, but the door is open, and she isn't inside.
Immediately, my stomach sinks. I knew better last night than letting her fall asleep after dropping such a bomb, but she seemed good and not taken aback. Clearly, I was wrong, though.
I let myself fall back into my bed and bring my hands to my face. I'm trying to think how well she would take it if I just showed up at her house, but my thoughts are interrupted by metal banging together downstairs. Throwing my legs over the edge of my bed, I stand and wrap the sheet around my waist, then pad to the landing of the stairs.
I can't see into the kitchen from here, but I can see a shadow spilling onto the floor from the light pouring out of the doorway. I start down the stairs slowly, hoping this isn't some fucked up dream.
I see Juliet's body wrapped tightly in my throw blanket from the couch when I reach the threshold. I lean against the jamb and watch her as she pulls pots and pans from below the cabinet and silently curses herself when they clammer to hard granite.
With her eyes positioned down, she doesn't even notice me. She opens the fridge before pulling out a package of bacon, some eggs, and a jug of orange juice. I tip my head, cross my arms over my chest, and continue watching her.
She pads back to the counter, sets everything down, and then grabs a skillet and two eggs from the carton. Finally, she spins back to the stove and lays it on the burner, clutching the eggs in her other hand.
The familiar tick, tick, tick sounds out as she turns the dial to start the burner. "Whatcha' making?"
She jumps, throws her hands in the air, and lets go of the eggs. They fly behind her then land in a shattered, gooey mess on the floor. "Fuck!"
I can't help but laugh. Seeing her so genuinely her— clumsy and chaotic— inside my place, wearing a blanket as clothes makes me so fucking happy.
She spins around to face me, and her cheeks are a bright red. "You can't sneak up on me like that, Reed."
I hold up my hands in mock surrender. "I'm sorry. I assumed you would have noticed me by now," I laugh.
She raises a brow and places her hand on her popped hip. "Yeah? Well, I assumed you'd be asleep for a while."
I step further inside the kitchen and round the counter. "I woke up, and you were gone. Thought I had scared you off," I say, wrapping my arms around her.
She scoffs and drapes her arms around my waist. "I'm not so easily startled."
"The eggs on the floor say otherwise," I chuckle.
Pulling away, she peers up at me through her lashes. "Shut up. That's different."
I smirk. "Oh?"
She rolls her eyes then pushes me away. "Go sit down. I'm making us breakfast."
I let out another laugh then move to the barstool on the other side of the counter. For a minute, I get lost in watching her. She moves around so effortlessly, like she belongs here with me. She sways around the kitchen silently, and normally something like that would feel awkward— being in someone's presence without talking— but with her, it feels… easy.
"Can we talk about last night?" I ask, finally breaking the small amount of silence that seemed to envelop us.
She grips the edge of the counter and hangs her head for a moment before taking a deep breath and turning to me. "Listen, love is a big word, and I don't think we're there yet."
"Yet? Does that mean this isn't ending?"
She shrugs. "I don't know," she smiles.
"Don't torture me, Juliet," I all but beg.
She steps closer to the counter, separating us. "What did I say last night?"
I raise a brow and start ticking things off on my fingers. "Please don't stop, fuck Reed, I want you—"
"I'm serious!" She whines.
