Watching you sleep

Bella’s even breathing told me she had finally fallen asleep. I let out a relieved breath. I knew I had taken it too far, and of course she had done nothing to stop me. I could tell she had been surprised at first, when I started “illustrating the benefits of the bed”, but it did not take her long to get over it, and start playing along. I knew how disappointed she was every time I pulled away, and this time was no exception. It took all the self-control I had to tell her no when she tried to talk me into going on. The thought of doing just that crossed my mind, not for the first time, but I managed to push it back.

Now Bella was asleep, curled up in my arms with her head resting on my chest. I thought back to the first time I had spent a night with her, sitting in the other end of the room, just watching her. My thoughts then went to the first night we’d spent like this, with me holding her. The night after our first day at the meadow. The night she said she loved me. I couldn’t help smiling to myself, while I reveled in the memory of that perfect day.

A lot had happened since then, and we had both changed. I guess I had to give myself some credit – after all, I had come a far way since that first time in the meadow, when Bella had had me running by making a few sudden movements. And I was sure that my family was surprised – the same girl who had made me run away to Alaska by doing nothing more than sitting next to me in class was now lying in my arms, in my bed. In our bed. That thought brought the smile back to my face.

Bella murmured something in her sleep, and then whispered my name. I stroked a lock of hair away from her eyes, and shifted slightly so that I could look at her beautiful face. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping. I suddenly realized that staring at someone when they were sleeping could probably be classified as creepy behavior, but I did not care, so I didn’t stop.

Ever since the beginning, I had loved watching Bella sleep. Sitting with her, holding her while she was a million miles away, dreaming about things I could only try to guess. It was so peaceful; Bella’s room had felt like the only calm place in an otherwise chaotic world. It was like nothing existed outside the four walls that surrounded us.

I continued stroking Bella’s hair, watching her, listening to her slow breathing. As I had so many times before, I marveled at how this strange, brave girl had come into my life, and how she had fallen in love with me. It seemed to defy all sense and logic; after all, there were many more reasons for her to fear me, even hate me, than love me, and yet, here she was. I had been waiting for her to run away, screaming, but she hadn’t. And even I had to admit that that looked less and less likely with every passing day.

Rays of sunlight were slowly creeping across the floor. Soon they reached the edge of the bed, and after a little while, the sun in her eyes caused Bella to stir and awake. She yawned, and looked up at me, her eyes still cloudy with sleep.

“Hello, there,” she said, and smiled up at me.

“Good morning, Bella. I trust you slept well?”

Her only response was a wicked smile, and she then started kissing my neck.