Chapter 44: Eye Of The Storm

                                    

                                          
S O P H I E   W I L K I N S
                          
My eyes slowly flutter open as a ray of sunshine pierced through my eyelids. The back of my hand lightly grazes my heavy eyelid and stretches back a bit when it hits something, or should I say someone, behind me. I rotate my head a little and smile at the sight. 
                          
Sleeping peacefully behind me, Andrew's head rests comfortably on the pillow, the back of my head touching his chin. His arm is draped loosely across my waist, and our legs are intertwined underneath the thin blanket. 
                          
I slowly maneuver myself around so that I can face him properly. I brush a fawn piece of hair away from his forehead and place soft kisses on his bare chest in front of me before my lips travel up his neck and to the side of his mouth. 
                          
Andrew stirs from his slumber, and his hand moves down from my waist to my butt, giving it a gentle squeeze. A surge of electricity suddenly flows through me, and a smile spreads across Andrew's cheeks, eyes still shut. I involuntarily mirror his facial expression as my hand comes up to rest on his muscular peck. 
                          
"Morning, baby," I whisper, reaching up to press a tender kiss on his lips. His eyes slowly flutter open and his hand cups my cheek, rubbing his thumb back and forth on the skin under my eye. 
                          
"Morning, Shortcake," he croaks in a low voice, causing me to have a slight shortness of breath. 
                          
He pulls me closer into his chest, wrapping a snug arm around my body while slipping the other arm underneath my neck as my head uses his bicep as a pillow. My body stiffens as I remember that we're both completely naked from the night before, every inch of our bodies pressing against each other. As if sensing my tense state, Andrew chuckles and kisses the start of my hairline on my forehead. 
                          
"Let's stay like this for the rest of the day, yeah?" Andrew states. Before I get the chance to mutter a single word, we hear the front door open. Oh shit. 
                          
Immediately, we swiftly roll away from each other, making my body miss Andrew's warmth, and jump out of my bed. We hurriedly put on our undergarments, and I dig through my drawer of clothes before slipping on Andrew's hoodie and a pair of loose shorts. Andrew buttons up his white long sleeve shirt and slips on his navy pants. 
                          
I run up to the mirror and smooth down the disheveled mess on top of my head, and glance over at Andrew. A tiny strand of hair sticks up at the top of his head, and I smile as I reach up and smooth it down for him. 
                          
As if on cue, a knock emits from my door. Andrew creates some distance between us as he plops down onto my bed, and I stand at the foot of my bed.
                          
The door swings open and my mom's face appears, "Sophie, do you know who's car is out..." she pauses mid-sentence as her eyes land on Andrew. "Oh, hey Andrew." 
                          
"Hi, Ms. Wilkins," he said casually, but his body language doesn't convey the same relaxed tone. 
                          
"So I'm assuming the red car out front belongs to you?" 
                          
"Yup." My mom glances between the both of us, analyzing our uncomfortable postures. An uncomfortable silence lingers in the air before Andrew decides to break the ice. 
                          
"Well, it was nice seeing you again, Ms. Wilkins." Andrew pushes himself off the bed and collects his jacket. A frown grows on my face as I watch him. She gives him a smile and leaves to freshen up. 
                          
"You're leaving already? Why so soon?" I pout disappointedly. 
                          
"My mom told me before I left last night that she needed my help with something after I came home, but I sort of forgot to tell her that I would be staying at your house," he rubs the back of his neck.