Title: Cuddles in the Morning
Characters: Michelle Dessler/Tony Almeida
Rating: PG-13
Summary: "Trust me, Tony, you're definitely not easy."
Author's Notes: This is a follow up to 'Toe-Curling Kisses' and it follows the theme of 'cuddles' where the first one was 'kisses'. Slight spoilers for season 2.
He might be good at giving hugs, and she might be good at making his toes curl with her kisses, but they were equally good at what came next. After pulling her away from the sink, they finished their movie in a clinch on the couch. Neither of them could speak to what the movie was about, though.
After the credits rolled and the DVD menu reappeared, he brushed her hair away from her face, twisting his fingers in her curls as he pulled her closer and kissed her once more.
"Stay tonight?"
She looked over at the TV as if trying to gain insight from the persistent looping montage of scenes from a movie they didn't actually watch.
"Are you sure?"
He nodded, kissing her nose lightly. "I'm sure."
"I don't want you thinking I'm easy," she demurred teasingly.
Tony barked a laugh, letting her insinuate her knee between his. "I won't if you won't."
"Trust me, Tony, you're definitely not easy."
"What's that mean? Huh?" he asked playfully, sliding his hand from her stomach to her waist and poking.
"It means," she drawled. "It means I'm glad you've jumped in with both feet."
"Me too." He answered finally, reaching an arm out to grasp for his wine glass. Michelle took it away and stole a sip, which made him fake a sigh.
"Mine is too far away!" she insisted over the rim of the glass. She giggled when, because of her reclined position, a trickle of wine ran down her chin. Tony's head ducked, and he helpfully cleaned her face up, sucking the liquid from her chin.
"You changed the subject," he observed, curling his hand around the back of her neck and drawing her lips to within a hair of his own. "I want you to stay, Michelle."
"I want to stay," she agreed.
He kissed her lightly.
"I've got pancakes, waffles, fruit, bacon, eggs-"
"What?"
"Breakfast. What do you think you'll want?"
"Dessert," she answered, grinning teasingly and tilting her face forward to catch his lips.
They woke in the same position they had fallen asleep in, curled up together in the middle of his bed. The slight differences in their height came in handy for making sure they fit together, and he couldn't believe how well he'd slept with her nestled into his side. He hadn't ever been one to stay cuddled up after sex, but with Michelle, he couldn't imagine not holding her.
Without opening his eyes, Tony smoothed his hand down her back and turned his head to kiss any part of her that his lips could reach. Michelle hummed, brushing her foot over his. Her hand twitched against his chest and her thin, delicate fingers began to trace the curve of his pectoral. He covered her hand with his own, squeezing lightly.
"Morning."
"Mmm, morning," she echoed, pressing her face into his neck. Michelle kissed the underside of his jaw, gently nuzzling his skin with her nose.
"Hey," he called, cupping the back of her head. Michelle glanced up, grinning.
"You're gorgeous."
She colored and hid her face. "So're you," she murmured into his chest.
"We're not getting up, right?"
Michelle looked up again and shook her head. "Not for another hour or two, at least."
"Ambitious," he teased, leaning down to nip at her mouth. Michelle's tongue snaked out to lick his lip before she pulled away.
"Stay like this?"
He nodded, folding his arms around her more tightly as she squirmed to get comfortable against his chest. He must have nodded off, because he woke again to find her leaning against the headboard, wearing his discarded polo shirt and sipping coffee from his Cubs mug.
"You're lucky I like you," he announced, rolling over and draping his arm across her shins. "Not even my mother uses that cup when she stays here."
Snickering, Michelle dropped her hand into his hair, lightly massaging his scalp.
"Well, thiswas for you, but the aroma failed to wake you up, apparently, and I couldn't let it go to waste." She smiled, handing the half-full mug down to him. Tony kissed her knee.
"Thanks, sweetheart."
He realized that she probably would hate his silly pet name, but instead she just kept sifting her hand through his hair, doing her best to tame his bed head. He breathed deeply, resting his cheek on her silky leg.
"You're prickly."
"You always say that about me."
"I usually don't mean it," she teased, taking the mug from his hand and setting it on his bedside table. Squirming, she scrunched down against the pillows. In response, he slid underneath her shirt and moved up her body, smoothing his lips across her stomach and up between her breasts. When his head poked through the top, she giggled.
"You look silly."
"It's my shirt, Michelle. I'm being magnanimous for sharing. Although, I think I'm going to wear all my clothes with you in them from now on."
"Might get some funny looks at work."
"They're just jealous."
Michelle's laugh warmed him to the core and he found himself nuzzling his face into her messy curls. She'd warned him that her hair was barely controlled chaos in the morning, and he was amused to see that she hadn't been lying; and to him, she was more attractive right now than she'd ever been.
He felt her hands in his hair, gently turning his face toward hers. Silently, she kissed him.
"You said something about breakfast, Tony?"
"Mmm hmm. You want anything in particular?"
"Mmm hmm," she nodded, kissing his jaw lightly. He felt her leg shift, and he settled into the cradle of her hips. "And then I want pancakes."
Sliding his arms under her shoulders and bringing her chest closer to him, he pecked at her mouth.
"That we can do."
When he finally left bed, throwing on his boxers despite Michelle's helpful attempts at the opposite, he contemplated what to do next. Should he be the good boyfriend – lover? Date? Whatever – and bring her breakfast in bed? In the end, he chose to haul her out, covering her once more with his shirt amidst the kisses she insisted on stealing. Silently, he drew her into the kitchen, wanting the company as he cooked. Company Michelle was happy to provide, because she stayed stuck to his side while he worked.
As he flipped her pancakes, she squeezed his torso gently, kissing his cheek.
"Not bad for a second date, huh?"
Squeezing her shoulders, he murmured his agreements into her hair.
"Yeah, I think I'll keep you."
He met Michelle's smile with one of his own and nodded.
"Good, then its unanimous."
END.