This was screaming at me to be written. Since I can't seem to move my own story forward at the moment, I figured I'd dip my feet back into fanfiction waters just for once and upload this little one-shot. Hope I've captured Zoe's personality all right, since I've only recently started watching the show.
Oh, and one more thing... why do I always seem to be rooting for the couple that is apparently never going to happen?!
You in the End.
I watched him after he had fallen back to sleep. The alarm clock ticked to 6:59 AM and I quickly turned it off before the alarm would start beeping. I'd set it at 7:00, because I'd planned an early start at the practice, but now I believed it could wait. I didn't really want to leave. I still couldn't fully grasp the reality of what had happened last night. How I'd run into him at the town square after his apparently horrible date. How we'd somehow ended up getting a drink at the Rammer Jammer, after which he'd offered me a ride home. Had I been wrong to accept it? Probably not. The way he was lying there convinced me that I had absolutely, without a doubt, made the right decision.
He shifted onto his belly and pushed an arm under his pillow. His face was turned toward me. I studied it. His lips were pressed into a straight line, neither smiling nor unhappy. He simply seemed content. I reached out and ran a hand through his matted hair, down his cheek, brushing his nonchalant beard. Although I sort of liked this look on him, I also wanted him to shave. I'd never really liked kissing men with too much facial hair. It tickled. He'd known it last night, the first time our lips had touched since that night in New Orleans. Except this time the timing was better – much better. And I'd ruined it by giggling because his chin tickled my cheek. And then my neck. Although at some point I must've stopped giggling, or he wouldn't be here. Next to me. In my bed. Naked. I peeked underneath the sheets once more and confirmed it. He was definitely naked. Not that I minded.
I ran my hand through his tousled hair and down his neck, wanting to touch him to confirm that this wasn't a dream, yet at the same time scared to wake him. What would he say? Would he be mad because I'd changed my mind? I wouldn't blame him, my mind drove me crazy sometimes. I could never figure out what I wanted. Like yesterday morning, when Lavon had made blueberry pancakes, but I'd sworn to start eating healthier breakfasts... safe to say, I ate three pancakes. Followed by a bowl of watermelon to try and get rid off some of the guilt. My stomach made a noise. All the thinking about pancakes was making me hungry. Maybe I should get up and make us some breakfast. Surely Lavon wouldn't be up yet? I wasn't sure if I was ready for all of Bluebell to know that it had finally happened. Yet I could always ask Lavon to keep it quiet. Or otherwise manipulate him into keeping it quiet. Maybe I could offer to cook breakfast for a week.
My fingers had traveled down his back lightly and across his waist to where it met the sheets. I gave them a little tug and ran my index finger across the little dip in his lower back. It was a feature on male bodies that had somehow always fascinated me. But then he moved, and he mumbled something I couldn't quite make out because it was directed at a pillow. My hand froze in place and I was nervous all of a sudden. Had I woken him up? He turned his head sideways, facing me, and opened his eyes. He looked so sleepy, but there was a cheeky smile on his lips. The kind of cheeky smile I'd come to recognize more easily since last night. Yet I was unsure whether to return it.
"Are you trying to feel me up?"
That brought a grin to my face, I couldn't stop it. "Why? Would you like me to?"
"Can't say I would mind. Come here, Zoe Hart." He pulled me close to him and pressed a kiss to my lips. I suppressed another beard-induced giggle. I was getting better at it. "Have you been watching me sleep?" He asked.
I couldn't lie to him. I never could. Our current state of undress proved that. I nodded my head. "Yes."
"Okay. Well, if this is what we're going to be doing from now on, can I just ask you one thing?"
Just one? Did he think this was all we were going to be doing? Or was he referring to something more? Was I over-analyzing things again? Stop it, Zoe. "Okay."
"Promise not to watch me sleep again?" He brushed a strand of hair from my cheek and looked at me so intently it was starting to make me blush. That confirmed it for me. No guy had ever made me blush just by looking at me. This was right. The timing had, finally, been right.
"I promise, George Tucker."