“Fuck.” Michael threw back the covers, burying me in them.
Even drowning in blankets, I was aware that he flicked the light off. “You turn the light off now? What is even
the point?”
He didn’t answer. I watched him stumble around the foot of the bed and bend over to get my phone. He turned off the alarm, which was a relief, I had to admit. He tossed the phone on the nightstand carelessly.
“Be careful, you’ll break my screen.”
“I’ll buy you a new one.”
I was about to reprimand him when he climbed back into bed and lay on top of me like I wasn’t even there. “Michael, get off of me!”
“No. You’re very cozy.” He nuzzled his head into my chest.
I laughed, shoving at him. “Stop. Is this what marriage to you is like, you take the whole bed? This isn’t selling it.”
“What’s yours is mine.” He gave me a sleepy and ridiculously charming smile. “I like being close to you.”
“There such a thing as too close.”
“I completely disagree.” But he did roll off of me. “Why are we up so early?”
“Because I have to get dressed and commute to work now. I want to be there by eight. That’s my normal start time.”
“You need two and a half hours to get to Washington Heights?”
“Pretty much. I need a shower, to get dressed, grab coffee, take the train.” I flung the covers off of me. “I’ll see you tonight. By the way, I think we need an app that allows us to turn the heat down at night, but then turns back up at like five in the morning. It’s bloody cold in this room.”
Michael rolled over and watched me, paying particular attention to my chest. “I can tell.”
He reached out and touched my taut nipple. I slapped his hand. “Down. Have a good day.” I gave him a kiss, despite being a little concerned about bad breath.
He tried to take more kisses and to hold me in the bed, but I wiggled free. By the time I got out of the shower, he was sleeping again. So Michael was not a morning person. I made a mental note of that.
As I stepped outside in the brisk morning air, the street still dark, I shivered beneath my puffer coat. How long until my lease with Javier was up? Five and a half months. I was either going to be back in London by then or I would still be with Michael, in which case I needed an office closer to SoHo. There was nothing fun about being in the cold in the dark, crowded on the train. I was officially spoiled.
Once I got off the train, I still had a ten-minute walk, so I checked the time. It wasn’t even seven thirty yet. I figured the only one of my friends who might be awake would be Savannah. I shot her a text. You up? Can you chat?
Sure, just feeding the baby.
I hit call and put my headphones in my ears.
“Hi!” she said, sounding very cheerful for so early in the morning. “How are you?”
“Feeling very pissy and like a straight-up diva. How do people commute every day? It’s freezing and early and my coffee got cold after two stops on the train.”
“Get coffee when you get off the train. I agree, though. Commuting is not fun. We’re very fortunate.”
“I’m a recluse, but that’s better than this.”
“How was your first night living with the good doctor?”
“We slept with the bedroom light on because we were both too stubborn to get out of bed and turn it off, so we’re off to a rousing start.”
Savannah laughed. “That is ridiculous.”
“I realize that.” I buried my hands deeper into my pockets. “I also realize that given half a chance, I might fall in love with Michael.”