Chapter 7: Morning After

The sunlight streaming through the window was like a slap in the face, jolting me awake and bringing with it a wave of reality that I wasn't ready to face. I turned to my side, my eyes adjusting to the bright light, and that's when I saw Jake, fast asleep, his chest rising and falling with each breath. His eyes were relaxed, his eyelids fluttering slightly as he dreamed, and for a moment, I just watched him, taking in the sight of him in all his vulnerable glory. As I lay there, I couldn't help but think about what had happened the night before. We had crossed a line, a line that I had been trying to avoid, but somehow, Jake had managed to sweep me off my feet and pull me under. I thought back to the way he had looked at me, the way he had touched me, and I felt a flutter in my chest. I gently reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of his face, my fingers grazing his skin. He stirred, his eyes fluttering open, and when they locked onto mine, I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body. "Morning," he whispered, his voice husky from sleep. I smiled, feeling a little shy, but also a little more at ease. "Morning," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. We lay there for a moment, just looking at each other, the tension between us palpable. Then, Jake sat up, his movements fluid, and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I'll go make some coffee," he said, his eyes never leaving mine. I nodded, still feeling a little dazed, as he got out of bed and walked out of the room. I lay there for a moment, trying to process everything that had happened. We had slept together, and it had been incredible, but now, we had to deal with the aftermath. As I lay there, I heard the sound of the coffee maker brewing in the kitchen, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted into the room. I got out of bed, feeling a little more awake, and began to get dressed. When I walked into the kitchen, Jake was sitting at the table, a cup of coffee in front of him. "Hey," he said, looking up at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners. I smiled, feeling a little more at ease, and sat down across from him. "Hey," I replied, reaching for the coffee pot. As we sat there, sipping our coffee, I couldn't help but wonder what came next. We had crossed a line, and there was no going back. The question was, what did we do now?