Chapter 24
The blare of the alarm startled Olivia awake with a jolt. Haphazardly swatting at the noise on her nightstand, finally disarming the shrill as quiet enveloped the room. Since Sam had refused to leave her side since Jensen arrived with the news of his father, she had gotten the distinct privilege of sleeping in his arms every night. Since then, she had realized a few things: One, he slept like the dead - it would take a bomb to wake him. Seriously though, she had no idea how the man woke up at a reasonable hour on his own, never having heard her alarm go off once during the past few mornings. Two, he was a cuddler. Before falling asleep each night, he wrapped his arms around her protectively, caging her into him and the bed. Which she couldn’t get enough of. And three, now that she’s slept beside him more than once, she can’t see herself sleeping without him ever again.
Wanting to lay beside him lazily all day isn’t an option today - with the long list of 4th of July preparations to take care of before the massive fireworks show later this evening.
Squeezing Sam’s hand that was interlocked with hers on the bed, she turned herself in his arms so she was facing him rather than in the spooning position they woke up in. Tracing feather light kisses up his chest to his jawline, a husky growl escaped his lips as he slowly opened his eyes and planted a sweet kiss on her shoulder.
Looking into his piercing green eyes, she brushed back his hair from his forehead and smiled. “You are the most beautiful man I have ever seen.” A slight flush touched his olive cheeks as he bent down to kiss her slowly on the mouth. “Good morning to you, too,” she returned dazedly.
“I like waking up next to you,” he whispered as he lazily kissed each one of her fingertips.
“Yeah?” she choked out, trying to get her heart rate under control.
“Mmhmm,” he murmured as he started to make his way down her arm. Feeling her toes start to curl in anticipation of what she wanted to happen next, her snooze alarm shrilled from the bedside table and they each let out a simultaneous groan.
Shutting the alarm off once and for all, she flopped back down on the bed and turned to face Sam. He was laying on his side, his head in his hand as he lay propped on his elbow. Searching her eyes, he wondered to himself how he went so many years without her, but also felt as if he had spent every day of his life with her. No one had ever known his heart like her, and he had only ever felt completely himself in her presence. Looking down at this beautiful, passionate, heartbreakingly wonderful woman, he made a vow to himself to live every day of his life doing his best to make her happy.
Scrunching her nose at him, she nudged his arm. “You look like you’re working out something pretty serious in that brain of yours.”
“Oh I am,” he said seriously.
“Do tell,” she said dramatically, fluttering her eyelashes at him.
“Just that you have the world’s worst morning breath I have ever encountered in my entire life,” he said, full of sincerity.
Feigning a horrified gasp, she smacked him right in the stomach before clamping her hand over her mouth. “Oh my gosh! Sam Callahan! That is so rude! Why would you tell me that? I was going to politely ignore the fact that you snore. But in the spirit of being honest, I thought I was sleeping with a bear all night long.”
Dramatically clutching his heart with both hands, he fell back against the pillows. “Ouch, my pride is ruined! And here I thought I slept as soundly as a baby,” he joked as she mounted him.
“I’d rather go to bed with a bear, I hear they are quite aggressive in protecting their loved ones,” she said as she kissed him tauntingly on the mouth.
“Hmm, you know what would make it up to me?” He asked her in between kisses. “If you took a shower with me.”
Her eyes lighting up, she planted one more long, languid kiss on his lips with a smile. “Lead the way, Callahan.”
Finishing before her, Sam slipped out of the shower to make coffee while Olivia finished getting ready for the day. Despite the events ten years ago, 4th of July was still her favorite holiday, even though it had taken her a few years to get that joy back. So keeping with the red, white, and blue tradition, she pulled on her favorite denim blue cut off shorts, a white Keller Campground t-shirt, and finished it off with red converse sneakers. Giving herself a final once over in the mirror, she headed down the hallway towards the aroma of brewing coffee.
Rounding the corner, she was stopped in her tracks by the sight in her kitchen, making her fall a little more in love with Sam Callahan. To start, he was shirtless. His taut back muscles rippled as his arms moved about the fruit he was prepping. His jeans sat on his hips as if they were a second skin, hugging his body in all the right places. A vision of them cooking together in this kitchen years in the future flooded her mind, and her heart squeezed at the thought of being able to keep him forever.
Walking up behind him, sliding her arms around his bare waist, she could feel his abs clench as she planted a gentle kiss on his bare back. “Smells good. Need any help?”
Smacking a kiss on the top of her head, he smiled down at her. “Nope. Watch and learn, Young Skywalker.”
She stepped back and watched as he cleared his throat theatrically and gave her the most devastatingly adorable wink. He then effortlessly gave the pan a quick flick of his wrist as she watched in awe as a beautifully golden omelet flipped to perfection in the middle of the pan. With a stunned look, she let out a laugh.
“Where on Earth did you learn to do that, Obi Wan?” She inhaled the scent as she brought the plate he handed her up to her nose.
“We have a small kitchen at the Center. I’ve picked up a few things.”
He followed her to the barstools that sat at the kitchen counter. As they sat their plates down, she made her way to the cabinet, pulled out two coffee cups and filled them. Finding her place next to Sam at the counter, they laughed as they both took a sip of their coffee and let out an identical sigh at the same time.
“Is it weird that it feels so natural? Waking up in the same bed and having breakfast together?” Olivia asked as she dug into the first bite of her omelet. Which was absolutely delicious by the way.
Taking another sip of his coffee, holding his cup for a moment, he mulled over his answer before setting it back down on the counter. “I think the reason why it feels so natural is because you were always a deeper part of me. Everything with you just makes sense, it always has. Even though I found myself in new routines over the years, it always felt as if I could never get my footing on solid ground. And I think it’s because I was missing my foundation. You. I could never be completely steady until I had you. And despite all the shit going on around us, I feel the most secure I ever have.”
Looking at him from over the rim of her coffee cup, tears begin to prick the back of her eyes. Putting her hand on his muscular thigh, she gently placed a kiss on his cheek. “You’re my missing piece, and now that you’re here, I finally feel whole.”
Feeling the weight of what was upon them, he held her gaze and wouldn’t let it go. “You know I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I’m not going to let anything come between us now that I’ve found you again.” His eyes pleading.
Gently resting her palms on his cheek, she gave him a reassuring smile. “I know. You’ve always protected me, even when you were away. Nothing is going to come between us this time.”
Leaning over, he gave her a long, slow kiss on the lips, followed by one on the forehead. Sharing smiles that were laced with a little of apprehension, they finished their breakfast in companionable silence, before tackling the day that was seared in their memories. Holding on to every bit of hope they had, desperately praying that history wouldn’t repeat what happened ten years ago.