Wasted Time

The next morning, I woke up to a warm, yet empty bed. Sidney had woken up before me and from the aroma of food coming from downstairs, I could tell he was keeping his end of the deal. Rather than waiting for it in bed, I threw back the blankets and padded down the steps. The t-shirt I wore ended right before my knees and was just long enough to cover my bare butt as I reached up and ran my hands over Sidney's bare shoulders.
"Good morning." He smiled, turning around and laying a kiss on my lips. I kissed back, still hungry from last night.
"Hi." I breathed out, walking to the cabinets and opening all of them, in search for a mug.
"If you would wait for ten minutes, I could make you hot chocolate and we could have a nice breakfast." Sidney laughed, waving the spatula.
"Fine." I sighed, smacking his butt as I walked past him into the kitchen.
"Uncalled for!" He joked, but I waved him off and turned on the TV.
As promised, in ten minutes I was sitting at the dining room table with an omelette and home style potatoes, and hot chocolate. The morning air was crisp, feeling more like fall than anything. As the sun streamed over the lake, the world came to life. Birds chirped, dogs and young kids running up some of the docks nearby. I took it all in, paying minimal attention to Sidney who was trying to hold a conversation with me.
"I'm sorry," I laughed, "It's just so beautiful out there. You get to wake up to that every morning."
"This morning I got to wake up to something even more beautiful." He whispered as he picked up my empty plate.
"You're so cheesy." I laughed, following him into the kitchen.
Sidney placed the dishes in the sink and lifted me up on the counter.
"I'm too tired for another round. " I joked as he stood between my legs, his hands running up my legs. I cupped his face with my hands and rested my forehead on his.
"It's okay, I just wanted to kiss you." He admitted, leaning in and kissing me. His lips were warm and welcoming as I opened my mouth, letting his tongue slip in.
"Yep, definitely a beautiful morning." Sidney smiled when we pulled away. I blushed and dropped my hands from his face, but reached for his that now rested on my hips.
"Sid, how many other girls were you with?" I asked, the question slipping out of my mouth before I realized what I had said. I mean, yes I wanted to know, but way to ruin a great 24 hours. Sidney sighed and stood up straight, taking my hands in his and giving them a reassuring squeeze.
"I'm not using this to justify anything, but I was young, dumb, heartbroken and drunk." He admitted. "The first and second years were the worst. I slept with a girl almost any time we were on the road. I didn't care about them, about myself, I just wanted and hoped to feel something. By the third year, I calmed down. Maybe one or two girls the whole season. The fourth year, I met this one girl and I thought she was what I needed. Being in Pittsburgh with her was one thing, but when I brought her home, I realized that I couldn't fight it anymore and there was never going to be a girl like you."
I let a few tears roll down, not because of the number of girls, but the admission that he never got over me and used them as replacements. He tried to replace me but he didn't succeed. I felt him squeeze my hands again to get back my attention.
"I never stopped loving you, Savannah and I know that for five years I didn't exist or make an effort, but I never stopped. H-how many?" he asked me.
"Four." I admitted. "Two to get back into the whole dating thing, one was actually a steady relationship. We were together two years then he cheated on me, and the fourth was to get over him and get over you. Every time Joe, that was his name, did something, I compared it to how you would've done it, and god he sucked at everything. I missed you and I never stopped loving you either. I don't think I could ever stop loving you." I whispered, running one of my hands over his cheek, getting caught on the light stubble that grew over night.
Sidney took a deep breath and turned his head to kiss my hand. He left a trail of kisses up my wrist, across my forearm and all the way to my shoulder.
"I want you to say that again. Tell me you love me, Savannah. Because God only knows how much I love you. There, I said it, I love you." He announced with pride and confidence.
"I never ever stopped loving you. I love you. I'll never ever stop loving you."

Notes