The afternoon sun was streaming through the window when Rose opened her eyes. It was the latest she had ever slept in, and she was shocked to have done it. Something didn't seem right. Wasn't something dreadful going to happen as a punishment for not being perfectly dressed and at breakfast by seven AM?
She lay there for a few moments, and when a bolt of lightning didn't strike her, decided that yet another thing she had been taught as a child was untrue.
She thought about getting up, but it was impossible. Her legs were intertwined with Jack's. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, and his head rested on her shoulder. The only way she could untangle herself would be if she woke him up.
She lay there watching him sleep for what seemed like hours, but it actually wasn't long before Jack opened his eyes.
"Hey," she said quietly.
"Hey. What time is it?"
"I don't know. I haven't been able to get up and find out."
"Why not?" Jack asked, confused, before realizing the human pretzel they had formed. "Oh. I see."
"I was waiting for you to wake up, but it seemed like you were going to sleep right on through into the night."
Jack lightly kissed her along the jaw line. "You exhausted me."
"Jack!" Rose blushed deeply.
"I'm sorry," he said, slightly taken aback. "I didn't mean it was a bad thing."
"I know you didn't." Rose's tone was apologetic. "I know it sounds stupid, but there's this part of me that is having trouble accepting...well, how I feel about some things."
"I understand."
"I don't even know if I do." Rose laughed. "It sounds so crazy."
"Don't worry about it." He gently hugged her. "You didn't grow up in a world where anything you've done lately was considered possible."
"You're right." Rose sighed. "It's just frustrating. It's as though there are two of me. There's the me who thinks making love to you is wonderful—" It was Jack's turn to blush. Rose smirked and continued, "And there's the me that's ashamed of even thinking like that."
"Don't worry about it," Jack repeated. "There's nothing wrong with you. At all. Okay?"
Rose nodded. "I'll try not to."
He smiled. "Good. Now, how do you propose we untangle ourselves?"
*****
The breakfast crowd had all but cleared out, but Cal hadn't noticed. He was too wrapped up in what he had heard. There is no way, he told himself. Absolutely no way. It had to be a coincidence. He was sure of that, yet why couldn't he just forget about it?
"Goddammit," he muttered.
He knew the only way he could forget about it would be if he looked into the matter himself. That was all there was to do. Go and prove that gossip had no idea what she was talking about.