But in the face of Hannah asking to cuddle while sleeping together, knowing that, really, they are going to end up that way, anyway…. This weekend is shot on distancing herself from Hannah no matter what. She might as well get some sweet torture while she’s at it.

Caroline’s throat is dry as she nods. “If you want to. I’m big on cuddling, so.” She thinks Hannah misses the nerves in the chuckle that sneaks out of her throat.

They end up in what is Caroline’s favorite position to sleep in – sprawled over her bed partner’s chest. At Hannah’s urging to “cuddle me the way you like to cuddle,” she’d slid in against her, burrowing into her side and pressing her face against the soft skin of Hannah’s chest.

Hannah’s heart under her ear is slow and beats a steady rhythm while her own heart is about to beat out of her chest at the proximity. She has her arm carefully draped over Hannah’s waist, making sure to avoid much of the soft skin that she could brush against. It’s really all she can make herself do in terms of maintaining any sort of distance.

Hannah sighs deeply, sleepily, as soon as they are situated, resting one hand in Caroline’s hair and the other rubbing up and down her shoulder. And within moments, she’s asleep. Her entire body relaxed under Caroline’s, her breathing deep and even.

With her body feeling like it’s tingling at every point of contact, Caroline can’t imagine sleep will come for her so easily.

***

She finds the next day that she was pleasantly incorrect, as she realizes that she didn’t even have her typical random wake up at five in the morning.

It takes her a few moments before it dawns on her that Hannah isn’t in bed with her anymore, but she’s entirely engulfed in Hannah’s scent because her face is buried in her pillow. And she doesn’t even allow herself the extra minute of indulgence she wants to take of burying her head into the pillow again before sitting up. Self-control set to maximum.

“Good morning,” Hannah’s voice is quiet and Caroline’s heart trips as she turns around to find Hannah seated at one of the chairs facing out to the floor-to-ceiling window.

She’s cozily set up in the oversized chair, her sketch pad propped against her knees, her hair tossed into a ponytail, clearly unbrushed still. And Caroline doesn’t even realize she’s staring for a good thirty seconds.

But, god, Hannah looks so good first thing in the morning.

“Morning.” She looks away, stretching her arms up above her head before she stands. “Have you been up long? What time is it?”