Cuddling

He walked into the apartment to see that she had fallen asleep on the couch again like she did almost every time he came home late except for on Fridays, which is why it made him curious. He checked his watch to make sure that he wasn't mistaken and saw that it really was 11:43 on a Friday night. As he looked over at the sleeping woman, his wife, his lover, and his best friend, he smiled. She was beautiful in the low light of the little lamp that sat on the end table beside the couch she slept on. It was early for her to be asleep on a Friday night, or any night for that matter, but he was glad to see her sleeping because most other nights she had so much trouble doing it. She couldn't fall asleep, and when she did, she had nightmares. He kneeled down to look at her to see if she was peacefully sleeping and lo and behold, as he looked at her still form he saw that she was more peaceful and more beautiful than he'd ever imagined.
"I love you" he whispered as he kissed her lightly on the lips. Her eyes fluttered open as he backed away from her and she smiled at him, a slow and sleepy smile.
"I thought you'd never get home, love." She said softly just before she leaned up to press her lips tenderly to his. He smiled back at her as he picked her up and carried her across the living room to the bedroom they shared. He noticed as he wrapped one arm under her legs and one around her back, that she was still in her army green tee shirt and sophie shorts that she always wore under her flight suit. He could smell the faint scent of jet fuel on her tousled hair and smiled to know that she'd been flying that day. He knew it made her happy to be in the air, even if she was supposed to be on leave. It was supposed to be the first time in a long time that she would be on vacation.
"How was your day, flyboy?" He always teased her with the nickname. She laughed into his shoulder as he laid her in their bed.
"Not bad. I got called in today because one of the instructor pilots was sick or something so I got to take a bunch of first-timers up in a F-16. It was pretty great though...a couple of the big guys threw up." She scrunched up her nose at the thought and he kissed her forehead as she lay there. He looked down at her on their bed, taking in the thought of her being with him for the rest of their lives, knowing that he would sleep there beside her every night when she wasn't deployed. It thrilled him, practically made him glow with happiness as he stood there just looking at her.
She was so in love with him as he stood there, smiling like a Cheshire cat at her.
"Are you ok?" She gave him an odd look that he replied to by leaning down to her and placing a light kiss on her lips and sliding onto the bed with her.
"I'm more than fine." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. She loved the way she felt in his arms, the way she fit perfectly into the curve of his body. She nuzzled her face into the curve of his neck and shoulder, taking in the scent of his cologne. It was sweet and spiced at the same time, and she enjoyed it very much. She smiled, feeling his hand slowly move through her hair, soothing the tangles in it. She fought the sleepy feeling that she felt creeping over her again. It had been quite a long day, and she wanted nothing more than to lay there in his arms, enjoying his company, but she was so warm and so soothed as she lay next to him. And his hand in her hair relaxed her far too much…
As he ran his hand through her hair, he listened for her breathing to deepen and even out. Eventually it did, and he felt her body relax as she lay asleep in his arms. He smiled and kissed her forehead delicately so as not to wake her and concentrated on her steady breathing.
"I love you, my dearest Juliet." He whispered just before he fell asleep at her side, both of them, smiling in their sleep.