Song of the chapter: More Than Words - Extreme

I woke up on the bed with Mitch sitting up staring at my sleeping frame.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you look when you're asleep? You look so cute simply lying there draped in a haze of cream coloured bed things," he sang, strumming on his guitar.

"And yes, I just made that up. It's so cheesy but you just look so perfectly perfect." He kissed my forehead sloppily, leaving it damp with his saliva.

"Ew, stop!" I cried, covering my head with the sheets. "That's the sweetest, most dumb song you've ever written for me."

"It's a compliment, silly," he giggled, his eyes twinkling with each giggle. "It means you're an incredibly beautiful individual who happens to look extremely gorgeous naked," he added with a grin.

"I feel like you want something from me. You're overly emphatic with your compliments. Do you want a sequel of last night, hmm?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows.

"Shut up. Although, I wouldn't mind," he replied with a shy, ever so adorable Mitchell smile. I shook my head and he pouted, perfection.

"No, I just missed this. I missed us waking up together without one of us having to go off somewhere. I love being there when you wake up and when you go to sleep. I sleep easier." He pulled me up and held me closer to his warm skin.

"I missed us too. I was sleeping next to Min everyday now although she smells like Lyle all the time. He has a very unique, long lasting fragrance you know. It's so weird," I told him, looking up innocently into his eyes.

He shook his head, laughing at my graphic description of his best friend.

"I'm serious. Smell him up one day. Actually no, don't. That'd be totally creepy."

We both laughed at my retardation, his adorable laugh booming over my small, peculiar laugh.

Being together and laughing at absolutely nothing took me back to when we started dating, trying things out and being experimental.

"Remember when we were hiding in Ty's bathroom and making out when someone walked in to use it. That was by far the funniest and awkwardest situation we have ever been in."

"Yeah, I do," he laughed. "I haven't looked at Luke the same way. I always crack up when I see him. I get a playback of that scene every time."

Ty had decided to make chilli for everyone as a pre-Christmas gift, which made almost everyone sick with diarrhoea (disgusting, I know) the next day. Luke suffered the most damage, falling asleep on the toilet that night.

"I thought he'd need to see a doctor. Gosh, that was a crazy day. I remember that's the day you told me you loved me and Cal had to nurse you the next day."

"We had to nurse each other. He makes a very sexy nurse, if I do say so myself. "

I slapped his arm in annoyance, suddenly very jealous of his male companion.

"Hey! You know I love you, right?" he argued. "We've had some really amazing times and I always have a great time when I'm around you."

We really did have great times, my favourite being when he'd visit me while I was studying. I remember a time when he was in town for one more day before leaving for two months.

He showed up at my door with a bucketload of food, asking me if he could stay over. "I want us to get diabetes together," he explained, unloading all the sweet goodies an intense week at the gym would work out.

He ate and I studied; occasionally he would test me on things I had read, my reward being my favourite mini candy bar and a luscious kiss. This went on for close to seven hours before I reluctantly kicked him out of my room.

Surprisingly I aced my exam and he was extremely proud of me. "I knew you would. You’re amazing, Zo. Don't you ever forget that.” I cherished the few hours we spent in bed the rest of the day.

…

"What should I wear to lunch? It's so pretty out and I want to look great," I asked him, looking through my stuffed suitcase.

"Nothing. We're staying in today. I didn't plan anything so stay in your underwear. You look better naked, to be honest. I'd love it if you just stayed in that and my sombrero, babe."

I had a gut feeling married life would be characterised by him begging me to be nude every waking moment of our lives. Married life. With Mitchell. Was I not a lucky bastard?

I did stay in my underwear, with one of his vests over it, still not fully comfortable with being the least bit undressed around him. I was extremely insecure.

We hung out on the floor of the living room. A picnic basket sat between us, filled with food he had picked up at a nearby local market whilst I showered.

I made us both the flower bands now perched dramatically on our heads, making us look like '70s hippies completely spaced out. The sun shone overhead, its bright light blazing through the glass creating a fiery haze in the room.

We had a mini food fight, pineapple slices and pieces of tasty shredded chicken flying across the room at incredible speeds.

He pinned me to the ground and fed me chocolate covered strawberries - delicious - and kissed the chocolate off my lips.

"Remind me to do this more often," he breathed onto my lips.

He would have bitten them off if he could - he didn't stop kissing me, refusing to break away for more air. Being a swimmer has its advantages.

We lay on the floor, and he was played random notes to which I sang random lyrics, creating lyrical music together. This characteristed our time together, belting out our favourite songs and hanging out with each other for company.

A stroll on the beach, the small, calm waves lapping gently against the soft sand, and sleeping on the balcony under the glossy stars concluded our blissful day. I certainly hoped for more of these.