A bright sunrise

The sun was high enough to peek through the curtains, shining across Bright's face as he woke up, blinking drowsily. He turned and saw that Zola was still there, sleeping peacefully, and smiled, leaning over to kiss her cheek before getting up. He rang the bell for breakfast - twice, so that they'd know to prepare enough for two. Two wasn't so bad - after the morning he'd run for seven, Anga the cook hadn't talked to him for a week. The fire was out, and the room was chilly, so he wrapped a warm dressing gown around himself and crept back into bed to wait for the maid.

Zola was just beginning to stir, and he cuddled up close to her, politely avoiding putting his cold feet on her legs. "Morning, beautiful," he whispered, nuzzling her neck.

Zola groaned sleepily before replying with a playful sulk, "Such flattery, but what sort of monster wakes a girl before noon?" Rolling into Bright, she slipped her hand under his gown & around his back to pull their cuddle tighter.

"The kind of monster who has to be over to his parents' house by ten, I'm afraid," he said apologetically. "But I can at least offer you some breakfast and a bit more time together before I have to make myself presentable, if that makes up for my cruelty at all."

A contented sigh suggested the shock of morning hadn't been too hard on her. "A necessary evil, then. Will there be coffee to help bolster me for my long walk home, hmm?" She planted a little kiss on his forehead and began scritching lightly at his back with her nails.

"There will be," he promised, returning the kiss. "And I'd be glad to get a cab for you, rather than.... mm, that's nice..." He trailed off, distracted for a moment by her attentions, before resuming his previous thought. "... rather than subjecting you to a long walk home. Especially in such elegant shoes," he added with a glance to Zola's cast-off finery.

After a few more lazy kisses, he drew back to look at her, raising his hand to her short hair (the wig lying discarded somewhere in the vicinity of the dress and shoes). "You know, even without all that, you're beautiful." He traced down her cheekbone, slightly smeared with eyeliner, and looked at her wistfully. "I was a little surprised last night, but I wanted you to know it's okay. You're wonderful just like this."

"How sweet of you to say." She pressed an opportunistic kiss into the palm of his hand before continuing, "It seemed fairly clear to me last night that you weren't too put off. But you know a fella really means it when he says it the morning after."

"Now, I didn't *mean* to surprise you," she added, a little sheepish. "My... assets are not exactly a secret around Tits', but it's still smarter to give a lad a chance to back out gracefully if he's bitten off more of Zola than he can chew." She reached up pressed his hand to her cheek, her palm still warm from caressing his back. Eyes closing, she rubbed her face agains his palm contentedly. "Whether I figured you knew," she continued dreamily, "or I pegged you as a man of... exquisite and varied tastes, I didn't think to worry."

Her blue eyes flicked open again. "Or maybe I'm a fool and you're just too handsome." She grinned and gave his palm another kiss.

"Well, consider me flattered," he said with a smile. "No one's ever called my tastes 'exquisite', but 'varied' has certainly come up before. I figured it out sometime between the cab and the bed, so we're all square," he told her, following it up with another kiss. "You definitely had me... well-pegged." His smile was deliberately saucy and impudent, but mellowed by a dreamy affection in his eyes.

"Well, it's not my forte, but I do aim to please." She grinned despite the terrible pun and leaned in to rub nose against impudent nose. "Though, had I known you're as degenerate with puns as you are in bed..."

"You'd have what?" he teased. "Given me a proper punishment? Gone home with someone more highbrow?" He nuzzled her nose playfully. "Have I lost any hope of a second night with you?"

Before Zola could answer, there was a knock at the door, and he rose, tying his robe closed to accept the breakfast tray from a discreet servant. "Looks like we have eggs, toast, some cold ham, and a couple oranges. Does that suit your fancy, fancy lady?"

"Mm, it's hard not to fancy anything brought to me in bed by a fine gentleman."  She drew up in bed, one arm pinning the sheet against her breasts.  "But I'll hold you to that coffee... with cream and sugar."  She grinned, craning her neck to peer onto the tray.  "Taxi or not, don't underestimate how high the stairs to my apartment seem when you're tired and wearing elegant shoes."

"The coffee goes without saying," he said, bringing the tray over to the bed and unfolding its short legs to allow it to sit between them. It was nicely presented, with a rosebud in a narrow vase and prettily-folded napkins. More importantly, there was a carafe of coffee which he began by pouring two cups from, adding cream and sugar as requested to Zola's before passing her the cup.

He remained quiet for a few moments, allowing her time to savour her morning meal. The question he'd asked previously hung unanswered, though, and he still hoped to hear an answer.

"Mmm, thank you." She took an appreciative sip of her coffee before setting it on the table and snatching a piece of toast to munch on. Picking up the vase, she held the rose to her nose for a sniff before replacing it with a smile. She'd picked up a fork and speared a piece of cold ham before the pregnant silence began to register. She looked over at Bright and caught his gaze, stopping mid-chew. "Hmm...?" She glanced down to make sure she hasn't done something gauche like get toast in her cleavage.

Bright chuckled. "Maybe my frivolity obscured my message. I was wondering if perhaps you'd like to see one another again."

She swallowed before responding with a grin, "Well we did have quite a lot of fun last night; who'd be fool enough to make that a one night event?" She reached out to grab her cup of coffee again. "Or... did you mean like on a proper date?"

"Whichever you'd prefer," he offered with a charming smile. "We could go to dinner sometime if you like, and see how things progress from there."

She smiled in return, "I think dinner some evening sounds like a fine idea. Not that this meal isn't lovely, but..." She gestured over at her discarded clothes, "I just know my dress is going to waste there on the floor."

"As for how things will progress... I suppose it's too late to say I don't kiss on the first date?"