Baby, It’s Cold Inside

“Alright, I’ll make a note to fix those tomorrow,” West said. He opened his phone to type the memo to himself and paused when he saw the lock screen.

It was a picture of his girlfriend, rolled up in the blankets of their bed, sleeping—or, more accurately, snoring—away. It should have been cute seeing her that way, all comfortable in their new home. Truthfully, it had been when he took the picture. But that was months ago in springtime when the sun was a regular sight. Now, it was the beginning of fall and too early to turn the heat on when he had functioning blankets. Considering all of this, the chill against his back made his cute, warm, wrapped up girlfriend seem less cute and more like a blanket thief that spent the night. With that thought, he made a quick phone call.

“Hello?” 

“Hey, love of mine,” he answered sweetly. His girlfriend, Jenn, giggled over the line.

“You’re sweet today. Good day at work?”

“Actually, I wanted to know what you were doing tomorrow,” he replied.

“You live with me,” she pointed out. “You already know my schedule.”

“Hey, can’t a guy double check before asking his girlfriend on a date? You used to love my lead-ups.”

“And now, I just live with them.” She sighed, but he could hear the smile in her voice. “But if you must know, yes, I am free and available all weekend. I just need to go grocery shopping on Sunday.”

“Then, reserve your Saturday morning for me,” West told her.

“I will,” she promised. “See you soon.”

He hung up the phone with a smile and pulled up a map as he walked to his car, already planning ahead.

Jenn awoke feeling groggy and hazy before realizing that she was sweating heavily. She huffed as she recognized why, trying to shift under the 205-pound man sprawled on top of her. This was a newly developed habit of Westbrook’s, her giant but lovable nerd of a boyfriend, whom she teased mercilessly about his name when they first met.

Now, Jenn could admit she was a blanket hog. She had done as much when voicing one of her many worries about their moving in together, which he had soothed with a brow kiss and sweet words. He didn’t seem to mind the fact at all.

However, it would have been nice for him to in exchange disclose the fact that he was a cuddle monster. It should have been cute. Truthfully, it was the first few times but, now, she was tired of waking up feeling like she did a mile long run in her sleep. She tried not to be spiteful as she pushed her way out of the bed, grabbing clothes for the day. She definitely needed a shower.

An hour later, when she was in the kitchen skimming the news on her tablet, she heard West shuffle his way out from their bedroom. She looked at his shirtless chest and stared in appreciation. He may be an unwanted heater, but he was also an incredible view.

“Morning,” he grumbled. He leaned over the counter to kiss her. She could taste the mint from their toothpaste because West did stuff like that even though she didn’t mind the morning breath.

“Morning, Ivy League,” she greeted. He grimaced as he made his way to the coffee machine, already prepped for him.

“Don’t call me that,” he said. “I went to Howard for God’s sake.”

Jenn giggled as she jumped up to sit on the counter and watch him, her feet swinging.

“It’s not my fault your parents made your name so fancy,” she replied. “It was just meant to be yelled down the hallways of Harvard. Oh, we should name our first son that. Then the girl can be named Columbia and the third child can be Princeton—”

“Okay, fun size,” he said cutting her off. He sipped his coffee before standing in front of her. “I think that’s enough ideas for today.” She parted her legs, and he slid in between them naturally, wrapping his arms around her.

“You love my ideas,” she said, smirking. “And I know I’m fun. Wanna reminder?” West matched her smirk before leaning in. Their lips met easily, slotting against each other in a game so well practiced they didn’t have to think about it anymore. Jenn scooted forward to throw her arms around his neck as West tightened his grip on her waist. She loved how small she felt in his arms and how protective he felt. She didn’t mind when he towered over her like this.

But before she could get any more ideas, he was pulling away.

“Our date, remember?” he reminded her. She opened her mouth in an ‘o,’ and West kissed her quickly, soothing the small pout on her lips. “But if you have nothing planned for tonight…”

She smiled at him. “I do now.”

Truthfully, Jenn was sure that she and West would have tackled the IKEA date when they were moving, but the store was on the other side of the city and moving was already hectic enough. She could cringe at some of their past arguments over furniture.

This is much nicer, she thought as they moved from one showroom to the next, roleplaying the dumbest scenarios of burning toast in the kitchen, seeing which shower was big enough for them to dance in, and imagining what living room would look best with Harvard’s toys chaotically thrown around the room (“We’re not naming him Harvard!”). Finally, they made it to the bedroom displays where Jenn was free to gush about bedframes and closets while West tested mattresses. She would pull up pictures of their room and compare colors, wondering what she could actually convince West to search for in IKEA’s daunting warehouse.

“What do you think of this?” she asked him, pointing to a black, geometric pair of side tables. “I don’t know about the color.”

“I think our side tables are fine,” he said. Jenn threw a quick “huh” over her shoulder before she looked at the closet. West had seen her eye a similar one earlier and had already looked at the price and delivery for it. He figured it would be a welcome surprise once she came back from her conference next month. He grabbed her hand and guided her to the bed.

“The real question is: What do you think of this?” Jenn raised an eyebrow as she let herself fall back on the covers. West leaned over her, and she quickly checked for any employees. Luckily, they were alone.

“What are you doing?” she whispered.

“What do you think of the pillows?” he asked instead.

She looked at them briefly before looking back at him. “They’re nice, I guess,” she laughed. It tapered off as he licked his lips.

“And the sheets?” he asked.

“The design is nice,” she answered, her eyes darkening. West leaned down, lightly brushing their lips together, teasing her. “And soft. So soft…” He kissed her a little harder, and it was nothing compared to their kiss that morning, riling her up more.

“And the fuzzy cover?” he said, motioning to the blanket at the end of the bed.

“You know I love a good fuzzy blanket,” she replied, cupping his neck so that he would kiss her again. He sank into the embrace for a moment before remembering why he was asking her these questions.

“So, you like the bed?” he asked, breaking the kiss before he forgot the purpose of this.

“I like the bed,” she agreed, her lips eagerly finding his. He returned it quickly before breaking the kiss and standing.

“Good,” he said, checking the tag and product number.

“What are you doing?” Jenn asked, amusement lacing her tone. He grabbed her hand and led her downstairs. “Wait, aren’t we going to see the other rooms?”

“Nope,” West replied. “Don’t need to.”

“Why?” Jenn asked, curious as to why West was suddenly so focused.

“Because we’re going to get your bedsheets.”

“We have sheets at home,” Jenn said as she watched him maneuver his way through people to get a cart. “It’s not that big of a deal.

“It is,” West said as he pushed the cart to the bedding section, “Because I love you.” He suddenly spun, surprising her with a kiss. Jenn gripped his bicep, blinking in surprise when he pulled back. He smiled, pushing her hair back. “But I need my covers back.” He started pushing the cart again, and Jenn felt dazed before catching up to him.

“What?” she said, walking quickly to catch up to him.

“I’m glad we’re living together, but I can’t take another night of being cold because you keep stealing the covers,” he replied as he looked through the sheet sets before tossing one in the cart. “And rather than fight you about it, it makes more sense to just get you your own blanket that you can roll around in.”

“Wait, so that’s why we’re here?” she asked incredulously, following him to the duvets.

“I figured you could pick what you wanted, and we could go from there,” he said, far too rational. She huffed before shaking her head.

“You’re unbelievable,” she told him, walking around him to leave.

“Jenn,” he called. She forced the scowl from her face before turning around. He held up two pillows. “Blue or yellow?”

She stared at him for a moment and flicked him off before turning on her heel and stalking out the store.

Damn, he thought before tossing the pillows in the cart, I guess I’ll get both.

West realized he might have fucked up more than he originally thought, because Jenn refused to talk to him the whole drive to her favorite brunch spot. Granted, he knew that leaving her in the car to stew for forty minutes wouldn’t help, but he couldn’t control how long the lines. Still, they drove to the restaurant in complete silence, were still quiet after being seated, and Jenn still wouldn’t speak or even look at him after they ordered their food.

He knew it would go on longer if he didn’t say anything at all, and he wanted to enjoy the meal. Jenn acting like a wall wouldn’t allow him to do that.

“Jenn,” he said. She, of course, ignored him. He knew it wouldn’t be that easy. “Jenn.”

Nothing.

“Jennifer.”

Still nothing.

“Fun size.”

Nope.

“Baby.”

A small twitch but only for a moment.

“Baby…Jenn, baby, could you at least look at me?” Her eyes flickered to his for a moment before she looked away. “Jenn, it’s not that big a deal. Why shut me out over some bed sheets?”

“It’s not about the damn sheets!” she snapped, and West held back a smile of satisfaction. She was finally ready to talk. Jenn also realized this as she cursed under her breath, but it was too late to turn back.

“Then, what it is about?” he asked, nudging her with his foot. She stayed stubbornly silent until the waiter delivered their appetizer and drinks before she spoke.

“I thought today was about spending time with me,” she said. “I didn’t think you needed an agenda to do that.”

“I don’t…” he fell silent, stunned she had gotten that impression.

“And why couldn’t you just say you didn’t like that I stole the covers?” she asked. “It would be a lot less humiliating, that’s for sure.”

He didn’t like the lingering hurt on her features as she reached for the food and placed his hand over hers.

“I didn’t want you to think I was saying something about you,” he told her. Jenn tilted her head, wondering what he meant. “I knew you were a little freaked when we talked about moving, and stealing the covers was a thing for you,” he clarified. “I didn’t want you to think I was getting annoyed with you. I wanted to fix it and have a little fun with you. That’s all. I didn’t think it all the way through. I’m sorry.” Jenn sat back and chewed her lip.

“You could have just said something,” Jenn told him. “Or bought extra sheets for yourself.”

“That…would’ve been smart,” he admitted. “But you would’ve noticed something was up anyway.” She cracked a small smile.

“This is true,” she agreed as she grabbed some food, finally letting herself enjoy the fact that she was at one of her favorite restaurants. They ate peacefully for a moment. She looked at him before saying, “I don’t like when you cuddle with me in your sleep. I mean, it feels nice but, babe, you’re too hot. And I hate being sweaty when I wake up.”

West suddenly laughed before looking at her. “I did that because I was cold,” he admitted.

Jenn’s eyes widened, and she broke out into a laugh too. They relished the moment before Jenn sobered up. She grabbed her glass and held it up.

“So, two blankets?” she said.

“Two blankets,” he agreed. They clinked glasses before settling into their meal.

“I knew you were waking up earlier than usual,” West commented.

“Shut it,” she said with a smile before digging into her food.

“Great presentation, man,” one of West’s coworkers, Jake, told him.

“Thanks,” West said.

“Guess your lady can’t tire you out since she’s on that conference.” Jake wiggled his eyebrows, and West shook his head.

“I’m sleeping just fine,” West responded, neither confirming nor denying the statement. He didn’t tell Jake that Jenn returned from her conference last week or that she only ‘tired him out’ the night she had come back (she had been really happy over the new closet). The real reason he was well rested was that the new arrangement actually worked. Jenn could make herself into a ball anytime she wanted without him being cold, so sleeping became a lot easier.

Yet, as much as he enjoyed the added comfort, he couldn’t shake the weird feeling he had when he saw her on the other side of the bed. It just didn’t feel right. Still, Jenn was happy, and they were both comfortable.

He just needed time to get used to it. That made the most sense.

Jenn hated it. And she hated that she hated it.

No, she didn’t have to take showers first thing in the morning on her weekends anymore. She no longer felt a little guilty for taking the covers. It was the perfect solution and yet, she hated it. She…missed West and his cuddling. She missed that instead of turning on the heat to be comfortable, he naturally picked her to keep him warm.

Yet, she couldn’t ignore how well rested he looked or how that he wasn’t cold anymore. Truly, this was only an issue because it was cold now. By spring, it would be fine. She could last till then. West’s comfort mattered, damn it. She could wait.

Before they knew it, it was mid-October and then November. Sweaters and coats were officially in style and fuzzy socks were a regular feeling to Jenn—and West when she convinced him to watch movies with her in the living room. West enjoyed Jenn looking softer in plush sweaters and his hoodies, and she couldn’t seem to stop touching him whenever he dressed in black or wore his trench coat, not that he didn’t know her preference for the look. They opted out of nighttime activities for the most part and started going out during the day or during their lunch breaks. It was great, and they were having more fun than ever.

But neither one could ignore the awkwardness that sprung up when they went to bed, how out of sync they felt now. It had been easier to be mindful of each other when they had to share, but now, it felt like there was a separation between them. It was stupid when Jenn and West thought about it; it was a cover, a freaking blanket.

That didn’t stop it from mattering.

Jenn decided not to dwell on it as she organized her work on their bed. She jotted down notes on her work project, checking for mistakes or odd details. She really wanted to wrap everything up soon, so she could have a light workload by Christmas. She skimmed the pages, picking up her pen when she noticed the ink on her fingers. She looked down and saw the spilled ink on her work and her duvet.

“Fuck,” she muttered as she got up. She didn’t know why she bothered with gel pens. She tossed the pen away and looked for something wipe her hands off with. She stared at the different spots on the duvet. The stains looked pretty bad, and though she could technically sleep with it just fine, she still grabbed the edge, wiping her hands with a particular vengefulness.

She moved her work to a bedside table; glad it wasn’t entirely ruined before ripping the duvet off the mattress. She balled it up and threw it in the corner of the room with the rest of her and West’s dirty laundry, feeling some satisfaction at the sight as she went to the bathroom to wash her hands.

The door opened a few seconds later with the call, “Someone order a pizza?”

“In here!” she shouted. The sound of footsteps filled the air, and West popped his head in.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. My pen just burst. Got ink on the bed,” she explained. She looked at the laundry again and pouted when she realized she had to wash it. “I really don’t want to do laundry tonight. I still have so much work.”

“Just leave it,” he said. “It can be washed later.”

Jenn looked up at him before smiling slightly. “We’re going old school tonight?” she asked, nodding to the bed. West chuckled before nodding.

“Yep,” he said. “Now, let’s eat some pizza.”

“Wait for me,” she said. “You always get the biggest pieces.”

“Like you could handle those slices, fun size,” he teased, heading to the kitchen.

“Oh, you know I can handle it.” She grinned as she walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around him, and he chuckled as they made their way to the kitchen, grabbing one of her hands and kissing the back of it sweetly.

Lying in bed that night, West remembered why they had their new arrangement in the first place. He’d thrown on a pullover instead of going shirtless like he usually did and tucked in the ends of the covers the best he could. Yet somehow Jenn managed to wrap them around her with a sleepy resilience he didn’t understand. So, once again, he was forced to look at how comfortably she slept.

It sucked.

He tossed and turned on his sides to get comfortable before facing Jenn again. His eyes softened when he gazed at her tiny form. It was honestly admirable how she managed to wrap herself up every night with precision. He still found it funny how she didn’t do it until they moved in together. I don’t know why I’m doing it now, she confessed to him. I guess I just feel more comfortable now. He could still remember the blush that managed to color her copper skin. I feel like I’m at home.

He felt affection flood his chest, thinking about his tiny but tough girlfriend, and scooted closer to her. After all, he was cold.

Jenn’s eyes blinked open slowly. She awoke with her arms out the covers and a heavy weight on her. She could feel sweat coating her skin but, for once, it didn’t bother her. She just laid there, enjoying the added heat and West’s breaths on the back of her neck. She adjusted to get more comfortable, feeling West jerk awake at the movement. He groaned as he pulled back the arm he had around her waist.

“Sorry,” he muttered. He made to move away when Jenn grabbed his arm and moved it back to its original spot, sighing in relief.

“It’s fine,” she reassured him. He hummed a small “okay” before closing his eyes again. They stayed that way, with Jenn curled under West and him peppering her neck with dream-heavy kisses, sunlight pouring in through the window.