“What are you doing?” I whispered, not wanting to disrupt the morning peace I stepped into. He sat on our porch bench, wearing his camo jacket and jeans, and he stared past the fields that surrounded our home. “Watching the sunrise, darlin’.”

My brows furrowed, and I followed his gaze. There sat the sky illuminating our fields with gold and orange. Pink danced and swirled around the sun. It created a sight that made me grin a little. “Oh. May I sit with you?” I turned back to him, and he tilted his head at me as if I said something stupid. “Come here, sweetheart.” He pulled me into his lap before I could protest, grabbing my one hand into his as he rested my head on his shoulder.

My cheeks flushed with warmth, and my chin tucked into my chest. His free hand wrapped around me and pulled tight. The smell of wood and alcohol surrounded me, a warm smell, it was never the prettiest, but it brought nothing but comfort to me.

My chest deflated as I sighed. I felt my body sinking back into his chest, and I blinked slowly as I watched the sky. We didn’t talk, though. But he was there. His hand caressed mine and his other sat on my thigh. We didn’t have to talk. The birds sang good morning and the wind, while calm, still caressed my skin. It kept the silence comfortable as I watched the sky.

A permanent grin sat on my lips as our breaths synced. He inhaled, I inhaled, I exhaled, and he exhaled, like we were one for a moment. How long of a moment, I couldn’t tell you, I was trying so hard not to fall back asleep.

The sun was nearly all the way up when I noticed the sensation in my fingertip. I opened my eyes to see thumb as it circled my index finger over and over again. “What are you doing?” I looked back to see his face behind me. His eyes were honed in on my fingertip, like there was nothing more fascinating. He didn’t even notice all the black hair that hid his face.

I attempted to pull my hand out of his hold, but he squeezed it softly. I chuckled and furrowed my brows. “Baby?” He pulled me closer into his chest, turning me a little. “Memorizing your fingertip, sweetheart.”

My eyes went wide, and I looked around to make sure no one was there to see this. “I’m sorry?” I asked, smiling at the heat in my cheeks. His brown eyes flicked to me. They reminded me of the wood he smelled like. “I want to be able to recognize you through anything, baby. You’re my sunrise.”

My lips parted. My heart fluttered like crazy. His words tickled me, made me warm. I stared wide-eyed at him. “Y- you don’t have to memorize my fingertip.” I mumbled. His eyes narrowed into mine. His arm wrapped all the way around, and tightened, until our noses touched.

“I shouldn’t have to do something for me to do it, my love. I should want to show you love. Want to hold you. Want to be good to you. And I do. Just like I want to memorize you, everything about you. So be quiet and let me do this.” He whispered.