I was trapped in a blissful cocoon of sleep when I felt a hand softy brush my curls behind my ears. Normally, I would snap awake if I’m touched from sleep but the touch was so warm and comforting that all I wanted to do was burrow myself further into it and never get up.

I heard a rough chuckle and a voice, “Nice try baby girl but you need to get up.”

Awareness dawned on me when I heard Jake’s voice but I decided to pretend to be asleep for a little while longer. The last ...