The alarm sounded through the thick humidity morning in August at 6:15 AM, window unit already in overdrive humming and rattling in their studio apartment.
Jimmy's eyes opened first, adjusting his eyes to the bright morning light shining through their thin curtains. Beside him, Dana stirred restlessly, her dark hair plastered to her neck with perspiration.
It had been another brutal night. The kind of humidity in the summer that no matter what time you step outside and can’t breathe in the morning, evening, and at night that made you feel like you were in a sauna all day, where sleep came in fragments between tossing and turning, can’t wait until 2:30am when it cool down.
"Morning, beautiful," Jimmy whispered, reaching over to silence the alarm.
She groaned softly, face still buried in her pillow. "Five more minutes?"
"You know you'll be late for work," he said gently, but his hands were already moving to her shoulders, working out the knots that always formed after their restless summer nights.
This had become their ritual over the past few weeks – ever since the heat wave started and their sleep began suffering. Jimmy would wake first and help ease Dana into the day with gentle touches, working away the tension that accumulated in her muscles from their hot restless sleepless nights and the stress of her demanding job at the law firm.
His thumbs found the familiar tight spots along her spine, applying just enough pressure to release the tension without being too intense for the early hour. Dana's breathing deepened as she began to relax under his touch.
"That feels amazing," she mumbles into the pillow.
Jimmy worked methodically down her back, his hands warm against her skin. He could feel her body beginning to unwind, the stress of yesterday and the discomfort of the night slowly melting away. When he reached the small of her back, she let out a contented sigh.
"Want me to stop?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.
"No," she replied immediately, her voice muffled but clear.
He continued, moving to her shoulders again, then down her arms. There neighbors and the city was beginning to wake up around them – distant sirens, the sound of slamming apartments doors and keys jingling. But in their small sanctuary, there was only the quiet intimacy of this moment.
Dana shivered slightly as his hands moved to her neck, working at the base of her head where the buildup tension always be at. The combination of his gentle touch and the cool air from the AC unit raised goosebumps along her arms.
"Better?" Jimmy asked after several more minutes, his voice soft.
Dana finally turned over, stretching like a cat. Her eyes were brighter now, more relaxed. "So much better. I don't know how I'd make it through these summer mornings without you."
Jimmy smiled, wiping a piece of glitter from her face. "It's what we do for each other."
She reached up and pulled him down for a gentle kiss. "I love you for this. For taking care of me."
"Always," he replied simply.
Dana glanced at the clock – 6:35 AM. She had just enough time for a quickie shower before leaving for work.