Curtis changed his shoes and walked over to her, his gaze softening as he tilted his head to examine her expression. "Have you been crying?" Leanne wanted to deny it. She thought that the emotional surge from her nightmare earlier didn't count as crying.

Before she could respond, Curtis continued, "You were crying when you called me, weren't you?"

Despite her efforts to appear nonchalant, he had detected the subtle quiver in her voice.

People can deal with hardships; it's the comfort that really touches their heart. The unease Leanne had managed to quell found its way to the surface again.

Uncharacteristically, she clung to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and nestling into his embrace.

Curtis was surprised. "Miss me that much?"

He often joked about his charm, and Leanne pinched him on the waist in response.

"I dreamed about my parents," she said, revealing her deep-seated trauma. The untimely death of her parents was a wound unlikely to ever fully heal "I'll stay with you tonight."

Curtis carried her back to bed. The cat, sprawled belly-up on the bed, lazily flicked its tail in greeting.

"Another little lazybones," Curtis chuckled as he scooped up the cat and placed it in its plush, seldom-used cat bed, saying to the puzzled feline, "You're a big kid now. Sleep on your own."

The bedroom was dimly lit. He shut the door, slipped under the covers, and Leanne curled into his arms.

mixed

be an exception, allowing him to taint her bed

playful lift of his eyebrows,

mind," Leanne said, preemptively inching away from

at her defensive move, playfully accusing, "Let's

Leanne was speechless.

her expression. "Of course, if you can't resist me and decide to make a move, I might just surrender. After all, I'm not that chaste." Leanne turned away, "I don't

"Alright, I'll stop teasing."

a smile, Curtis pulled her back into his arms and held her tightly, his hand gently

no ulterior motives,

closed her eyes, the suffocating darkness seemed

looked up into Curtis' deep-set eyes,

on her forehead, Curtis blinked and whispered, "Don't be afraid. I'm

in his embrace. Leanne calmed down, her breathing slowly evening out as she fell

arms.

slept peacefully until

her eyes, she got out

brought them in

tapering down into the towel caught her eye

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