The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

"Me?" Stella echoed, surprised.

Joshua nodded. "If you're giving up the bed for me, where will you sleep tonight?"

Sleeping on the floor was out of the question-German nights could be cold, and the last thing Stella wanted was to get sick now.

She replied, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine in the armchair for one night. You need the bed, Joshua. Your health comes first."

Joshua glanced at the king-sized bed, hesitating. After a moment, he said, "There's plenty of room... If you want, you could share it with me?"

If any other man had suggested that, Stella would've assumed he had less-than- honorable intentions. But when Joshua said it, there was a childlike innocence to his offer he honestly just meant sharing the bed.

She shook her head. "No, that's okay."

Lowering her gaze, Stella began flipping through the stack of bedtime stories she'd organized earlier.

Joshua understood her boundaries, and he didn't push. He knew better than to make things awkward.

Once Stella was ready, she dimmed the lights and lit a soothing lavender candle. Then she settled into the chair and began reading aloud.

She read five stories, but Joshua still seemed wide awake.

Keen, he'd be fast asleep before she finished the third story. But Joshua's insomnia

Stella was patient. She

even after all

slept well the night before, keeping watch over Joshua. As she read the drowsy tales, her own eyelids grew heavy, and she started to

her face, the faint shadows under her eyes. His lips pressed together

the seventh story, Joshua's eyes finally

rubbed her tired eyes, determined to keep going, when

didn't stir, she breathed a quiet

cardigan, she curled up in the armchair, and the moment she closed her

was asleep, Joshua's eyes snapped

face. Then gently he lifted Stella into his arms and laid her on

gazed at her serene expression, drawn in as if by some invisible

lips just

forehead. fo

pause. He stilled, eyes lingering on her

moment. In the end,

returning to the bed, Joshua settled into the armchair where Stella had been

in, it's hard to hold it back. He'd already crossed

wild, aching feeling inside him