She climbed into the sheets and hugged her pillow, burying her face in its cool cotton.
So tired… she thought, her eyelids drooping. Outside, she could hear the faint hum of the ocean, the soft creak of the cruise shifting gently with the waves.
She wondered if he was tired too. If he was somewhere behind the wall next to her, still wearing that cold expression. Or if he had finally let it slip–even just for a moment–once he was alone.
But the thought drifted away with her next sleepy yawn.
Within minutes, Bella was curled up under the blanket, her breathing slow and peaceful, the leftover warmth of the day's closeness wrapped around her like a secret only her heart could keep.
****
Leonardo hadn't planned to stay on the cruise overnight—this was supposed to be simple: a quick photoshoot and back to the mainland by sunset. But nature, it seemed, didn't care about his plans.
