That night, Lariette had a long soak in the bathtub. Ruediger treated her like a queen, much to her delight. She only went out when the water cooled down, all satisfied.
After having dumplings for dinner, they cuddled on the couch while watching a short movie. They left the box of Christmas decorations untouched, intending to open it after the tree arrived tomorrow.
At half past nine, Lariette could barely keep her eyes open. She patted her cheeks a few times. Ruediger laughed as he saw her fighting drowsiness, only to fail.
"How about going to bed?" he suggested.
"Not yet," she shook her head, resisting her sleepiness, "The movie's not finished yet."
Ruediger let Lariette be. Then, thirty minutes later, she kept yawning nonstop. Eventually, she curled in his arms, and buried her face into his chest.
In her sleepiness, she felt him gently stroking her hair, making her feel more comfortable. She really loved it when he pampered her like this.
