Lorraine lay on Leroy's chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear. His fingers traced idle patterns along her back, kneading just enough to ease the tension but not enough to let her fully relax. She closed her eyes, savoring the warmth of him, the way his scent clung to her hair, the leather, cedar, and the faint trace of him that always made her chest tighten.
"Aralyn asked me if she could join Emma with the preparations for the Ball…" Lorraine murmured, her voice soft, almost swallowed by the hush of the night. Her words brushed against his chest like a secret only the two of them shared. "I let her do what she wanted to do. Occupying her mind with something might help her heal."
Leroy hummed against her temple, his jaw brushing the crown of her head. The motion made a shiver crawl along her spine.
