Lorraine didn't know what Leroy had planned. She truly hoped his vision for their future would work, though deep down, the picture he painted felt almost too perfect, too fragile for the world they lived in. Still, a part of her clung to that hope, like reaching for sunlight through the cracks of a storm.
He brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her skin, warm and steady. His voice was low and certain when he whispered against her lips, "I'll protect you. Both of you."
A shiver ran through her, delicate and involuntary, at the weight of those words. She pressed closer, her body molding against his as if seeking to anchor herself in that promise. Safety and longing mingled in the space between them, quiet but intense, a restrained fire simmering beneath the softness of their embrace.
