Bella's POV
The tension between Hugo and me stretched like a wire ready to snap when footsteps interrupted our charged moment. His spine went rigid, and he turned away, dragging both hands down his face as if trying to erase what had just passed between us.
I whipped around to see little Leah standing on the small balcony, her silhouette framed against the dim light.
"Mommy," she called, her voice cutting through the thick air.
The sound of her voice melted my heart instantly. I wiped away the tears that had been threatening to fall and rushed to scoop her into my arms.
"Are you feeling better now, sweetheart?" I asked, forcing brightness into my voice while my pulse still hammered from whatever had been building with Hugo.
"I'm okay. I just had a really weird dream," she said, her bottom lip jutting out in that way that made her look so much younger.
Hugo turned back toward us, his eyes finding mine with an intensity that made my breath catch.
