Christopher sat quietly in thought for a long ti. When drowsiness crept in, she saw the man was deeply asleep and, without hesitation or embarrassnt, lifted the covers and lay down beside him.
In the night, she wasn’t sure what ti it was when she noticed movent beside her.
A mother always understands—the mont one has children, it’s impossible to sleep through the night in peace.
Even when the kids are grown and no longer need mom’s care, a mother’s nerves remain taut, waking instantly at the slightest sound.
Tonight was no exception.
The disturbance next to her jolted her awake. She instinctively lifted her head and asked hurriedly, "What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Christopher was startled. He hadn’t expected her to wake so easily. His voice was hoarse. "You still haven’t fallen asleep?"
"I did, but it’s light sleep." She turned over and saw the man extending the blanket toward her, and instantly understood—he had been trying to cover her.
In a low tone, he grumbled, "I’m neither a cactus nor a porcupine. Why are you sleeping so far away? The blanket won’t even reach you. In weather this cold, what if you catch a chill?"
Alia chuckled softly in her sleepy haze at his self-comparison. "The room is temperature-controlled, it’s not cold."
"It’s still winter, after all."
"I suppose..." she murmured, turning over and moving closer to him. The blanket now covered her entirely.
Christopher hadn’t expected her to be so willing—she moved closer all on her own, without him having to coax or tease her. Their breaths instantly rged in the shared space.
Alia was exhausted. She found a comfortable position, closed her eyes, and continued to sleep.
But in her hazy sleep, she felt an irregular breath brushing against her face. She cracked open her eyelids, and sure enough... in the dim light, she saw him tilted slightly, his dark eyes fixed steadily on her.
"What’s the matter?"
"Nothing. I slept earlier, and now I can’t fall back asleep."
"That doesn’t an you need to stare at ..."
"I couldn’t help myself."
Their quiet conversation carried a profound sense of tranquility.
She didn’t respond further, perhaps embarrassed by his spontaneous confession. So, she pretended to sleep.
Christopher’s hand slid over, resting on her waist. Seeing she didn’t shy away, he grew bolder, pulling her gently closer.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t turn over freely. Otherwise, he would’ve curled up beside her and embraced her tightly.
"Sleep." Remaining flat on his back, the way he held her felt awkward. Resigned, he withdrew his hand, thinking it was already nice to be this close to her.
But Alia, thoroughly awakened by his fumbling, couldn’t sleep anymore.
Warm breaths continued to brush against her face. She was certain he was still staring at her—it felt as though she was prey being targeted by a hunter in the dark.
"Doesn’t tilting your head like that strain your neck?" She asked softly without opening her eyes or eting his gaze.
"Not at all..."
Even though he said so, she still sat up.
"What are you doing?"
"Helping you turn over." Before finishing her sentence, she grasped his trim, lean fra and turned him onto his side facing her. Then, she stuffed a pillow behind his back. "Does that feel better?"
"Yeah, it’s good." What he appreciated most was that now he could hold her.
She lay back down and, without waiting for him to say anything, instinctively shifted further into his embrace. "Is this okay now? Go to sleep. When we wake up tomorrow, we’ll head to the hospital for a checkup."
Since his mory had returned, a visit to the hospital was in order to hear what the doctor had to say.
"Alright..." Christopher muttered, watching her close her eyes again. Yet his gaze lingered on her, unwavering.
Unable to tear himself away, he simply wanted to keep looking at her—as though he could make up for the years he had missed.
Her gentle breaths filled the space, carrying her faint scent: a touch of sweet milkiness. He knew it was the unique fragrance of a woman who had breastfed her children.
He was srized.
Even though he knew it wasn’t the right ti to disturb her sleep, he couldn’t help leaning closer, gently kissing her lips over and over, like a bee stealing nectar from a flower.
Alia couldn’t remain asleep anymore.
"Christopher." She called his na calmly, her tone carrying a hint of reproach.
Already overco with desire, and seeing that she was awake, Christopher beca bolder. The hand on her waist pulled her tightly into his arms, molding her perfectly against him.
"Alia... Thank you. Thank you for giving another chance. Thank you for coming back to ..." He couldn’t contain his overwhelming emotions, murmuring between deepened kisses.
Perhaps in the stillness of the night, human defenses are weakest. Though Alia knew better, she didn’t stop him. Half-asleep, she responded to his kiss, softly placing one arm around his slim waist.
In the dead of winter, the night suddenly grew heated...
————
The next morning, while the three children were awake, the two adults were still sound asleep.
Aunt Harper, understanding the situation, gathered the children and gently reminded them not to disturb their parents. She helped them wash up, change clothes, and eat a filling breakfast before Fuller drove them to school.
When the two returned, the master bedroom remained silent.
Aunt Harper grew concerned and leaned carefully against the door, listening for any activity inside. She heard the faint sound of a phone ringing followed by low conversation.
Everything’s fine... that’s good to hear...
Quietly, Aunt Harper walked away.
Alia was on the phone—it was Betty calling.
She picked up and, after a few monts, she placed a hand against her forehead in frustration. "Understood... It’s too late now. Reschedule it for the afternoon and explain everything to the client properly."
Before she could finish speaking, the man tightly pressed against her woke up. His slightly stubbled jaw nestled against her neck, nuzzling affectionately.
The prickling sensation made Alia furrow her brows. She quickly finished her call and hung up.
"Christopher, stop fooling around. I’ve forgotten all about my morning responsibilities because of you!" She pushed him away and hurriedly got out of bed, throwing on a robe and heading into the bathroom.
Christopher, dissatisfied, buried his face in her pillow, savoring the lingering traces of her presence.
When Alia finished washing up, dressed herself properly, and returned to the room, she found him leaning against the bed’s headboard.
The neckline of his pajamas was wide open, exposing his slim, pale chest. Coupled with his deep-set, handso features, he was a feast for the eyes.
When their gazes t, hers was embarrassed; his, a bit awkward. He cleared his throat and said, "Uh... I suppose we should change the bedding."
As soon as he said this, Alia’s face flushed crimson!
"Fine! Got it! Aren’t you the one who needs assistance? Should I call soone in to help?" She snapped. She had to change the sheets and didn’t have ti to worry about him. Besides, she needed to get him to the hospital and attend to work matters. Too much to do!
"Yeah, call the nursing staff in."
Alia opened the door and summoned the care worker to help him wash up and attend to his needs.
She retrieved fresh bedding from the wardrobe, swiftly swapping out the linens.
Aunt Harper passed by in the hallway and, upon seeing her busy, hurried in. "Ma’am, you can leave tasks like these to us. Why bother doing it yourself?"
Before Aunt Harper could finish speaking, Alia interrupted nervously, "No need, Aunt Harper. Go check the kitchen and see what’s available to eat, heat sothing up. We’ll eat before heading to the hospital."
Aunt Harper couldn’t help but notice Alia’s flushed cheeks, her radiant beauty. As she spoke, her eyes evaded his gaze, and her hands moved with inexplicable urgency—and suddenly, everything clicked.
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