Zara lay on the bed, the blanket pulled up to her chin. Her thoughts were messy, emotions tangled. For so long, she had craved his warmth, his attention, his presence. And finally, he was giving her what she had always wanted.
But why did it feel so unreal?
The Nathaniel she knew had always been distant, reserved, almost unreachable. But now, he was gentle, attentive, like a husband who cared.
'Is this real?' she wondered. 'Or am I just seeing what I want to see?'
Her heart thudded against her ribs, caught between hope and hesitation. Then she felt the mattress shift behind her. Her body tensed, fingers clutching the blanket tighter.
A moment later, his arm slid around her waist. She stayed still, pretending to sleep.
But Nathaniel knew she wasn't sleeping. He let out a soft chuckle. "That won't work. I know you are awake."
Her eyes fluttered open, but she didn't dare flex a muscle. Every nerve in her body was alert, waiting.
