The first thing I noticed was the warmth. It wrapped around me like a second blanket, slow and steady, the kind that made me want to bury myself deeper into the bed and never get up.
I didn’t open my eyes right away. I let myself linger in that lazy space between sleep and waking, listening to the rhythmic crash of waves somewhere beyond the glass doors.
Then I felt it. The weight of Fred's arm over my waist. The slow, steady breath against the back of my neck. No, not just Fred. Now, he was Fred my husband.
My lips curved into a small smile before I could help it.
His hold on me was loose, but there was no mistaking it for anything casual. Even in his sleep, he was claiming me. Protecting me. As if letting go wasn’t an option.
The sheets were tangled around our legs, and the air in
