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𝕄𝕒𝕪 𝟛𝟙𝕤𝕥, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟛, 𖡡 𝕆𝕕𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕖, 𝔻𝕖𝕟𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕜
🆃🅷🅸🆁🅳 🅿🅴🆁🆂🅾🅽 🅿🅾🅸🅽🆃 🅾🅵 🆅🅸🅴🆆
The first light of dawn crept into the room, casting a gentle glow over the tousled sheets and the two figures curled beneath them. Richard was the first to wake, his eyes blinking open to find Anna nestled against him, her breathing deep and even. He could feel the tension in her body, even in sleep, a lingering trace of the rough night she'd had.
He lay still for a moment, just watching her, his hand resting lightly on her back. She had come to him in the middle of the night, seeking comfort after the storm of thoughts and anxieties had gotten the better of her. He had held her, soothed her until she finally drifted off, but now, as the new day began, he could tell she still carried the weight of it.
Richard's fingers began to move, tracing slow, reassuring circles on her back, testing the waters. He didn't want to rush her, didn't want to push too far too fast. Instead, he just let his touch speak for him, a quiet reminder that he was there, that he was with her.
Anna stirred slightly, her body instinctively moving closer to his, but she didn't wake. Richard's hand continued its gentle exploration, sliding up to her shoulder, then down her arm. He could feel the tension begin to ease from her muscles, the soft rise and fall of her breath becoming more relaxed.
"Anna," he whispered, his voice low and soothing. "How are you feeling?"
Her eyes fluttered open, still heavy with sleep, and she looked up at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Better," she murmured, her voice a little hoarse. "Thanks to you."
Richard returned her smile, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I'm glad," he said softly. "I was worried about you last night."
Anna sighed, her hand coming up to rest on his chest. "I just... I couldn't shut off my mind. But being here with you... it helps."
He nodded, his hand now moving to cradle the back of her neck, his thumb stroking her skin in a soothing rhythm. "I'm glad I could help," he whispered, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her forehead.
For a moment, they just lay there, the silence between them comfortable and intimate. Richard could feel Anna relaxing further, her body softening against his. He knew she had a busy day ahead, but for now, he wanted to keep her close, to make sure she started her day feeling loved and cared for.
As his hand continued its slow journey, he let his fingers drift lower, tracing the curve of her waist. He was still careful, still gentle, but there was a new note in his touch, a subtle shift in intention. He wanted to see how she would respond, if she was in the mood to let things escalate, or if she needed more time to just be held.
