𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐱 | 18 +

𝐓 𝐖 𝐄 𝐍 𝐓 𝐘 - 𝐓 𝐇 𝐑 𝐄 𝐄

Carter

Juliet lay comfortably against me, her head nestled in the crook of my neck, the weight of her body grounding me in the moment. I held her a little tighter, feeling her steady breaths against my chest as we sank deeper into the couch cushions. The soft hum of the TV played in the background, but neither of us was paying any attention. There was something so peaceful about just being close to her, feeling her warmth, and knowing she was here with me.

Juliet shifted slightly, her hand trailing up my arm in slow, lazy movements. "Carter." she whispered, her voice low and sweet, breaking the silence between us.

"Hmm?" I hummed in response, glancing down at her. I could see the way her eyes softened as she looked up at me, her expression carrying that familiar tenderness.

"Would it be okay if I stayed with you tonight?" she asked softly, almost shyly. The question caught me a little off guard, not because I didn't want her to stay, I always wanted her near me, but because she asked it so sweetly, like she was unsure.

A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "Yeah, of course." I said, my voice a little quieter than usual. There was no hesitation. It felt right. More than right, actually. The thought of falling asleep beside her, of waking up with her still in my arms... it made my heart skip a beat.

Juliet smiled up at me, her eyes sparkling in that way they always did when she was happy. She nestled her head back against my chest for a moment, and I could feel her body relax even more.

After a few more moments of silence, she shifted, pulling herself up from the couch. "We should probably get ready for bed." she said with a small laugh, stretching her arms over her head before reaching down to take my hand.

I followed her up, my body already missing the warmth of hers as we stood. We moved through the quiet routine of getting ready, slipping into more comfortable clothes for the night, and washing up. Everything felt so natural, as if we had done this a hundred times before. There was no rush, no pressure. Just us, existing together in this quiet little bubble.

When we finally made our way to my bedroom, I slipped under the covers, lying on my back as I settled into the pillows. Juliet came in shortly after, her hair a little mussed from pulling her shirt over her head, but she looked as beautiful as ever. She gave me a small smile before climbing into bed beside me, laying on her side as she faced me.

The room was quiet, the only light coming from the soft glow of the moon filtering through the window blinds. For a moment, neither of us spoke, just enjoying the stillness that seemed to wrap around us like a blanket. But then, Juliet's voice broke the silence once again, softer this time, almost a whisper.

"Carter?" she asked, her tone gentle.

"Yeah?" I turned my head to look at her, my heart already beating a little faster just from the way she said my name.

"Can you... can you hold me?" she asked, her voice so small it almost made my chest ache.

A wave of warmth spread through me at her words. I didn't even need to think about my answer. Without saying anything, I opened my arms to her, inviting her in, and she immediately scooted closer, pressing her body against mine. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her tight against my chest, and she rested her head on my shoulder.

Juliet was so soft, so warm. The way she fit against me felt so perfect, like she belonged there. Her breath tickled my neck, her hair brushing lightly against my cheek as she settled in closer. I could feel her heartbeat, steady and calming, in sync with mine.

I pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the faint scent of her shampoo. Everything about this moment felt so intimate, so perfect in its simplicity.

As I held her, I couldn't help but smile. This was what I wanted. Not just the closeness, but the quiet moments like these. The moments where nothing else mattered except the person beside me.

I gently stroked her back, reminding myself to be careful of the stitches, running my hand up and down in slow, soothing motions. Juliet let out a small sigh of contentment, snuggling even deeper into my chest. Her warmth was comforting, and I could feel the tension slowly leaving my body as I sank further into the bed, cradling her in my arms.

"Carter." she murmured, her voice muffled against my shirt.

"Yeah?" I whispered back, my voice barely louder than a breath.

"Thank you." she said softly, her words carrying a weight that made my heart swell.

"For what?" I asked, genuinely curious. I hadn't done anything, really, except hold her.

"For this." she said, shifting slightly to look up at me, her eyes shining with that quiet affection that always left me feeling like I was the luckiest person in the world. "For letting me be here with you."

I smiled, my heart feeling impossibly full. "You don't have to thank me for that." I whispered, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "I want you here. Always."

She smiled back at me, a small, sleepy smile that made my chest tighten. Then, without another word, she laid her head back down on my chest, her breathing slowing as she drifted off to sleep. I could feel her body relax completely against mine, her soft warmth enveloping me in a way that made it impossible to think about anything other than how much I lo-cared for her.

As I lay there, my arms still wrapped around her, I couldn't help but savor every little detail. The way her hair smelled faintly of lavender, the way her fingers curled slightly against my side, the steady rise and fall of her chest as she slept. It was perfect. She was perfect.

And in that moment, as I held her close, I realized just how lucky I was to have someone like Juliet in my life. Someone who saw me for who I was, who cared about me exactly as I was, and who made me feel like everything was going to be okay.

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~ R