Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

147. His Warmth Melted My Walls

(Sarah's Pov)

A month later...

I found myself seated on the couch in the living room, laptop open, trying to finish some work I’d brought home from the office. It had become a routine—quiet evenings spent in front of the screen.

Ryan returned home, his usual tired self. Without a word, he tossed his bag onto the coffee table and flopped down beside me. I didn’t even get a chance to greet him before he rested his head on my shoulder, his weight comforting yet electrifying. How do I even tell him that these casual actions of his send butterflies fluttering inside me?

I nudged him lightly. "Ryan, you should go freshen up. You’ll feel better after a shower," I said, hoping my voice sounded steady.

Instead of getting up, he shifted lower, resting his head on my lap as he stretched out on the couch. I felt my breath catch.

"Ryan... what are you doing?" I asked, trying to sound amused but feeling a lot more than just surprise.

He glanced up at me with those tired eyes, his voice soft and intimate. "It’s been almost three years, Sarah... and I haven’t even kissed you yet. At least let me do these small things. It helps... it eases the exhaustion."

I froze. His words, spoken so honestly, made my heart race. He closed his eyes again, nestling into my lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"I like this," he murmured, his voice almost a whisper. "I’ve got a project to finish tonight, but I really don’t want to." His eyes flicked open, and he looked up at me with a small, tired smile. "Will you help me with it?"

I raised an eyebrow, trying to regain my composure. "Only if you help me with calculations," I said firmly, though I could barely breathe.

Ryan turned, resting his face gently against my stomach. I froze, completely unsure of what to do, but not daring to move. His warm breath against me, the feel of him so close—it was too much, yet not enough.

He stayed like that, resting quietly, for what felt like an eternity. Fifteen long, silent minutes passed, each second making my heart beat faster as I took shallow breaths to avoid disturbing him.

Finally, he stirred, slowly sitting up and stretching. He stood up and, without a word, walked towards our room. As soon as he was gone, I let out a heavy sigh, my chest tight with a mixture of emotions, wondering how this simple moment had completely unraveled me.

After dinner, I switched out the bedsheets, feeling a sense of satisfaction as the fresh fabric settled neatly in place. Ryan, as usual, made himself comfortable on my bed. I shook my head with a small smile, not surprised. I climbed onto his bed instead, feeling the day catch up to me.

“Did you change the sheets?” Ryan’s voice drifted over, his eyes half-closed.

“Yeah,” I responded, leaning back against the pillows.

Without warning, he picked up his pillow and moved beside me, dropping it down.

I blinked at him. “What are you doing?”

“Your scent,” he said casually, settling in next to me as if we had done this a thousand times. “It’s all gone from your bed.”

I shifted uncomfortably, sliding as far to one side as possible, turning my back to him. The silence in the room grew thick, but before I could say anything, I felt him move. His left arm circled my waist, drawing me back toward him, and his right hand slipped under my head, cushioning it on his arm.

“Ryan, what’s going on?” I asked softly, my heart racing from his sudden closeness.

“It’s your fault,” he muttered, his voice low and velvety as he closed the distance between us completely. “I can’t sleep without your scent.”

My entire body stiffened when I felt his fingers slide under my shirt, gently tracing around my belly button. I gasped, holding my breath as the air between us grew warmer. “What are you doing?” I whispered, quickly grabbing his hand to stop him from going any further.

He didn’t pull away. Instead, he intertwined his fingers with mine, his tone now deeper, filled with a teasing undertone. “Relax, Sarah. Don’t provoke me,” he murmured. “Your tension... it’s driving me crazy.”

“How am I supposed to relax like this?” I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible, my heart racing faster than ever.

He pulled me even closer, his arms wrapping securely around me. His breath was soft against my neck as he whispered, “I really just want to sleep....”

His closeness should’ve made me more tense, but somehow, his warmth began to melt away the unease. I lay there, heart pounding, but slowly finding comfort in his presence, his steady breathing lulling me into a calm I didn’t expect.