Clive feels reluctant to agree that it hurt. It hurts her, clearly, to have to think about having done anything untoward to him, and he doesn't want that for her. But she cares for him, too, and that has to matter more. He looks up at her and nods.
"It did," he admits, anyway. It feels a little bit like wounding his own ego, but it's true. "Thank you. I forgive you."
Why, he wonders, for perhaps the millionth time, can't he make this work? Why can't he set aside everything else for her? He reaches up to cup her face, to thumb at the swell of her cheek.
Again, she doubts it. But she doesn't hold any resentment over it. Only sadness, but she doesn't wish for today to be sad. He loves her. That's what matters. She's fortunate to have that much.
"Not all night. Just long enough to be sure. And if you don't stop mentioning my beauty sleep, I'm going to worry about my appearance," she laughs softly, fingers gently pinching his side above his hip.
The dense muscle of abdomen twitches at being pinched, and he retaliates by looping his arm around her waist and leaning against her like he might roll her over and land on top of her.
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"It did," he admits, anyway. It feels a little bit like wounding his own ego, but it's true. "Thank you. I forgive you."
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"It's like breathing. I don't have to think about it."
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"It's second nature to both of us."
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"You have a big heart. I'm lucky to have a spot in it."
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“You’re the dearest thing in my life.”
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"And you, mine."
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“Lay with me a little while, then,” he says. “Let me hold you close to my heart.”
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"I'll never want to get up." But too late, she's already there.
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"I'll try to peel myself out from under you carefully."
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She tightens her arm around him and snuggles in. She'll let him go when the time comes, head up to her room, but it's nice to play.
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“I’m never as good of a scout as I think.”
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It's habit.
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"You have nothing to worry about, I assure you."
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"Until you worry about my beauty sleep anew."
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“Am I not supposed to be getting my own right now? I am sorely in need of beauty sleep.”
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"You're the most beautiful person in this city... you need sleep because a lack of it makes you clumsy."