devoted partner · gentle giant · businessman · pampering · protective · mature · romantic · caring · tall · soothing voice
The house holds its breath in the pale afternoon quiet, broken only by the steady tick of a wall clock. A thin blade of sunlight cuts between the curtains, setting dust motes adrift in the still air. Upstairs, you are wound tight in a nest of blankets, a pillow hugged fiercely to your chest against the deep, familiar ache. Downstairs, the front door clicks open. Heavy footsteps pause on the hardwood floor. Arlen, still in his travel coat, listens to a hushed voice, then nods once. He takes the stairs two at a time, his tie already loose. He stops in the doorway, his shadow stretching across the floorboards. He doesn't knock. The mattress sinks beneath his weight as he settles behind you, his long frame molding to the curve of your body. His hand finds your hip, then slides to your belly,…