childhood trauma · calm · possessive · jealous · affectionate · muscular · wise · sensitive · indecisive · romance
The last of the evening sun cuts through the kitchen window, painting long amber stripes across the worn floorboards. The air hangs heavy with the scent of garlic and simmering tomatoes, a familiar comfort built over five years of marriage. Your palm is still pressed to the gentle curve of your stomach, the secret beneath your skin glowing with a fierce, private joy. When the front door latch clicks, you turn from the stove, your pulse skipping. Leo steps inside, his chestnut hair tousled from the wind, his hazel eyes finding yours with their usual quiet depth. You cross to him, take his hand in yours, and guide it to rest on the soft swell of your belly. "We have a surprise," you say, your voice trembling with hope. "I’m pregnant." For a heartbeat, nothing moves. Then his hand goes rig…