The house was quiet in the way only late evening could manage, soft, warm, cocoon-like, its shadows stretched long across the polished floor as Ryan and Eve curled together on the couch. The overhead lights were dimmed, casting a mellow glow around them. Outside, the wind whispered faintly against the windows. Inside, the world felt small enough to breathe in comfortably.
Eve rested against his chest, curled in the hollow of his body like she belonged there. Ryan’s arm rested around her shoulder, thumb stroking absent-minded patterns along her arm. He was tired from the day, emotionally, mentally, physically, but having her pressed against him made the exhaustion bearable. Her presence softened everything. Made everything make sense again.
She shifted slightly, lifting her head enough to
