Sleep didn't come.
Not even with Mira curled against me, her breathing slow and warm where my arm wrapped around her. There were some nights my mind simply refused to settle, and tonight was one of them.
She shifted slightly in her sleep, her hand sliding over mine where it rested over her stomach. The move was natural, instinctive, like even unconscious she knew I was holding her. I pressed my lips to the back of her head, breathing her in.
Vanilla lotion. Her shampoo. And the faintest hint of flour she always carried after being at the bakery.
Home.
My chest tightened for a moment, something softer than pain and deeper than love. I didn't wake her, didn't move her. I just stayed there until I was sure she was asleep enough not to stir when I slipped out of bed.
