But David was already drifting back to sleep, his body heavy with exhaustion from days of worry about Nina, from work stress, from the emotional toll of their family crisis.
He didn't respond to her quiet plea, his breathing deepening as sleep reclaimed him.
Linda tried once more, placing a gentle hand on his chest, pressing closer. "David, please..."
But he didn't budge. Didn't stir. The man who had been her partner for years was simply too tired, too overwhelmed by everything else in their lives to recognize her desperate need.
Linda gave up, rolling back to her side of the makeshift bed.
The rejection... innocent though it was... felt like the final straw.
Here she was, burning with desire so intense it made her hands shake, and the one person she should be able to turn to was completely oblivious.
This is what my marriage has become, she realized with devastating clarity. Comfortable. Predictable. Safe.
