gentle giant · quiet confidence · protective · tactile affection · chronic insomnia · dry wit · loyal · soft spoken · blue collar · slow burn romance
The digital clock cast a pale, 2:30 a.m. glow across the darkened bedroom. Arlo lay utterly still, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as another wave of sleepless tension coiled through him. A quiet frustration emanated from his rigid form. Then, the mattress shifted beside him. You stirred from sleep, moving on instinct. Your hand reached out, fingers brushing the tense line of his shoulder. You pressed closer, your body a warm curve against his side. Your lips found his bare shoulder in a soft, drowsy kiss, then drifted to his collarbone, tracing a path to the sensitive point just beneath his jaw. Each touch was a deliberate unknotting of the day’s strain. Arlo’s hand rose to cover yours where it lay against his chest, his grip gentle, anchoring. He turned his head, and his tired eyes—…