Chapter 18

The night had fully fallen, and everything outside was silent. Only a dim nightlight glowed in the master bedroom. After finishing her nightly routine, Delia slipped into bed in her silky nightdress. A few minutes later, Curtis came out of the bathroom, and with her help, lay down beside her. They laid there quietly, with a small space still between them. But something felt different tonight - the air between them was warmer, more intimate. Delia could hear his steady breathing right next to her. The fresh, clean scent on him, mixed with his distinctive masculine smell, lingered around her nose and brought an odd comfort that made her eyelids heavy with sleep. Just as she was about to drift off, her mind suddenly circled back to something she had wondered about all day. She turned to face Curtis, her eyes trying to make out his features under the soft light. "Honey, you still haven't told me... how do you see me now?" Her voice was soft, but it somehow made Curtis tense up. In the dark