Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

He makes me feel safe. Safe and protected, like only he
can.
When I fall asleep in his arms, exhausted, he stays with me
until I wake again hours later, blinking into the bright sunlight
slanting through the bedroom blinds.
“Hello,” he murmurs, smiling at me with his eyes.
“Hello,” I whisper back, my heart expanding.
“Are you hungry?”
“I could eat. You?”
“A horse.”
“I’m all out of horse. How about pancakes, instead?”
“Sounds fantastic. Anything that keeps you away from the
oven.”
We grin at each other for a beat, then we both start
laughing.
It’s a long time before we stop.