I froze, every muscle tensing as emotion surged through me.
I just stood there, staring.
Her straight hair had always been beautiful. When she wore it, sleek and smooth, it made her look elegant and composed, the kind of woman who could walk into a room and command attention without even trying. Her wavy hair had its own charm, soft and flowing around her shoulders, making her seem effortlessly graceful.
But this…
This was something entirely different.
The curls were wild and soft at the same time, thick spirals framing her face and spilling over the cushion beneath her head. The light caught on the strands, making them look almost golden in places.
Words failed me. An intense wave of affection and awe took me by surprise—I hadn’t expected to feel so captivated by this simple, natural part of her.
It was devastating, the way she looked—unbearably beautiful.
Completely unfair.
She shifted slightly in her sleep, her fingers loosening around the book as it tilted further against her chest. The movement pulled me out of my thoughts and reminded me that she had clearly fallen asleep while reading.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. I moved closer, careful to keep my steps quiet as I approached the sofa. The last thing I wanted was to wake her.
When I reached her side, I crouched slightly and gently slid the book from her hand. Her fingers tightened instinctively around it, like she was determined not to let it go even in her sleep.
“Relax,” I murmured quietly.
Her grip loosened again.
I opened the book just enough to see where she had left off before sleep took over. Her bookmark was tucked neatly between the pages, a little further in. I carefully slid it into place where she had stopped and closed the book.
Once it was secured, I set it aside on the table.
My attention returned to her immediately.
She looked comfortable enough, curled up on the sofa with her cheek pressed into the cushion, but the position couldn’t have been good for her neck. If she stayed like this too long, she would wake up sore.
Not wanting to wake her, I slid one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back. She barely stirred as I lifted her.
The movement was smooth and instinctive, her body settling naturally against my chest as if she had done this a hundred times before. Her head tipped slightly toward my shoulder, the curls brushing lightly against my jaw.
I carried her out of the library and down the hallway toward our bedroom, keeping my steps slow so I wouldn’t disturb her.The house was quiet, the calm atmosphere making the moment feel strangely peaceful.
When I reached the bedroom, I nudged the door open with my shoulder and stepped inside. I walked over to the bed and carefully lowered her onto the mattress. She shifted slightly but didn’t wake as I adjusted the pillow beneath her head and pulled the blankets up around her.
She was still fast asleep.
That was when I remembered something.
Her bonnet.
I had watched her do her nightly routine enough times to know how important it was. She never went to sleep without putting it on. I walked over to her dresser and opened the drawer where she kept it.
The satin bonnet was folded neatly inside. I picked it up and returned to the bed, sitting beside her as I looked down at her curls. After watching her go through her nightly routine so many times, I was confident I could put it on without a problem.But that had been before she revealed this gorgeous head of curls.
There was far more hair than I had expected. I hesitated for a moment before attempting to gather the curls carefully, trying not to disturb her as I pulled the bonnet open. One curl slipped free. Then another.
I frowned slightly.
This was clearly not going to be as simple as I thought.
