Warmth passed between them like the gentle rays of the sun touching the rooftops of houses and hotels. Golden streaks spread and slipped through the lace curtains, piercing Charlotte's bedroom.
Beneath the blanket, Leonid was in a deep sleep, his left arm covering his eyes, while Charlotte still rested her head on his right arm instead of a pillow. Perhaps she found his muscular arm more comforting than the soft cotton pillow.
As time passed, the warm sunlight filled the bedroom, overpowering the dim light from the living room. Charlotte slowly opened her eyes, her gaze meeting Leonid's firm chest.
She blinked for a moment, then lifted her hip slightly before leaning back to sit up. Her white skirt had risen slightly over her legs, while her high-neck blouse still modestly embraced her upper body.
Her dark eyes stared at the sleeping Leonid beside her on the bed, as if she needed a few minutes to grasp reality. A rosy blush quickly spread across her face, reflecting a mix of surprise and embarrassment.
Charlotte swiftly crouched, adjusting her skirt in one quick motion before cautiously moving to get out of bed, careful not to wake Leonid.
But she had barely moved when she felt a strong hand grip her wrist, pulling her back onto the mattress.
Leonid held her tightly, as if he wouldn't let her escape. He then lowered his head to whisper in her ear.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Leonid's whisper was cold, soft unlike her warm skin, which trembled the moment he leaned in close.
"It's not like you to wake up early."
"Um..."
Charlotte struggled with two things: how to respond and how to handle Leonid's presence. He may have stopped whispering, but his slow, steady breath still brushed against her ear, and his left arm wrapped tightly around her waist, trapping her completely in his embrace.
"Anyway, go back to sleep."
He moved his right arm, the one under her head, and gently smoothed her hair before playfully tousling it.
"Today, I plan to spend time with you."
"But today isn't a holiday."
Charlotte clasped her hands together, turning her head slightly to look at Leonid. The small distance between them made her heart race, especially seeing how handsome Leonid looked just after waking up.
His eyes were barely open, and his silver hair was a messy tangle.
"Really? Then I'll take my own day off."
"What do you mean by that? You can't just skip work whenever you want, this isn't—"
"Shh..."
Leonid moved his left arm and gently tapped Charlotte's lips with his index and middle fingers.
"My father is the director. I can get whatever I want, so let's just sleep now."
Under the touch of his cool fingers, Charlotte closed her lips. The sensation was strangely pleasant, causing her cheeks to flush like a beet.
"Sweet dreams again."
Leonid pulled the blanket up to cover them both and drifted back to sleep.
Meanwhile, Charlotte remained still in his arms, staring at the ceiling. She had always thought Leonid was practical and logical, yet he constantly surprised her by being an independent person who defied expectations showing he wasn't as perfect as others believed.
Or perhaps he was simply comfortable around her?
Charlotte furrowed her brows, deep in thought. Since meeting Leonid at the start of September until now, she noticed he had only changed in one way, as he had once told her: he was no longer the gentleman who kept a safe distance between them.
But didn't that mean he valued their relationship? Could it be that the love between them was truly fate, as he once told her?
Slowly, Charlotte shook her head, then turned to lie even closer to Leonid, pressing against him. Her left hand softly patted her neck, as if she was finally ready to let go of the fear of being hurt again. After all, not everyone was the same especially Leonid.
Besides, she wouldn't encounter that strange man again, and if he ever sent her anything, she would report it to the building's security immediately.
Never.
Charlotte tightly shut her eyes, unable to erase the image of that sadistic smile that seemed pleased with her brokenness and weakness from her mind.
She clasped her hands together, her fingers gently touching the buttons on Leonid's shirt before she hugged herself.
"Tsk."
She clicked her tongue and pouted her full lips.
Suddenly, she felt Leonid's hand gently patting her back, and he spoke to her.
"What's wrong now? Don't you want to sleep?"
"Huh? You're not sleeping?!"
At first, Charlotte's eyes widened, then she lifted her head to look at Leonid, who opened his eyes for a moment to glance at her before closing them again.
"I was, but your movements woke me up."
He muttered in annoyance, his voice soft and heavy with sleep as he tried to cling to the remnants of his slumber.
"Am I really the reason?"
Charlotte sat on her knees, leaning forward eagerly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Or did you simply just not feel like sleeping anymore~?"
"No. You're really the reason."
Leonid answered her coldly, then turned to lie on his back. He lifted his left arm to cover his eyes and lazily gestured to her with his right hand.
"By the way, Charlotte... can you get my phone from the living room? You'll find it on the couch."
"Hmm... okay."
Charlotte rolled lightly off the bed, then slid her feet to the floor and headed toward the living room. Moments later, she returned holding Leonid's phone in her hand, having turned off the lights on her way back.
"Here you go~."
"Thanks~."
Leonid moved his arm slightly away from his eyes and took the phone with his free hand. He opened his conversation with the deputy commander, Vladimir, and sent a message indifferently.
Leonid:[I'll be off today. Reason: Charlotte Smith is acting strange, as if she's afraid of something, and she's clinging to me.]
He smiled to himself faintly before closing his phone and tossing it aside on the bed. Getting a day off this way was clever of him. He waved his hand lazily in the air and said to Charlotte:
"And now... close the curtains properly first, then stay wherever you like."
Charlotte stared at Leonid for a moment, then slowly moved to close the curtains.
"I'll go feed Hunter... you can sleep in my bed if you want."
"Hmm..."
Leonid waved his hand dismissively, then covered his body with the blanket, searching for some rest. In the past seventy-two hours, he had barely had a deep sleep to refresh him.
Charlotte stepped into the living room and carefully closed her bedroom door, trying not to make any noise that might reach him. Despite his dominance, she couldn't shake the thought that maybe he hadn't slept well because of her. She had spent the previous night tossing and turning amidst endless nightmares.
"Wait..."
Charlotte stopped in the middle of the living room after filling Hunter's bowl with dog food, suddenly realizing something else.
Did she really let him sleep in her bedroom?
She looked at the closed door with mild surprise, realizing how quickly her relationship with Leonid was progressing beyond her expectations.
Should I open the door a little... or let him sleep peacefully?
But, is he really asleep? Or is he wandering around?
While she was lost in this internal conflict, Leonid had already fallen into a deep sleep the moment Charlotte left the room.
After a few moments of contemplation, Charlotte realized that sleeping next to him felt unusually warm. She smiled lightly to herself, then headed to the bathroom with quiet steps.
For someone like her, physical contact had always been a heavy burden. The idea of hugging often made her feel repulsed, especially by strangers. The tightness she was used to disappeared in Leonid's presence, as if his touch had seeped deep into her, melting the ice that had always fortified her.
It felt as though her body longed for his warmth, despite herself.
She gently dried her face and left the bathroom. As she walked toward the kitchen, her stomach suddenly reminded her of her hunger with a soft growl. Fortunately, she didn't need much thought to decide what to prepare for breakfast.
In reality, her decision wasn't as well thought out as it was driven by a desire to please him. Leonid had praised the pancakes she made yesterday, and for him, she decided to make them again.
She took out a medium sized bowl and began mixing the ingredients carefully: eggs, flour, a pinch of sugar, and the milk that flowed smoothly into the batter. The light scent of the mixture was refreshing, and the sound of the hand whisk filled the kitchen with a calm rhythm.
Meanwhile, Hunter had finished his food and started slowly wandering around the living room. He began to mess with the cushions, pushing them with his small teeth to make them fall to the ground coolly, as if announcing his rebellion in his silent way.
But his silent rebellion didn't last long.
On his four paws, Hunter walked towards the door of Charlotte's bedroom and started barking, moderately but persistently, as if he wanted to settle his scores with Leonid personally.