Niles held tightly to the woman beside him, allowing her to rest her head against his chest. Her hair was spread across her shoulders, and he inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent. It had been years since he had been with this woman. They had both been so young, so inexperienced.
Here they were, years later, rekindling their…affair. It was the only real word he could use to describe what went on between them. Did he care for her? Of course. But, he didn't love her.
Yet, it was a feeling he had missed: skin to skin, lips against lips. "Oh, Niles," she whispered. "I am so happy Maxwell let me come to visit. You vere zee first thought in my mind zee moment he invited me."
Niles chuckled, his eyes barely open. He stroked her bare stomach. "Clara, it has been too long."
"You've grown into such a vonderful man," she replied.
Using his finger to trace circles on her stomach, he sighed. "Let's get some sleep, hm?"
She snuggled closer to him, clearly as exhausted as he was. "Goodnight, Niles."
"Goodnight, Clara."