An Unfamiliar City, A Familiar Embrace

He felt the tension ease in her shoulders as she melted into his embrace, the warmth of her cheek against his chest grounding him in a way that almost made him forget the surrounding chaos. Almost. His heartbeat couldn’t deny the uptake in rhythm though, giving her an extra squeeze for good measure.

You caught me, love, he murmured with a chuckle, leaning his head just enough so his voice was low, meant for her alone. We’re working, yeah, but I wasn’t about to let you fend for yourself in all this. Ruth can’t even manage to find his own socks, let alone think to make sure you’re good. His smirk returned, playful and full of that easy charm. Well, besides my silver-haired competition. Think he can outshine me? Should I be worried?

His hands slid to her arms, gently pulling back so he could meet her gaze, his own softened by the sight of her blush glowing. Colt let his lips curl into a lopsided grin, though his eyes swept over her dress, his appreciation evident in the way his smile deepened. I’m gonna have to beat the other guys off you, and then his face went scarlet, I… um… coulda used a better phrase… shit.

@Wilhelmina