CHAPTER 410: CHAPTER 410 DREAMING ABOUT HIM

Leo did not rush, not for a second. Every touch felt deliberate, every motion slow and patient, and Bella felt taken care of in a way she had never known before, as if he was intent on washing away every ounce of exhaustion she carried, every tense muscle, every shiver. It was strange and beautiful all at once, how a man who looked fierce enough to shatter steel could hold her so delicately that she felt like she might drift asleep in his arms.

When the bath was over and the warm water settled behind them like a sigh, Leo lifted Bella out with the same gentle care he had shown from the beginning. Her body was limp from exhaustion, her cheek resting against his shoulder as he wrapped her in a fluffy white towel. He dried her slowly, lovingly, absorbing every drop of water from her skin with patient strokes, making sure she did not feel a chill. Each time she blinked sleepily, he smiled as if the sight alone softened something inside him.

Once she was dry, he did not bother reaching for another towel. He used the same one to rub the water from his own skin, then wrapped it lazily around his waist before scooping her into his arms once more. Bella was barely awake, her tiny hands curled against his chest like a drowsy kitten. He carried her to the couch first, settling her gently onto the cushions.

He walked toward the wardrobe, his back still damp, steam clinging to his skin. He pulled open a drawer and searched with surprising care before choosing the cutest set of pajamas she owned, soft pastel fabric with the tiny patterns she loved. When he turned back and saw her sitting there with her damp hair falling over her shoulders, her cheeks warm and her eyes heavy with sleep, he felt a quiet satisfaction bloom in his chest.

"You look fresh, bunny," he murmured, more to himself than to her.

He brought over the pajamas, helped her wear them with gentle hands, and then went to fetch the rechargeable small air dryer. Bella’s eyes fluttered closed as he ran his fingers through her hair, lifting the strands gently so the warm air reached them evenly. His touch was slow and careful, as though he was afraid to tug too hard and disturb her little bubble of comfort. When her hair turned soft and dry, he pressed her head lightly with his palm, making her lean into him with a sleepy hum.

Without a word, he picked her up again.

He carried her to the bed and placed her right in the middle, arranging her carefully on the mattress as if she was something fragile and precious. He covered her with the soft blanket, tucking it around her with tender precision. Then he checked the bedside table to make sure her precious toys were where they should be.

Moonbeam.

Snowball.

Berry.

One by one, he placed them close to her, arranging them so she would wake up surrounded by the things she loved.

Only then did he step away to change. He disappeared into the closet for a moment, and when he came back out, he wore gray sweatpants and a black T-shirt that clung comfortably to his broad frame. His hair was still a little damp, his steps slow and lazy as the tiredness from the day and everything they had shared finally caught up with him.

He climbed onto the bed with a deep, relaxed exhale, settling beside Bella as if this spot next to her was the only place he belonged. He slipped an arm around her and pulled her toward him, guiding her sleepy body right against his chest where he could feel her warmth.

But then he noticed something.

Bella was hugging Moonbeam tightly.

Leo stared at the plushie.

Then at Bella.

Then back at the plushie.

A single muscle jumped in his jaw. He had placed them near her so she would not feel alone, but he did not want her hugging that hateful plushie instead of him.

"No," he murmured softly, as if offended on a personal level.

In one swift, almost jealous motion, he took Moonbeam from Bella’s arms and tossed it gently across the bed toward the Dorabella plushie. Bella made a soft, confused sound in her sleep and clung to Leo’s shirt instead.

Satisfied, Leo exhaled slowly and pulled her fully into his arms, burying his face in her hair as he finally allowed himself to relax.

"Leo..." Bella murmured faintly in her sleep, her voice a small, shaken whisper against his chest. Leo’s eyes opened immediately, the sound of his name slipping through her lips like a tug on his heart. He blinked once, adjusting to the dim bedroom glow, and then lowered his chin slightly to look at her.

"Hm?" he answered softly, his voice husky from half-sleep, warm against her hair.

But she did not wake. Her lashes did not even flutter. Instead, she burrowed closer, her cheek pressing firmly against his chest as though his heartbeat was the only thing she recognized in her dreams.

Ten minutes later...

"Leo..." she breathed again, like a plea or a comfort she could not name.

He frowned a little, confused. "Yes?" he whispered, though he already suspected she was not actually talking to him. He lifted a hand and brushed his thumb across her cheek. Her skin was warm and relaxed, her lips parted gently, her breaths deep. She was completely asleep.

Then it clicked.

She was dreaming about him.

A slow smile spread across his face before he could stop it. The idea that she thought of him even in her deepest sleep made something warm ripple through him.

He pulled her even closer than they already were, feeling her body mold instinctively to his as she made another soft sound, a sleepy sigh that melted straight into him. The warmth of her breath against his shirt, the gentle curl of her fingers around the fabric, the way her softness rested against his firmness, all of it settled into him like a gentle, addictive sweetness.

"She even thinks of me in her dreams..." he murmured to himself, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Good. Very good."

His smile deepened, his eyes growing softer as he watched her tiny expressions in sleep, her pouty lips relaxing, her eyebrows unknitting, her breathing steady. He pressed a slow kiss to the top of her head, letting his lips linger there as if savoring the softness of her hair.