Kara hug

Kara, Valentina’s close friend, had arrived a little late to the party. She was a 33-year-old woman, 175 cm tall with a solid, full 95-kg frame, short dark hair, and a calm, steady gaze. Until now she had mostly been watching from a chair in the corner of the room.

She rose quietly and walked over to Jessica and the sleeping Jason. Standing beside the sofa, she spoke in a very soft voice:

“If you’re getting tired, I can hold him for a while.”

Jessica lifted her head and looked at Kara. After a brief pause, she gave a small nod and gently loosened her arms from around Jason’s narrow waist. Kara leaned down. Her strong, warm hands slid beneath his light body—one under his shoulder blades, the other under his knees—and without any hurry she lifted him from Jessica’s lap.

Jason let out a small sound in his sleep and pressed his face against Kara’s chest. His slim, warm body settled completely into her firm embrace. Kara raised him a little higher so that his head rested on her shoulder, then sat down calmly on the nearby sofa and settled him across her lap. One hand supported the back of his head while the other wrapped around his waist. With Jessica’s help, they pulled the blanket over him again.

From across the room Chiara looked over and asked quietly,

“Everything all right?”

Kara answered without lifting her head:

“Yes. He’s sleeping comfortably.”

Valentina gave a small smile and picked up her glass.

“Then let’s leave the music just like this—soft. Does anyone want anything?”

Jessica shifted her shoulders and made herself more comfortable on the sofa. The weight of Jason was no longer on her legs, but she could still feel the warmth of his body on her clothes. Kara sat in silence, her fingers moving slowly over Jason’s back, occasionally lowering her head so she could feel his warm breath against her neck. Jason remained in a deep sleep, only shifting slightly now and then in the new arms, trying to press himself closer to Kara’s warmth.