They don't have Sex

The kiss lingered, but the heat didn't ignite. Nicole felt the weight of John’s hands on her hips, a familiar pressure that usually sent a spark through her nerves. Tonight, it felt like an anchor. Her mind drifted back to the living room, to the predatory look in Daniel’s eyes and the suffocating secret of Mr. Jefferson’s video.

John pulled back, his eyes searching hers. He noticed the slight tension in her shoulders, the way she didn't quite melt into him.

"You're a million miles away, Nic," John murmured.

He slid his hand under the hem of her robe, his palm grazing the skin of her thigh. Nicole stiffened, a small, involuntary shiver running down her spine that had nothing to do with pleasure. She gently caught his wrist, stopping his ascent.

"I... I can't tonight, John," she whispered.

John paused, his hand stilling against her skin. He blinked, the desire in his gaze flickering into a quiet confusion.

"What's wrong? You've been acting strange since Daniel arrived."

Nicole avoided his gaze, staring instead at the gold band on his finger. "It's just a lot. Work has been a nightmare, and I'm just exhausted. I feel like I can't breathe."

John sighed, the sound heavy with a mixture of frustration and concern. He leaned back against the pillows, the mattress dipping under his weight. He didn't push, though the disappointment etched itself into the corners of his mouth.

"I get it. You've been carrying the world on your shoulders lately."

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice cracking.

"Don't be sorry. Just be here with me."

He reached out and pulled her beside him, wrapping a sturdy arm around her waist and drawing her back against his chest. Nicole let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, closing her eyes as she felt the rhythmic beat of his heart against her shoulder blades.

"We'll make up for it tomorrow," John whispered into her hair.

"I'd like that," Nicole replied, though the lie tasted like ash in her mouth.

She lay still, listening to the silence of the house, wondering if Daniel was listening to the quiet from the other room. Slowly, the darkness of the bedroom swallowed them, and John’s breathing deepened into the steady cadence of sleep. Nicole remained awake, staring into the void, the ghost of a camera lens flickering in her mind.