“Um, hugging, yes. And he pats my head—does that count?” Chloe mumbled quietly, embarrassed. “It’s just that he did all that before as well, so like I said, nothing’s really changed.”
“That...is a little questionable in its own right. Why, it almost sounds like you two are an old married couple more than anything else,” Sara said, looking a little confused. “You’re young and in love! To tell the truth, I was mincing my words earlier, but I would have thought you’d be exploring...the more passionate side of things by now!” She glanced around to ensure Millia was out of earshot, before leaning in and whispering, “You know, like a night of hot, fiery passion?”
“A n-n-n-night of h-hot, f-f-f-fiery passion?!”
With a knowing grin, Sara nudged her gently. “Come on, Chloe. You’ve read Love & Knight. Surely, you’ve some idea of what I’m talking about?”
Chloe nodded hesitantly. It was worse than that. Chloe had more than just some idea of what Sara was talking about. That passion of which Sara spoke had been depicted with alarming clarity in Love & Knight, each line pulsating with intense desire. After reading through the scene at night, Chloe had tossed and turned in her bed, unable to rest until morning. The mere thought of being so physical with Lloyd sent a rush of blood so potent to her head that she thought she might faint then and there. “Oh, Miss Sara. You and Miss Ciel are too much for me...”
Sara’s gaze turned compassionate, as if she were looking at an endangered creature. “Oh, how innocent you are, Chloe.” She paused, her gaze drifting as she reminisced. “I’d like to say I was once like you, but perhaps I never had the chance. You know how my husband is. When he and I first became sweethearts, we’d already...” Her hand fluttered to her cheek as she continued to speak of the memory.
Chloe looked on in wonderment as Sara fidgeted restlessly in silence. Sara and Freddy, each attractive in their own right, had shared moments of intimacy far beyond Chloe’s wildest dreams. She felt like she was getting a crash course in love, learning of things that she may or may not one day experience for herself.
Sara’s question snapped her back to the present. “So, have you and Lloyd...?”
“No, not at all! We sleep separately, so the mood never even arises!” Chloe blurted out, her face heating up.
Sara’s mouth dropped open again. “You sleep separately?”
“We do,” Chloe admitted. “In separate rooms, to be exact.”
Lloyd had originally welcomed Chloe into his house as a drifter. Their sleeping arrangements had been established when she took on the role of housekeeper, and neither of them, with their lack of experience, had considered altering the setup since that night.
“Well, that’s about to change! Starting tonight, you’re sharing a bed!” Sara suddenly exclaimed.
“Sh-Sh-Share a bed?! With Lloyd?!” Chloe stammered back, her voice shooting up an octave.
In the same bed...with Lloyd... Her mind ran wild with visions of the prospect: sleeping peacefully at night, turning around, seeing Lloyd right there, the soft sound of his breathing, the closeness of his face...
“Chloe?” came Sara’s voice suddenly. “Chloe? You there, honey?”
Chloe gasped. “Sorry, I was just thinking!”
Sara paused, took stock of the situation, then nodded knowingly. “I bet you were. Thinking of the big night, huh?”
“N-No! I mean, yes! But no!”
Sara feigned wiping a tear from her eye. “Oh, they grow up so fast.”
“I-I was only imagining Lloyd and I sleeping together, and nothing more!”
It took all of Chloe’s mental faculties just to keep up with Sara’s antics. When they’d first met, Chloe thought Sara to be a prim and proper young lady, but that impression had been shattered when Love & Knight came into the picture. This was the real Sara, Chloe realized, far more spirited and playful than she had ever imagined. It made sense, Chloe mused; someone as unique as Freddy would naturally have an equally intriguing partner.
Catching Chloe’s thoughtful gaze, Sara teased, “You’re not thinking anything impolite, right now, are you?”
“Wh-Whatever could you mean...?” Chloe stuttered unconvincingly. “But, um, I do have a question: is it normal for couples to share a bed?”
Sara nodded, her tone casual yet informative. “Isn’t it? I can only speak for myself, but Freddy and I have been sharing a bed since we moved in together.”
“H-How nice...”
“It is nice—sleeping beside someone you love. It’s comforting, feeling their presence, knowing you can just reach out and there they are.”
Chloe listened intently, her cheeks slightly pink.
Sara continued, her eyes sparkling. “They’re right there for you—to hug, to kiss, and then, when the mood strikes, to—”
“I-I get it, Miss Sara! Let’s move on from the night of fiery passion for now!” Sara’s enraptured expression was enough for Chloe to politely steer the conversation elsewhere.
Sara simply smiled. “But there are real benefits to sharing a bed. I always sleep better when Freddy’s with me. My mind’s clearer, and even my skin’s better. On nights he’s away, it’s just not the same.”
Chloe nodded along, fascinated. “Really? That’s fascinating...”
Out of nowhere, Millia’s voice chimed in, her hand raised as if in a classroom. “I sleep with mommy and daddy too!”
Sara bent down to stroke Millia’s head affectionately. “You sure do, sweetie. All three of us together.”
Chloe observed the tender moment, her mind awash with thoughts of Lloyd, and the prospect of a shared bed. It was a thought that both thrilled and mortified her, the kind that could send imaginary steam shooting from her ears in a cartoonish display. Yet, despite the overwhelming mix of emotions, she found herself unable to push the idea away.
In her mind’s eye, she pictured it all: the two of them slipping under the covers together, the quiet of the night enveloping them. She imagined their fingers timidly finding each other, the gap between them naturally narrowing. The thought of Lloyd’s strong arms encircling her, the security and warmth of falling asleep in his embrace. Before she knew it, her face had slackened into a disheveled grin.
Sara, observing Chloe’s dreamy expression, teased, “Still going to deny it, Chloe?”
Caught off guard, Chloe could only muster a bashful response. “I’d like to deny it, but... I can’t.”
I want to deepen what I have with Lloyd.
I want to bridge the gap between us.
I want to explore new experiences with him...
Chloe was flustered to learn that thoughts like these would ever occupy such a large part of her mind.