Morning light over the Aegean always carried a languid tenderness. It streamed through the villa's floor-to-ceiling windows and spilled over the soft cashmere carpet, deepening the warmth in the air. Mei Hock woke to soft murmurs beside his ear and a ticklish touch against his neck. The five-meter-wide bed beneath him was soft and spacious, holding more than one body. This was the most conspicuous-and sweetest-change during their month-long holiday beside the Aegean.
At first, the bed had been an ordinary size, but Lunamaria Hawke's persistent coaxing and Meirin Hawke's quiet clinginess had proved impossible to resist. Eventually, everyone had moved in except Lacus Clyne, who still retained a maiden's reserve. Her room was next door, elegant and tranquil, filled with her favorite white roses. Every night, she waited for Akira to come talk with her and watch the stars, yet she never agreed to stay overnight. She said, "Keeping a little restraint is how I honor this special affection." But Akira could plainly read her attachment in the reluctance in her eyes and the hesitation in her fingertips. He therefore established a rule: one night every week, he would set aside everything else and stay in Lacus's room alone. They would discuss neither war nor political intrigue. He would simply be her protector, listening to her concerns and giving her a tenderness meant for her alone, respecting her reserve while giving her love a place to rest.
"Mmm... Akira, you're awake?" Meirin noticed him stir first. She slowly opened her sleepy eyes, their green depths still veiled with drowsiness. Her small hand clutched his sleeve, her fingertips brushing his skin. Her voice was soft as melted marshmallow. "Can we sleep a little longer? The sunlight hasn't reached the pillows yet."
Her voice was quiet, but it still woke the