Reaching behind my head, I pulled off both my hoodie and T-shirt in one motion. “I’m not getting any ideas, I promise,” I assured you as I pushed my sweatpants down and stepped out of them, now standing in just my boxers. “I just can’t sleep in my clothes or I’ll turn into a furnace.”

“O-okay,” you replied “I understand.”

I grabbed my phone and the blanket, then climbed onto the couch, wincing slightly at the stiffness in my movements. Lying on my side against the back of the couch, I covered myself up to the waist with the blanket.

“You coming?” I asked, holding up the blanket with one hand and patting the space in front of me with the other.

You lowered yourself to lie with your back to me. I switched off the torch on my phone and tossed it on the floor before draping the blanket over both of us.

“Relax,” I whispered, pulling you closer with the arm I had tucked under you. “We’re just sleeping.” I wrapped my other arm around you in a secure embrace. “You’re safe,” I murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of your head.