That night, Stephen dropped by Tessa''s vi to have dinner with her. Wynn had gotten used to this arrangement and did her best to minimize her presence as much as possible. She disappeared immediately after dinner was over.


    After taking a shower, Tessa and Stepheny on the bed. It was a rare asion- Stephen wasn''t interested in making love to her that night.


    "You''re holding back well tonight," Tessa teased.


    Stephen grinned in response. "I have an important meeting tomorrow morning. It would be unwise to overexert myself tonight."


    She chuckled lightly. "We could turn in for the night early if we finish early."


    "Finish early? You''re underestimating your future husband." Stephen pulled Tessa against his chest. "Once we start, I won''t let you off the hook until the wee hours of the morning."


    "Sleep, then." Tessa burrowed into the nkets. "Good night."


    Stephen propped his head on his palm and watched her for a few moments before saying, "I''m not sleepy yet. I won''t be able to fall asleep."


    A pair of doe eyes peeked at him from beneath the nkets. "Is that so? What should we do, then?"


    Stephen''s eyes crinkled. "Why don''t you try coaxing me to sleep?"


    "Me?" Surprise washed over Tessa''s face. "Coax you to sleep?"


    "Yes, I want you to coax me to sleep." A smile stretched across Stephen''s lips. "I was always the one coaxing you to sleep in the past. You''ve never done the same for me."


    Tessa snorted in amusement. "How old are you? Why do you still need someone to coax you to sleep?"


    Stephen repliedzily, "I can''t sleep, so you can either coax me to sleep or "


    Mirth shimmered in Stephen''s eyes, which were as dark as ink. He shot a mischievous look at Tessa.


    "We''ll have to partake in some strenuous activities. We''ll tire ourselves out until the crack of dawn, then we''ll sleep. It''s a good n-I just might have to miss out on a few hours of sleep. It''s no big deal."


    Tessa stared at him wordlessly. She ultimately decided to coax him to sleep. After all, coaxing him to sleep was far easier than having to sleep with him. Besides, she also had to appear in court tomorrow morning at 9:00 am. She couldn''t fool around with him until the middle of the night.


    "How would you like me to coax you to sleep?" Tessa asked, conceding to his request.


    "Tell me a story," Stephen said in a leisurely tone.


    Tessa pouted. "You''re already an adult, yet you still want to listen to a bedtime story?"


    Despite herints, she grabbed her phone and began searching for a bedtime story.


    Stephen shifted into afortable position and closed his eyes. His low voice echoed into Tessa''s ears. "You have a nice voice. It can be a bedtime story or anything else. I just want to fall asleep to the sound of your voice."


    "Alright, then. Tessa began to read off her phone. "One day, a crab left his house for a stroll. Along the way, he identally bumped into a loach. The loach got very angry and eximed, ''Are you blind?'' The crab''s response was, ''No, I''m a crab!""


    She burst intoughter after reading the story.


    Stephen peeled his eyes open. He nced at her in amusement before asking, "Why are youughing?"


    "Why aren''t youughing?" Tessa retorted. "It was a funny story, wasn''t it? Wait, let me read another one."


    Tessa scrolled through her phone. "A cat goes meow meow meow. A dog goes woof woof woof. A duck goes quack quack quack. What does a cock say?"


    "Cock-a-doodle-do?" Stephen answered, going along with her antics.


    "You''re wrong." Tessa began to chortle again. "A cock is a special present for a special someone."


    A hint of helplessness flickered in Stephen''s eyes. "I asked you to read me a bedtime story, not tell me corny jokes."


    "But these jokes are quite funny, no? Why aren''t youughing at any of them? You have a bad sense of humor, Tessa used cheekily, her eyes crinkling into crescents. "Fine, I''ll just have to look for another one that will make youugh."


    "One day, an ant ran into another ant. The first ant asked the second ant, ''Do you know the way back home?'' The second ant was stunned for a second before it said, ''Your home is right here in my arms.""


    It was yet another corny joke. The second ant answered the first ant''s question by singing a popr love song with the same lyrics. It was a silly joke, but Tessa could hear Stephen stifling hisughter.


    Seeing that she had seeded in making himugh, Tessa also burst into a fit of giggles. She even began to sing the rest of the song. "Whenever I think of you, I either smite or fall silent. I wonder if anyone could cure the loneliness inside of you."


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