She brought their bodies closer than they'd been before. He found himself suddenly wishing he could close the gap entirely, put his arms around her, rest his head against her, let their breathing and heartbeats unify through contact, and find sleep pressed together.

Wishing, because it didn't occur to him for an instant to actually try.

But she was still holding his hand, letting him hold hers. That was momentous as an end in itself.

He wasn't entirely aware of his thumb moving gently on her skin.

He just sank himself deeper into the pillows and the bed, matching his awareness of her body, the impression she made in the mattress and in space itself; and, true to his word, began to modulate his breathing, synchronizing with hers.