"You are so beautiful."
Ralph's voice was a low whisper as his finger idly tracing constellations on the smooth skin of Vilka's naked arm. They lay tangled in the sheets of his bed, limbs intertwined, basking in the shared warmth and scent of their lovemaking. For hours, the outside world had ceased to exist and had become a distant murmur beyond the sanctuary of Ralph's room.
It was this very thought that had caused an unhappy expression to be etched onto Vilka's face. She had faded so deeply into her worried thoughts that his tender words failed to register in her mind. Her beautiful grey eyes stared straight ahead, seeing nothing but the problems that awaited them and the thoughts that she could not push away from her.
Ralph noticed the distance. His gaze, which had been permanently fixed on her in admiration, now sharpened with concern. He saw the conflict clouding her features. Gently, he reached for her chin, turning her face carefully towards his.
