“Yummy, Calvin,” she said softly when he chewed, offering a sheepish, sweet smile that softened the sharp edges of the night.

“Give me too,” Cleopatra added with a soft giggle, the sound carrying a rare, unguarded playfulness.

“Here,” Calvin replied.

He opened his mouth slightly, waiting.

“Ahh—”

But just as she was about to place the snack inside, Cleopatra’s eyes sparkled mischievously. In a sudden, playful motion, she shoved the piece into her own mouth instead.

The small trick was followed by a fleeting, teasing smile.

Time seemed to freeze.

Then, in a breath of instinct rather than thought, Calvin’s hand moved.

Like a flash of light, his arm wrapped...