Eric's teasing Lori over her arachnophobia earned him a light punch in the solar plexus. "You okay now?"

She nodded. "Just embarrassed."

He kissed her again, this time on the mouth. "Don't sweat it. We all have our nightmares." He turned her to face him, holding the flashlight straight up, so that it was indirectly lighting both of their faces. "I'm not going to let anything hurt you, you know," he said sincerely. In fact, the surge of protectiveness he had felt when ...