SLOANE
I woke up earlier than usual.
The clock beside the bed glowed 6:00 a.m. in soft blue light. The room was quiet. Too quiet. The thick curtains blocked out most of the winter sun, but I could still tell it was morning from the pale glow slipping through the edges.
Adrian wasn’t beside me.
He never was.
I stared at the empty space for a moment, the sheets still warm, still carrying his scent—pine, smoke, and something deep that pulled at my chest whether I wanted it to or not.
My mind drifted back to last night.
New Year’s Day.
That kiss.
I swallowed.
I hadn’t expected it. I hadn’t prepared for it. One second we were standing too close, arguing like always, and the next his mouth was on mine like he’d been holding back for years.
The warmth hit me again.
Right in my chest.
