Maeve’s POV
I woke to the smell of something warm and sweet. My eyes opened slowly, muscles tight, ribs sore, but safe. For a moment, I forgot what day it was, what had happened yesterday. Then I remembered the fight, the chaos, the sirens, and him...the way he had been there, steady, everywhere I couldn’t even admit I wanted him.
I rolled over, squinting against the faint light spilling in. Aaron wasn’t there. Not immediately, and I wasn’t sure if that was relief or disappointment. Then I heard it...a soft clatter in the kitchen. Something hitting a pan, the faint sound of a spatula scraping against metal. My chest tightened. He was cooking.
I slid out of bed, careful not to wake him too soon, and padded toward the sound, bare feet on the cool floor. The kitchen was quiet, but alive in
