Elena’s POV.
I stretched lazily across the vast expanse of the mattress, my body feeling surprisingly restored despite the mess of the previous night. My hand brushed against the silky sheets beside me, settling into a lingering warm indentation. The faint, intoxicating scent of pine and crushed cedar drifted into my lungs—Raymond.
My heart flipped at the mere thought of him. I turned my head, half-expecting him to still be there. He wasn’t.
I told myself I should be relieved, but disappointment settled into my chest instead.
He had carried me here when my legs gave out. He had cleaned the dirt from my skin, massaged away the lingering tension in my muscles, and tucked me into his bed without asking for a single thing in return. He hadn’t taken advantage of my vulnerability. For the fi
