Juliette:
Sunlight poured through the sheer curtains, soft and golden, warming my skin as I slowly blinked awake.
It took me a moment to remember where I was—what had happened.
And then everything came back in a slow, dizzying wave.
Maddox.
His hands. His mouth.
The way he looked at me like I was something rare, like I was wanted. Not just for a moment—but fully, completely.
My body was sore in places I hadn’t expected, but it was the good kind of sore. Like a reminder. Like proof that it hadn’t been a dream.
I rolled over.
He was still asleep, one arm curled behind his head, the other resting loosely on the pillow where I’d been. His chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm, the early light casting soft shadows across his skin.
He looked peaceful. Younger. Softer than he
