Maliya's POV
I woke up slowly, wrapped in warmth and the scent of Rafael's cologne. For a moment, I was disoriented, not understanding why I felt so safe, so comfortable.
Then I realized I was still in his arms.
We'd fallen asleep like that, me with my head on his chest, him with his arms wrapped protectively around me. Sometime during the night, we'd shifted so we were both lying down, tangled together on my bed.
I should have pulled away. Should have put distance between us.
But I didn't want to.
My heart was beating fast, so loud I was sure he could hear it. Rafael was still asleep, his face relaxed in a way I'd never seen before. He looked younger like this.
The morning light filtered through my curtains, casting soft shadows across his features. I studied him, the scar on his t
