It was still early when Drake dropped Lucy off at her place. The city was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of morning sunlight, and for once, everything seemed suspended in time. They had finished work ahead of schedule, leaving them with unexpected hours together, but Lucy found it hard to move, as if the car itself had become a cocoon of warmth and lingering touches.
Drake’s hands rested lightly on hers, but firm enough that she couldn’t pull away. He wasn’t trying to control her; he was holding on because he didn’t want this moment to end. He wanted to memorize the curve of her lips, the soft sparkle in her eyes, the gentle rise and fall of her chest when she laughed. Every detail of her seemed to etch itself into his mind, and he had no desire to escape.
Lucy smacked his shoulder playf
