CLAIRE
As I entered my room, my hands were still trembling. No, let me rephrase that. My face was flushed, my chest felt heavy, and that unsettling twist in my stomach was alarmingly close to pain. I should have anticipated that Eros would find a way to spoil a moment that nearly felt... Almost tender. Almost something more.
The door clicked shut behind me, and the silence enveloped me like a thick fog. The room was dimly lit, save for the gentle glow of the lamp on my nightstand. My reflection in the window appeared weary, with dark circles under my eyes, and tension coiled in my shoulders.
I collapsed onto the bed, sinking into the mattress, lying on my back and gazing up at the ceiling. The faint floral aroma of Eros's detergent still clung to the sheets. My muscles were tense, as if
