The house was dark when I stepped inside, the quiet swallowing me whole. The door clicked shut behind me, and I leaned against it, exhaling like I’d finally surfaced from underwater.
The night air outside had been cool, in here, it felt warm. Too warm, like my body still carried the imprint of Ahmir’s voice, his touch, his certainty. “I’m starting to fall for you, Imani.” His words looped through my mind, soft and unsettling, as I slipped out of my heels and moved toward the kitchen. I needed a drink. Something to ground me. Something to drown the ghost of his thumb brushing my lip.
The kitchen light flicked on with a soft hum. I reached for a bottle of wine — the good one I’d been saving — and poured a generous glass. The first sip went down warm. Smooth. Dangerous. I set the glass on t
