I stood alone on the private beach as the sun began to set. The sky turned a deep orange and soft pink over the calm ocean. The waves rolled gently onto the sand, making soft sounds that should have felt peaceful. But my mind was anything but peaceful. I wrapped my arms around myself and let the warm breeze touch my skin. My thoughts kept returning to Marcus. The way he had held me in his studio. The way his eyes had looked at me when he confessed his love. It was not just physical with him. It felt real. Safe. Like he saw the real me, the woman who had been hiding behind years of duty and sacrifice. Not the version David had tried to create.
I wanted him deeply. Not only his strong body and the way he touched me, but his presence. His quiet strength. The way he made me feel protected in
