Sunlight crept slowly across the bedroom, warming the sheets and casting a soft, golden glow over tangled limbs. Ella stirred first, blinking her eyes open against the invading light, her senses still foggy with sleep.
The first thing she noticed was warmth.
The second thing she noticed was Nicholas.
He was sprawled beside her, one arm tucked under his head, the other wrapped securely around her waist, holding her like she was something he didn't intend to let go of anytime soon. His bare chest rose and fell steadily, the slow rhythm of his breathing brushing warmly against her temple. Somehow during the night, she'd ended up half draped over him, her legs tangled with his, one hand resting against the smooth, solid plane of his stomach.
Ella lay there for a moment, just breathing him in—soap, heat, and something entirely him. It felt reckless, indulgent, to stay pressed up against him like this, but she didn't move. Didn't want to.
