Morning crept into Darius’s hotel room, slipping through the tall curtains in soft streaks of gold. The light rested gently on the floor before climbing slowly toward the bed, where I lay awake long before I intended to.

I decided to sleep over at the hotel last night.

The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioner and the distant sounds of traffic far below.

The sheets were warm around me, carrying the lingering scent of cologne and the kind of intimacy that made the night feel suspended in time.

Behind me, the mattress shifted slightly.

"You’re awake".

Darius’s voice came low and calm, touched with...