Violet lay against Bryan’s chest, her cheek resting over the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The city murmured beyond the curtains, headlights sliding across damp pavement far below, but inside the bedroom everything felt contained within a warm, deliberate stillness. His arm circled her waist with relaxed strength, fingers resting at the curve of her hip as though he had memorized the exact place she fit.

She traced slow patterns across his ribs with her fingertips. The movement was light, exploratory rather than demanding. She felt his breath deepen beneath her touch. He did not shift away. He did not immediately draw her closer. He allowed the contact to exist,...