Scarlett

A day later, the late afternoon sun filtered softly through the curtains of Viktor’s new apartment, wrapping the bedroom in a warm, golden haze. We had barely left the bed since morning — only long enough to eat leftovers and brew fresh coffee before crawling back under the sheets. The outside world felt distant, unimportant. Right now, nothing existed except the two of us.

I lay on my side facing him, our legs loosely intertwined beneath the thin sheet. Viktor’s new glasses rested forgotten on the nightstand. His hair was adorably messy from sleep and from my fingers running through it earlier. He watched me with that quiet, intense...