Morning arrived sooner than she had anticipated. Soft sunlight filtered into the room through a narrow opening in the curtains, gently brushing across her face. 

Instinctively, she burrowed deeper into the comforting warmth of Julian’s neck. A low, playful chuckle rumbled from his chest, confirming he was already awake.

“So you’re up,” she murmured, her voice thick with exhaustion and sleepiness.

How could she possibly feel any energy left when Julian had thoroughly exhausted every bit of it the previous night? Her lower abdomen still ached, a clear reminder of his relentless stamina. The man seemed forged from steel in every possible way.

“Yeah, I’ve been awake for some time,”...