I woke to the familiar warmth of Lysander’s arm around me, his breath steady against the back of my neck. The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. I lay there for a moment, feeling the heat of his body pressed close, wishing I could stay like this a little longer. But the clock was ticking, and I didn’t want to risk him waking up, so I carefully began to slip away from his embrace.

“Where do you think you’re going?” His low ...