Sebastian woke up before the sun fully broke over the horizon, a soft orange glow seeping in through the slats of the wooden cabin window. His eyes adjusted slowly to the light, and the first thing he saw was her—Callie—curled up beside him, one hand resting lightly against his chest, her face relaxed in deep sleep.

She looked so… peaceful. For the first time since she washed up on his island, her expression wasn't pinched with fear or haunted by some buried trauma. She was breathing ...