I woke to the soft rays of dawn bleeding through the curtains, the warmth of the morning sun brushing across my face. For a moment, I lay still, wrapped in the heavy silence of Kristen’s chambers, listening to the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing beside me. My heart stuttered at the realization that I was not dreaming—last night had been real. His arms had held me, his lips had claimed mine, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I had allowed myself to believe that maybe, ...