The afternoon sun hung lazily in the sky, gilding the coastal town with honeyed light. Amira walked briskly down the narrow cobbled street, her sandals clicking against stone. She hadn’t planned on leaving the apartment; in fact, she had sworn she wouldn’t. But staying locked in that suffocating space with him? Impossible.

The taste of his kiss still clung to her lips like a brand. Every time she blinked, she could see him again—his towering frame, the heat in his eyes, ...