I woke to the weight of my cheek pressed against Hadrian's chest. His body, though firm—perhaps too firm to be a proper pillow—offered a coolness that soothed my overly sensitized skin, still buzzing from the night before. I just prayed I hadn’t drooled in my sleep.

Strangely, everything felt natural. Comfortable. Like waking up beside him was the most normal thing in the world. A quiet happiness bloomed in me, despite the bone-deep exhaustion clinging to my limbs. Smiling ...