*Lauren*

The morning sun barely crept through the curtains, casting a soft glow on Lucas's tanned face as he slept. I watched the steady rise and fall of his chest for a moment longer, the tension from the past two weeks coiling tighter in my gut. He mumbled something incoherent in his sleep, and I quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him.

"Lauren?" His voice was groggy, laced with the remnants of dreams.

"Go back to sleep," I whispered, trying to keep my ...