Sean’s lips curled faintly as he broke the silence. “Cat got your tongue?”

He stood at the foot of the bed, hands tucked into his pockets, his tall, lean form radiating an air of untouchable cool. Every perfectly composed line of his being seemed etched in frost and quiet arrogance. Beside him, I felt unmoored, lacking, a dim silhouette cast against his sharp, commanding clarity.

I mumbled, “Not like I’ll win any argument anyway.”

His brow ...