The rest of the day, we laid intertwined within each other’s bodies. Leo’s fingers played with the curls of my natural hair as I laid against his chest. He hummed a familiar tune, and I soon found my eyes closing while listening to him. Everything within me was at peace. If only time could freeze, right here. I could stay in this very moment forever.

I inhaled deeply and let the smell of pine and lemongrass on his shirt overflow my awareness. Leo took a hold of one of my ...