I woke slowly, as if swimming through layers of dreams that clung to me like fog. My body was sore, tender in places that reminded me of what happened last night, of what I had allowed. Heat flushed across my cheeks before my mind could even begin to steady itself.
The first thing I felt was warmth. His warmth.
Hugo's arms were wrapped securely around me, as though his entire body had been molded into a shield to keep me from ever slipping away. My cheek rested against his chest, and the steady thrum of his heartbeat filled my ears, grounding me.
For a moment, I didn't move.
For a moment, I allowed myself to simply exist in this cocoon of silence, this illusion of safety. It felt too easy, too gentle, too… foreign. I didn't remember the last time I had woken to someone's arms around me without feeling like it was a performance, a duty, or an obligation.
But then I made the mistake of lifting my eyes.
And I saw him.
