Daniel had no idea how long he had been asleep when he finally woke up. For a brief moment, he lay still, disoriented, the weight of exhaustion pressing heavily on him. Then he opened his eyes fully.
The first thing he saw was Anna.
She sat beside him, quietly watching, her expression unreadable but intent. He should have been startled by her presence, by the way her gaze held him so steadily. Instead, an unfamiliar awkwardness settled over him.
After last night, nothing felt simple anymore.
He pushed himself up slowly, avoiding her eyes. "How long did I sleep?" he asked, his voice rough.
Without waiting for an answer, he reached for his phone on the bedside table and checked the time. It was later than he expected. Yet even as he stared at the screen, he could feel her gaze on his back, warm and unrelenting.
Daniel exhaled quietly.
