The first light of dawn crept through the tall windows of Jake's chambers in Raaya Villa, painting golden stripes across the massive bed. The lanterns had burned out hours ago, leaving only the soft glow of morning and the faint crackle of dying embers in the hearth.
Jake woke slowly, still tangled between two warm, sleeping bodies.
Chelsea lay curled against his left side, her dark hair spilled across his chest, one arm draped over his stomach. Her breathing was deep and even, lips parted slightly, a faint flush still lingering on her cheeks from the night before. Rosa slept on his right, silver braid loose and wild, her head resting on his shoulder, one leg hooked over his thigh. Her hand rested possessively on his chest, fingers curled over his heart.
