Chapter 18 The Morning After

Morning light filtered through the edges of the heavy blackout curtains, casting soft golden streaks across the floor and painting the room in a fragile, almost sacred glow. The air was still, thick with the scent of skin, heat, and something deeper—something unnameable. Celeste stirred slowly, her body sore in places she didn’t expect. A dull ache lingered between her thighs, a reminder of the way he had touched her without really undressing her. She wasn’t sure what time it was, only that it was still early—too early for the rest of the world to intrude. The quiet around them was profound, like the pause between lightning and thunder.