268 The Morning After

(Winona)

My body is heavy with the satisfying ache of last night. I stretch, feeling the soreness in my muscles, a reminder of how intense it all was.

Jayden is lying next to me, his arm draped lazily over my waist, his breathing deep and even. He looks so peaceful, so content, like everything in the world is exactly as it should be.

And for a moment, I let myself believe that it is.

Last night was... different. It wasn’t like before, when we were still figuring things out, still cautious. This time, there was no hesitation. Jayden was sure of himself, of me, of us.

He didn’t second-guess, didn’t hold back.

He took what he wanted, and so did I. I responded to him like I hadn’t in years.

It was raw, desperate, and exactly what I needed. There was also a vulnerability in him I could feel. Like he wasn’t sure he’d keep me. That I might find someone else to love. I think a little fear like that is healthy.

But what I’d done was let that healthy fear turn into something that festered. The