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The late afternoon sun filtered through the balcony, casting a golden glow across Lucas's bedroom.

My body was still flushed from the heat of the moment, lying next to him, our breaths evening out in unison. For a brief moment, there was nothing but the sound of our breathing, and I let myself sink into the strange comfort of his presence.

But the weight of reality was creeping back in, like a cold draft sneaking under the door.

Lucas turned to me, his hand brushing lightly against my arm. “You’re quiet.”

I forced a small smile. “Just... thinking about some stuff.”

He chuckled, propping himself up on his elbow. “Thinking about what, exactly? Your dominance was pretty sexy.”

His teasing tone made me smile for real this time, but beneath the surface, I felt something gnawing at me. It was easier to say I was exploring, but the guilt that followed couldn’t be ignored because I was still hiding everything from them.

The web I was weaving was getting messier by the day, and I didn’