Chapter 140: Coastal Confessions (Part 1)

The morning sun streamed through the sliding glass door, its golden rays illuminating the room with warmth. I roused slowly, my body reluctantly waking from the deep, restful sleep I hadn't expected to get.

I reached out blindly, searching for Tyler's warm body, but my hand met only cold sheets.

"Tyler?" I mumbled groggily, opening one sleepy eye to scan the room for him.

He poked his head out from the bathroom, a toothbrush hanging from his mouth. "Morning, beautiful," he said around the toothbrush. "Did you sleep okay?"

I yawned and stretched my limbs, feeling a satisfying click in my back.

"Eventually," I replied, offering him a sleepy smile.

He looked at me sympathetically, probably suspecting what had kept me awake.

As he disappeared back into the bathroom to finish brushing his teeth, I curled up on the bed, pulling the covers back over myself as I faced the glass door that overlooked the sea.

The view truly was breathtaking. The water seemed to stretch on forever, meeting the