CHAPTER 13: FUTURE MEETS PAST

"Sleep, I know you're tired," James whispered, his voice soft yet filled with an unexpected tenderness that Aria hadn’t expected. His strong arms gently cradled her as he laid her down onto the plush, welcoming bed. The mattress seemed to mold perfectly beneath her weight, offering her a comfort that was almost too luxurious after the intensity they had shared moments before.

The cool, crisp sheets felt like a soothing balm against her warm, flushed skin, still tingling from the memory of his touch. Every inch of her body was spent, muscles relaxed into a languid surrender, but her mind still buzzed with the electricity of their earlier passion. James loomed above her, his gaze lingering on her, filled with an emotion she couldn’t quite decipher. For a moment, the silence between them was thick, their breaths the only sound breaking through the stillness of the room.

As she lay there, the room's dim lighting cast soft shadows over James's face, making his features appear sharper, more