EMBRACING THE UNEXPECTED

The first light of dawn filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. Lily stirred, slowly waking from her slumber. The events of the previous night came rushing back to her as she opened her eyes. The warmth of Mark's body beside her, the way he had held her close as they drifted off to sleep—everything felt surreal, almost like a dream.

But it wasn’t a dream. She was still on the couch where they had spent the night, her body still tangled in his, the remnants of their passion lingering in the air. She turned her head to look at him, expecting to see him still asleep, but to her surprise, Mark was already awake. He was watching her, a soft smile playing on his lips as he took in the sight of her.

"Good morning," he said gently, his voice hushed as if not to break the tranquility of the moment. "You're beautiful, you know."

Lily blinked, still groggy from sleep, but his words sent a flutter through her chest. She wasn't used to such compliments from Mark, espe