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𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆: 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐲!𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐲!
...🏀...
𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓, 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋
𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟒
Sunlight, a traitorous sliver sneaking through a gap in the curtains, pricked at my eyelids. I squeezed them shut, willing myself back to sleep for just a minute longer. But then, a faint thump-thump-thump echoed beneath my cheek, disrupting my fragile hold on unconsciousness.
Confused, I fluttered my eyes open. The first thing I registered was the unfamiliar sight of the balcony doors pulled slightly ajar, casting a rectangle of light onto the floor. My gaze darted to the crib across the room, where Leila slept peacefully, clutching her favorite blue blanket. Relief washed over me momentarily, only to be replaced by a jolt of panic as the source of the rhythmic thumping became startlingly clear.
My hand.
It was resting on a chest. A broad, firm chest.
A jolt of electricity shot through me as I became hyper-aware of everything—the warmth radiating from the body beneath my hand, the tangled sheets wrapped around my legs, the faint scent of citrus, and something musky that I recognized all too well.
Nathan.
My eyes flew open, landing on his face—amusement dancing in his dark eyes as he watched me with an unnerving intensity. Heat flooded my cheeks, and a scarlet wave threatened to engulf my entire face.
"Do you know your nose scrunches like that?" he drawled, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. "When you're trying to figure something out."
I blinked, momentarily speechless. Denial, however, felt futile. "No," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper.
He chuckled, a sound that sent my heart into a nervous frenzy. "Hmm," he said, a playful glint in his eyes.
I lifted my head from his chest, a cascade of light brown curls tumbling down my arm.
"How long have you been staring at me?" I blurted out, desperate to break the awkward silence.
"Not long," he teased, his eyes sparkling. "Just long enough to appreciate the view."
My cheeks burned even hotter. "Seriously, Nathan."
He grinned a slow, heart-stopping grin. "Actually, your daughter woke up."
My eyes shot to the crib across the room, relief washing over me as I saw Leila peacefully sleeping again. "How long has she been awake?"
