DISCLAIMER:
This book contains mature subject matter and triggering topics that may not be suitable for every reader.
• • •
"What is it that I always tell you, Winona? You'll always come back to me. A bird never forgets its home."
Winona Horton ha...
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August 2010 • • •
As the first light of dawn seeped through the windows, Winona stirred from her restless slumber. The motel room was suffocatingly hot, and the thin sheets clung to her sweat-soaked skin. With a groan, she forced herself to sit up, her eyes still heavy with sleep.
It was then that she realized she was alone in bed. Panic seized her chest, and she called out for Wes in a voice thick with exhaustion. The only answer was the sound of her own ragged breathing.
She pushed the sheets aside, her bare feet meeting the scratchy carpet beneath. It was worn and threadbare, evidence of countless travelers who had stayed before them. Winona shivered slightly, despite the sweltering heat.
Just as she was about to step out of bed, the bathroom door creaked open. A warm cloud of steam drifted out, filling the room with the scent of soap and hot water. And there, in the doorway, stood Wes.
He had just stepped out of the shower, his hair still damp and tousled. The droplets of water clung to his skin like tiny jewels, glistening in the dim light of the motel room. His eyes were fixed on Winona, and a sly smile played at the corners of his lips.
Winona couldn't help but feel a jolt of electricity shoot through her. Wes had always had that effect on her, even though they'd only known each other for a short time. She found herself frozen in place, unable to tear her gaze away from his.
"Why're you staring at me like that?" Winona asked, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Wes's eyes flickered over her half-exposed body, his smirk growing in size. She pulled the covers up with a gasp, feeling vulnerable and exposed.
"It's not like I haven't seen you naked before," he stated crudely, strolling toward the bed with a devilish grin on his face. "I saw it a couple of hours ago too, don't you remember?"
Winona folded her arms across her chest, keeping the covers secured around her body. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she replied, her voice shaky with uncertainty.
Her boyfriend's full lashes fluttered as he blinked, his amusement turning into a look of concern. "We slept together," he said, his tone gentle as if he was worried that she might have forgotten something important.
"No we didn't," she retorted. Yes, she could play a few tricks on him too.
"Stop gaslighting me, Wynn," he snorted and placed a hand on her thigh, caressing it through the covers. "It's not gonna work on me. I know for a fact that last night happened."
"I'm telling you I don't remember anything, Wes." Her facial expression crumpled into a frown. "I just woke up and found myself like this. That's why I called your name. I'm not lying."
Wes's eyes went wide in shock and horror. The guilt in his heart showed outwardly. His smirk disappeared. "Wynn, do you really not remember? Did you.. does that mean I... I'm sorry. I wouldn't have done anything if I knew you wouldn't remember—"
