The afternoon sunlight poured in like honey.
Thick, warm, and slow, it painted the walls of our home in gold and amber, catching on the folds of silk draped across the chairs and the steam curling up from delicate teacups. The windows were open, letting in the scent of jasmine and something sweet from the nearby garden.
I moved through it barefoot.
Wrapped in a soft robe that brushed my thighs, pale hair cascading down my back. The house was quiet โ for now.
He was in the kitchen, setting glasses on a tray. I could hear the low clink of crystal, the smile in his voice when he called over his shoulder, โTheyโll be here soon.โ
I leaned against the doorway, watching him. โYouโre calm for someone expecting company.โ
He turned to look at me. That look โ part admiration, part something slower. โI have you here. Whatโs there to worry about?โ
My cheeks warmed, and not from the sun. I crossed the room, letting my fingers trail across his back as I passed, just slow enough to let him feel my presence linger.
Weโd been up late the night before.
Lips and whispers.
Lingering touches under soft sheets.
The kind of closeness that stayed with you, even after you got dressed.
And now, with friends on the way, the space between us thrummed with that same tension โ quieter, maybe, but no less real.
I slipped onto the couch, tucking one leg beneath me, letting my robe fall slightly open. Not indecent. Justโฆ relaxed.
He brought the tray in, set it down, then sat beside me.
โI wish we had one more hour,โ he murmured.
I looked at him, smiling. โWe always find moments, even in the middle of everything.โ
He leaned in, kissed my shoulder โ light, reverent, like he was reminding himself I was real.
The doorbell rang.
We didnโt move right away.
Instead, he brushed his hand along my thigh โ a silent promise that the day might belong to everyone elseโฆ but the night would still be ours.