I wake to sunlight and silence.
The bed is empty beside me. Not cold, so he hasn't been gone long. But empty.
I sit up, disoriented. We didn't have s*x. After the kiss, we talked more. About everything and nothing. About what happens next and how there's no good answer. And somewhere around two in the morning, exhaustion won. We lay down on top of the covers, still dressed, not touching but close enough to feel each other breathe.
I fell asleep feeling safer than I have in years.
Now I'm alone.
"Lucien?" My voice sounds rough. Unused.
No answer.
I swing my legs out of bed, feet hitting plush carpet. The suite is exactly as we left it. Water glasses on the coffee table. My shoes by the couch. The city visible through the windows, morning light making everything look clean and possibl
