Chapter 7

The first thing I felt was the weight of him, heavy and solid against my back, a grounding anchor in the sea of silk sheets. The morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse suite, casting a pale, golden glow over the chaotic sprawl of the luxury hotel rooftop. My head was nestled in the crook of his neck, the scent of his cologne—sandalwood and something distinctly masculine, like rain on hot pavement—still clinging to his skin. We hadn’t made it to the limousine; we had crashed right here, in the master bedroom that overlooked the glittering expanse of the city below, the distant hum of traffic a lullaby that had finally allowed us to drift into a restless, dreamless sleep. I stirred, blinking against the brightness, and realized I was naked. Not just undressed, but completely bare, save for the sheet tangled around my waist. His arm was draped over my stomach, his hand resting just above my hip, fingers splayed possessively. I could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest against my spine, the warmth of his body seeping into my cooler skin. A slow smile spread across my face as I remembered the