Shifts and Propositions

Aiden's POV

I stepped out of bed, grabbing a pair of sweatpants and pulling them on before heading toward the bathroom. The warm water helped clear my mind, but even as I let it run over my skin, my thoughts kept drifting back to Marian.

She wanted to work.

It wasn't a surprise, not really. Marian had never been the type to sit idle for long. I knew she had been trying to adjust to this life—the luxuries, the security, the quiet. But now, she was ready for more.

And I'd give her anything she wanted.

By the time I stepped out of the shower and got dressed, she was already up, wrapped in a silk robe, sipping her coffee by the balcony. The morning sunlight made her look…soft. Relaxed.

Mine.

I walked over and leaned against the railing beside her. "Have you thought about what you want to do?"

She tilted her head slightly, her fingers tapping against the coffee cup. "Not yet. Something meaningful, though."