Marian's POV
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the weight of Aiden's gaze.
He was watching me again.
It had been like this since I first opened my eyes in the hospital—his presence a constant, unwavering force by my side. If I so much as shifted in bed, his eyes were on me. If I exhaled too sharply, his brows furrowed in concern. If I so much as blinked too long, he'd tense, like he thought I was about to disappear.
It was sweet. And a little overwhelming.
I blinked up at him, still groggy from sleep. "You're staring."
His jaw tightened slightly, but he didn't look away. "I'm watching."
I let out a quiet laugh, though it came out more like a breath. "There's a difference?"
Aiden leaned forward, elbows resting on the edge of my hospital bed. "Yes. One is casual. The other is me making sure you don't stop breathing in the middle of the night."