CHAPTER 29: An Early Morning Start

  My heart skipped a beat.

  Seeing my stunned expression, Lucas's lips curled into a faint smile. He pulled me to sit beside him, his arm casually wrapping around my waist, leaving my head resting on his shoulder.

  "Then stay with me."

  The lounge chair was barely wide enough for one person, so I had to lean against him tightly just to fit.

  The lingering scent of nicotine clung to him, mixed with a faint melancholy that seemed to radiate from deep within.

  Even though we'd already shared the most intimate moments a man and a woman could have, being this close to him now still made my palms sweat.

  We stayed there for what felt like an eternity without exchanging a word. The only sounds were the rhythm of his steady breathing and the synchronized beats of our hearts, the only melody in the serene moonlit night.

  His embrace felt so reassuring that I didn't even know when I fell asleep.