Chapter 74

• Cynthia stirred beneath the soft sheets, her eyes fluttering open as the morning sun slipped gently through the curtains. For a moment, she lay still, looking at the ceiling, her heart echoing with memories she hadn't let settle yet. The room was quiet, too quiet, but not empty. It still held the weight of last night.
• Her fingers curled slightly over the edge of the blanket as her mind replayed the way Ken had looked at her, the unexpected kiss, the quiet pull between them. She hadn't planned for it or even imagined it could happen… not with him. Not with the Ken she had first known as cold, harsh, and impossible to please. But this Ken? The one who held her like he didn't want to let go? The one who had wiped her tears and kissed her like she mattered? She sighed.
• A small smile touched her lips before she caught herself. She shouldn't be smiling… or maybe she should. The moment had been real. And she'd wanted it—God, she'd wanted it. She still did.