The soft glow of early morning filtered through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the bed. I stirred slightly, warm and cocooned in the comfortable haze of sleep, but I wasn't alone in my wakefulness.
Chris shifted beside me, his arm tightening around my waist, pulling me closer against him. His bare skin was warm against mine, and I could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest as he pressed a slow, lazy kiss against my shoulder.
"Morning," he murmured, his voice husky with sleep.
I smiled, my eyes still half-closed as I melted into him. "Mmm… morning."
For the first time in days, I didn't wake up with my chest tight and anxious. Maybe it was the support we'd received the night before, or maybe it was just the way Chris held me—grounding me, reminding me that we were facing this together.
He buried his face in the crook of my neck, his lips brushing against my skin as he hummed softly. "You slept in."
