Maya’s eyes opened slowly; her still sleepy mind processed the warmth of another body before anything else. Her gaze focused on the rising sun out her window as a well calloused finger traced down her arm.
Even without seeing the person laying behind her she recognized the scent. A faint smell of gunpowder that his heady cologne could never completely cover.
The finger stopped at her shoulder, tapping lightly for her attention.
She turned her head, meeting his brown eyes first then letting her focus drift down to the dopey smile. I love you, his lips enunciated carefully because his arms were preoccupied with keeping her close.
I love you too, she thought. Sap, she signed.
It only encouraged him, his grin growing as he pulled her tighter to his chest and buried his face in the crook of her neck. It didn’t take long for him to start pressing soft kisses to her neck… down her collar bone… the sensitive spot behind her ear….
It felt like home— like comfort…
It felt right—
Perfect—
It was perfect… it was…
It wasn’t real.
The truth rocked through her, a familiar pain that had slept a few moments longer than she had.
She didn’t know what it would feel like to wake up next to him. She didn’t know what his kiss would be on her skin.
Because Kazi was dead.
Maya awoke in a bed much colder than the one she had dreamt up. The sun had risen but the sky outside her window was a dreary grey. And she was alone.
She remembered so many days when all she wanted was to be left alone.
She didn’t anymore.