Luke woke slowly, disoriented at first as he shifted on a bed that was not his. Details from last night began to download into his mind, and he blinked. Julia. Instinctively, he reached an arm out. The space in bed next to him was empty but still warm. He sat up and glanced around.

She must have heard him stirring, because she poked her head out of the bathroom, toothbrush in hand. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

“Morning,” he croaked, still groggy. He wondered what time it was. Without the corgi parade at the crack of dawn, he’d slept like a rock. The sex might have had something to do with it, too. His body was relaxed, sated in a bone-deep way that just felt good.

Barefoot and wrapped in a fluffy hotel robe, Julia shuffled out of the bathroom. Her hair was pulled up on top of her head in a messy bun that wobbled charmingly as she bounded back into bed. She was fresh-faced and smelled of minty toothpaste and lemony soap.

Mint and lemon. He liked it. He imagined waking up to those scents every day, of her face being the first thing he saw each morning. He liked that, too.

“What are your plans for the day?” she asked.

“Me?” His brain scrambled inside his skull. It wasn’t fair that he was expected to think clearly when she was looking at him like that. Early morning sunlight streamed across the bed, lighting up her face, making her eyes glow, the greens and browns of her irises ever shifting, drawing him in. “Uh, I’m not sure.”

“Don’t tell me you’re bored of me already,” she teased.

Her voice was light, but he sensed the thread of concern beneath. This bond between them was so new, so fragile.

“Never.” He nuzzled her neck. “I’ve been wanting to do this since last night,” he confessed, mouth pressed to the hollow at the base of her throat.

“Mmm.” She dropped her head back, giving him better access.

“Yes, just like that.” Luke smiled, relishing the way her sounds of pleasure vibrated against his lips.

“What else is on this list?” she asked, as he moved to press a kiss to the tender skin behind her ear.

“Well,” he said, tugging at the belt on her robe. He pushed the soft folds of fabric open, revealing her breasts. “Since you asked…”

It was a long time before he’d exhausted that list, and when they finally fell back against the pillows, Luke was ready for a nap. He thought he’d been relaxed before, but his bones felt like water now. Julia was lying on her side, snuggled against him, her back to his front. He traced lazy patterns across her bare shoulders. “How about we stay here all day,” he suggested.