The villa provided sleeping arrangements for coupled pairs—private suites with single beds large enough for two, designed to test boundaries even during rest.
Wish stood in the doorway of her assigned room, staring at the bed with growing dread.
One bed.
Dain was already inside, changed into loose sleep pants and nothing else, that bronze skin on full display. He glanced at the bed, then at her.
"I can sleep on the floor," he offered.
"No." Wish walked in, grabbed a pillow, and placed it lengthwise down the center of the mattress. A barrier. "You stay on your side. I stay on mine. We don't touch. We don't talk. Clear?"
"Crystal."
They climbed into bed from opposite sides.
Wish lay rigid on her back, as close to the edge as possible without falling off.
The silence was suffocating.
She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to sleep. But every small sound made her hyper-aware of his presence. The rustle of sheets when he shifted. The quiet exhale when he settled.
