Morning Afterglow

Lyra stirred beneath the covers, her breath slow and steady, but the echo of last night’s kiss lingered—like a secret flame glowing quietly inside her.

Outside, the island was waking up. The distant call of seabirds, the soft rustle of palm leaves in the breeze, and the promise of a new day filled the air.

Stretching, she reached for her journal on the nightstand—a tether to the night’s truth—an