Fleeting Peace

Dante

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the warmth against me.

For a second, my brain was sluggish, trying to make sense of why someone was curled up against my side, their breathing soft and even. Then it all came back—Vittoria, last night, the way she’d melted against me, the way she’d let herself rest in my arms.

I didn’t move yet.

Instead, I let my eyes trace over her, taking in the