#Chapter 52 – Chances

Lila The first hint of morning slipped through the curtains, casting pale gold across my face. I lay still beneath the silk sheets, the cool fabric a stark contrast to the warmth lingering on my skin from the night before. Too many feelings still tangled in my chest from last night. My lips still tingled. I pressed two fingers to them, half expecting to find Damon’s mouth still there. The memory of Damon's touch, his lips claiming mine with an urgency that spoke of hidden desires, sent a shiver down my spine. My fingers traced the outline of my lips, as if to etch the sensation into my very being. I sat up slowly, letting the sheet fall away from my shoulders. The dress I’d worn last night was draped over the back of a chair, its fabric still holding the scent of night-blooming flower and Damon’s spice. Last felt real. And real was dangerous. A soft scratch at the door broke through my haze. I froze. A beat of silence followed, then the quiet slip of parchment against st