Good Morning, Mine
Lia woke up slowly.
At first, she didn't know where she was.
Everything felt warm.
Soft sheets.
Rain-scented air.
A steady heartbeat beneath her cheek.
Then memory returned all at once.
Adrian.
The penthouse.
The confessions.
I'm yours.
Heat rushed instantly into her chest.
Her eyes opened carefully.
Dim morning light spilled through the massive windows overlooking the city, painting soft silver across the room.
The storm had passed sometime during the night.
Now the skyline looked quiet.
Still half asleep.
Lia shifted slightly beneath the blankets—
and immediately froze.
Strong arms tightened around her waist.
A low, sleepy sound escaped from above her.
"Don't."
The roughness in Adrian's morning voice nearly destroyed her emotionally.
God.
Everything about him sounded more dangerous half-awake.
Lia tilted her head upward slightly.
Adrian looked unfairly beautiful in the soft morning light.
Dark hair messy.
Eyes barely open.
Expression still heavy with sleep and something softer she'd never seen before.
Peace.
Actual peace.
Like this was the first night he'd rested properly in weeks.
The realization made her chest ache.
"You're awake," she whispered softly.
Adrian blinked slowly at her.
Then his hold around her waist tightened instinctively again.
"You're still here."
The quiet wonder in his voice nearly broke her heart.
Lia smiled faintly despite herself.
"You sound surprised every single time."
"Because I keep expecting this to disappear."
The honesty settled heavily into the room.
Even now.
Even after everything.
Part of Adrian still looked at her like she might vanish if he relaxed too much.
Lia's fingers lifted slowly toward his face, brushing gently through his hair.
The reaction remained immediate.
Always immediate.
His eyes closed briefly while a soft breath escaped him.
"You do that too early in the morning," he murmured quietly.
"What?"
"Touch me affectionately."
A faint smile tugged at her mouth.
"You complain a lot for someone who likes it."
Adrian opened his eyes again slowly.
Dark.
Sleepy.
Completely focused on her.
"I love it." His thumb brushed lightly against her waist beneath the blanket. "That's the problem."
Warmth spread painfully through her chest.
Because even half asleep—
he still sounded devastatingly honest.
The room remained quiet except for distant city noise far below the penthouse.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Lia stayed tucked against his chest while Adrian absentmindedly traced slow patterns against her waist beneath the blanket.
Careful.
Possessive.
Comfortable.
And somehow—
that comfort felt more intimate than every kiss last night.
"You cuddle people like you're afraid they'll disappear," Lia murmured softly before thinking.
Silence.
Then Adrian's fingers paused briefly against her side.
"I told you," he said quietly. "I don't sleep deeply around people."
Her chest tightened instantly.
"But you slept last night."
A faint flicker crossed his expression.
"Because you were here."
The confession hurt in the softest possible way.
Lia studied him carefully.
There was no performance in moments like this.
No cold billionaire mask.
Just Adrian.
Tired.
Quiet.
Looking at her like she'd somehow become the safest thing in his life.
His gaze moved slowly across her face.
Focused.
Almost reverent even now.
"You're staring again," she whispered softly.
"I woke up with you in my arms." A faint roughness entered his voice. "What exactly did you expect?"
Heat rushed lightly into her cheeks.
God.
Morning Adrian might actually be worse than normal Adrian.
Softer.
Needier.
More honest somehow.
His hand slid slowly upward beneath the oversized shirt resting against her skin.
Warm palm flattening gently against her back.
The touch made her breathing uneven instantly.
Adrian noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
A low sound escaped him softly.
"There."
Her pulse stumbled.
"What?"
"That reaction." His eyes darkened slightly. "You still do it every time."
Lia hid part of her face against his chest instantly.
Mistake.
Adrian laughed quietly under his breath.
Warm.
Real.
"You're shy this morning."
"You make existing difficult."
"No," he murmured softly.
His fingers brushed lightly through her hair now.
"I make you loved."
The words wrapped tightly around her chest.
Because Adrian said things like that so naturally now.
Like loving her openly had become instinct.
Lia looked up at him again carefully.
"You really mean every single thing you say, don't you?"
Adrian stared at her for several long seconds before answering.
"Yes."
No hesitation.
No embarrassment.
Just truth.
Always truth.
The silence softened around them afterward.
Morning light slowly brightened the room while the city came alive somewhere far below.
Adrian's thumb brushed lightly along her waist again.
Then quietly—
almost thoughtful—
"I like waking up with you."
The confession settled warmly into her chest.
"You sound shocked by that too."
"I'm shocked by everything involving you."
A quiet laugh escaped her before she could stop it.
Adrian immediately went still beneath her.
Lia blinked softly.
"What?"
The look on his face nearly ruined her emotionally.
Gone.
Completely gone.
"You're happy."
The way he said it—
soft.
Almost disbelieving—
made her chest ache.
Lia smiled faintly.
"You act like that's unusual."
"With me?" Adrian brushed his fingers lightly against her cheek. "I thought it would take you longer."
The honesty hurt unexpectedly.
Because underneath all his confidence—
he truly believed loving him would eventually become difficult.
Lia reached up slowly, touching his face gently.
"You overthink too much."
A faint smile touched his mouth.
"And you stay anyway."
The warmth in his voice nearly destroyed her.
Then Adrian leaned closer slowly until his forehead rested lightly against hers once more.
Comfortable now.
Natural somehow.
His eyes stayed fixed entirely on her while his fingers tightened softly at her waist beneath the blanket.
Then quietly—
with enough affection to ruin her completely—
"Good morning, mine."