Chapter 75

Jake’s POV

The sun shone through the gap in the window blinds, hitting the messy bedsheets. I opened my eyes, feeling tired, and smelled vanilla and something else that was just Lila.

She was sleeping next to me, her back to my chest, her hip fitting perfectly against mine. I thought back to last night: soft whispers, breaths, and bodies touching.

I reached out, tracing her back, and she moved.

“Morning,” I said, my voice thick with sleep and a feeling I couldn’t quite name. I felt good, but also unsure.

This wasn’t just a quick hookup, at least not for me.

Lila tensed, then slowly turned. Her eyes, usually bright, were cloudy, like a wall was already going up.

“Morning,” she mumbled, her voice flat, not warm like before.

She pushed herself up, pulling the sheet with her. It seemed like she was hiding, not just being modest.

I watched her, a tight knot forming in my stomach. “Lila.”

She wouldn’t look at me. She start