Chapter 194. Telling Riley

Aurora’s POV

I swallowed, emotions warring inside me. Why did he always have to say things like that? Things that made my heart clench and my walls crack just a little bit more? I looked away, focusing on the sound of the waves in the distance.

I had thought this would be simple. Just a small conversation, an adjustment—one that would make things easier for both of us. I glanced up at him, watching the way the dim light caught the sharp angles of his face, the quiet patience in his eyes. He was waiting for me to speak.

“I was thinking,” I began softly, hesitating only for a moment before pressing on. “Maybe we could… spend some nights in each other’s rooms. Not every night, just… sometimes.” I forced a small smile, trying to ease the weight of what I was asking. “That way, we still have our space, and Riley won’t feel left out either.”

Caleb didn’t react immediately. He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression unreadable. The silence stretched b