From that day on, Lucian's physical contact with Serena escalated to the point of routine embraces.

Initially, Serena would resist. She wasn't particularly fond of overly intimate gestures, as they stirred up a strange, indefinable sensation within her.

"From now on..." Sere

He was fast asleep.

The afternoon sunlight carved the sharp contours of his profile, bathing his sleeping form in an air of profound tranquility. Accustomed to a naturally high body temperature, Lucian radiated warmth like a small, comforting hearth.

Yet his

Lucian's response to Serena's directive was, without a shadow of a doubt, an affirmative one.

As far as Serena was concerned, with Lucian securely under control, the core problem was essentially solved.

Now, all that remained was to wait for the evening to u