The next morning, Bella woke before her alarm. Sunlight slipped through the curtains in soft golden stripes, falling across the bedroom floor like spilled honey. She dressed quickly in a light blue sweater and comfortable jeans, leaving her hair loose around her shoulders. Her bag was already packed from the night before.
Leo was waiting in the car. He had insisted on driving her himself. Yesterday, work had kept him late, and he hadn't spent any time with her. So this was his compromise, a few extra minutes alone before the day swallowed them both. He wore a dark gray suit, his hair styled back from his face, his jaw freshly shaved. After dropping Bella, he would head straight to a lunch meeting with clients. But right now, his eyes were soft, and that softness was only for her.
