The apartment was steeped in silence now, the kind of heavy, breathing quiet that follows chaos. The door clicked shut behind the last of Jay's friends, their laughter still echoing in the corners of the space like ghosts. Roman remained on the sofa, his posture exuding casual authority even in stillness, his dark eyes following Jay's every movement. The scent of Roman's cologne mingled with the sweetness of leftover birthday cake and something else the musky promise of what was coming.
Jay stood frozen for a moment, his heart hammering against his ribs. The evening had been a whirlwind of well-wishes and forced smiles, but beneath it all, he'd been counting down the minutes until he could have Roman to himself. Now that the moment was here, his hands trembled slightly as he approached.
"Thank you," Jay managed, his voice rougher than intended. "For everything."
