Aiden groaned, his head pounding like drums in his skull. His eyes fluttered open slowly, the dull light from the window stinging his sight. He winced, trying to recall how much he drank last night—then froze when he felt something cool resting on his forehead.
He reached up weakly, his fingers brushing against a damp towel. What the—who put that there?
With effort, he pushed himself up, blinking until his vision cleared. That's when he saw her.
Mia.
She was sitting by his bedside, her head resting on the edge of the mattress, breathing softly in her sleep. Strands of her hair had fallen across her face, and her hand was loosely gripping the side of his blanket as if she'd been holding onto it for comfort.
For a long moment, he just stared. The pounding in his head quieted, replaced by something else—something softer. Her face looked so peaceful, so gentle. He'd never noticed how delicate her lashes were, or how small her nose looked when she was sleeping.
Aiden felt his chest tighten.
How could someone be this beautiful…?
He reached out, almost without realizing it, wanting to brush a strand of hair from her cheek. But before his hand could touch her, Mia stirred. Her lashes fluttered, and her eyes slowly opened.
"Oh—you're awake," she said softly, her voice still carrying traces of sleep.
Aiden froze, his hand still hanging in the air. She didn't seem to notice. She sat up, smiled faintly, and leaned closer to him, pressing the back of her hand against his forehead.
"Good," she whispered, a relieved sigh escaping her lips. "Your temperature's back to normal."
Her scent hit him—a faint mix of lavender and soap. His heartbeat quickened. He wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or something else entirely.
She looked up at him and smiled again, and that simple curve of her lips made his throat go dry.
"I already prepared your bath," she said gently, straightening up. "You should go take a shower. I'll make something for you to eat."
Before he could say anything, she turned and left the room, her steps light against the floor. The faint scent of her shampoo lingered in the air long after she was gone.
Aiden sat there for a moment, rubbing his temples.
He didn't understand what was happening to him anymore. The more he told himself to stay away, the harder it became to stop thinking about her.
He finally sighed, pushing off the blanket. "What are you doing to me, Mia…" he muttered under his breath before heading to the bathroom.