Harper woke to the soft, golden light spilling across the room. The sun filtered through the blinds, casting slanted stripes over the floor and warming her skin in a way that made her squint against the brightness. For a moment, she stayed still, letting the warmth wash over her, not ready to face the day—or the aftermath of last night.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. The events of the previous night fluttered in her mind, half-formed and surreal. She sat up abruptly, shaking her head as if she could clear away the lingering fog of disbelief. Had it really happened? Or had it all been a dream, a fevered fantasy her mind had conjured in the darkness?
