The sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, painting long golden stripes across the bed where their bodies still tangled beneath rumpled silk sheets. May lay on her back, one arm draped lazily over her stomach, lips parted as she stared at the ceiling.
Shane sat at the edge of the bed, naked, spine rigid, one hand gripping her phone that she hadn't touched all night.
Not a word had been spoken since.
May turned her head slowly, watching Shane's back—those strong shoulders, the slight rise and fall of her breath, the tension vibrating off her like an unsaid truth.
"Running already?" May asked softly, voice scratchy from sleep… and everything Shane had made her scream the night before.
Shane didn't turn around. "I'm not running."
"Really?" May sat up, the sheet sliding off her body. "Because you're doing a damn good impression."
Shane stood and crossed the room, grabbing a robe from the armchair. She pulled it on like armor. "Last night was… a mistake."
That made May laugh, bitter and amused. "Funny. You didn't sound like you were making a mistake when you had me screaming your name."
Shane spun around, fire in her eyes. "Don't do that."
"Do what? Call it real?"
"It wasn't real. It was control. It was sex. It was me proving something." Her voice cracked around the lie.
May stood now too, letting the sheet drop entirely. She didn't reach for it. Didn't hide. If Shane wanted to distance herself, she wasn't going to make it easy.
"You proved something, alright," May said, walking toward her with unshakable calm. "You proved you could break me with a touch. Make me beg. Shake. Come undone."
She stopped just inches away, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"But I think what scares you is how much you gave yourself to it too."
Shane stared at her, jaw clenched, heart slamming against her ribs. She hated that May could see through her so easily. She hated that it made her want to kiss her all over again.
"I don't do connection," Shane said, voice low. "I don't do this."
May leaned in, brushing her lips against Shane's ear. "Then why I'm still here?"
Shane didn't answer. She couldn't. Because May was right.
She should've pushed her out last night. Should've shut it all down and gone cold, like she always did. But she didn't. She let May sleep next to her. Let her head rest against her chest. Let her in.
And that… terrified her.
Shane turned away and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at the city below. All that glass, all that space—and suddenly, it felt small.
"This was supposed to be fun," she murmured. "You. Me. No strings."
May came up behind her slowly, her bare body pressing lightly against Shane's back, arms wrapping around her waist.
"Maybe it still can be," she whispered. "But don't lie to yourself and pretend it didn't mean anything. Not after what we did."
Shane closed her eyes.
She could still taste her.
Still feel her legs shaking under her hands.
Still hear the sounds May made when she came apart in her arms.
And worst of all—she wanted it again.
Wanted to do it all over. Slower this time. Rougher.Deeper.
"I don't know what this is," Shane admitted. "But it's dangerous."
May smiled against her shoulder, kissed the skin there, slow and soft.
"So am I."