I blinked my eyes open, feeling the soft rays of morning light filtering through the curtains and onto my face. My head pounded slightly, a dull throb that reminded me of just how much I'd had to drink the night before. I groaned and rolled over, expecting to be greeted by the familiar emptiness of my hotel bed, but instead, I was met with the warm body of someone else.
For a moment, panic gripped me, and I froze, my breath catching in my throat. Who the hell was in my bed? But then it all came flooding back—the drinks, the laughter, the flirting, the kiss. My eyes widened as I slowly turned my head to look at the person beside me.
There, lying on his side with his face buried in the pillow and his dark hair tousled, was Ven. My heart skipped a beat. I could hardly believe it. I'd spent the night with Ven—well, that much was obvious, but…
I carefully shifted onto my back, trying not to disturb him. My mind was racing, memories of the previous night coming back in flashes: his lips on mine, the way his hands felt on my waist, the electric connection between us that seemed to pull us closer and closer until… I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling a mix of embarrassment and exhilaration.
I lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling and trying to piece together the events that had led to this moment. I remembered the dinner, the drinks, the way we'd both gotten a little too tipsy. And then, after we'd left the restaurant, there'd been more kissing, more touching. By the time we'd stumbled back to his room, I hadn't been thinking straight. Or maybe I had been thinking straight, just not with my head.
I glanced over at Ven again. He looked so peaceful, so unlike the confident, almost mysterious guy I'd come to know over the past few weeks. His breathing was slow and steady, his face relaxed, a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. I couldn't help but smile, too. He looked… happy.
I didn't want to wake him, but I also didn't want to stay in bed all morning. Slowly, I started to sit up, trying to be as quiet as possible. But the moment I moved, Ven stirred, his eyes fluttering open.
"Morning," he mumbled, his voice rough with sleep. He stretched, his arm brushing against mine as he did.
"Morning," I replied, feeling a bit awkward. I wasn't quite sure what to say.
Ven blinked a few times, then turned to look at me, a sleepy smile spreading across his face. "How are you feeling?" he asked softly.
I let out a small laugh. "Honestly? A little hungover, but otherwise okay." I rubbed my forehead, trying to massage away the dull ache. "You?"
"About the same," he said, pushing himself up on one elbow. "Last night was… unexpected." He grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "But not unwelcome."
I felt my cheeks heat up. "Yeah," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Unexpected." I glanced away, feeling suddenly shy under his gaze.
Ven reached out and gently touched my arm, his fingers warm against my skin. "Hey," he said, his voice softening. "No regrets, right?"
I looked back at him, surprised by the sincerity in his eyes. I thought about his question for a moment. Did I have any regrets? No. I'd had a great time. More than that, I felt a connection with him that I hadn't felt with anyone in a long time. Maybe ever.
I shook my head. "No regrets," I replied, giving him a small smile. "You?"
"None," he said, his smile widening. "I had a great time with you, Seren."
My heart fluttered at the sound of my name on his lips. "Me too, Ven."
We sat there for a moment, just looking at each other. The morning light cast a soft glow around the room, making everything seem almost surreal. I still couldn't quite believe this was happening—that I was here, in bed with Ven. That we'd… well, that we'd done what we did.
"So," Ven said after a while, breaking the silence. "What happens now?"
I shrugged, feeling a bit nervous. "I don't know," I admitted. "I mean, I don't want things to get weird between us, you know?"
"They won't," he assured me, his hand still resting on my arm. "I promise. I like you, Seren. I like spending time with you."
"I like spending time with you too," I said, my voice a bit steadier now. "But I don't want to mess things up, especially not at work."
Ven nodded, his expression thoughtful. "We'll figure it out," he said confidently. "We don't have to rush into anything. Let's just… see where this goes."
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "Yeah, I'd like that."
Ven's smile returned, and he leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "Good. Now, how about we get some breakfast? I don't know about you, but I'm starving."
I laughed, feeling the tension between us dissolve. "Sounds like a plan."
We both got up and started getting dressed, and as we did, I couldn't help but steal a few glances at Ven. He was different from anyone I'd ever met, and despite everything, I was excited to see where this thing between us might lead.
As we headed out of the hotel room and down to the lobby, I felt a mix of nervousness and anticipation. I still had no idea who Ven really was or what he was hiding, but for now, that didn't seem to matter. All I knew was that I wanted to spend more time with him, to learn more about him, and maybe, just maybe, to see if this spark between us could become something more.
And as we sat down at a small table in the hotel restaurant, with the morning sun streaming through the windows and the smell of fresh coffee filling the air, I couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something good.