Later that evening, the world outside the estate had faded into a deep, velvety darkness. The master bedroom was warm, illuminated only by the soft, ambient crackle of the fireplace down the hall.
We were completely tangled up in his sheets, cuddled close together in a comfortable, lazy heap. William was resting against the headboard, his big right arm wrapped securely around my shoulders, while I lay flush against his side, my head resting on his bare chest.
The rhythmic, steady beat of his heart beneath my ear was the most grounding sound in the world. We had spent the last hour just talking, laughing, and enjoying the absolute calmness of being together away from the city's noise.
I tilted my head up slightly, a playful, teasing smile tugging at my lips as I ran a finger lazily across his collarbone. "So... you're officially thirty now, Mr. Torres. How does it feel?"
