The pale Manhattan morning sun crept through the gaps in the silk curtains of the Green Garden master suite. The light fell directly upon Scarlett's face, forcing her to slowly open her eyes. The first thing she felt was a warmth, foreign, yet profoundly grounding. She hadn't woken up alone.
A powerful arm was draped possessively over her waist, pulling her so close that there was no room for even a breath of air between them. Scarlett held her breath as she realized her head was resting against Julian's broad chest. She could hear the steady, rhythmic thrum of his heart, the same heart that had raced so wildly the night before as they kissed on the balcony of The Plaza.
Scarlett moved slightly, attempting to pull away, but the embrace only tightened. Julian let out a low groan in his sleep, burying his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the faint, lingering scent of her perfume from the night before.
