The apartment felt still, early morning light slipping in through the curtains pale and gray, hinting at rain.
Leo sat at his cramped desk in the corner, typing away on his laptop.
Freelance gigs, a new thing for him. Nothing exciting some quick design work for a nearby shop, a logo for someone's startup. It paid the bills. Kept his hands busy while his mind drifted.
He heard the bed shift. Alex was waking up.
Leo didn't look back. He kept typing, but something in his shoulders eased, the tension melting a little.
Sheets rustled and Alex's voice came out all gravelly from sleep. "Come back to bed."
Leo smiled at his screen and kept working. "I'm busy."
"It's seven a.m."
"Client's in another time zone."
"I don't care about your client."
Leo stifled a laugh. "You should. They're the ones paying me."
"I'll pay you. Double, even, if you come back to bed."
