"Tanner…"
Jess stirs first, voice low, hand reaching out to shake the man still wrapped around him. Tanner clings even in sleep, one arm heavy across Jess's waist, his leg tangled over Jess's thigh, chest pressed against his back.
The room is warm, sunlit morning has long since arrived. Light spills in through the sheer curtains, painting the walls a pale gold.
"Tanner," Jess calls again, a little louder. No response.
He turns slightly beneath him and shakes him harder. The haze of last night coils around him.. heat, overwhelming and sharp, the mark now pulsing faintly on his skin, a reminder of how far they went. The urgency. The need. The loss of control.
Another shake.
Tanner finally stirs. His brows pull together before his eyes flutter open. He blinks, focus slow to return, then he looks down, straight into Jess's eyes.
For a second, he doesn't speak. A smile forms on his lips, gaze lingering like he's still halfway inside that haze.
