The morning light slipped through the half-closed blinds, casting soft stripes across the room. Chris blinked awake slowly, momentarily disoriented. The scent of unfamiliar sheets and the steady weight draped across his chest brought everything back in a rush.
Jade.
She was curled against him, one arm thrown lazily across his torso, her leg tangled with his. Her hair was a mess of gold and auburn spread across his shoulder, and the covers were bunched low around their waists. Both of them were completely naked.
Chris stared at the ceiling for a moment. His expression was unreadable—thoughtful, maybe conflicted. Then, carefully, he peeled her arm off him without waking her and slid out of bed.
She stirred but didn't wake.
He stood quietly for a second, bare feet on the hardwood floor, taking in the room: posters of pop idols, a few books on a floating shelf, a faint scent of floral body spray lingering in the air. Then he grabbed his boxers off the floor and padded into the hallway, heading straight for the bathroom.
Ten minutes later, dressed in his jeans and the t-shirt he'd found from last night, Chris wandered into the kitchen. To his surprise, it looked almost… untouched. Spotless marble counters, a sleek induction stove, organized spice racks, and not a dirty dish in sight.
"Damn," he muttered, scratching the back of his head. "She doesn't look like she'd have a kitchen like this."
He opened the fridge and was greeted by rows of neatly arranged ingredients—everything from fresh vegetables to oat milk and expensive-looking cheese. Still, he had no idea what she liked for breakfast.
"…Tea or coffee?"
With no way of knowing, he made both.
The kettle whistled softly while he set up the coffee machine, managing not to screw it up. Once the drinks were brewing, he grabbed eggs, bacon, and a loaf of bread and got to work. Cooking wasn't exactly his strong suit, so he kept it simple: scrambled eggs, a bit overdone but not bad, and bacon that came out more crispy than he'd intended. Toast was the only thing he trusted not to ruin.
By the time he was plating it, the kitchen smelled delicious. He placed everything neatly on a tray—two mugs, plates, forks, a folded napkin, and a tiny jar of jam he found in the fridge for the toast. Carefully, he balanced it all and walked back toward the bedroom.
Meanwhile, in Jade's room…
She stirred, brow furrowing as her hand reached out, still half-asleep, patting the bed beside her.
Empty.
Her eyes snapped open.
"…What the hell?" she mumbled, sitting up, covers slipping down to reveal the curve of her back. Her hair was a wild halo around her face, and her expression quickly turned sour. "Are you kidding me?"
She twisted around, checking the floor—his clothes were gone.
"What a dick," she muttered, scowling. "Didn't even leave a note or wake me up? Just dipped?"
She folded her arms with a groan and flopped back on the bed. "Ughhh. Is this how those guys I ghosted felt? No, no way, I was at least charming about it…"
Still grumbling to herself, she grabbed her phone off the nightstand and blinked at the screen.
10:47 AM
"…Seriously?"
She tapped on Claire's name and held the phone up to her ear, still naked under the covers.
"Hey, good morning," she said with heavy sarcasm. "Your brother is a fucking a—"
The door creaked open.
Chris stepped in holding the breakfast tray like an awkward waiter, steam curling from the mugs.
They both froze.
He blinked at her.
She stared at him, mouth still open mid-rant.
A beat of silence.
"…ngel," she said, still staring, phone hovering near her cheek. "I mean. Angel."
She hung up.
Chris raised a brow as he crossed the room. "Who were you calling a—?"
"No one," Jade said too quickly. "Shut up."
He set the tray on the nightstand with a quiet clink. "Didn't know what you liked. So I made both. Coffee and tea."
She glanced at the tray, lips twitching upward despite herself. "You cooked?"
"Don't expect too much," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
Jade reached for the toast and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. "Hmm. Acceptable."
Chris gave her a dry look. "Wow. High praise."
She sipped the tea, then pointed at the coffee. "This one's for you."
He sat down on the edge of the bed, still not looking directly at her. "You seemed tired last night. Figured you'd want to wake up slow."
Jade studied him for a second. Her smile softened. "That's... sweet."
He glanced at her briefly. "Don't tell anyone."
Jade smirked, sipping her tea again. "Only if you make breakfast next time too."
Chris blinked. "Next time?"
She raised a brow. "You really think I'm letting you get away with just once?"
He didn't answer. But he didn't argue either.
Back in Jade's bedroom, the atmosphere was quiet and a little lazy.
Jade was sitting up in bed now, wearing just a black lace bra and matching panties. Her hair was a mess of waves, cascading over one shoulder as she stretched her legs out under the sheet.
Chris sat beside her, fully dressed again, though his hoodie was unzipped and his hair still looked sleep-tousled. The breakfast tray rested between them, mostly empty.
They ate in silence at first—comfortable, neither of them rushing. Jade occasionally stole bites of toast from his plate, and Chris didn't say a word about it.
Once the last bite was gone, Chris leaned forward and slid the tray onto the nightstand.
He turned toward her, opening his mouth to ask something—
—but before he could speak, Jade leaned in and kissed him. Her hand slid behind his neck, and in a fluid motion, she pulled him down with her onto the bed.
The kiss deepened, her body pressing close, lips soft but insistent.
When they finally broke apart, she whispered against his mouth, "Up for another round?"
Chris blinked, dazed for a second… then sighed and sat up, rubbing his neck.
"I'd love to," he said, sounding almost regretful. "But I promised I'd be home by noon."
Jade groaned and flopped back on the bed dramatically.
"You're the worst," she muttered.
He stood, adjusting his hoodie and glancing at the clock. "You'll survive."
She sat up too, brushing her black hair aside and letting it fall behind her back. "Pity," she said softly. "You're surprisingly good company."
She stood and walked to her dresser, pulling out clothes without much shame. Chris turned politely away, but not before catching another glance at her in the mirror—half dressed, confident, effortlessly alluring.
As she pulled on shorts and a loose tank top, Chris hesitated near the door.
"…So how's this gonna work, exactly?" he asked, not meeting her eyes. "I mean, us."
Jade turned to him, a lazy smirk playing on her lips.
"It's simple," she said, as if explaining something obvious. "We're like friends. But when we want… we can have a taste of each other. No strings. No drama. No emotional mess."
Chris considered that for a moment.
Then raised an eyebrow. "So I'm like a gigolo, but unpaid?"
Jade rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at him. "Idiot."
He caught it midair, grinning as he placed it back on the bed.
"Well, I'll be going then," he said, heading to the door. "See you later."
Jade smiled to herself, already pulling her hair into a messy bun. "You better."
And with that, he stepped out, the front door clicking quietly behind him.