Nora Vanderbilt's life takes a mysterious turn when a near-death experience grants her extraordinary abilities, catching the attention of the enigmatic Dr. Hunter Aloysius Percy. Invited to join an exclusive research study on NDE survivors, Nora is...
Nora had been slowly adjusting to the new rhythm of their life together. Despite the weight of her doubts and the quiet grief she still carried for Homer, things between her and Hap had found a delicate balance.
It wasn't perfect, but it was enough for now. She was learning to let go of some of the resentment that had built up over the years of manipulation, accepting that the future they were creating—though flawed—was the one she had to live with.
It had been a long, exhausting day at work, but she felt a flicker of peace in the familiarity of her home. She had come back a little earlier than usual, the house quiet and still as she moved through the kitchen, preparing dinner. There was a sense of normalcy in the way she sliced vegetables, chopped herbs, and hummed a soft tune to herself. Cooking had always been a grounding activity for her, a rare moment of solitude where she could lose herself in something simple and mundane.
As she worked, her thoughts inevitably drifted back to Homer. She tried to push them away, tried to focus on the task at hand, but the quiet grief she felt for him never fully left her. She often wondered what could have been, what life would have been like if things had gone differently. If they had met in another world, in another time, could they have had the love they both deserved?
But then she'd think about Hap. Despite everything, despite all his faults and the darkness that still clung to him, he had a way of pulling her in. She had grown to depend on him, to trust him in ways that both scared and comforted her. He had convinced her, time and time again, that Homer's memory loss was for the best, that their lives together would never be the same if Homer remembered. And so, for now, she had let go of that possibility.
Nora was lost in thought, stirring a pot of simmering sauce when she heard the front door open. She didn't need to turn around to know it was Hap. His presence filled the house, both comforting and unsettling.
She didn't expect him to come up behind her, but before she could turn, his hands were already on her waist, pulling her into him. She stiffened for a second, but his touch was soft, possessive in the way that only Hap could manage. He breathed into her hair, his lips grazing the side of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.
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"I missed you today," Hap murmured against her skin, his voice low, almost intimate. "Couldn't stop thinking about you."
Nora felt her pulse quicken at the words, a mixture of warmth and anxiety flooding her chest. She tried to focus on the cooking, on keeping herself steady, but his hands were already sliding up her sides, over her hips. The sensation of his touch on her skin made her weak, her body betraying her as he pressed his body closer to hers.
"I don't want to be a distraction," she said, her voice breathless, though part of her knew she didn't really mean it. She didn't want to push him away, not completely. He was there, his presence grounding her in a way she couldn't explain. But she still felt the tug of resistance, the doubts lingering beneath the surface.
