My Last And My Only

Chapter 187: Home Before Dawn

The heavy silence of the bedroom was broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioner and the steady breathing of the woman sleeping beside her.

Aiah stirred first.

A pleasant ache lingered in her muscles, drawing an involuntary smile to her lips as fragments of the previous evening drifted back into her mind—the anniversary dinner, quiet laughter, slow dancing in the living room, whispered promises, and eventually falling asleep in each other's arms, too exhausted to stay awake any longer.

Her cheeks warmed.

It had been the happiest anniversary she could have asked for.

Then—

Bzzz.

Her phone vibrated on the nightstand.

Aiah frowned, blinking away the last traces of sleep as she reached for it.

The bright screen lit up the room.

Gwen:
Cous, what time are you coming home? Mom asked about you twice already. She finally went to her room because she was sleepy.

The smile on Aiah's face faltered.

She checked the time.

It's past midnight.

A small wave of panic settled in her chest.

She had completely lost track of time.

For a moment, she closed her eyes.

Then she glanced beside her.

Khae was still fast asleep, her usually composed expression softened completely. A few loose strands of hair had fallen across her forehead, and one arm remained draped loosely over Aiah's waist as though even in sleep, she didn't want to let go.

The sight alone eased Aiah's nerves.

Whatever happened after this...

Last night had been worth it.

As Aiah shifted her weight to type a reply, the mattress dipped.

A heavy, warm arm immediately wrapped around Aiah's bare waist, pulling her flush against a heat-radiating body.

Khae buried her face into the crook of Aiah's neck, letting out a low, sleepy rumble. Without opening her eyes, she began leaving soft, lazy kisses along Aiah's shoulder, her hand sliding up to grip Aiah's hip with a sudden, renewed hunger.

"Khae, stop," Aiah whispered, a breathless chuckle escaping her lips as Khae's lips found her jaw.

"Wake up, I'm serious."

"Mm... stay," Khae mumbled against her skin, her voice raspy from sleep. She tightened her grip, clearly wanting another round, her lips pressing more firmly against Aiah's neck.

"Hey, no, babe stop it," Aiah reprimanded her playfully, swatting Khae's shoulder as she tried to maintain her authority while fighting off a giggle.

"Gwen just texted me. She's asking what time I'll be home. Tita Ivy was waiting for me."

That caught Khae's attention. Her eyes cracked open, heavy with sleep but laced with instant protectiveness.

"What did she say?"

Aiah quickly typed back to Gwen:
Please wait up for me. I'm on my way back.

She stared at the text bubble, her chest tightening. She hated lying, especially to Gwen, who always had her back. Biting her lip, Aiah deleted the text and typed the absolute truth instead.