morning f

hat comes from being watched, from being known. The kind th

as always, but this time her steps

fitted. The sleeves were unrolled. His collar undone just enough to

eyes

ting. N

lasted too long

dn't b

ight

her limbs like a low hum. She opened her laptop, conne

s hard t

speak for th

re. Her fingers moved, her screen shifted, but her body was aware of him. Of the s

, a message popped i

Roma

t: Tea

ur version of the

t it stirred somethin

r tablet, and crossed t

e stood when

nstead, he closed the glass d

s breat

anguage was unreadable. Relaxed, but alert. Like some

ed toward

e

ntrose was flagged again this morning. Interna

. "I thought it

than that. It

ulse

t list was intentionally imperfect.

nked. "And

time. "You observed. You act

at pool beh

side. No barrier now. Not

," he said. "S

a loo

was steady. H

id. "Even when you're uncom

didn'

d the edge of the des

" he said. "But if I did, you

eath h

followed her home. That had climbed into

one dropp

now and it would echo in yo

the tablet in her lap. Her thighs pressed c

she a

e not

didn't

ack to his chair.

sed, but it di

e sat for a few seconds longer. Quiet. Composed

ood, she sa

n't look

the glass door,

ever spoke to you. That's

ed in th

e did not

her desk, her pulse

ance ye

t been ac

was any pa