Kissed by a stranger Marked forever

gs. She stared at the heavy quilt that clung to her bare skin as the memories of yesterday's events came flooding back. The faint ache betwe

wollen lips betraying her vulnerability, and disheveled hair like she's been homeless for a long time. She was a stranger to herself and that realization stung. Felicia crept towards the door cautiously, her heart pounding in her chest like a war drum. There was an eerie silence in the room, amplifying every sound she made, each step a loud reminder of her exposure. Her hand faltered on the doorknob. What if he appears now? What if he asked her to linger a moment longer? What if he asks that they both continue what they shared? What if he shows her some kindness? Worse of it... what if he didn't? She swallowed nothing, clenched her jaw, a resolve hardening inside her. You've made a fool out of yourself once. Don't give him a chance to look at you with pity. With a brisk, determined motion, she twisted the knob and slipped out of the door, heels clutched tightly in her palm. She headed down the hallway. Climb Into the elevator. And out into the sun-drenched street of the building. She looked sideways then she ran. Steam enveloped the bathroom mirrors like a soft mist, distorting Zachary's reflection as he ran a towel through his damp hair. The warmth of the night before still lingered on his skin. Felicia's lips grazing his, her voice a soothing whisper, the way she had surrendered to his touch, vulnerable yet fierce, a proximity that has shattered his carefully constructed walls. It was just a fling that wasn't supposed to mean anything. But it did. As he opened the door, hope flickered within him, imagining her nestled in the sheets, a beautiful storm finally calmed, her dark hair a stunning contrast against the white fabric. Yet the bed lay empty. The room was filled with unsettling silence. Cold. His heart skipped a beat, disbelief swelling within him. He glanced around, Her dress was gone, the delicate heels were absent from the floor, and her purse was missing. Still yet her scent lingered in the air, a delicate trace of warmth surrounded him, as if she had only slipped away but not truly gone. He felt a tightening in his chest. She left? No note, no goodbye not even a single cup unmoved to suggest she'd ever been there. She ran. Zachary's fists clenched, his fingers curling into tight balls in frustr