Chapter 1: Awakening to Temptation
Emily woke to the scent of lemon and salt air. It was wrong. The crisp, hotel-style sheets weren’t her soft, floral cotton. The light was wrong, too—golden and syrupy, slicing through slats in blinds she didn’t recognize, painting bars across an unfamiliar ceiling.
She turned her head. John was beside her, still asleep, his breathing deep. His familiar profile was a comfort, but it was the only familiar thing. The room was vast, all white walls and minimalist furniture, a huge window framing an impossible view: an infinity pool bleeding into a seamless blue horizon.
“John,” she whispered, her voice raspy. She shook his shoulder. “John, wake up.”
He stirred, frowning before opening his eyes. He blinked at the ceiling, then sat up swiftly, his body tense. “Where are we?”
“I don’t know.”
They’d been at a restaurant downtown. A celebration. His promotion.