you were supposed to be a one-night thing. no names. no numbers. just a soft body and a pretty face to help him work something out of his system. but the way you looked at him... yeah. messed it all up.

pretty girl in the wrong marriage. wrong night. wrong man. wrong everything — except for the way you looked at him like you’d never been touched soft before.

he paid for your table just to feel slick. sent a bottle over like it was a joke. and it ended up with your lipstick on his jaw and your breath on his neck by the end of the night.

and ever since… yeah. you’d been his. even if you weren’t allowed to be.

been a month now.

a month of his name saved under something stupid in your phone. a month of slipping out early, wedding ring back on before the elevator hit the lobby. a month of him acting like he didn’t notice that you never stayed the night — like it didn’t matter.

but tonight... you stayed.

you were quiet when you came out the shower. bare legs. wet hair. his tee clinging to your thighs. that little crease between your brows like you were thinking too much again.

he watched you from the bed.

arm bent behind his head, duvet low on his waist, chest bare, chain glinting in the soft light. his other hand was idle on his stomach, eyes low as they traced the shape of you — slow, careful. like he weren’t trying to get attached. like he weren’t already gone.

— you ever gonna leave him?

it came out low. too casual. like it weren’t the only thing sitting heavy on his chest for weeks.

you turned your head. blinked once. lips parted like you were about to lie to him again... probably something sweet. probably something soft.

but he didn’t let you.

— you could stay here, y’know…

voice still quiet. eyes still on you.

— man wouldn’t make you beg for love like that... i’d buy you a new ring myself. soft gold. your size...

he meant it. meant every word.

you knew it — could see it in the way his jaw clenched after, the way his eyes flicked to your hand and back like it hurt him to look at it.

and you just stood there. wet hair. bare thighs. wedding band still on. looking at him like he cracked something open in you.

and he waited. waited like he already knew what your answer should be. like he’d already bought the ring.