Urban System in America

But just like everything else in this world, peaceful moments never lasted long.

The sudden ring of a mobile phone pierced the silence, sharp and jarring, like a needle pricking a bubble.

Both of them snapped out of it. She instinctively pulled away, slipping out from under his arm. Her cheeks flushed as she wrapped the sheet around herself in one quick motion, not out of modesty exactly, but more like reflex, somewhere between embarrassment and nerves. Her heart was still racing, though now for an entirely different reason.

There was a trace of panic on her face, part shyness, part embarrassment, as her eyes darted around the room for the source of the noise.

Her expression flickered between relief and irritation, and when the ringtone repeated, her lips pressed together in frustration.

It was hers.

Just from the ringtone, she could tell that it was her phone.

She glanced down at the floor beside the bed, spotting a trail of discarded clothes, but no sign of the phone. Avoiding eye contact with Rex entirely, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, gripping the sheet tighter as she did.

"I—uh—" she stammered, blinking. Her voice came out scratchy. "I need to check the phone…" mostly to herself, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the slight edge in her voice.

She didn't dare look back at him. If she caught even a glimpse of that teasing smile, she might just combust on the spot.

Following the sound, she spotted her phone on the carpet, half-buried near her crumpled clothes.

But the moment she tried to slide out of bed, a strong arm hooked around her waist, pulling her right back into the warm tangle of sheets, and him.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going?" Rex's voice was lazy, still edged with sleep, but the grip on her waist was firm. "You think I'm letting my girlfriend run away the morning after? Scandalous."

"I-i'm not your girlfriend!" she snapped, twisting slightly, though her face was still bright red.

"Could've fooled me," he teased, leaning close enough that his breath tickled her ear. "The way you were calling my name last night? Yeah, definitely sounded like a girlfriend thing."

Monica whipped her head around to glare at him, but the moment their eyes met, his playful, hers flustered, her heart skipped. She hated that smile of his, the one that made him look unfairly good-looking even with messy bed hair.

"You…" she started, but the words tangled.

"Me?" Rex prompted innocently, tilting his head.

"Ugh, forget it." She tried to push herself up again, but his hand slid from her waist to her thigh, warm and steady, making her freeze.

"Relax," he murmured, the teasing dropping to something quieter, more intimate. "We're not running a race here. Stay a little longer."

Her lips parted, a retort on the tip of her tongue, but it never came out. Instead, she felt her breath hitch when his other hand trailed up her back, fingertips tracing the line of her spine like he was memorizing her all over again.

"Last night…" she muttered softly, almost to herself. "I was drunk." This content originates from M1VLEMPYR, My Virtual Library Empire.

"So was I," Rex admitted, his voice softer now. "But I remember every second. And I'm not sorry."

Monica's heart thudded in her chest. She wasn't sure if it was the lingering heat between them, or the way he said it, calm, certain, like he actually meant it.

Before she could think of a reply, Rex leaned in and brushed his lips against her temple, feather-light. "You're so cute when you're embarrassed," he whispered, grinning against her skin.

Monica groaned, covering her face with both hands. "I'm going to regret this…"

"Well, I doubt that," Rex said with a laugh, effortlessly pulling her hands down and kissing the tip of her nose. "But not right now."

Monica yelped softly when he tugged her back into his arms, the sheet twisting slightly around her. She gave him a half-hearted glare that didn't quite reach her eyes, more flustered than annoyed.

"Rex…" she murmured in warning, but it came out sounding more like a whine.

"Mmh?" he replied, nonchalantly nuzzling closer.

Before she could pull away again, he tilted her chin with two fingers and placed a slow kiss on her cheek. Then another, on the other side. Her forehead next. Then, delicately, her closed eyelids, one, then the other.

Monica's breath caught, her lashes fluttering open halfway.

"What are you doing…?" she whispered, though her voice had lost its edge.

"Kissing you," he said plainly, before his lips brushed down to her jawline, grazing it with a gentleness that made her heart thrum like a hummingbird. "Everywhere I can. Because if I don't, I'll start thinking last night was just a dream."

Her throat tightened. Her hands were still resting lightly on his chest, unsure whether to push or hold on. She felt like she was melting into him, a warmth spreading under her skin that had little to do with body heat.

But still, she wriggled slightly. "Let me go, I'm all hot and sweaty," she complained, tugging the sheet tighter around herself as she tried to squirm out of his hold.

Rex nuzzled the back of her neck, unbothered. "It's okay. I don't mind," he murmured, his voice low and teasing. "In fact, this is better. Authentic. Raw. Morning-after aesthetic."

"YOU!," she grumbled, but she didn't resist when he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her closer again, tucking her against his chest. The warmth of his body, the rise and fall of his breathing: it was strangely comforting. Dangerous, even. Like a cocoon.

They lay there for a moment in silence, the buzz of the earlier interruption slowly fading. Her cheek rested against his chest, and her fingers played absently with the sheet between them. His hand traced lazy circles across her back, feather-light, unhurried. Then he leaned down and caught her lips in a kiss…slow, soft, like he wasn't in a hurry to let the moment end.

She responded instinctively, her body leaning into his, but when his hand slid down her side and paused at her hip, she shifted.

"Wait," she said, gently placing her hand on his. "Let's not… I mean—last night was…" She bit her bottom lip and glanced away, cheeks flushing pink again. "It was my first time."

Rex blinked, surprised. "Seriously?"

She nodded, then added with a huff, "And it still hurts, you know. Especially because someone was all enthusiastic and forgot what the word 'gentle' means."

There was mock resentment in her tone, but it was softened by the way her lips curled into a faint smile.

(End of Chapter)