Ryan awoke first, the dawn’s pale light filtering through the curtains and casting soft patterns on the hardwood floor. For a few blissful moments, he lay there, heart still fluttering from the night’s passion, his eyes tracing the curve of Jess’s sleeping form beside him. She looked impossibly peaceful—her breaths slow and even, eyelashes brushing her cheeks, a faint smile playing on her lips.
He rolled onto his side, gazing at her cheer uniform discarded in a crumpled heap on the floor. The memory of her laughter, the thrill of her unexpected surrender, warmed him all over. He pressed a finger to his lips, smiling at the sweet vulnerability of it all—his “unaware” cheerleader girlfriend, so innocent and trusting.
But then, as he sat up and reached for his duffel by the bed, his expression shifted. His hand rifled through the pockets—palm sweats, wallet, keys… but not the device. His heart jumped into his throat.
He stood quickly, eyes darting around the room. The device hadn’t been here when he’d gone to sleep. A cold knot formed in his chest.
“No way…” he murmured, voice tight.
At the foot of the bed lay Jess’s purse, left ajar but otherwise untouched. Ryan’s mind raced. He crossed to it, hesitating only a second before unzipping it fully. Inside, nestled under lip balm and a stray hair tie, was the device—its sleek surface gleaming almost mischievously in the morning light.
His breath caught. Two possibilities spun in his mind: either he’d clumsily dropped it last night, and Jess had found it ignorant of its true power… or—and the thought made his blood run cold—she had taken it on purpose, fully aware of what it could do, using last night’s… intimacy… as the perfect cover.
A swirl of emotions hit him: betrayal, confusion, anger… but under it all, a dark thrill. She was clever—more clever than he’d ever given her credit for. And now, the balance of power between them had shifted again.
He closed the purse gently, his jaw set. As Jess stirred and opened her eyes, blinking sleepily, he steeled himself for what he’d say next—knowing that tonight’s choices would determine everything between them.
Ryan slipped the device into his jacket pocket with a casual shrug, then settled back onto the pillows as Jess stirred beside him. Her eyelashes fluttered open, and for a breath he waited—half-expecting panic to flicker across her face once she realized her purse was lighter.
But instead, her eyes shone with something entirely different: delight.
She sat up, a soft smile spreading across her lips as memories of last night’s laughter, kisses, and whispered promises resurfaced. She ran a hand through her hair, brushing a stray lock behind her ear, still wearing the faint rose of excitement on her cheeks.
“Hey,” she murmured, voice husky with sleep and satisfaction. “Morning.”
Ryan’s heart skipped. She hadn’t panicked. She hadn’t even glanced at her purse. She was entirely absorbed in the warmth of the moment, glowing with the afterglow of their time together.
“Morning,” he replied, tilting his head with a gentle smile. “Sleep okay?”
Jess stretched luxuriously, arching her back, then turned to face him fully. “More than okay,” she said, eyes sparkling. She paused, as if recalling something wonderfully private, and leaned in to brush her lips against his cheek. “Last night was… incredible.”
Ryan suppressed a grin. Her genuine happiness, her complete focus on him, convinced him that if she had taken the device, she would have shown at least a flicker of concern. Instead, she was basking in the moment, trusting him completely.
He slid an arm around her waist, pulling her close. “I’m glad,” he whispered. “Because I’ve been looking forward to waking up next to you.”
Jess laughed softly, resting her head on his shoulder. For the moment, all doubts were smothered beneath that easy intimacy. Whatever schemes she might harbor, tonight—and this morning—she was entirely his, and he was entirely hers.
And as they lay there, wrapped in each other’s warmth, Ryan let himself believe that some things—like their connection—were real enough to trust.
Jess stirred under the soft sheets, the morning light filtering through the blinds casting warm lines across her bare shoulder. The scent of Ryan lingered on her skin, and her body still hummed with the afterglow of the night before. Her lips curved into a dreamy smile, eyes fluttering open as she turned to see him moving around the room.
For a moment, she just watched him—shirtless, confident, the same smirk that had made her heart skip during the smoothie date now stirring a strange comfort in her chest. There was something incredibly satisfying about this feeling, like she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
A buzz from her phone made her reach lazily for her purse, but she stopped herself.
No need, she thought. Ryan’s right here. The device’s safe. No rush, no worries.
In truth, Jess had considered checking it earlier—maybe even stashing the device somewhere more secure. But now, she felt… relaxed. Carefree. She didn’t need to obsess over it. It wasn’t like she had any urgent desire to use it. Not anymore. Not when this new version of her—cheerleader, girlfriend, Jess—felt so much more real than she ever expected.
She finally glanced at her phone. It was a message from Macy.
Macy:
"OMG girl 😳 last night was CRAZY… Billy is such a STUD 😍 I can barely walk lolol… Tell me you and Ryan had the same kind of night?? 😏"
Jess blinked, then burst out laughing. She covered her mouth to muffle it, blushing like she had just been caught passing notes in class.
She typed back:
Jess:
"Let’s just say… I’m still recovering 😅 and yeah… definitely not in a rush to go back to ‘normal’ rn 😘"
She hit send and set the phone down, then glanced over at her purse, unaware of the small absence nestled deep inside it.
Still lying in bed, Jess looked up as Ryan returned from the bathroom, flashing her that grin that made her stomach flutter.
“Morning, gorgeous,” he said.
Jess smiled back and stretched, completely at ease. “Morning, boyfriend.”
Whatever happened next... she wasn't rushing it. Not when right now felt so good.