After Rebirth, I Became My Ex's Aunt-in-Law

A single, blindingly bright ray of midday sunlight pierced through a tiny gap in the heavy blackout curtains of Room 121.

It hit Aria squarely in the left eye.

She groaned, a dry, raspy sound that scraped like sandpaper against her throat. She tried to turn her head away from the light, but her cheek was securely glued to something incredibly solid, warm, and bare.

It was Damien’s chest.

Aria slowly forced her heavy eyelids open. The world was a blurry, over-exposed mess. They were still exactly where they had passed out the night before—a tangle of naked, exhausted limbs sprawled completely across the plush, thick fibers of the hotel living room rug.

A sharp throb hammered directly behind her eyes. Her mouth tasted like dry red wine, stale garlic, and profound regret.

”Ugh,” Aria whimpered pitifully, squeezing her eyes shut and burying her face deeper into the crook of Damien’s neck to escape the light. ”I am dying.”

Her soft whimper acted like an instant alarm bell.

Damien stirred. His golden eyes snapped open in the dim room, instantly alert despite the fact that his own skull felt like it had been split open with an axe. He blinked against the harsh sliver of sunlight, his arm instinctively tightening around her bare waist.

”Aria?” Damien rasped. ”Are you okay?”

”Please don’t speak loudly,” Aria mumbled against his collarbone.

Damien let out a low, breathless exhale that might have been a chuckle if it didn’t hurt his own head so much.

Ignoring the stiff, agonizing ache in his lower back from sleeping on the floor, Damien carefully detaches himself from her grip. He slid his arms under her back and beneath her knees, scooping her naked body off the rug with effortless strength.

Aria let out a soft sigh, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck and letting her head loll against his shoulder as he carried her into the bedroom.

He gently deposited her into the center of the cloud-like king bed. He pulled the thick, crisp white hotel duvet all the way up to her chin, tucking her in securely.

”Stay,” Damien whispered softly.

Aria didn’t argue. She watched through half-lidded eyes as he walked completely bare-ass naked across the suite toward the small kitchenette.

Even with a pounding headache, Aria could appreciate the view. The harsh midday light caught the sharp, heavy ridges of his back and the flexing, corded muscles of his thighs as he rummaged through the complimentary hotel stash.

A few minutes later, the soft clink of ceramic echoed in the room.

Damien returned, holding a steaming mug of chamomile tea in one hand and an ice-cold bottle of Fiji water in the other. He sat on the edge of the mattress, setting the water on the nightstand, and gently nudged her shoulder.

”Sit up,” Damien murmured. ”Drink.”

Aria slowly propped herself up against the mountain of pillows, letting the duvet slip down to her waist. She took the mug with both hands, letting the soothing, floral steam wash over her face before taking a small, cautious sip. The warm liquid instantly eased the scratchiness in her throat.

She looked at him. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, completely unbothered by his lack of clothing, his silver hair a chaotic, sexy mess, watching her with a look of absolute devotion.

”You make an incredibly hot butler,” Aria teased, her voice still a bit croaky.

A small, genuine smile touched the corner of Damien’s lips. ”I only serve one client.”

He reached out, his thumb gently brushing a tangled rose-gold curl out of her eyes.

”We need a shower,” Damien noted, his gaze sweeping over the faint, dried remnants of spilled wine on her shoulder and the slight rug-burn on his own knee. ”To wash the floor off.”

”Carry me?” Aria pouted lazily.

Damien took the mug from her hands, set it next to the water, and scooped her right back into his arms.

The walk-in shower in the hotel suite was massive, lined in dark grey slate with dual rainfall showerheads.

The warm water crashed down over them, filling the glass enclosure with thick, therapeutic steam. The scent of eucalyptus and expensive hotel soap wiped away the lingering smell of truffles and alcohol.

Aria stood with her back pressed flush against Damien’s chest, her eyes closed in pure contentment. He took a generous pump of shampoo and gently massaged it into her scalp, his fingers working the tension out of her roots.

She leaned her head back against his shoulder, letting out a long, shuddering exhale. Right here, trapped in this steamy, quiet bubble, the rest of the world simply didn’t exist.

”Better?” Damien asked quietly, rinsing the suds from her hair.

”Perfect,” Aria breathed, turning around to press a kiss to the center of his chest.

Thirty minutes later, they stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in thick, fluffy white hotel robes.

The headache had finally receded into a dull, manageable ache. Aria crawled back into the bed, sitting cross-legged in the center of the mattress while Damien raided the suite’s minibar.

He returned to the bed and dumped a pile of snacks onto the duvet between them—two bags of potato chips, a massive Toblerone bar, and a jar of salted cashews.

”A balanced breakfast,” Aria approved, immediately ripping open a bag of chips.

She popped a chip into her mouth, chewing happily.

”I should probably turn my phone on,” Aria mumbled, dusting the salt off her fingers. ”I’ve been totally off the grid since the live last night. Zoe is probably going to murder me.”

”Let her wait,” Damien said casually, breaking off a triangle of the Toblerone and offering it to her. ”She’s a professional. She can handle the media for a few hours.”

”I know, but I at least need to tell her I’m alive and not currently rotting in a ditch,” Aria laughed, accepting the chocolate from his hand.

She went to get her phone then returned to her cross-legged position on the bed.

Aria popped the piece of chocolate into her mouth, completely relaxed, and then glanced over at the digital alarm clock glowing softly on the nightstand.

It was exactly 12:45 PM.

Aria held down the power button on the side of the device.