Chapter 40

But then, just as things intensified, a distant sound pulled me away.

“Mommy?”

My eyes snapped open at the sound of someone knocking on the door. Morning light filtered through the curtains, and I realized that I was tangled in the sheets, the book still clutched in my hands. My heart pounded as the vivid remnants of the dream lingered.

“Mommy!” Thea’s voice called from the other side of the door. “I’m hungry!”

Panic surged through me. “J-Just a minute!” I scrambled to hide the book under the mattress again, smoothing out the covers hastily.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to find Thea standing there with an expectant grin on her face. “Good morning,” I greeted, forcing a smile.

“Good morning!” she chirped. “Can we please have pancakes again?”

“Sure, sweetheart. Let’s go to the kitchen.”

As we made our way downstairs, I tried to shake off the lingering feelings from the dream. That was all it was: a dream induced by late-night erotica.

But every movement reminded me of the way