His hollow eyes stared at the ceiling of his dim apartment as he lay on his futon, one arm propped behind his head. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, evidence of sleepless nights piling up.

The apartment itself was a stroke of luck—affordable, even if it bordered on cramped. But the luck felt hollow, especially after losing yet another side job. He sighed softly, replaying the days events in his mind—the woman. The ghostly woman he’d found earlier.

She’d been in his closet, her presence timid and almost shy as she silently observed him. When he called her out, she vanished as quickly as she appeared. The second encounter, however, was different. This time, she had been creeping closer while he ate lunch, perhaps thinking he hadn’t noticed her. But he did.

Acting on impulse, he spun around, caught her off guard, and pinned her to the floor. And then he kissed her. Not out of thought but pure instinct, as if it was the most natural decision in the moment.

To his surprise, she had kissed him back. But when he had tried to deepen the moment, she stopped him—only to disappear the very next second.

A soft groan escaped his lips as he remembered the heat of it all. The memory sent a rush of warmth through him, igniting his every nerve. ”Maybe I went too far?” he muttered to himself, his voice heavy with doubt and confusion.

As his thoughts spiraled, she emerged once more from the shadows of his closet. Silent as ever, her eyes remained fixed on him, watching.

The truth was, she had enjoyed the kiss. It was a sensation she hadn’t known she could feel. And now, she wanted to feel it again.