CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT – THE RISK OF LOVE

The next morning, Joan awoke to the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains. She felt Larry stirring beside her, his arm tightening around her waist. "Good morning," she murmured, turning to face him. "Good morning," Larry replied, a mix of shyness and happiness in his eyes. "Did you sleep well?" Joan nodded, snuggling closer. "Better than I have in a long time." They lay in comfortable silence for a few moments, simply enjoying each other's presence. Then, Larry took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for something. "Joan," he began, his voice slightly trembling, "last night was... amazing. You're amazing. And I was wondering... would you like to be my girlfriend?" Joan felt a pang in her heart. She cared for Larry, deeply, but the wounds from her past relationship with Vito were still fresh. "Larry," she said softly, "last night was wonderful, and I care about you so much. But... I need to be honest with you. I'm not sure I'm ready for a committed relationship jus