"So how was it?" His calm voice filled the room.
Before she could respond, he rose from his seat and moved with deliberate grace across the room. He picked up a sturdy wooden stool and a smooth, well-worn paddle brush from the corner. Placing the stool precisely in front of his neatly made bed, he turned to her and, with an inviting gesture, silently asked her to sit.
Without hesitation, she sat facing the same direction he was facing, her head full of lustrous black hair in full view for him.
He reached out and gently stroked her hair, his fingers moving slowly through the silky locks. "Tell me about your little trip," he prompted, his tone both curious and teasing. "You're a little late, don't tell me you stopped to shop for clothes again? I'm quite sure you already have enough outfits to fill an entire wardrobe."
