Anna held his gaze for a moment longer, the playful glint in her eyes slowly softening into something warmer—something quieter. The teasing smile faded, replaced by a look Daniel knew too well. It was the one she wore when she stopped joking and started feeling.
She reached up, smoothing the damp hair at the back of his neck, her thumb brushing lightly against his skin. "You're tense," she murmured, not accusing, not worried—just observant.
"I'm fine," Daniel said automatically.
Anna smiled, the kind that said she didn't believe him for a second. "You always say that."
She stepped closer, close enough that he could feel her warmth, smell the faint trace of her perfume—soft, familiar, comforting. Without breaking eye contact, she placed both hands on his chest, right over his heart.
"Come here," she said quietly.
Daniel didn't resist. He never did when she spoke like that.
