That night, as Ava returned from the hospital, the house was eerily quiet. She carried her things down the hallway, her movements slow, exhaustion weighing on her. The door to Giovanni’s room was slightly ajar, and without thinking, she leaned in for a quick glance. The room was dimly lit, and Giovanni was nowhere in sight.
She hesitated, thinking she should put her things away before seeking him out, but the sudden sound of the bathroom door opening stopped her in her tracks.
Giovanni emerged, steam trailing behind him as he stepped into the room. His body glistened with droplets of water, a towel loosely secured around his waist. Ava’s breath hitched in her throat, her eyes unwillingly drawn to him, then quickly darting away.
Her heart pounded in her chest as Giovanni, still wet from
